Ambitious Accountants Podcast

About Ambitious Accountants Podcast

Welcome to Ambitious Accountants — the podcast for forward-thinking accountants shaping the future of the profession in Aotearoa. Each episode dives into the real stories of New Zealand accountants who’ve carved their own path, tackled challenges head-on, and built practices that reflect their values and ambition. Join us as we explore the work they’re doing, the lessons they’ve learned, and the trends they’re watching — from advisory growth to tech adoption and everything in between.

Publisher

Sumith Dissanayake

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Jun 2023

Latest episode

29 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

41 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Aug 2025

   Taking Leaps of Faith: Adventures in Business with Alison Blanchett-Sax

   What do camel riding in Jordan and running an accounting practice have in common? More than you'd think, according to Alison Blanchett-Sax from Smart Business Centre in Nelson. In this chat with Sumith Dissanayake, Alison reveals how her adventurous spirit – from standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon to navigating desert landscapes – mirrors her approach to helping small business owners take those crucial leaps of faith. "If you don't try, you don't know," she says, and it's this philosoph...

2. 

   23 Aug 2025

   From Navy Diver to Crypto Tax Specialist: Tim Doyle's Unconventional Path

   In this episode of the Ambitious Accountants Podcast, host Sumith Dissanayake sits down with Tim Doyle, Director of Doyle Accountants in Cambridge, New Zealand. Tim shares his unconventional path from leaving school at 17 to join the Navy, through to building a successful accounting practice. He talks about the discipline and life lessons the Navy taught him, his realisation about business and money while working in a shoe shop, and his adventures scuba diving in Thailand and working in...

3. 

   26 Jul 2025

   From Dairy Farming to Accounting: Matt Hipp's No-Bullshit Approach to Advisory Work

   Matt Hipp's story isn't your typical accountant origin tale. The Director at Hipp Accounting in Hastings went from 4am cow milking in Taranaki to telling potential clients "if you just want your tax return done and forgotten about for 12 months, we're probably not the right fit." In this episode, Matt gets real about how he negotiated partnership with his mum (instead of just working for her), why he reckons work-life balance is complete rubbish, and his take on advisory work: "It's not about...

Who has been a guest on Ambitious Accountants Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Jason Lougher
• David Tzimenakis
• Ric Thorpe
• Ian Black
• Jared Le Roy

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

68

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact Ambitious Accountants Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.