The Small Business Project

The Small Business Project For Accountants Serious About Implementing Advisory. Firms have struggled to implement advisory, no time, no clarity, no confidence. That ends here.

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If tax planning feels harder than it should, it’s rarely a technical issue.It’s usually happening earlier than that.Befo...
03/06/2026

If tax planning feels harder than it should, it’s rarely a technical issue.
It’s usually happening earlier than that.

Before the meeting, it’s hard to get buy-in. In the meeting, the advice makes sense but doesn’t quite land. After the meeting, the actions stall and you find yourself following up more than you’d like.

That pattern isn’t about capability.
It’s about connection.

If you’d like to explore how this is showing up in your firm and what to shift, book an Advisory Discover Call.

https://calendly.com/lynda-steffens/advisory-strategy-session-discover-call?month=2026-05

Most firms will tell you they customise their advisory.Every client is different.Every conversation is tailored.Every so...
01/06/2026

Most firms will tell you they customise their advisory.

Every client is different.
Every conversation is tailored.
Every solution is unique.
And on the surface, that sounds exactly right.

But when you look a little closer, what’s often sitting underneath isn’t customisation.

It’s inconsistency.

Different conversations depending on who’s in the room.
Different scopes depending on what was discussed.
Different pricing based on how confident someone felt that day.
Different client experiences across the same firm.

That’s where the friction starts.
Because while it feels like you’re delivering something tailored, it’s also creating uncertainty internally and a very uneven experience externally.

This is the part that’s easy to miss.

Customisation without structure doesn’t create value.
It creates chaos.

Not loud, obvious chaos.
The quiet kind.
The kind that sits in your head.
Shows up in inconsistent delivery.
And makes advisory difficult to scale beyond a few key people.

True customisation doesn’t come from making everything different.
It comes from having a consistent structure that allows you to adapt with clarity.

When the pathway is clear:
the type of conversation is defined
the purpose is understood
the next step is known

You’re no longer guessing your way through advisory.
You’re guiding it.

And that’s what allows you to respond to the client in front of you with confidence, not just instinct.

Because the goal was never to standardise the client.
It was to standardise how you show up.

That’s what creates consistency.
That’s what protects quality.
And that’s what makes customisation possible.

You don’t need to figure this out alone....When I was building advisory into my own work, there wasn’t a clear roadmap.N...
28/05/2026

You don’t need to figure this out alone....

When I was building advisory into my own work, there wasn’t a clear roadmap.

No shared language.
No defined process.
No real distinction between the different types of conversations we were having.
Just a lot of “this should work”… and a fair bit of trial and error.

Over time, patterns started to emerge.
What worked.
What didn’t.
Where conversations got stuck.
Why advisory felt so heavy, even when you knew it mattered.
And more importantly, what actually made it easier.

That’s what led me to write Accounting Revolution.
Not as theory.
But as a way to put structure around something that, for most firms, still feels undefined.

Inside the book, I break down:
why advisory often gets stuck at partner level
how to separate the different types of conversations
what creates confidence in those conversations
and how to start shifting advisory beyond just a few people

It’s the thinking behind everything we now do at The Small Business Project.
Because the goal was never to make advisory more complicated.
It was to make it make sense.

So if you’ve been trying to piece this together on your own, wondering why it feels harder than it should…
You don’t need to start from scratch.
The hard work of defining it has already been done.

https://lyndasteffens.com/purchase-accounting-revolution-book/

Most tax planning meetings go well.The work is done, the numbers are right, the options are clear. The client understand...
27/05/2026

Most tax planning meetings go well.
The work is done, the numbers are right, the options are clear. The client understands and agrees with the direction.
And then… nothing really happens.
Not because the client is difficult. Not because the advice isn’t good.
But because it never quite connected to something that mattered enough for them to act on.
We often focus on getting the advice right.
But advisory only works when the client sees why it mat Most tax planning meetings go well.
The work is done, the numbers are right, the options are clear. The client understands and agrees with the direction.
And then… nothing really happens.
Not because the client is difficult. Not because the advice isn’t good.
But because it never quite connected to something that mattered enough for them to act on.
We often focus on getting the advice right.
But advisory only works when the client sees why it matters to them.


There’s a quiet concern that sits underneath a lot of advisory conversations in firms.It doesn’t get said out loud very ...
25/05/2026

There’s a quiet concern that sits underneath a lot of advisory conversations in firms.

It doesn’t get said out loud very often, but you can feel it.

If we put structure around this…
will we lose the quality?
Will it become too formulaic?
Too templated?
Too “light” for the kind of work we’re known for?

So instead, advisory stays flexible.
Customised.
Partner-led.
Carefully held.

And that feels like the safer option.
But over time, something else starts to happen.

Quality becomes inconsistent.

Not because anyone is doing a poor job, but because everything depends on who’s in the room, how much time they have, and how clearly they’re thinking that day.

Some clients get a brilliant experience.
Others get something more reactive.
Others again get something closer to reporting than real guidance.
All with the same firm.

This is the part that’s easy to miss.

Structure doesn’t reduce quality.
It protects it.

When there’s a clear process behind advisory, you’re not removing depth or expertise. You’re creating a consistent foundation that ensures every client experiences the same level of care, attention, and forward thinking.

It also removes the pressure of having to “get it right” every time from scratch.
You’re no longer relying on memory or instinct alone. You’re working within a pathway that supports better questions, better conversations, and better outcomes.

And importantly, it allows your team to step in without feeling like they’re risking the relationship.

Because the quality is no longer sitting solely with the individual.
It’s built into the way advisory is delivered.

That’s when things start to shift.
Advisory becomes more consistent.
More scalable.
And ultimately, more valuable to both the client and the firm.

If you don’t define advisory properly, your team won’t “step up” into it.Not because they don’t want to.Because they don...
21/05/2026

If you don’t define advisory properly, your team won’t “step up” into it.
Not because they don’t want to.
Because they don’t know where they fit.

So what happens?
Everything that feels important, complex, or slightly uncomfortable…gets pulled back to the partner.

And slowly, without realising it, you’ve built a system where:
the team stays in compliance
advisory stays at the top
and capacity never really changes

From the outside, it looks like a capability issue.
Inside the firm, it feels like:
“They’re just not ready yet.”
But in most cases, it’s not capability.

It’s that advisory hasn’t been broken down into something they can actually step into.

Once you separate the conversations and define the pathway, something shifts.
The team doesn’t need to become you.

They just need to know:
👉 what kind of conversation they’re having
👉 what their role is in it
👉 and what comes next

Turns out, advisory isn’t something people “step up” into.
It’s something they step into… when there’s a place to stand.

5 Signs Your Firm Is Ready for an Advisory Strategy SessionYou don’t need more inspiration.You need alignment.Here’s how...
20/05/2026

5 Signs Your Firm Is Ready for an Advisory Strategy Session
You don’t need more inspiration.
You need alignment.
Here’s how to know the timing is right.
1️⃣ You’re at capacity — but still only reaching a small portion of your clients with advisory.
The demand is there. The structure isn’t.
2️⃣ Advisory conversations sit mostly with the partners.
You believe in it. Your team supports it. But responsibility hasn’t shifted.
3️⃣ You’ve invested in training or tools before — and it didn’t quite stick.
Not because it was wrong. Because it wasn’t anchored in a clear firm-wide strategy.
4️⃣ Pricing advisory feels messy.
You know it should be separated. You’re just not sure where one service ends and the next begins.
5️⃣ You want advisory to be deliberate — not reactive.
Less “while we’re here…”
More structured, chosen, and positioned.
If three or more of those felt uncomfortably accurate, you’re not behind.
You’re ready.
An Advisory Strategy Session isn’t more theory.
It’s a focused leadership session to:
✔ Define what advisory actually means in your firm
✔ Clarify what can be shared across the team
✔ Identify structural gaps
✔ Build a 90-day action plan
Advisory confidence starts with clarity.
👉 Book an Advisory Strategy Call and let’s look at where your firm stands.

Tax planning is one of the few times in the year where advisory should feel easy.The timing makes sense. The conversatio...
18/05/2026

Tax planning is one of the few times in the year where advisory should feel easy.

The timing makes sense. The conversation is proactive. The opportunity to add value is clear.
And yet… for many firms, it still feels harder than it should.

Clients take longer to book. Information drips in. The conversation goes well, but the follow-through doesn’t quite happen.

It doesn’t feel broken. But it doesn’t feel like it’s really working either.
What if the issue isn’t the advice… but when and how the value is being understood?

👉 I’ve unpacked this in this month’s blog: https://thesmallbusinessproject.com.au/advisory/tax-planning-advisory-not-working/

The future of advisory isn’t about who can crunch the most numbers.AI is already winning that race.The real differentiat...
14/05/2026

The future of advisory isn’t about who can crunch the most numbers.
AI is already winning that race.
The real differentiator?
Confidence.
Structure.
Firm-wide alignment.

Most partners we speak to aren’t short on ideas.
They’re short on time, capacity, and a clear path forward.
That’s why we built our Client Roadmap.

Five clear steps to help busy accounting firms:
• Plan with clarity
• Build capacity and confidence
• Roll out advisory to existing clients
• Position advisory for new clients
• Stay supported as you grow

No scattered programs.
No disconnected training.
No advisory living in the heads of two partners while the team waits.
Just one clear pathway that shows you where you are — and what comes next.

Because advisory doesn’t need more noise.
It needs alignment, structure, and support — all in one place.

🔗 Find out where your firm sits on the advisory spectrum → Take the Advisory Quiz https://thesmallbusinessproject.com.au/advisory-where-does-your-firm-sit/

Everyone wants kick-ass advisory.Fewer firms build the structure to support it.Right now, in most accounting firms:👉 Adv...
13/05/2026

Everyone wants kick-ass advisory.
Fewer firms build the structure to support it.
Right now, in most accounting firms:
👉 Advisory conversations sit with the partners
👉 The team waits to be told what to do
👉 90% of clients never experience forward-looking conversations

Not because your team isn’t capable.
Not because you don’t believe in advisory.
Because it hasn’t been clearly defined, separated, and structured to be shared.
Kick-ASS advisory doesn’t mean louder conversations or more services.

It means:
✔ A clearly defined advisory approach
✔ Clarity on how advisory conversations can be shared across the team
✔ A practical 90-day action plan
✔ A leadership team aligned on what advisory actually means

That’s exactly what we build in our Advisory Strategy Session.
It’s focused.
It’s commercial.
It’s designed to move advisory from “partner-heavy” to “firm-wide capability.”
If you’re at capacity but still only reaching 10% of your clients…

👉 Book your advisory strategy call https://thesmallbusinessproject.com.au/advisory-strategy-session/ and let’s build a kick-ASS plan your whole team can stand behind.

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Southport, QLD
4215

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
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Telephone

61409587322

Website

https://thesmallbusinessproject.com.au/advisory-where-does-your-firm-sit/

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