From Practice to Business - Systemisation
From Practice Pulse by Pat Delbridge
March 18, 2026 · 50 min · Season 6 · Episode 1
About this episode
Phil Ellerby shares his journey of transforming Northern Accountants from a startup to a successful practice through systemisation and leadership.
In the first episode of our podcast series about taking your practice to the next level, Phil Ellerby shares the remarkable journey of building Northern Accountants from a garden shed startup in 2008 to a thriving £3.5 million turnover practice with host Carl Reader of the dt group. What began as a move driven by necessity rather than passion evolved into a masterclass in systemisation, leadership, and intentional growth. Phil opens up about the challenges of transitioning from industry into practice, the lessons learned along the way, and how clarity of vision - combined with operational discipline - transformed his firm. Working closely with his Operations Director, Phil developed a bespoke CRM and refined the firm’s operating system to create efficiency, accountability, and scalability. The result? A business built not just for today, but with options for the future. Phil also shares candid insights into the brave leadership decisions that shaped the firm including hiring senior team members, fostering a culture of openness, and embedding accountability at every level. Want to watch the vodcast instead? You can find the vodcast series playlist here . This podcast is hosted by…
People in this episode
Host: Carl Reader
Guest: Phil Ellerby
Topics covered
- systemisation
- leadership
- business growth
- operational efficiency
- accountability
- CRM development
Keywords
- systemisation
- leadership
- business growth
- CRM
- operational discipline
- accountability
- efficiency
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Northern Accountants, dt group
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