The Power of Authenticity in Attracting Talent and Changing Perceptions

In this episode of the Accountant’s Flight Plan Podcast, we interviewed fellow podcaster and reputation-building expert Rob Brown. Rob is the host of three accounting-related podcasts with a collective following of over 50,000 listeners and is the author of Build Your Reputation. He has spent over two decades working in business development and training for accountants, who he found to be passionate but often struggling with the interpersonal side of growing a firm.
After a life-changing stroke, Rob recalibrated his career to focus on helping accountants shape their stories, amplify their impact, and build personal brands that not only elevate their firms—but the profession as a whole.

Timestamps:
00:21 – Introduction of Rob Brown and his background
2:40 – How Rob moved from education to accounting business development
8:00 – The talent crisis and why firm branding matters
12:40 – Authenticity and representation in your firm’s story
17:19 – How to build a personal brand (without burning out)
26:46 – Scaling, saying “no,” and making space for growth
32:27 – Who’s responsible for the profession’s brand?
37:00 – Brannon shares why he chose accounting
40:00 – Funny personal story from Rob
44:30 – Book recommendation: Deep Work by Cal Newport