Background: Jordan Smith, director or JSE Consultancy and AG Smith & Co.
AG Smith & Co has always been a family business.
My father established the practice with the traditional values that have long defined the accountancy profession: technical expertise, personal service and strong client relationships. Like many second-generation accountants, I spent years convinced I would follow a completely different path. In fact, I studied Physics at university and never intended to join the profession.
However, after joining the practice and working directly with clients, I quickly discovered that accountancy was far more than numbers and compliance. What interested me most was understanding businesses, solving problems and helping people make better decisions. It was the human side of the profession that drew me in and ultimately shaped my career.
Today, while the profession and our firm have evolved significantly, those same principles remain at the heart of AG Smith & Co.
More than compliance
One of the biggest misconceptions about accountancy is that our role is simply to prepare accounts and submit tax returns.
Those services are important, but they are only part of the picture. In my view, the real value of an accountant comes from helping business owners understand what their financial information means and what they should do next.
Business owners face important decisions every day. Whether they are recruiting staff, investing in equipment, seeking finance, improving profitability or planning for growth, they need more than compliance support. They need clear, practical advice from someone who understands their business.
That is why we have built our firm around ongoing relationships rather than one-off annual interactions.
Growing alongside our clients
Over the years, we have deliberately shaped our business around clients who want a more proactive relationship with their accountant.
Many of the businesses we work with are ambitious and growing. They understand that financial performance is not something that should be reviewed once a year, but something that should be monitored and discussed regularly.
As our clients have developed, we have grown alongside them. We have expanded our team, invested in technology and strengthened our advisory capabilities to support increasingly complex businesses.
I believe the best outcomes are achieved when accountants become an extension of their team rather than an annual compliance provider.
The human advantage
Technology has transformed accountancy, and for the better.
Cloud software, automation and artificial intelligence are making financial information more accessible than ever before. Tasks that once took hours can now be completed in minutes.
Despite these advances, I do not believe technology will replace good accountants.
Software can produce information. It cannot build relationships, understand the ambitions of a business owner, challenge assumptions or provide reassurance during difficult decisions. Experience, judgement and commercial insight remain essential.
The firms that thrive in the future will be those that successfully combine technology with genuine human expertise.
Investing in people
The future of accountancy depends on attracting and developing talented people.
Like many firms across the profession, we have seen how difficult it can be to recruit experienced accountants. Rather than simply competing for the same pool of candidates, we have chosen to invest heavily in developing our own talent.
Through our AGS Academy, we support apprentices and trainees as they progress through professional qualifications and gain practical experience. We have also welcomed professionals from outside traditional accountancy backgrounds who bring valuable commercial experience and fresh perspectives.
For me, developing people is not just important for our firm; it is critical for the future of the profession itself.
Looking forward
The accountancy profession is changing rapidly, but I believe its purpose remains the same.
Business owners need trusted advisers. They need people who can help them understand their numbers, navigate uncertainty and make informed decisions about the future.
My concern is that too many businesses still see accountancy as a necessary compliance exercise rather than a source of strategic support. As a profession, we need to do a better job of explaining the value that accountants bring and the role they can play in helping businesses succeed.
My view is simple: the best accountants do more than report on the past. They help businesses build the future.
Jordan Smith FCCA, BSc (Hons)
Director
