Heath Alloway of Upstream Academy was National Growth Manager and Director of Business Development at one of the top accounting and consulting firms in the US. Here he led a multi-disciplinary team of 20, focused on strategic growth plans, development and launch of new services and industry verticals, leveraging firm data and innovation. Selected shownotes:

• The 2 main ways accounting firms can drive organic growth
• Whose job business development and growing an accounting firm actually is
• Defining what innovation is and where it comes from in an accounting firm
• The biggest misconceptions about innovation in an accounting firm
• The danger of focusing too much on your competition and not your clients
• How to handle the objection of 'I don't have time to innovate or do business development' in my firm
• The parallels between innovation and business development for accounting firms
• Encouraging a culture and mindset of innovating for accounting professionals
• The importance of diversity of views for worthwhile innovation
• Technique for dealing with people in your accounting form who are not open to change and innovation
• The need for leadership support and aligning the firm's culture for good innovation
• The obstacles that most hinder accounting firm innovation
• Three critical questions in deciding whether to innovate and create a new product, service or process
• The dangers of assuming your clients need and will pay for new products or services
• Three ways an accounting firm can innovate to be more efficient and effective
• The future for those accounting firms and accountants who cannot or refuse to innovate.

When not working, Heath and his wife, Emily, focus on faith, family, health, and friends. He frequently refers to his two precious kids as his innovation team because they generate a lot of ideas – both good and bad – that require his help and/or intervention.. Contact him here:

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