From Spare Room to $5M Success: Michael Harvey of MDH Accounting on Building a 25+ Team, Mastering Fractional CFO Growth, Navigating AI Disruption, and Why Deep Client Relationships Became His Ultimate Business Advantage. (Episode 774 – Michael Harvey)

1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business?

Michael Harvey believes one of the hardest parts of growing a small business is managing the transition from having just a few employees to building a larger team, where hiring, training, and paying wages can feel stressful and uncertain. He also highlights that opening new branches and handling different team cultures adds unexpected complexity. Another major challenge he faced was keeping strong client relationships while adopting new technology, as efficiency can sometimes reduce the personal touch that customers value most.

2. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most?

Michael Harvey says his favorite business books that helped him the most are Good to Great by Jim Collins, along with The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni. He shared that Good to Great was an early revelation for him, while The Advantage is a book he regularly revisits because of its strong focus on culture and team success in business.

3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business?

Michael Harvey recommends tuning into the podcast The Imperfects, even though it isn’t strictly business-focused. He says he listens to it regularly because of the inspiring guests and meaningful topics, particularly those connected to The Resilience Project, which motivates him indirectly as a business owner. He also highlights that much of his learning comes from networking with other professionals and learning from real conversations, rather than relying only on formal online tools.

4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business?

Michael Harvey recommends using a simple one-page planning tool, where you summarize your key business goals and priorities onto a single page to stay focused. He believes the real value comes from cutting through unnecessary details and clearly identifying the number one issue your business needs to solve. This approach helps business owners stay clear, decisive, and action-oriented instead of getting lost in too much information.

5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business?

Michael Harvey says that if he could go back to day one, he would remind himself to enjoy each moment and celebrate milestones along the way instead of always chasing the next goal. He admits he was so driven early on that he often missed the joy of progress. His advice is to enjoy the journey, stay humble, and build a business that you genuinely enjoy rather than feeling trapped in it.