Rewiring Mindsets at the 2020 Innovation Annual Conference
May 28, 2025David Meade Inspires UK Accountants at 2020 Innovation’s Flagship Conference
2020 Innovation Conference
When hundreds of the UK’s most forward-thinking accountants gathered in Birmingham for the 2024 2020 Innovation Annual Conference, they came seeking more than just technical CPD. They came for strategy, inspiration, and the tools to help their practices thrive in a shifting economic landscape. On the main stage helping to unlock that potential was keynote speaker David Meade.
A familiar face to audiences across the UK and beyond, Meade was invited to deliver a bespoke keynote at this year’s event — a conference that has become a critical calendar fixture for accountants and practice leaders nationwide. As a first-time contributor to 2020 Innovation’s flagship gathering, Meade approached the opportunity with characteristic precision and energy.
The 2020 Innovation group, which provides business advisory services, resources, and training to accounting firms of all sizes, is widely regarded as one of the most entrepreneurial and future-focused networks in the UK. Their annual conference attracts solo practitioners, mid-size firms, and national players alike, all of whom share a hunger to keep pace with — and stay ahead of — the evolving professional landscape.
And that landscape is in flux. With shifts in legislation, growing regulatory complexity, talent shortages, client expectations, and economic pressures all rising, the 2024 event focused on what it means to lead resilient, adaptive firms that are built for the future.
A Growth Mindset
David Meade’s keynote was designed specifically to meet that challenge. Working closely with the 2020 Innovation team in the months leading up to the event, Meade developed a session on the power of the growth mindset. Not just as a leadership cliché, but as a practical, actionable framework for transformation at the individual and organisational level.
“David didn’t just parachute in a stock speech,” said one delegate. “He clearly understood what was happening in our world — and delivered a message that was perfectly aligned.”
His session went far beyond theory. Meade explored how teams can cultivate motivation, overcome self-limiting beliefs, and shift the cultural mindset of an entire practice — even in the face of uncertainty. Drawing on insights from positive psychology, behavioural science, and performance research, he equipped attendees with tools and frameworks they could apply immediately within their firms.
Dealing with Negativity
“It was exactly what we needed,”
One of the most talked-about segments tackled how to deal with negativity and resistance inside organisations — the individuals and behaviours that quietly stall progress and drain momentum. Another focused on how leaders can create environments that stretch people, support experimentation, and encourage accountability — all without sacrificing profit or performance.
The energy in the room was unmistakable.
“It was exactly what we needed,” one audience member said. “David brought the kind of perspective that reminded us we’re not just in finance — we’re in leadership, we’re in people development, and we’re in transformation.”
David's Comments
As a keynote speaker delivering more than 150 sessions a year across industries, Meade is known for crafting talks that are not only engaging, but strategically aligned with each audience’s needs. The 2020 Innovation conference was no exception.
“This wasn’t a keynote that could be recycled,” Meade commented after the event. “It was built from scratch for this audience — a group that’s analytical, ambitious, and facing real pressure. I wanted them to walk away not just inspired, but equipped.”
The feedback from attendees and organisers alike was resoundingly positive, and plans are already underway to build on the session’s success.
“2020 Innovation is an organisation that never stands still,” Meade added. “They’ve built a reputation on constantly reinventing what’s possible for their members. I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity to contribute and am already looking forward to collaborating again very soon.”
With the groundwork laid in Birmingham, Meade’s return to the 2020 Innovation stage seems less a matter of if, and more a question of when.
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