"Ethics and integrity are a bookkeeper's superpower."
-Heather Smith

Kick off your new year with clarity and momentum in this special Year-In-Review episode!

Host, Michael Palmer brings together an international panel of leaders to unpack the biggest wins, surprises, and lessons from 2025. This conversation gives you a grounded look at what actually changed in the bookkeeping world and what you can expect moving into 2026.

You'll hear real stories from Canada, Australia, and the United States about technology shifts, economic pressures, client transformations, team challenges, and the rising demand for advisory.

Our final episode of 2025 is packed with insights that you don't want to miss!

Thank you so much for listening to our show and being a part of our community!

Your support is the reason this podcast continues to grow.

Wishing you a HAPPY and SUCCESSFUL 2026!

To find out more about our guests, click below:

Lisa Campbell
Teresa Slack
Heather Smith
Christina Springstead

Time Stamp

01:11 – Michael introduces the Year-In-Review panel
03:38 – Biggest surprises from 2025
04:51 – How bookkeepers embraced AI
05:12 – Personal breakthroughs & executing on training
07:04 – Economic pressures & global ripple effects
11:24 – Setbacks bookkeepers faced this year
16:41 – Capacity challenges & communication gaps
19:22 – Heartwarming client wins
23:05 – Helping clients understand their numbers
27:23 – The ripple effect bookkeepers create
30:03 – Why new bookkeepers matter
32:16 – Heartbreaks & financial vulnerability
34:06 – Ethics as a bookkeeper's superpower
39:26 – What worked well in 2025
40:10 – Hiring support to free up time
42:12 – Workflow systems paying off
46:11 – What didn't work & lessons learned
49:26 – Overwhelm from too much change at once
50:59 – Trends shaping 2026
54:58 – The rising need for human connection
1:02:37 – Personal focus areas for 2026
1:05:05 – Closing thoughts & New Year wishes

"You get to a place little by little of just working with these wonderful people that really appreciate what you're doing. They're paying top dollar and you love what you're doing."
-Lisa Campbell

Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for part two of this special live series recorded at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how to filter ideal clients, step into advisory with confidence, and build a business that supports your life—not drains it.

In this interview, you'll learn:

• Why most bookkeepers already are doing advisory without realizing it
• One simple step you can take this month to start leading clients
• How boundaries create freedom and stronger client relationships

To learn more about Lisa, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping.

Time Stamp

01:09 – The biggest myths bookkeepers believe about advisory
02:25 – Why you're more qualified than you think
03:08 – The one conversation that can start your advisory journey
04:40 – How honesty builds trust & opens deeper client relationships
06:32 – Systematization as the path to freedom
07:36 – The emotional toll of staying stuck & overwhelmed
08:13 – Why boundaries matter & how to set them
09:36 – Stopping late-night messages, constant emergencies & scope creep
11:02 – Charging premiums for urgent work
11:50 – Seeing yourself as a leader, not a laborer
12:47 – The mindset shift that unlocks real advisory
13:39 – Why losing the wrong clients makes space for the right ones
15:24 – How ideal clients show up when you raise your standards
20:19 – Building your business mindset through learning and curiosity
22:01 – Differentiating yourself from low-cost competition
24:17 – How niching creates authority & demand
25:08 – The future of bookkeeping and the rise of AI-supported advisory

"You learn, you read, you surround yourself with other people. Don't stay isolated behind your computer. You come to things like this. You join groups, you learn what other people are doing, and a lot of it is just understanding the value yourself."
-Lisa Campbell

Lisa Campbell, author of Beyond Bookkeeping and longtime bookkeeping mentor, joins host Michael Palmer for a special two-episode series recorded live at Accountex Canada 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. She shares how a single "midnight moment" pushed her to rebuild her business, break free from burnout, and step confidently into advisory work.

In this interview, you'll learn:

• What finally broke the cycle of burnout & overwork
• How systemizing business unlocked time, freedom & new opportunities
• Why shifting from compliance to advisory starts with mindset

To learn more about Lisa, click here.

Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Order a copy of Beyond Bookkeeping.

Time Stamp

01:16 – Lisa shares her "midnight moment" & the push to change everything
03:14 – The shift from having a job to building a business
06:16 – How burnout & overwork showed up in her daily life
07:03 – The mindset change that unlocked growth
08:12 – What "beyond bookkeeping" really means
09:17 – The moment she realized her systems were working
10:26 – How long it took to make the shift & why timing is different for everyone
11:46 – Breaking through time constraints & building structure
12:44 – How she stayed connected to her why during tough seasons
15:11 – How Profit First transformed her business & her clients'
16:20 – Why more clients doesn't equal more profit
18:10 – Moving from hourly work to value & subscription pricing
18:53 – The hidden gold bookkeepers give away for free
20:12 – Why learning, community & awareness help you charge your value
21:23 – Lisa's exercise to uncover value adds
24:12 – How she rewired her thinking & found new opportunities
25:16 – Shifting from compliance work to advisory
26:50 – Building an ecosystem for the entire client journey