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Steve Pipe wants accountants to change the world

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29th Jun 2012
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Leading strategic adviser Steve Pipe officially launched the Accountants Changing the World initiative at the National Accountants Conference in Birmingham yesterday.

Pipe unveiled his vision for the profession to help make things sustainably better for you and your firm, the environment and for those in need.

He revealed the initiative was born out of a conversation with Paul Shrimpling about accountants doing something to bring the economy back to life in a sustainable way.

Faced with the big challenges of our time - economic stagnation, global warming, poverty and suffering and youth unemployment - he committed to pressing ahead because “we can, we should and we must”.

Essentially how it works, accountants will sign up and make a commitment to give free help to businesses, as outlined in his four-step guide. The simple process involves:

  • Commitment to helping those in need
  • Free tools to honour the promise
  • Work experience and interns (not a compulsory element, but recommended)
  • You benefiting too

On the commitment side of the deal accountants will help in the following ways:

  • Economy – carry out free profit improvement review for client or prospect
  • Environment – free sustainability audit
  • Those in need – free support to create a direct link with chosen good causes

Accountants will then apply this checklist-driven approach and produce a report for their own businesses. They will also be armed with a free suite of marketing tools to help get the message out to the world.

Pipe outlined the main benefits:

  • Joyful, uplifting and inspiring
  • Purpose, energy and happiness
  • Immense pride

He also sketched out some secondary benefits:

  • Loyalty
  • Extra fees
  • Reputation and referrals – will grow because you care and they share the belief that you’re their business of choice
  • New clients
  • Morale and motivation - team loyalty
  • Lower costs

So far Pipe has 19 pre-launch signatories and believes he will be able to sign up 1,000 members by this time next year.

“One little step at a time and you can make a difference. It’s re-defining what accountants can do - taking you to a different place morally and ethically”

“The long-term plan is to galvanise the profession to a higher level, so the economy and environment get better, but one step at a time,” he added.

To find out more visit the Accountants Changing the World website.

Replies (4)

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Steve pipe
By Steve Pipe
29th Jun 2012 19:29

Please be patient with me

 

This is my personal initiative - so at the moment there is just me, and me alone, resourcing  it as a labour of love.

However, as important as it is to me, my family is even more important. And for family reasons I will not be able to do anything more on it for the next couple of weeks. (Bad timing I know, but there is nothing I can do about it I am afraid)

So if you are interested, and do either register on the site or send me a message via it, please be a little patient since, apart from an automated welcome message that contains much of what you need to make a start, it will take me a little while to get back to you in person with the final bits and pieces.

I hope you understand.

STEVE

 

Thanks (1)
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By [email protected]
01st Jul 2012 23:21

Agreed - but not this way

The ideas presented by Steve Pipe are indeed thought provoking.  However they are purely marketing ideas, plain and simple.

Resources would be better utilized codifying best practice in these challenging times.  We do not want to be bombarded and brainwashed with thought provoking headlines and articles which serve only to promote self interests. 

Accountants cannot change world but we can improve how it operates.  We need to look carefully at what we do and how we deliver it so it meets the demands of the business world.  We need to set aside our personal greed and change with the times before we become redundant.

The emphasis needs to be on embracing and partnering with on-line accounting technology and information technology before it consumes us and renders us redundant.

Let us not lose ourselves in marketing and lets get back to basics and adapt.

 

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By Bob Harper
02nd Jul 2012 08:24

Why

@Paul - perhaps you don't share Steve's vision but the "why" you do something is worth thinking about along with how and what. 

Have a look at this video http://accountantadvisor.co.uk/start-with-why/

Bob Harper

Crunchers Franchise

 

 

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By johnjenkins
04th Jul 2012 17:12

Although I like

the idea, it is up to everyone to change the world.

I think, Steve, (and fair play to you) you have jumped on the bandwagon. The world is changing and gathering momentum. Who would have thought that a few years ago UKIP would be a credible alternative to the major 3. Who would have thought the Middle Eastern people would turn against the dictators. etc. etc.

DC is actually (albeit on a uturn path) thinking "there must be a better way". Have a nice hols Steve.

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