Martin Bissett is THE trusted adviser to accounting leaders and future leaders internationally. He creates professional communities for fintech vendor partners as well as a range of accounting networks, associations and alliances. He is a knowledge partner to accounting influencers globally and has authored 9 books including Passport to Partnership, content from which has been adopted into the curriculum of AAT Level 3 courses, and taught in selected UK colleges and US CPA Societies. He has spoken to audiences from over 40 nations on 4 continents and is retained by AccountingWeb and the International Accounting Bulletin as a judge of their prestigious awards. He writes for AccountingToday, AccountingWeb, CPA Practice Advisor and Chartered One, and has much to say on helping the accounting profession adopt an advisory role towards clients by moving away from compliance in order to create sustainable businesses, high levels of financial literacy in SMEs and therefore take the financial pressure off SME owner’s home lives. Selected shownotes:

• Preview of a special relaunch of the Accounting Influencers Podcast
• How the definitions of influencer, guru and expert has changed over the years
• The vital role of micro-influencers in the accounting and fintech world
• Shout to tax expert Rebecca Bennyworth as a true accounting influencer
• The critical definition of a thought leader and how it differs from an influencer
• What makes somebody an expert rather than a mere influencer
• The kinds of influencers in accounting fintech, like practitioners, vendors, networks, regulators and writers
• Who should accountants be listening to if they want to develop professionally and stay informed
• Questions accountants and accounting/fintech event organisers should ask to scrutinise the true expertise of so-called experts
• Why it's easier now for firms, networks and event organisers to do due diligence on potential experts and speakers to check track record
• The different motivations of so-called influencers in putting out social media messages and content
• The difference between results and recognition for some influencers
• The downsides of accountants not being able to discern the relevant insights from true influencers vz believing the hype
• Whether accountants have become more or less lazy in keeping up to date with softer skills and commercial acumen over the years
• Advice for accountants to prove which accounting or fintech influencers are the real deal or false prophets
• Where the opportunities for accounting firms are serious about developing their people and listening to the right influencers and experts

Connect to Martin on LinkedIn Connect to Rob on LinkedIn