My hope is that with the shift towards advisory –and this unlock of so many new capabilities with AI and automation–, is that we’ll get back to that relationship-first approach to accounting. And I think that that’s going to be so good for the profession. Because, to your point, Heather, you know, the burden on accountants has been higher than ever. You know, the burnout in this industry is really high.

And when I talk to firms, I often like to ask people, like, why did they get into this industry in the first place? And I’ve never had somebody tell me, “Oh, it’s because I love filling out 1040s, or W-9’s are my personal calling, right?”. Like those are just a means to the end. And what I hope is that this shift in technology that we’re living through right now will help release some of that compliance and transactional work.

 – Madeline Reeves, Founder & CEO of Fearless Foundry, creator of Advisory Amplified.

Today I’m speaking with Madeline Reeves, Founder & CEO of Fearless Foundry, creator of Advisory Amplified.

In this episode, we discuss reinventing accounting conferences through a six-city U.S. tour, focusing on practical advisory content and community building.

• Challenges with traditional conferences and the need for real-world application.
• Advisory vs. CAS: Clarifying the terminology and implementation.
• Empowering women and underrepresented voices in accounting events.
• Localised content and community connection via hometown hosts.
• Practical tools and strategies for implementing advisory services.
• Workbook-based workshops with real, actionable takeaways.
• Partnering only with vendors who deliver educational (not salesey) content.
• Launching a virtual version of Advisory Amplified on November 18.
• Vision for future global expansion and continued grassroots connection.

🌟 Advisory Amplified Sponsors

• Fathom – Financial analysis and management reporting tool for accountants and business owners.
• Ignition – Client engagement and billing platform that automates proposals, contracts, and payments.
• Karbon – Practice management software for accounting firms, streamlining tasks, emails, and workflows.
• Relay – Online business banking designed for accountants and small businesses, with integrated financial controls.
• OnPay – Payroll and HR software for small businesses, handling wages, tax filings, and benefits.
• Fearless Foundry – Creative consulting firm that helps entrepreneurs and organisations with branding, marketing, and strategy.

🧰 Apps & Tools Mentioned:

Avalara, QuickBooks Online Accountant (QBOA), TSheets, Hubdoc,  Abacor, Firm360, Taxfyle

Timestamps 

02:05 – From Avalara to Advisory Leader: Madeline’s tech-to-advisory journey.
06:10 – Why Advisory Amplified Exists: Gaps in traditional conferences.
09:30 – Real Talk: Advisory in the US vs. Global: What’s missing in America.
13:25 – Designing Inclusive Conferences: Women-led by design, not default.
17:15 – The Power of Representation: All-female AI panel moment in Chicago.
20:40 – Tools Driving the Advisory Shift: What tech supports real advisory?
23:55 – Advisory Tech Stack Talk: Practical sessions with partner input.
27:10 – From Random Acts of Consulting to Service Lines: Productizing advisory.
30:35 – AI + Advisory Integration: Using AI for better client conversations.
34:00 – Hands-On Learning With Workbooks: Goodbye chicken scratch notes.
37:15 – Building Community with Local Flavour: Hometown hosts & local vendors.
41:05 – Sponsors with Substance: No sales pitches—only educational value.
44:25 – The Value of Diverse Perspectives: Unlocking new ideas through inclusion.
47:00 – Advisory Mindsets & Skills: Let go of perfection, focus on listening.
50:15 – Stop Selling, Start Serving: Grow advisory with current clients.
53:10 – Advisory Amplified Goes Virtual: November 18 launch details.
55:30 – Global Ambitions + The Bus Dream: What’s next for the conference.
58:00 – Final Thoughts: Building a future-focused, community-powered industry.

What I love about holding up these counter concepts, is it kind of goes back to that, like, scale to infinity messaging that we have, that’s out there, that I don’t really love, because ultimately, I think it’s up to the practice leader to build the firm that they want. And that’s my session, that I lead. It’s called “Building the Brand that You Believe in”.

And really, the message that I want firms to take home from that, is that it’s not up to a technology company to tell you what your niche should be. It’s not up to, you know, an industry consultant, thought leader, you know, influencer, to say, “Oh, this is the kind of practice you should create”. It’s really about getting in touch with yourself as a firm leader, and saying, you know, what do I want to build?

Heather: What are the core skills or mindsets accountants and bookkeepers should be cultivating to start and to thrive in the advisory space?

Madeline: This is a really important question, because I think we’re in a moment where clients are going to need advisory more than ever before. And I feel like I’ve said that every single year, but especially being in America right now, I feel like small business owners really need guidance. And you know, the first thing that I think accountants need to cultivate is letting go that the idea that it’s about having everything you know perfect, or having all the answers. There was a lot of conversation about this at our stop so far, and it’s really about having this mindset of learning and listening.

Heather: One of the things that you have talked about with the conference, is that it’s very much a woman-led conference in practice. How is that shaping the conference, in terms of the agenda, the culture, the experience?

Madeline: This has been so cool to see, because I think this is, you know, it plays into a concept that we think about a lot inside of my business, which is the notion of, like, diversity by design. So, rather than just, like, hoping that we will have an audience that’s representative, it really goes into the way that we design and build things to ensure that the audience that we want to attract is there, and sees themselves reflected in that content.

Being an entrepreneur, being an accounting professional, can be a really lonely experience, and so what I’ve loved about the rooms that we’ve created is that we’re spending a lot of time making sure that people are getting to know who’s sitting in the audience with them.

And to your point earlier, Heather, like, accountants really do thrive, I feel like, in smaller environments. It’s intimidating to go to a conference with 1000, 2000, 5000 people and make new friends. But when you know it’s 50 to 70 to 100 people at a Happy Hour at the end, you know, you’re much more likely to walk away and meeting a couple people that you can stay in touch with; you could refer business to, or you could just reach out to after this event and say, like, hey, you know, how’s advisory going in your practice? And I’m really excited about the connections that are coming out of our events.