Meet Randy!

In this episode of Protea Conversations, Randy Crabtree shares his inspiring journey of overcoming personal challenges, building vibrant communities, and embracing vulnerability to lead with authenticity in the accounting industry.

Discover practical advice on fostering mental wellness, creating impactful cultures, and finding fulfillment in both professional and personal life.

Key Topics:

- How a stroke changed Randy’s perspective on work and life

- The importance of vulnerability and authentic leadership

- Building a community-focused culture centered on mental health and wellness

- Strategies to empower teams through trust and openness

- The significance of niche expertise and aligning passion with profession

- Balancing family, personal growth, and professional impact

- Practical ways to implement positive change within organizations

- The role of diversity of thought in fostering innovation and growth

- Randy’s upcoming conference: Bridging the Gap and its focus on wellness and collaboration

- Tips for newcomers entering the accounting profession: identifying what makes you happy and pursuing it

Connect with Randy:

Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-crabtree-cpa-1945a67/

Personal Website - https://www.randycrabtree.com/

Follow Protea:

Website - https://proteafinancial.com/blog/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/proteafinancial

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/10833176

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/protea_financial/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/FinancialProtea

Follow Zane:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zane-stevens/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/zane_stevens_

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zane_stevens_/

Meet Justin!

In this episode of Protea Conversations, Zane Stevens interviews Justin Stephens, the second-generation owner of Stephens Tax Services. Justin shares his journey from initially avoiding the family business to taking over after his father's passing. He discusses the challenges and triumphs of running a tax service, the importance of maintaining personal values, and his commitment to client-first service. The conversation also touches on Justin's personal health journey and the future of his business.

Takeaways

- Justin initially avoided the family business, pursuing a career in sales.

- His father's illness prompted Justin to take over the tax service.

- Justin emphasizes a client-first approach, valuing personal connections.

- He successfully expanded the business, doubling the client base.

- Justin's personal health journey involved losing 70 pounds.

- He stresses the importance of aligning business with personal values.

- Justin plans to continue growing the business while maintaining its core values.

- Technology plays a key role in adapting to client needs.

- Justin values making tax services accessible and affordable.

- He believes in the importance of hard work and perseverance.

Sound bites

"I'm giving you the football, you take it, you run with it."

"The life you want is on the other side of the work you're avoiding."

"I can't imagine doing anything else."

"It's about seeing that it's not shying away from it."

"It's the people first. Need to remember that."

"You can't take care of anybody else if you don't take care of yourself."

"There's no shortcuts. And when I stopped looking for shortcuts, my life gets better."

Connect with Justin:

Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-stephens-5bb114b/

Meet Mike!

In this conversation, Mike Roe shares his journey from a 28-year career in policing to becoming the CEO of tensense.ai, a platform that helps organizations make sense of their data. He discusses the importance of leadership, change management, and the role of coaching in empowering teams.

Mike emphasizes the need for transparency, communication, and a coaching mindset in leadership, as well as the significance of understanding the truth of the many rather than the opinion of the few.

He also highlights the evolution of sense-making in organizations and the development of a software solution to aid leaders in decision-making.

Takeaways

- Leadership is defined by experiences and insights gained.

- Change management is crucial in any organization.

- Values should be truly embedded in an organization.

- Communication is key during times of change.

- Leaders must be curious and vulnerable.

- Coaching conversations can empower teams.

- Transparency builds trust within organizations.

- Data-driven insights can predict future outcomes.

- A compelling vision unifies teams towards a common goal.

- Self-care is essential for effective leadership.

Sound bites

"You can't do it all yourself."

"People don't like change."

"You have to look after yourself."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Insights

01:32 Early Career in Policing

04:05 Leadership Challenges in Bristol

08:59 Navigating Change Management

12:15 The Importance of Communication

18:27 Transitioning to Coaching Leaders

23:58 Developing a Software Solution for Organizations

29:30 Disrupting the Consulting Market

31:42 The Science of Sense Making

34:06 The Importance of Checking In

36:17 Building Insights Through Questions

37:55 Navigating Complexity in Leadership

41:00 Blind Spots in Leadership

41:51 The Power of Coaching Conversations

44:33 Kindness in Leadership

51:24 The Importance of Renewal

54:57 Rapid Fire Questions

Connect with Mike

Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-j-roe/

Discover Tensense.ai - https://tensense.ai/