Branch Out - A Podcast from Connection Builders - Rethink Your Approach to Work - Dan Montgomery

Rethink Your Approach to Work - Dan Montgomery

11/01/22 • 36 min

Branch Out - A Podcast from Connection Builders

In today's high-paced professional world, it's easy to lose perspective on what moves the needle in your company and get mired down in a slew of everyday tasks and emails. And while creating a structure that prioritizes reflection and planning can be challenging, it is immensely beneficial in the long run. Here to help us unpack this topic and give us a fresh perspective on our approach to work is Dan Montgomery, audit partner and director of business development at Forge Financial and Management Consulting, a forward-thinking advisory firm. In our conversation, Dan expands on how Forge's novel approach is making the busy season more manageable for their team and what they are doing to prioritize planning, reflection, and productivity at their company. We then move on to what Dan has learned from the value of journaling, reflection, and planning and how those lessons have changed the way he works and lives his life. Finally, today's episode offers a high-level breakdown of creating an innovative professional services model that allows for increased profitability, greater productivity, and, most importantly, more personal life satisfaction.

Key Points From This Episode:

Get to know today's guest, Dan Montgomery, and his fascinating childhood in Alaska.
Why Forge Financial Management Consulting was created and who it is meant to serve.
An overview of Dan's firm and its approach to accounting.
The pitfalls of the busy season in accounting and how Dan's firm is addressing it.
Why Forge Financial Management Consulting isn't taking on new tax-only clients.
The importance of prioritizing the most impactful work within your company.
Defining your value proposition and why it will attract more ideal clients.
How reflection helps Dan function in a more healthy way.
A breakdown of how Dan prioritizes daily and weekly 'Big Three' tasks.
The most important elements of weekly reflection.
How to create space for focused, deep work.
What an ideal week for Dan's company looks like.

Forge Financial Management Consulting
Dan Montgomery on LinkedIn
Dan Montgomery's Email
Connection Builders Alex Drost LinkedIn
Branch Out Podcast LinkedIn
Connection Builders LinkedIn

Key Points From This Episode:

Get to know today's guest, Dan Montgomery, and his fascinating childhood in Alaska.
Why Forge Financial Management Consulting was created and who it is meant to serve.
An overview of Dan's firm and its approach to accounting.
The pitfalls of the busy season in accounting and how Dan's firm is addressing it.
Why Forge Financial Management Consulting isn't taking on new tax-only clients.
The importance of prioritizing the most impactful work within your company.
Defining your value proposition and why it will attract more ideal clients.
How reflection helps Dan function in a more healthy way.
A breakdown of how Dan prioritizes daily and weekly 'Big Three' tasks.
The most important elements of weekly reflection.
How to create space for focused, deep work.
What an ideal week for Dan's company looks like.

Forge Financial Management Consulting
Dan Montgomery on LinkedIn
Dan Montgomery's Email
Connection Builders Alex Drost LinkedIn
Branch Out Podcast LinkedIn
Connection Builders LinkedIn

Previous Episode

Increase Revenue with Client Advisory Services (CAS) - Ed Warren

Building a Client Advisory Services (CAS) practice can be challenging, but when you identify the right business opportunities and apply a value-based pricing model, you'll not only increase your business revenue but reveal your true worth to your clients! Today's guest has identified seven tips for growing your CAS practice and is here to share his insights on growth opportunities for professional service providers. Join us in welcoming Ed Warren, an accomplished sales executive with over 25 years of professional services, sales, and marketing experience. Ed has worked in marketing, business development, and practice growth roles in Top 100 CPA firms, and today, we discuss the seven ways that practitioners can leverage a CAS model to shift the traditional service model, create a more value-added service, and function more like a fractional provider while driving increased revenue and building a more scalable practice.

Key Points From This Episode:

Defining Client Advisory Services (CAS).
Thinking about CAS like an on-call fractional CFO.
Why finding and mastering your niche is critical for advisory success.
How to leverage low-hanging fruit with existing clients.
Benefits of thinking like a general manager, especially in an increasingly virtual world.
The importance of systems in building a replicable model.
Ed's tips for creating a sales and marketing plan.
The value of being anticipatory.
Your responsibility to understand hard trends if you want to become a thought leader.
Recommended first steps on your CAS journey.

Edward Warren on LinkedIn
7 Tips to Increase Your Revenue with Client Advisory Services
Sage Intacct
The E-MythThe Anticipatory OrganizationConnection Builders Alex Drost LinkedIn
Branch Out Podcast LinkedIn
Connection Builders LinkedIn

Next Episode

Embrace Uncertainty & Take Risks - David Hartley

Today we are joined by partner, director, and advisor at Anders CPAs, David Hartley to discuss how he has found success and happiness in his career by taking risks and embracing uncertainty. You'll hear about David's professional career journey, the catalysts for change early on, and how he handled changes he encountered along the way. We also talk about why we as leaders have to accept that we do not know all the answers and instead focus on being a facilitator for problem-solving.

David also shares his view on why it is critical to be open to learning, staying up to date with technology, asking questions, and staying true to yourself. We then dig into how to handle changing circumstances, manage your mental health, and why self-care is essential. Finally, David shares a piece of advice for professionals hitting the five-to-10-year mark in their career.

Key Points From This Episode:

David talks us through some of the pivotal points in the beginning of his career.
How to work your way through life change.
Why it's okay not to know all the answers.
The importance of facilitating a group as a leader rather than dominating problem-solving.
The importance of embracing the newest tools and latest technologies.
How to navigate constant change.
The importance of asking questions and being a sponge in the beginning of your career.
Why you don't need to know everything and why it's imperative to ask questions to learn.
The themes that came out of the new partner presentations David's company has just done.
Why we need to manage mental health in the workplace.
The importance of being authentic to the things you enjoy early in your career.
David shares some advice about self-care for professionals hitting their five-to-10-year mark.

David Hartley on LinkedIn
Anders CPAs
Dare to LeadConnection Builders Alex Drost LinkedIn
Branch Out Podcast LinkedIn
Connection Builders LinkedIn

Branch Out - A Podcast from Connection Builders - Rethink Your Approach to Work - Dan Montgomery

Transcript

[INTRODUCTION]

[0:00:04.5] ANNOUNCER: Welcome to Branch Out, a connection builder’s podcast, helping middle-market professionals connect, grow and excel in their careers. Through a series of conversations with leading professionals, we share stories and insights to take your career to the next level. A successful career begins with meaningful connections.

[0:00:20.8] AD: Hey everyone, welcome to the Branch Out podcast. I’m your host, Alex Drost