EP503: Spotlight - Melanie Spillman - Building Trust & Human Connection In A Digital World
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
Release Date: 11/20/2025
EP515: Jonathan Stark - Why Hourly Billing Is Holding Your Bookkeeping Firm Back
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
"The hardest thing is to not try and solve their problem in the sales interview, just listen to the business case, and then come up with clever ways to achieve that business case really as easily as you possibly can. So you're looking for smaller projects, not bigger projects. It's, it's a complete mind shift.” -Jonathan Stark Jonathan Stark, author of Hourly Billing is Nuts, breaks down why hourly billing holds you back. He shares how shifting to value-based pricing changes your income, your clients, and your time. Jonathan explains how writing, teaching, and niching help you stand...
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EP514: Spotlight - Syvonia Brown - Emotional Intelligence Every Bookkeeper Needs
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
"Slow down. I think we move so fast and we're trying to go in straight to the solution and there could be multiple things that the customer needs and we miss opportunities when we move too fast.” -Syvonia Brown In this Spotlight episode, Syvonia Brown, Director of Sales at Sage 50 US, talks about emotional intelligence and why it matters more than most bookkeepers realize. She shares practical ways to handle tough client conversations, slow down reactive thinking, and build trust without taking on unnecessary stress. In this interview, you’ll learn: How active listening changes...
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EP513: Salim Omar - The Smart Way To Exit Without Burning It Down
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
" Selling is not necessarily the answer. Exit can mean continuing to be part of it, but in a different way." –Salim Omar In this episode, Salim Omar, CPA and author of The CPA Firm Exit Playbook, shares what it takes to build a firm that works without constant owner involvement. Drawing from 30 years as a firm owner, Salim explains how systems, marketing, and leadership shape firm value and future options. In this interview, you’ll learn: Why owner dependency limits growth & firm value How systems & teams prepare your firm for the next chapter What buyers actually look for...
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EP512: Sharrin Fuller - Scaling Smarter: Why Systems Matter More Than Headcount
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
" We need to do things that the other people aren't doing because that's how you make ways, that's how you revolutionize, that's how you pave a new path for the other people that think like you, but maybe don't have the strength at this point yet to pave the way.” -Sharrin Fuller In this episode, Sharrin Fuller, strategic advisor and founder of Glass Wallet Ventures, shares why she believes the future of bookkeeping is client-facing, relationship-driven, and systemized. She breaks down how she scaled smarter, reduced her team, embraced technology, and rebuilt her firm to run smoothly with...
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EP511: Spotlight - Tommy Vincent - How AI Is Changing Analytics For Bookkeepers
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
"Your data is good to go. Customer comes into Hub Analytics and starts chatting with the chat bot to ask questions about the data, get visualized charts and graphs, and really have kind of this virtual CFO experience, which is cool.” -Tommy Vincent Tommy Vincent, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer at Hub Analytics, returns to explain how AI is reshaping analytics, advisory, and the bookkeeper’s role. He shares how data diagnostics improve pricing confidence, why early forecasting matters, and how AI tools give clients clearer financial insight without added complexity. In this...
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EP510: Mark Murphy - The Five Roles Every Winning Team Needs
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
" I'm not gonna say people can't change. What I will say is that it is hard work to change attitude. Changing skills, super simple. Attitude, it's a losing battle for the vast majority of business leaders.” -Mark Murphy Welcome to 2026 and the 10th anniversary year of our podcast! In this episode, Mark Murphy, founder of Leadership IQ, shares how to hire better and build teams that actually work. He explains why most hiring problems come down to attitude and outlines the five roles every strong team needs. In this interview, you’ll learn: •The five roles every winning team needs...
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EP509: 2025 Year-In-Review Show!
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
“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...
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EP508: Lisa Campbell - How To Build A Business Beyond Bookkeeping - Part 2
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
"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...
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EP507: Lisa Campbell - How To Build A Business Beyond Bookkeeping - Part 1
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
"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...
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EP506: Ron Bester - How SODA Helps You Build A Business That Runs Without You
The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
“ You do not want a business that is entirely dependent on you. You want an independent running business.” -Ron Bester Ron Bester, VP of Client Experience at Successful Bookkeeper Global, breaks down why so many bookkeepers feel buried in day-to-day work and how the SODA framework helps you reclaim time, reduce stress, and build a business that doesn’t rely on you to survive. In this episode, you’ll learn… How to spot where your time is leaking & fix it Build simple systems that remove bottlenecks Use automation to cut repetitive tasks & free up hours Connect with Ron on...
info_outline"Bookkeeping is a commodity. My accounting software can be a commodity. So how do we strike that emotional cord and how do we give the confidence that we are the right choice going forward? We're not a commodity. We are differentiating. We're building that difference.”
-Melanie Spillman
Melanie Spillman, Vice President of Sales for Sage US Medium Businesses, shares practical ways bookkeepers can build stronger client relationships—through listening, follow-up, and authenticity. She explores how trust is earned, why active listening matters, and how to keep human connection alive in an increasingly automated industry.
In this interview, you’ll learn:
- How to build trust quickly & consistently with clients
- The art of active listening & letting silence do the work
- Why understanding your client’s past & future builds connection
Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn.
To learn more about Sage, click here.
Time Stamp
01:41 – How to build trust quickly with clients
03:34 – The power of timely follow-up
05:19 – Setting expectations & communicating clearly
06:33 – Teach, tailor & take control in client conversations
07:53 – How to ask better questions & listen actively
09:23 – Staying present & focused during meetings
12:22 – The value of silence in communication
13:54 – Showing authenticity & passion with clients
15:53 – How to build trust in the first meeting
17:22 – Asking about a client’s past & future to deepen connection
20:09 – Why focusing only on history limits your impact
21:15 – How to stand out in a competitive market
22:29 – The “front door” story: lessons in emotional connection
25:39 – Why people buy with emotion & justify with logic
27:31 – Turning services from a commodity into a connection
29:34 – Keeping the human touch in an automated world
31:27 – Using AI to free time for more meaningful client work
33:22 – Understanding what really motivates clients
36:48 – Make every client interaction meaningful
38:46 – How Sage uses AI to empower bookkeepers