Across 3 businesses I’m involved with, out of interest of staying up to date with each system, I have been running the 3 “leading”, browser-based cloud accounting platforms in Australia:
- Xero;
- QBo;
- MYOB Essentials;
3 Accounting Tech Whales under the investor’s microscope
May is a big month for Accounting Tech investors – we get the “3 big whales” of SME accounting software all reporting within days of each other. Its the one time of year we can assess how much the “rising tide is raising all ships”.
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Winter is coming, Why May is my favourite month in Accounting Tech
For us antipodeans, May is a stark reminder that winter is coming. The introduced deciduous trees we have, have given up hope that this year, climate change means they can keep their leaves, and so our streets are littered with the dry, brown, yellow and orange cast offs of these foreigners, as the days shorten, the weather chills and we all await the next episodes of GOT.
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Not quite 19 Predictions for 2019
Over the last few years I’ve tried my hand at predicting the year in cloud accounting and related biztech ahead, publicly critiquing my efforts at the start of the following year. Call me silly, call me brave, call me whatever you like. I do it because I feel too few are willing to back up their guessing with reflection. So rather than complain about it, I do what I think others should.
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2018, how’d my predictions fare?
Predicting the future is hard.
Holding yourself publicly to account for your predictions is even harder, and probably why few people do…
Before I publish my 19 predictions for 2019, it is my tradition and want, that I review my 2018 efforts.
After a solid performance in 2017, I’m marking my 2018 edition a solid B, with comment that “the student can improve with more focus in 2019!”
Here they were and here’s how I went:
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Is STP, MYOB’s make or break play?
MYOB have a significant make or break play in market at the moment and few seem to be commenting on it. And I’m not talking about Practice Management and the abandonment of the the Reckon Accountant’s division acquisition.
The ACCC has concerns about the MYOB Reckon deal – I have concerns about the ACCC?!
WARNING: This article is heavily laced with opinions and is not suitable for consumption by those who are sensitive to strong views…
At the end of March, the ACCC released its preliminary findings into the proposed acquisition of Reckon’s Accountant’s division by MYOB.
2 documents were released:
- A media release dated March 29, 2018, titled “ACCC CONCERNED WITH MYOB ACQUISITION OF RECKON ASSETS“
- A Statement of Issues dated March 29, titled “MYOB – proposed acquisition of Reckon’s Accountants Group“
In short, I find the media release ridiculous, poorly worded and off-point. The Statement of Issues, whilst not without some substance, shows a lack of genuine investigation, understanding of competition and technical wherewithal.
18 Predictions for 2018 – AuNZ Biztech
Here goes, my 3rd annual attempt at being an accountable, amateur “futurist” in the Cloud Accounting and general Biztech industry.
2017 proved (for me anyway), more predictable that 2016 (remember 2016 was the year of Trump, Brexit, Cronulla Sharks, Western Bulldogs, Leicester..). By my own marking, my 2017 Biztech predictions saw me score a respectable B upon reflection, after a horrid F for 2016.
So again I saddle up with my futurism skills moving in the right direction and a continued promise to be transparent about my predictions.
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17 Predictions for 2017: How’d I go?
For the second year in a row, I started last year with my crack at being a futurist, by publishing my predictions for the Biztech/AccountingTech industry for the year ahead. Unlike most other people who make bold predictions, again I am happy to hold myself to account on how I went.
I’m happy to proclaim my 2017 edition easily surpassed the accuracy of my predictions for 2016, and in a world of continuous improvement, my 18 for 2018 will be even better…
Will the MYOB acquisition of Reckon APS suffer from the Northern Eagles Effect?
On the 16th of November it was announced that MYOB (subject to regulatory approval) had acquired the assets of Reckon’s Accountant’s Practice division for $180m. Over the past month, I’ve spoken to more people about the deal, than I care to count. Rarely at my instigation I might add. It seems everyone wants to talk about it! From people close to Reckon to big ticket clients, former staff, current staff and the average man on the street. I was even provided the opportunity of a private audience with senior MYOB execs in a no-holds-barred session in which they laid-bare their core strategies.
I’ve distilled my own thoughts, stolen some from others and now have my opinions and theory of what is to come. Here goes: