Accountants After Hours

Episode 4: Live from The Accounting and Business Expo

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:43:59 GMT

Welcome back to Accountants After Hours - this time recorded live in front of an audience.

Thank you to our sponsors Ignition who we both love and use in our businesses to automate proposals and streamline invoicing. Check them out here.

In this episode, Nat and Sarah dive into the real challenges accounting firms are facing right now, from team pressures and burnout to capacity issues and the constant juggle between growth and delivery.

They unpack:

Why staffing and team dynamics remain the biggest pain point across firms
The reality of doing the work vs leading the business
The never-ending cycle of hiring, capacity, and chasing new clients
How community and industry connections help navigate the chaos

They also get into a spicy industry debate:

CPA vs CA — should the bodies merge?
Do clients actually care about designations anymore?
And what the future of the profession could look like with AI and regulation changes

Plus, they share personal career reflections:

Taking risks, backing yourself, and “doing the hard thing”
Walking away from traditional paths to build something better
Why finding your tribe in the industry is everything

And of course… Tea Time ☕ makes an appearance with some live event gossip 👀

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast is general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Listeners should seek their own professional advice and conduct their own due diligence before acting on any information discussed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3: Bonus Ep AI Already Changed… Again

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Well… our last AI episode is already outdated 😅

So we’re back for a quick bonus chat on what’s changed in the last few weeks and why things suddenly feel like they’re moving at lightning speed.

We cover:

🤖 Claude Cowork and the rise of real AI agents

Nat shares how she’s using it to automate tasks like renaming folders and even building EOFY workpapers in one prompt

⚡ From prompts to action

This is the shift from “AI suggesting” to “AI actually doing”

👀 Why human oversight still matters

(including when AI gets a little too confident…)

🚀 The explosion of new apps

AI-first tools, startups trying to rival Xero, and why the space feels crowded right now

😵‍💫 The vibe in the industry

Excitement, overwhelm, a bit of anxiety… and why accountants are still in a strong position

🛡️ Where the real opportunity is

Governance, trust, and being the human in the loop

💭 The takeaway?

It’s changing fast.It’s a lot.

But this is the worst the tech will ever be… and there’s a huge opportunity if you lean in.

Follow, subscribe and share with an accountant who needs a space where the real conversations happen.

Send us your accounting industry tea and questions - hello@accountantsafterhours or DM on socials.

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Watch and subscribe on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors Ignition who we both love and use in our businesses to automate proposals and streamline invoicing. Check them out here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2: Will AI Take Your Job?

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:00:00 GMT

We recorded this a few weeks ago which in AI terms basically makes it old news already. And that alone tells you how fast this space is moving.

In this jam packed episode we break down what’s actually changed since ChatGPT dropped in November 2022, why the AI convo makes some accountants roll their eyes, and why we still need to talk about it anyway.

We cover:

GPT-4, Claude, Gemini and the DeepSeek moment that shook the AI race

Why 2026 might be the year of the “agent” (AI that does things, not just says things)

The gap between what LLMs can do and what accounting firms are actually ready for

Tech debt, change management and why that’s the real bottleneck

What’s already being automated in firms right now

Why hourly billing makes less sense in an automated world

We also share real examples from our firms, including:

Automating compliance and workpapers

AI agents qualifying new leads

Using ChatGPT Teams for quarterly advisory reporting

And yes… “make this email sound less blunt” being one of the most used prompts

Plus Tea Time ☕️

This episode : cowboy accountants, refund dramas, and employees walking out with clients.

It’s not hype.

It’s not doom.

It’s what’s actually happening inside accounting firms right now.

And let us know…

Do we keep talking about AI?

Or is Nat banning the topic?

Ai and automation tools we use:

Follow, subscribe and share with an accountant who needs a space where the real conversations happen.

Send us your accounting industry tea and questions - hello@accountantsafterhours or DM on socials.

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Watch and subscribe on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors Ignition who we both love and use in our businesses to automate proposals and streamline invoicing. Check them out here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1: The 2025 Wrap, the 2026 Energy

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:52:33 GMT

Welcome to Accountants After Hours.

In our first episode, we’re sharing how this podcast came to life. Two friends who’ve spent the last five years voice noting each other about client chaos, team dramas, AI, big ideas and industry frustrations.

Because this profession can feel lonely. And it doesn’t have to.

We introduce ourselves properly, reflect on the year that was, and talk about the events that brought the industry back to life. From Xerocon to awards nights to forums, we unpack why showing up matters and why community is everything.

We also discuss AI advancements and what we’re seeing on the ground, our predictions for 2026 including automation, mergers and the rise of agents and our theme for the year.

Plus we launch two regular segments:

☕ Tea Time

Industry gossip, big moves, questionable behaviour and the stuff everyone is whispering about.

💬 Ask Us Anything

Send us the questions you’re too nervous to ask publicly and we’ll answer them here.

If you think you know us from LinkedIn, think again.

🔗 Episode links:

Facebook Groups:

Totally Bossing It - for accountants and bookkeepers of tomorrow

Small Business Accountants & Advisers Brain Trust, Australia

Events:

Follow, subscribe and share with an accountant who needs a space where the real conversations happen.

☕️ Send us your accounting industry tea and questions - hello@accountantsafterhours or DM on socials:

Like us on Facebook

Watch and subscribe on YouTube

Thank you to our sponsors Ignition who we both love and use in our businesses to automate proposals and streamline main invoicing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.