94 is a start-up journey blog series that captures Jamie’s first weeks at Amplify during the summer of 2018. The summer of 2018 was the soft launch of Amplify Advisors & the blog captures the weekly journaling of a co-founder. 94 has been released one year later as a reflection of how far Amplify has come in one short year.

 

Week Five

An accountant for accountants & now an entrepreneur for entrepreneurs

 

I wanted to spend more time with small/medium business.

 

There were a number of reasons for that, not least of all, the hope that my experience could bring something to them. Bringing the best of the big while still being practical.

 

There has been a pleasant new surprise in all of this. I’ve always been an accountant for accountants. My entire career has basically been serving accountants as clients – as an auditor, as a business partner within industry, and as an advisor.

 

Guess what? Now I am an entrepreneur for entrepreneurs.

 

I didn’t think of that until I dived into it! But now, not only can I bring my expertise as a finance leader, business advisor and a connector, but I have also walked in their shoes and have first hand experience in what they are going through when they start up their business. For example, I’ve come up with a business plan for Amplify, not just previous clients, and now I’m living it and actioning it. I’ve gone through the Amplify marketing strategy, not just consulting others in theirs, and I’m experiencing what the minimum viable product feels like and looks like.

 

What I’ve learned that will help me advise small business is significant and I’ve learned it in such a short period of time.

 

It’s so voluminous I can’t believe I lived in the world not knowing this only a few weeks ago!

 

Here’s the thing, I have always admired those that consult and advise based on experience. They leverage their reading, exposure and training. The reality is the majority of advisors and consultants (and auditors) are sold as experts based on this, the firm’s collective expertise and its thorough methodology/approach, but few have actually done the job of their clients.

 

For me, it’s drawing on the actual doing that has differentiated me. As an accountant serving accountants, I can remember what it was like to try and tighten my month-end, manage the budget process, get through a year-end, audit and lead the team. And now as an entrepreneur serving entrepreneurs, I anticipate the same value from walking in their shoes.