Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #263 Broadcast date: 20May25 Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor Guests: Experts and Special Guests live from Accounting & Business Expo 2025 Part 2

Welcome to Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose. I’m Alexi Boyd and I’m thrilled to be bringing you this special podcast – part 2 - recorded on the floor of the 2025 Accounting & Business Expo.

There’s so much to learn when you attend a conference and they’re getting better every year. The accounting and business expo is definitely one for your calendar as a Must Do.. This year there was dozens or great discussions and presentations, everything from technical tutorials for advisors and keynotes from economists, to growing your practice with AI, to thought leaders discussing the future of the industry.

As my fellow podcaster Dan from Two Drunk Accountants said, “You always walk away with ideas and fuel in the tank, motivation and great ideas to use in your business.”

Didn’t make it? Luckily Small Biz Matters was there and can bring you the Best of from ABE 2025.

In today’s program you’ll learn from mentors and trailblazers from the accounting and business world, who are so generous with their wisdom. But it’s not just for the accounting nerds out there – small businesses and all advisors will get expert advice on topics like AI for teams, how the accounting world should be tackling gender disparity, growing and selling your business and the importance of e-commerce for growth.

Our expert guests include:

Dale Dixon, MYOB – What’s the mission for software companies to support small business through the ever-changing landscape of digitalisation in accounting? How can they leverage AI to improve their practice and for their clients?

Debbie Hatumale-Uy, (The Sweet Stuff) & Martin Rodgers (Realise Business) - The importance of e-commerce in your business but not just to set and forget; recognising you’re only as good as the connectivity between your engagements. How does Realise Business enhance digitalisation and the Federal Government program to support small businesses to get into digital?

Michele Grisdale (Rainforest Bookkeeping), Rebecca Mihalic (businessDEPOT), Sarah Lawrance (Hot Toast) – why does gender disparity in accounting remain such a problem for the industry?

Rob Marshall, General Manager ICB – new compliance requirements for bookkeepers’ code for dealing with incapacity in your practice

Cissy Ma – Grow and selling businesses. How to get started? What are the pitfalls?

Peter Thorp, Australia Bookkeeping Network – what does an association get out of attending ABE?

Dan Osbourne, Two Drunk Accountants – What’s the top highlight of the Accounting and Business Expo in 2025? Why is it important for busy advisers to attend and learn.