Navigating a Non-Traditional Path: From Army Dreams to Accounting Success with Tommy Liu

In this episode of Ambitious Accountants, host Sumith Dissanayake chats with Tommy Liu, Managing Director of Tommy & Co in Auckland. Tommy's story is mental - son of a Taiwanese army general who ended up in accounting because his grades weren't good enough for medicine, English was his second language for law, and engineering didn't work out. Classic Asian family expectations!

Tommy talks about growing up barely seeing his dad (army camps and tanks as a kid though), how Māori values shaped his business approach in New Zealand, and his game-changing "six spokes of life" philosophy. He's cracked the code on work-life balance after being 20 kilos heavier and pre-diabetic during his corporate days.

The conversation covers his HEART framework for choosing clients, why relationships are more valuable than money, and how AI is changing accounting without killing the human connection. Plus solid advice for anyone thinking about starting their own practice - patience, ethics, and don't be naive about buying existing firms.

Real talk about building sustainable business while actually having a life.

Got something to say about the future of accounting in NZ? Let’s chat — you could be our next guest.

Email - Sumith@brisca.co.nz

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
• 0:38 Tommy's Early Life and Career Choices
• 1:04 Growing Up as a General's Son
• 3:11 Choosing Accounting and Business Aspirations
• 5:41 Adapting to Maori Values in New Zealand
• 7:04 The Year of Building Relationships
• 11:10 Balancing Personal and Professional Goals
• 23:35 AI and Technological Advancements in Accounting
• 28:25 Lessons Learned and Advice for Aspiring Accountants
• 31:02 Wrapping Up and Until Next Time