Nomad Flow

Nomad Flow

Making your accounting tech land and last.

I help accounting software companies grow their partner channel, and accounting firms make change stick.

I help you accelerate revenue growth in your accounting channel.

I help you and your people to adopt change across your practice.

Trusted by leaders in SaaS and accounting

  • Xero
  • FreeAgent
  • Sage
  • Dext
  • Soldo
  • Satago
  • IRIS
  • BDO
  • Menzies
  • Active UK
  • AdvanceTrack
  • Appventory
  • Valued
  • Futurecloud
  • Digital Accountancy Show
  • The Loop

What is the activation gap?

The activation gap is the gap between someone signing up for accounting software - a partner firm or a customer - and actually using it, recommending it, or bringing clients on. Most accounting-tech channel programmes lose a large share of their expected revenue to it.

  1. Cloud accounting promised to change the game.

    For some, it did. For many firms the value is real, but it isn't getting through.

  2. It's stuck in a bottleneck.

    We're wired to be nervous of change. Buying tech is easy. Changing how people work is hard.

  3. ACTIVATION GAP Vendors' ability to sellFirms' ability to change

    So firms' ability to adapt to change has been outpaced by vendors' ability to sell.

  4. And that's what Nomad Flow is here to solve.

    So, which side are you sitting on?

“Leigh has been an accountant, he’s sold to accountants, and he’s managed teams selling to and supporting accountants.

That 360 view of what’s really going on is really important.

With his change management expertise on top, you’re getting somebody who deeply understands what you’re doing, and who you’re doing it with.”

Andy CollingsCountry Manager, Active UK

Or get a few emails a month about accounting tech activation.

Questions, answered

What is accounting tech adoption?

Accounting tech adoption is the point where software that's been bought or signed up for actually gets used - properly, by the people it was sold to, and in a way that lasts. Buying the tool is easy; getting a team or a partner to change how they work is the hard part. Adoption is closing that gap.

Why does accounting software adoption stall after sign-up?

Because signing up is a decision and using the software is a behaviour, and the two rarely follow on automatically. Firms and customers commit when they're keen, then day-to-day habits, competing priorities and unclear ownership take over. It usually isn't a product or a sales problem - it's a people and change problem.

What is change management in accounting?

Change management in accounting is the work of helping a firm move from old ways of working to new ones - new software, new processes, new client experiences - so the change sticks instead of slipping back. It's less about the technology itself and more about the people being asked to work differently.

Do you work with software vendors or accounting firms?

Both. For accounting software companies, I help build the partner channel and get customers activated. For accounting firms, I help the practice and its people adopt change. I have sat on both sides - ten years in accounting practice, then fifteen years in accounting technology.

What makes Nomad Flow different?

Nomad Flow works the gap between buying accounting technology and actually using it - the activation gap. Most support stops at strategy, or only sees one side of the table. Nomad has lived both the practice side and the vendor side, and focuses on the behaviour and change that make adoption last.

So firms' ability to adapt to change has been outpaced by vendors' ability to sell.

And that's what Nomad Flow is here to solve.

Cloud accounting promised to change the game.

The value is real.

And it's trying to get through.

So, what's the problem?

A very,

very

common
bottleneck.

21st‑century software,

blocked by million‑year‑old hardware.

We've evolved to avoid uncertainty

and limit risks.

And changing how people work
can be seen as a threat.

Here's how I help you accelerate revenue growth in your accounting channel. Without throwing headcount or marketing spend at the problem.

  1. Sharpen your proposition

    Create buying experiences which delight firms and help them move faster.

  2. Remove the invisible obstacles to adoption

    The ones that always sound like “I don't have time”. I find them in your customer experience and take them out.

  3. Enable your sales team

    Turn your account managers and teams into valued experts.

  4. Enable your champions

    Give your champions inside firms what they need to advocate on your behalf.

So firms are up to speed quicker, build you into their habits and grow faster with you.

Book a call

What it looked like at FreeAgent

FreeAgent had a great partner programme, but they wanted it to be better.

  1. Briefing calls with the people who own the channel
  2. A deep dive into the data, and which KPIs actually hold up
  3. A day in Edinburgh with sales, comms, product and operations in one room
  4. A findings report ordered by return: quick wins first, then the longer work
  5. Embedded support working alongside the team to deliver on the recommendations
“The marketing platform team grabbed it on the day of the workshop. About eight days later the team were collecting leads with a new data point that came from that workshop. We could make use of almost every single recommendation that came out.”
Stewart Hurd Chief Sales Officer, FreeAgent

What it looked like at Active

“Now I feel much more confident that our team, our processes and our structure are set up in the best way to help us scale. I definitely recommend Nomad to other SaaS accounting providers.”
Andy Collings Country Manager, Active UK
Leigh Stallard speaking at an accounting tech event

I've sat where you sit - and where they sit.

I've been building and supporting accounting channels since 2012, at Xero, Soldo and Satago. Before that, I spent 10 years in practice.

Most partner programmes are set up to sign accountants up. Mine are set up so they get going: using the product, bringing clients on and sticking around.

“Not many people can sit in a room with accountants and immediately earn their trust. Leigh can. I carried his approach with me to Pleo, where it underpinned how we built a network of over a thousand partner firms. If you're a software vendor trying to get it right in the UK accountancy market, Leigh is who you need.”
Sam Kelley Product Manager, Accounting Exp & Integrations, Pleo
“Building a startup is one thing. Having someone experienced challenge how you think about adoption is another. I had a call with Leigh while building Reveal, and his perspective helped me think more clearly about how users actually adopt products, not just whether the product itself is good.”
Miles Udemezue Founder, Reveal
“What felt really different working with Leigh is the level of knowledge Leigh had about FreeAgent, and that he chose to really dive into the product and the way we work.”
Stewart Hurd Chief Sales Officer, FreeAgent
“He came in with a clear-eyed view of the gap we had between firms connecting their accounts and actually doing something meaningful with their clients. He identified three specific areas worth acting on. His thinking directly shaped how we started rethinking our pricing model into three clearer tiers.”
Owen Burley Co-Founder, AppVentory
“We've already got a strong onboarding process, but it's critical that we continue to scale. Having gone through this process with Nomad, I feel much more confident that our team, our processes and our structure are set up in the best way to help us do that.”
Andy Collings Country Manager, Active UK
“What stood out most was his ability to coach rather than simply manage. Leigh helped me unlock how to serve customers effectively and developed my confidence in customer conversations. Practical guidance that really helped me grow.”
Marlon Fearon Account Executive, Xero
“Leigh has a real grasp on this... it really gets you thinking about onboarding - not just 'how do we get clients to stay' but more 'how can we create an experience that builds credibility, value for the client and builds momentum right from the start.'”
Marcus Batson Head of Customer Success, Xama
“What really stood out was his ability to make complex ideas practical and easy to apply. The session was delivered several years ago, yet I still find myself regularly drawing on the frameworks and tools he shared.”
Ben Hogarth UK Customer Experience Manager, Xero

What I do

  • Partner programmes

    Built or rebuilt, with the structure, tiers and ownership that create natural momentum.

  • Partner onboarding

    Create a path of least resistance for firms, their teams and their clients.

  • Coaching

    Coaching reps or sales leaders on effectively driving change.

  • Digital assets and content

    Internal and external video and content, produced by Nomad Video.

How we can work together

  • One-off training or coaching

    A session, or a short run of them, for your partner team, your sales team or your partners.

  • Fixed-price projects

    A clear scope and a clear end, so you know what you're getting before we start.

  • Longer-term, embedded support

    Working alongside your team over months, until the new way is simply how things are done.

  • Start small: the channel products

    The Channel Review is a £500 diagnostic call with a written follow-up. The Channel Audit (from £7,500) is the full data-backed analysis. The Channel Intervention is the hands-on work that follows. Or start free with the Channel Activation Scorecard.

Let's see how we can accelerate your accounting sales channel.

Tell me where the channel is stuck and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

Book a call

Free. Opens my calendar in a new tab.

Or get a few emails a month about accounting tech activation.

Here's how I help you and your people adopt change across your practice. Whether it's new software, a new acquisition or standardising on a proven process - change is hard.

  1. A change management plan with structure

    Who needs to do what, when, and what will get in their way, worked out before the rollout starts.

  2. Training and coaching for your leaders

    So the people leading the change know how to bring their teams with them.

  3. Long-term support through the rollout

    Working alongside you until the new way is simply how things are done.

Sound familiar?

“We paid for the software and half the team still does it the old way.”

“We moved systems months ago and it still isn't bedded in.”

“Every firm we bring in still works its own way.”

“Every time we try to change how we work, it fizzles out.”

Leigh Stallard running a session for a room of accountants, early in his careerLeigh Stallard speaking at an accounting tech event more recently

Ten years in accounting practice, then 11 years working with firms at Xero, Soldo and Satago.

I've sat on three sides of the same firm: bookkeeping and payroll, the firm's own management accounts, and sales and marketing.

“Leigh was a great support for us when we made the transition to cloud accounting at Xero. Delivering webinars, speaking at our team events and acting as a consultant to us as we navigated change. He has the benefit of training as an accountant so speaks the language, but with the additional knowledge of change management.”
Becca McClure Global Senior Director, BDO
“Leigh is passionate about helping people identify their goals and finding ways of taking people on a journey to achieve them together. Full of ideas and insight into why and how people change. Great presenter and people person to boot.”
Jim Leeves Co-founder, Shapes
“He has excellent clarity of vision, empathy, questioning skills, and a methodical approach makes him a great asset in any team. But it is his humble, gentle nature that makes him great to work with too.”
Andy Collings Country Manager, Active UK

What I do

  • Change readiness audits, assessment and blueprint assignments

    A clear read on where your firm is now, and a plan for getting to where you want to be.

  • Change strategy support

    Help deciding how to approach the change, in what order, and how to bring your people with you.

  • Team training and coaching

    For your leaders and teams, so they can lead the change and keep it going.

  • Embedded change agent

    Working inside your firm alongside your people, interpreting and responding to feedback.

How we can work together

  • One-off training or coaching

    A session, or a short run of them, for your leaders or your team.

  • Fixed-price projects

    A clear scope and a clear end, so you know what you're getting before we start.

  • Longer-term, embedded support

    An embedded change agent, facilitating and supporting leaders, sponsors, affected people and other stakeholders.

Let's see how we can help your people move through change.

Tell me what you're changing and where it's sticking, and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

Book a call

Free. Opens my calendar in a new tab.

Or get a few emails a month about accounting tech activation.

Buying software is a decision. Using it is a habit.

I'm Leigh. I help accounting software companies and accounting firms with the second part.

Leigh Stallard

How we can work together

  • One-off training or coaching

    A session, or a short run of them, for whoever needs it.

  • Fixed-price projects

    A clear scope and a clear end, so you know what you're getting before we start.

  • Longer-term, embedded support

    Working alongside your team over months, until the new way is simply how things are done.

Why work with me

I've worked with over 1,000 firms, from basic cloud questions to helping shape their strategy.

I've sat at startup kitchen tables and global firm boardroom tables.

  • Ten years in accounting practice

    On three sides of the same firm: bookkeeping and payroll, the firm's own management accounts, and sales and marketing.

  • Xero, from 2012

    The first Internal Account Manager at Xero UK, then sales leadership.

  • Soldo and Satago

    Building and supporting partner programmes with accountants at fast-growing software companies.

  • APMG Change Management qualified

    The method behind making a change stick, not just launching it.

The early Xero UK team in black Xero t-shirts

Where change actually happens

Not in a room with big lasers and a celebrity keynote. It happens on a cold, rainy morning in January, when someone gets in an hour early to try a new way of doing things.

That moment is far less glamorous than most talk about transformation, but it's where the real work is. My job is making it as easy as possible, for the person trying, for the manager giving them the time to try, and for the client on the other end.

Who I've worked with

    What people say

    “Leigh's a particularly good facilitator. He drew out from everybody what was really going on and was willing to dig into the really difficult things. None of it's management consultant jargon. It's all just really specific, practical and relevant actions for us to take on.”
    Andy Collings Country Manager, Active UK
    “What really stood out was his ability to make complex ideas practical and easy to apply. The session was delivered several years ago, yet I still find myself regularly drawing on the frameworks and tools he shared.”
    Ben Hogarth UK Customer Experience Manager, Xero
    “Building a startup is one thing. Having someone experienced challenge how you think about adoption is another. His perspective helped me think more clearly about how users actually adopt products, not just whether the product itself is good.”
    Miles Udemezue Founder, Reveal
    “Leigh has a real grasp on this. It really gets you thinking about onboarding, not just how do we get clients to stay, but how can we create an experience that builds credibility, value for the client and momentum right from the start.”
    Marcus Batson Head of Customer Success, Xama

    Let's talk

    Tell me a little about what's going on and I'll come back to you. Or book a call and we'll work it out together.

    Free tools for accounting software companies

    Start with the scorecard. The calculators then put a number on whatever it finds.

    The tools

    1. Channel Activation Scorecard

      Where is your channel leaking partners? Eight questions and an instant read on your activation strengths and weaknesses. About three and a half minutes.

      Open on its own page
    2. Cost of Churn Calculator

      How much revenue are you losing because customers don't get going? See what the gap is costing you.

      Open on its own page
    3. Channel Partner Calculator

      What is an underperforming partner channel costing you, and what would better activation be worth?

      Open on its own page

    Talk it through with Leigh

    Tell me what's happening in your channel and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

    Book a call

    Channel Activation Scorecard

    Eight questions about your partner channel, scored across the four stages of activation: Commercial, Journey, Change and Evolve.

    Channel Activation Scorecard

    Where is your channel leaking partners? Eight questions about your partner channel, scored across the four stages of activation - Commercial, Journey, Change and Evolve - and an instant read on where the momentum is going.

    Free. Honest results in 3.5 minutes. No prep needed.

    Talk it through with Leigh

    Thirty minutes. Tell me what you're seeing and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

    Book a call

    Cost of Churn Calculator

    How much revenue are you losing to customers who never get going?

    Cost of Onboarding Churn

    Are you a SaaS vendor wondering how much revenue you are leaking due to poor activation? Add your own numbers below and the results update as you go. The example figures are already in.

    Business Basics Your current business metrics
    %
    £
    £
    Churn Rates Onboarding and natural churn rates
    %
    %
    %
    %

    Current Situation

    LTV per customer
    £0
    Annualised Rev
    £0
    LTV of current base
    £0

    Results

    How you'll need to stretch to hit your annual growth goals over the next 3 years.

    Over the next 3 years, you will lose 0 customers during their first 90 days with you.

    Lost Future Revenue£0That's £0 of ARR
    Wasted Acquisition Costs£00.0% of acquisition costs wasted
    Churn Accelerates FastFirst-month churn count growth:
    1. 0Month 1
    2. 0Month 12
    3. 0Month 36
    Sales Growth RequiredTo hit your 50% annual goal:0%increase to your monthly sales targetFrom 0 (Month 1) to 0 (Month 36)
    Don't put this offIn the next year you could lose:£0in potential future revenue as their LTV walks out the door.
    In 3 Years' Time
    Total closing customers
    0
    Total customers past/present
    0
    Customers still with you
    0%

    What does "better" look like?

    With just a 5% reduction to your M1 churn (from 25% to 20%):

    Rescue LTV revenue across the next 3 years£0or £0 in ARR.
    If you act quickly, in just the next year, you could rescue£0or £0 in ARR.

    Across 3 years, you'd need to acquire 0 fewer customers to hit your 50% growth goal (saving you £0 in acquisition costs).

    And that doesn't include: The cost of expanding your customer success team, burning out your sales and success teams, and the impact on your brand from negative client experiences.

    Plug the leak.

    This calculation shows the compounding cost of poor activation. I can help you fix what is causing it, so you keep the value you are currently losing.

    Your figures stay in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.

    Talk it through with Leigh

    Thirty minutes. Tell me what you're seeing and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

    Book a call

    Channel Partner Calculator

    What is an underperforming partner channel costing you?

    How productive is your partner channel?

    Most accounting tech vendors have hundreds of signed partners. A fraction are actively growing. This calculator shows you where your channel revenue actually comes from - and what it would look like if you closed the gap.

    Your Partner Base Basic metrics of your current channel
    %
    Partner Economics Financial metrics of your channel
    £
    £
    Inactive Subscriptions Paid subscriptions, which have not yet been activated. Enter the total number or a % of your total customer number.
    %
    Projection Timeframe
    Velocity Distribution Enter the number of partners below, based on their velocity. You can enter actual numbers, or % of your base. Don't worry if it's not perfect, the calculator can adjust.
    %
    %
    %
    %
    %
    %
    %
    %

    Your partner channel is producing £0 a year

    Moving 10% of your partner base up one velocity level is worth £0 a year.

    Your Channel at a Glance

    Here's what your partner channel is producing right now.

    Current Channel ARR£0
    Net-New Monthly Adds0Based on the velocity distribution of your partner base.
    Monthly Net-New ARR£0Calculated as Monthly Client Adds × Avg Revenue per Client.
    Channel Penetration0%The % of your total TAM you have converted to customers so far.
    Growth contribution by Velocity Tier

      Your Dormant Partners

      0 of your partners produced zero growth in the last 90 days.

      Stalled Partners0Partners who have added 0 clients in the last 90 days.
      Inaccessible TAM0clients
      Wasted Acquisition Costs£0The total cost spent acquiring partners who are currently non-productive.

      The Shelf Subscription Problem

      Inactive Subscriptions0
      ARR at risk£0
      % of Your Annual Revenue at Risk0%

      What your 15% growth target actually requires

      Target ARR£0The total annual revenue your channel needs to produce to meet your growth target.
      ARR increase needed£0The difference between your target ARR and your current ARR.
      New Subscriptions Required0The number of new customers needed to bridge the gap to your target ARR.

      What if 10% of your partner base moved up to the next velocity level?

      Adjust the slider to see the impact of small improvements in partner activation.

      Uplifted ARR£0vs £0 currently
      Extra ARR generated£0
      Activated TAM (ARR)£0by activating 0 partners
      Net-New Monthly Adds0vs 0 currently

      The Cost of Inaction

      Here's what happens over 1 year if nothing changes.

      New partners who'll stall0out of 0 new partners (0%)
      Total Dormant Partners0The total number of partners who will be inactive by the end of the period if current trends continue.
      Inaccessible TAM0clients
      Wasted acquisition costs£0The total CAC spent to acquire partners who are currently non-productive.

      What would it mean to you and your team to:

      generate an uplift of£0in ARR
      activate partners worth£0in annualised TAM

      without needing new partners, extra hires or more marketing spend?

      Bring your figures to a call and I will talk you through what I think is actually happening in your channel.

      Your figures stay in this browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.

      Talk it through with Leigh

      Thirty minutes. Tell me what you're seeing and I'll tell you what I'd look at first.

      Book a call

      Counting on Change. Free resources for vendors and firms to help navigate change and tech adoption.

      A podcast, a newsletter and a few longer pieces on partner activation, practice adoption and the hidden cost of stalled growth.

      The podcast

      Join me as I sit down with founders, operators, and accounting leaders to discuss the reality of the software ecosystem, cutting through the feature-dumping to get to the behavioural roots.

      Catch all of the episodes

      The newsletter

      Perspectives on partner activation and the hidden cost of stalled growth, straight to your inbox.

      A few emails a month about partner activation and practice adoption. No spam, and you can unsubscribe in one click. See our .

      Articles

      Workshops

      Workshop · Recorded live, 4 August 2026

      Partner Channel Defibrillator

      How to revive a stalled partner base

      Sign-ups are up, an incentive is live, and almost nobody is actually selling. The sequel to The Three Silent Killers: 30 minutes on how to jump start a stalled partner channel, with three ways to find the pulse again.

      You'll come away with 3 actionable strategies for jump-starting your channel before winter rolls in.

      Workshop · Recorded live, 2 July 2026

      Three Silent Killers of Accounting Channels

      How to spot them in your own channel

      Most vendors who aren't getting results from their accounting channel go straight to more: more marketing, more workshops, more roadshows. But the real blockers are usually invisible. In this session I walked through the three silent killers I find most often, and how to spot them in your own channel.

      Great Expectations, It's a Trap and Groundhog Day - one for each of the three stages where a signed partner quietly stops selling, and the fix for each.

      Want some more direct help?

      Walk me through your situation and I'll see if I can help, or check out my free tools.

      Book a call

      Free, thirty minutes. Opens my calendar in a new tab.