CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success
This Accountant Built His Own Payroll Software, Because No One Else Would - With Brian Clare
Jan 15, 2026
Season 4
Episode 71
James Donovan
Most accountants talk about innovation. Brian Clare actually builds it. From killing time tracking to launching his own payroll software for Canadian accountants, Brian isn't just running a firm, he’s engineering the next wave of how firms work.
In this episode:
- Why hourly billing is killing your margins
- How turning down the wrong clients changed everything
- The cost of hiring late and why he hired ops before he needed to
- Behind the scenes of building a brand-new payroll tool from scratch
- How he manages two companies without burning out
🔍 Whether you’re stuck in legacy pricing or flirting with product dev, this is a masterclass in firm design, ops delegation, and bold decisions.
📍 Learn more: https://www.xyblueprint.com
📱 Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briangclare/
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This Accountant Built His Own Payroll Software, Because No One Else Would - With Brian Clare
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