From Five-Year-Old's Dream to Practice Owner: Patrick Leong's Journey to Advisory Excellence

This week, Sumith sits down with Patrick Leong, director of Mondo Advisory in New Plymouth, who's got one of the most unusual origin stories we've heard – he knew he wanted to be an accountant when he was just five years old! Patrick takes us through his career journey from Audit New Zealand to Deloitte, then into senior corporate roles before making the leap to practice ownership. 

What drove him? The classic accountant's dilemma: wanting that elusive work-life balance while building something meaningful. 

Patrick's refreshingly honest about the realities of buying an existing practice, the massive undertaking of client transitions, and how he's transformed a compliance-heavy firm into a modern advisory powerhouse. 

He shares his philosophy on hiring for personality over technical skills, his systematic approach to client selection, and why he thinks the future belongs to accountants who can do more than just crunch numbers. 

If you're thinking about starting your own practice or wondering how to evolve beyond compliance work, this one's packed with practical insights.

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 Creativity in the Kitchen and Accounting Work
• 3:00 Early Passion for Accounting: The Five-Year-Old's Dream
• 5:00 Career Journey: From Audit New Zealand to Practice Ownership
• 8:00 The Decision to Buy vs. Build a Practice
• 11:00 Business Experience and Advisory Services
• 13:00 Technology Stack and Practice Automation
• 15:00 Triaging Work: Urgent vs. Important
• 17:00 Hiring for Soft Skills Over Technical Expertise
• 19:00 Client Selection and Onboarding Process
• 21:00 Managing Practice Acquisition and Client Transition
• 25:00 Virtual Assistant and Technology Integration
• 27:00 Advice for Starting or Acquiring an Accounting Practice