EP547: Lara Manton - Bookkeeping Isn't Dead: How to evolve and add real client value

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Lara Manton has a gift for reframing panic as possibility. The founder of ACE-XL Ltd and a 15-year UK bookkeeping veteran, Lara delivered a talk at Accountex titled I've Watched Bookkeeping Die 3 Times — and in this episode she brings that same clear-eyed optimism to Michael Palmer. If you've been anxious about AI or wondering whether your role still matters, this conversation will shift your thinking.

Chapters

[00:00] Opening quote on client value

[01:18] Welcome and guest introduction

[03:30] The provocative LinkedIn article

[06:30] Defining what bookkeeping really is

[10:00] Three times bookkeeping 'died'

[15:00] AI as shepherd, not replacement

[18:30] Who thrived through each shift

[23:00] Evaluating tech without chasing shiny objects

[27:30] Rising professionalism and community