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The Young Guns Workshop returns in 2025 to help develop the next generation of leaders in the accounting profession. This event is purpose-built for ambitious professionals eager to advance their careers and drive real impact within their firms.

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Who should attend?

The Young Guns Workshop is ideal for emerging leaders in the accounting industry on the path to leadership, including:

  • Managers and supervisors
  • Rising stars identified for leadership
  • Newly appointed partners
  • Future firm leaders

This program is tailored to support growth, whether you are already leading teams or preparing for the next step.

What You’ll Gain

  • Develop leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills
  • Learn how to manage teams effectively and foster high performance
  • Gain confidence in delivering engaging and persuasive presentations
  • Explore emerging technologies, including AI, and their impact on accounting
  • Hear real success stories from two inspiring young guns
  • Understand emotional intelligence and its role in leadership
  • Learn how to identify client needs and enhance advisory conversations
  • Collaborate and brainstorm in two interactive sessions
  • Build a network of peers from across Australia

Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your team and build your firm's future.

Register now
Super earlybird pricing is available until 30 June 2025!

Why Firms Should Invest in Their Future Leaders

Firms that invest in their people invest in long-term success. The Young Guns Workshop helps your team:

  • Strengthen leadership capabilities
  • Build confidence in client and team communication
  • Embrace innovation and business advisory skills
  • Contribute strategically to firm growth
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Program

Get ready to spend two jam packed days developing the skills and knowledge that will help take your career to the next level.

Day 1

Monday
20 October

8:30 am - 9:30 am
Establish the Foundations of Leadership Success

Great leadership doesn’t happen by chance; it’s built on strong, intentional foundations. In this powerful workshop, you’ll uncover the seven essential pillars every business needs to lead high-performing, accountable, and resilient teams. From establishing a shared vision and meaningful values to fostering psychological safety and clarity of roles, this session helps leaders set the stage for long-term success and alignment.

Kylie Denton, Performance Advisory Group
9:30 am - 10:30 am
Beyond the Numbers: Turning Insight into Action

It’s no longer enough to deliver the figures; clients want clarity, direction, and confidence in their next steps. This session explores a structured approach to advisory that helps you:

  • Uncover what really matters to your clients
  • Use financial analysis to prompt meaningful conversations
  • Guide clients toward clear, confident decisions
  • Build accountability and follow-through into your process

Learn how to move from data delivery to practical impact, creating lasting value for your clients and sustainable growth for your firm.

Mark Holton, Smithink
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Morning Tea
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
AI: Current State, Trajectory, and What It Means for Your Firm

This practical session cuts through the AI hype to explore where the technology currently stands, where it’s headed, and why it matters. Michael will unpack the key business and strategic considerations, including common barriers to adoption and how to overcome them. The session will wrap up with an open discussion and Q&A to share insights and challenges.

Michael Donoghue, AdvisorAi
12:00 - 12:45 pm
Sponsors Panel Discussion

David Smith will facilitate this session with our event sponsors, exploring a discussion on how their products and services are propelling the accounting industry into the future.

12:45- 1:45 pm
Lunch
1:45- 3:00 pm
Collaborative session 1

TBC details

Facilitated by Mark Holton and David Smith
3:00- 3:15 pm
Afternoon Tea
3:15- 4:00 pm
The Young Guns Playbook: Success, Setbacks and Smart Moves

Lessons I’ve learned and mistakes I’ve made from my career in Accounting, including:

  • what separates a good practice vs a bad practice to further your career
  • buying into, growing and selling a practice by age 38
  • building a new advisory division
  • building Three Rivers Group from the ground up
Matt Feehan, Three Rivers Group
4:00- 5:00 pm
Presentation Skills for Success

Presenting with confidence isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being clear, credible, and compelling. Whether you’re in the room or online, this session will help you find your voice, craft messages that land, and keep your audience engaged from start to finish. Walk away with practical tools to lift your presence, sharpen your delivery, and speak with real impact.

Petris Lapis, Artisan of Change
5:00- 5:15 pm
Networking introduction with…TBC
5:15- 6:45 pm
Networking session with drinks and canapes

In this “live” session you actually practice networking after being introduced to the:
- importance of networking to your career and success
- critical inhibitors to investing in your network
- easy to use techniques to actually get out there and network.

Day 2

Tuesday
21 October

8:00 - 9:00 am
Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a core skill for today’s leaders. It shapes how you show up, how you respond under pressure, and how you bring out the best in your team. This session dives into the practical side of EQ—how to read the room, manage yourself, and lead with influence. Learn how to build trust, strengthen team dynamics, and lead with more clarity and connection.

Petris Lapis, Artisan of Change
9:00- 10:00 am
Team Structure, Capacity & Resource Planning

In this era of scarce talent and margin squeeze, it is critical that firms are organised to enable their people to perform at their best. How teams are organised, the resources required, and how work is planned can transform the efficiency of the firm as well as the job satisfaction and personal development of the team. Come prepared to have traditional thinking challenged and ponder how changing the way your firm is organised might be the key to taking the business to the next level of productivity and client service.

David Smith, Smithink
10:00- 10:30 am
Morning Tea
10:30- 11:15 am
What High-Performing Accounting Firms Do Differently

What are the top-performing firms doing differently, and how can you apply those insights in your own career? Julia Thomson from The Benchmarking Group joins Mark in conversation to unpack the key findings from The Crunch: The Annual Accounting Firm Benchmark Report, highlighting what today’s most profitable firms are doing differently. Explore what drives profitability and performance, from streamlined systems and proactive leadership to smarter service mix and a focus on quality over quantity. You’ll also gain insight into emerging trends, including the rise of AI in accounting, the biggest challenges on the horizon, and the opportunities for those ready to lead change. Walk away with a sharper understanding of what it takes to thrive in a modern accounting firm.

Julia Thomson, The Benchmarking Group + Mark Holton, Smithink
11:15- 12:30 pm
Young Gun Session

TBC details

Rebecca Williss, Smith Thornton + Mark Holton, Smithink
12:30- 1:30 pm
Lunch
1:30- 3:00 pm
Collaborative session 2

TBC details

Facilitated by Mark Holton and David Smith
3:00- 3:15 pm
Afternoon Tea
3:15- 4:00 pm
Open Forum and Questions
Facilitated by Mark Holton and David Smith, Smithink
4:00 pm
Workshop Close

It is highly recommended for attendees to stay for the entire duration of our workshop in order to maximise the value and benefits they will receive.
Our workshop is carefully designed to provide comprehensive insights, practical skills, and valuable knowledge that build upon each other throughout the sessions. Please organise travel for after the end of the workshop.

Please organise travel for after the end of the workshop.

OUR 2025 YOUNG GUNS WORKSHOP FEATURES SPEAKERS & INNOVATIVE THINKERS INCLUDING:

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David Smith Smithink
Julia Thomson
Julia Thomson The Benchmarking Group
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Kylie Denton Performance Advisory Group
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Mark Holton Smithink
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Matthew Feehan Three Rivers Group
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Michael Donoghue AI Advisor
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Petris Lapis Artisan of Change
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Rebecca Williss Smith Thornton

Book your accommodation

Crowne Plaza , Surfers Paradise,
Queensland 4217, Australia
Tel: +61-7-56808000

Please refer to the hotel's cancellation policy on the booking link below.

Venue

Crowne Plaza
Surfers Paradise

Accommodation

Rates at the Crowne Plaza start at $235.

We recommend booking your accommodation before 19 September 2025, as rates are subject to availability.

Your Investment

Super Early Bird Pricing until 30 June 2025
Smithink Members

(discounted pricing)

$995 First attendee
$850 Additional attendees from the same firm

Non-Member firms

$1250 First attendee
$1095 Additional attendees from the same firm

Early Bird Pricing from 1 July - 26 Sept 2025
Smithink Members

(discounted pricing)

$1195 First attendee
$950 Additional attendees from the same firm

Non-Member firms

$1450 First attendee
$1195 Additional attendees from the same firm

Standard Pricing booking from 27 Sept 2025
Smithink Members

(discounted pricing)

$1450 First attendee
$1195 Additional attendees from the same firm

Non-Member firms

$1650 First attendee
$1450 Additional attendees from the same firm

Event Cancellation Policy

In the event that you are unable to attend, a complete refund will be issued upon receipt of written cancellation requests sent to an*********@******nk.com: submitted within 21 days prior to the workshop date.

Register Now

Invest in Your Future

Join us for a transformative two-day experience designed to sharpen your capabilities and elevate your career.