The Accountant That Builds

About The Accountant That Builds

Welcome to The Accountant That Builds, a workshop style business and finance podcast focused on providing actionable advice to empower individuals and business owners to build lives and businesses they really love. When host Shannon Smit decided to start her own accounting and business advisory firm, she had a vision from the beginning. With a career spanning global firms in New York, Prague, Amsterdam and Melbourne, Shannon chose to forgo a partner position at a Big 4 firm in New York, in favour of setting up a globally minded, local approach firm offering strategic tax, business and financial advisory in her local region, Mornington Peninsula. She wanted to give local business owners access an advisor with extensive global expertise, without having to travel to the city.  17 years on, and she’s got stories to tell about business and wealth building! Are you ready to build your business and your wealth? www.smartbusinesssolutions.com.au/podcast (https://www.smartbusinesssolutions.com.au/podcast/)

Publisher

Smart Business Solutions

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Feb 2024

Latest episode

9 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

25 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Jun 2026

   From The Pool To The Boardroom with Grant Hackett

   In this episode of The Accountant That Builds, Shannon Smit sits down with Olympic champion turned business leader Grant Hackett to explore what it takes to perform at the highest level and sustain it over time. From breaking world records in the pool to leading an ASX-listed financial services company, Grant shares the mindset, discipline and leadership lessons that have shaped his journey from elite athlete to CEO. Grant reflects on his transition from sport to business, why he now finds greater fulfilment in leadership, and how the habits built through elite training became the foundation for his approach in the corporate world. He also shares a defining career moment where he was given the chance to prove himself, delivering strong results and setting the foundation for long-term business growth. The conversation dives into what separates high performers from the rest, highlighting the importance of consistency, clear goals, and disciplined routines. Grant also shares a powerful lesson from the Olympic stage about blind spots and awareness, and how that experience continues to shape his decision-making in business today. Grant Hackett will be speaking live at the B.I.T.E. Business Conference at Mornington Racecourse on 5 August, where he’ll expand on these insights and share practical leadership strategies for business owners and leaders. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

2. 

   1 Jun 2026

   Smart and Practical Hacks to Wear Less Hats in Small Business with Shannon Smit

   For many small business owners, “doing it all” has become the norm - but it’s also the very thing limiting growth. In this episode of The Accountant That Builds, Shannon Smit reframes AI not as a complex, technical trend, but as a practical opportunity to take pressure off and reclaim time. Rather than seeing AI as a content-writing tool, Shannon encourages business owners to think of it as their first digital team member - one that can handle repetitive tasks, streamline decision- making, and support day-to-day operations in a meaningful way. A key shift explored in the conversation is the move from basic AI tools to AI agents. While many are familiar with asking platforms like ChatGPT to rewrite content, Shannon explains that the real opportunity lies in systems that can take action - drafting emails, pulling data, triggering workflows, and supporting processes across marketing, customer service, admin, and sales. This evolution allows business owners to move beyond small efficiency gains and start removing entire layers of low-value work, freeing them up to focus on higher-impact activities that actually drive the business forward. . What makes this especially powerful is the advantage small businesses have right now. Without the layers, restrictions, and slower adoption cycles of larger organisations, small businesses are uniquely positioned to experiment, adapt, and embed AI quickly. Shannon makes it clear that this moment isn’t about becoming more technical - it’s about becoming more effective. The businesses that lean in, test, and iterate will be the ones that gain a competitive edge, simply by moving faster and smarter than the rest. Importantly, getting started doesn’t require a complete overhaul. The most effective approach is to start small and stay practical: pick one repetitive task, trial one tool, and build from there. The goal isn’t automation for the sake of it - it’s about creating real time savings unique to your business. Ultimately, the biggest transformation comes from a mindset shift: moving away from “I have to do everything” and towards asking, “What should I stop doing?” Once that shift happens, AI becomes less about technology and more about creating space to focus on the work that truly matters. Shannon will be diving deeper into these ideas in her upcoming keynote at the B.I.T.E Business Conference on 5 August, 2026 at Mornington Racecourse, where she’ll share practical, step-by- step ways to integrate AI into everyday business operations. Designed specifically for non- technical business owners, her session focuses on real-world application—helping attendees walk away with clear actions they can implement immediately to reduce workload, improve efficiency, and start wearing fewer hats in their business. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

3. 

   6 May 2026

   Someone Has To Be The Most Expensive - Why Not Make It You? With Andrew Griffiths

   What does it really take to stop discounting yourself and start charging what you’re truly worth? In this episode of the The Accountant That Builds Podcast, host Shannon Smit sits down with Andrew Griffiths, Australia’s #1 small business author and one of the most respected voices in business and personal growth. With over four decades of entrepreneurial experience and fourteen bestselling books sold in more than sixty‑five countries, Andrew brings a rare mix of street‑smart insight, lived experience and powerful storytelling. From his early journey as an orphan navigating survival, to becoming a global authority on future‑proofing businesses, Andrew shares the lessons that have shaped his work, his writing, and his belief that business is always personal. Andrew is also a keynote speaker at the B.I.T.E. Business Conference 2026, where he will take the stage with his powerful message: “Someone has to be the most expensive – why not make it you?” In this conversation, Andrew and Shannon explore why so many small businesses undervalue themselves, how pricing is deeply connected to confidence and identity, and why being the cheapest option is one of the biggest risks in today’s business environment. This episode is essential listening for business owners who want to rethink their value, reinvent how they position themselves, and reignite sustainable growth. Want to watch on YouTube? Click here: https://youtu.be/FYmVoG0GxM0 (https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/Sd0KC71GXMHmzxMvc8fAUoLhAz?domain=youtu.be) See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Reach and audience

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

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100

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

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact The Accountant That Builds

Guest appearances

Books guests

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