EP509: 2025 Year-In-Review Show!

"Ethics and integrity are a bookkeeper's superpower." -Heather Smith Kick off your new year with clarity and momentum in this special Year-In-Review episode! Host, Michael Palmer brings together an international panel of leaders to unpack the biggest wins, surprises, and lessons from 2025. This conversation gives you a grounded look at what actually changed in the bookkeeping world and what you can expect moving into 2026. You'll hear real stories from Canada, Australia, and the United States about technology shifts, economic pressures, client transformations, team challenges, and the rising demand for advisory. Our final episode of 2025 is packed with insights that you don't want to miss!

Thank you so much for listening to our show and being a part of our community!

Your support is the reason this podcast continues to grow. Wishing you a HAPPY and SUCCESSFUL 2026! To find out more about our guests, click below:

Lisa Campbell Teresa Slack Heather Smith Christina Springstead Time Stamp 01:11 – Michael introduces the Year-In-Review panel 03:38 – Biggest surprises from 2025 04:51 – How bookkeepers embraced AI 05:12 – Personal breakthroughs & executing on training 07:04 – Economic pressures & global ripple effects 11:24 – Setbacks bookkeepers faced this year 16:41 – Capacity challenges & communication gaps 19:22 – Heartwarming client wins 23:05 – Helping clients understand their numbers 27:23 – The ripple effect bookkeepers create 30:03 – Why new bookkeepers matter 32:16 – Heartbreaks & financial vulnerability 34:06 – Ethics as a bookkeeper's superpower 39:26 – What worked well in 2025 40:10 – Hiring support to free up time 42:12 – Workflow systems paying off 46:11 – What didn't work & lessons learned 49:26 – Overwhelm from too much change at once 50:59 – Trends shaping 2026 54:58 – The rising need for human connection 1:02:37 – Personal focus areas for 2026 1:05:05 – Closing thoughts & New Year wishes

What is The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast?

The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast is a weekly show to help increase your confidence, work smarter and build a business you love.

Each week you'll listen to inspiring guests who will share their success secrets, so you can take your bookkeeping enterprise and life to another level.

Some of them include New York Times Best-Selling Author of E-Myth, Michael E. Gerber, Pure Bookkeeping Co-Founder, Debbie Roberts, the host of The Productive Woman podcast, Laura McClellan and the author of *I Know How She Does It*, Laura Vanderkam.

If you're a bookkeeping business owner who is looking for an uplifting, entertaining and informative podcast exclusively for YOU then you have arrived at the right place!

Get ready because your journey towards success begins — now.

Your Host

Michael Palmer is an acclaimed business coach who has helped hundreds of bookkeepers across the world push through their fears and exponentially grow their businesses and achieve the quality of life they've always wanted.