The push and pull of innovation - Mark Burgess & Mark Hewitson, Ensors

Written By Chris Morris

Episode 01 - THAT MOMENT

In this explosive debut episode of That Moment, host Helga Saraiva from Supo dives deep into the messy reality of driving change in professional services. Meet Mark Burgess and Mark Hewitson, two leaders from Ensors who are transforming how a traditional 300-person, six-office firm actually operates - not just in theory, but in real time, with real resistance.

When Ensors rolled out a new engagement letter system, it should have been a win - saving hundreds of hours monthly with massive financial impact. Instead, team members pushed back, demanding to return to "the old way." Sound familiar? This episode unpacks what happens when best intentions meet human nature, and why silence is more dangerous than pushback.

Mark Burgess brings the vision - championing change, challenging comfort zones, and pushing boundaries with the energy of someone who believes transformation is survival. Mark Hewitson provides the pragmatic counterweight - understanding that failed IT projects (60 in 20 years!) create skepticism, and that sustainable change requires bringing people on the journey, not just dragging them along.

Together, they reveal the delicate balance between innovation and implementation, between disrupting the status quo and respecting the reality of organisational inertia.

In a fascinating twist, Helga flips the script in an interactive role-play called "Switch the Channel." The usually cautious Mark H becomes the visionary advocate for a radical client engagement initiative, while the typically pro-change Mark B plays the skeptic, raising hard questions about implementation. The result? An illuminating exploration of how perspective shapes our approach to change.

The scenario: scheduling 20-minute client calls every fortnight - not about tasks, but about their business challenges and goals. It's "client listening disguised as curiosity," but can it work in practice?

  • Why 60 failed IT projects created a culture of skepticism, and how to overcome it

  • The difference between compliance-driven change and culture-driven transformation

  • How to identify and empower champions across disparate offices

  • Why "rules vs. freedom" tension is actually healthy for innovation

  • The art of calculated risk-taking in traditional professional services

  • How to eat an elephant: one bite at a time

From Mark H's perspective as IT Partner since April 2023, witness how bringing on CTO Mark Burgess transformed not just systems, but mindsets. In just 11 months, they've revolutionised how IT integrates with the firm, moving from separation to embeddedness, from transaction to transformation.

Mark B shares his philosophy: "Wake up every day with a mindset that this is going to be the best day because we're going to make some change and we're going to make people happy." But he's also brutally honest about the reality: "Things don't always work the first time and things break. Your car breaks. You live with it."

This episode tackles the existential question facing all traditional firms: as services become commoditised and clients demand different ways of consuming what you offer, how do you evolve without losing what made you successful?

About Supo:

Supo provides people-first intelligence software for professional services firms, helping businesses maximize profit and motivate their people through powerful, AI-enabled business intelligence dashboards. By connecting over 500+ platforms and providing real-time data analysis, Supo helps firms make better data-driven decisions about their profit, projects, and people.

For more information about Supo: ⁠www.supo.co.uk

About Ensors:

Ensors is one of East Anglia's largest and most respected firms of independent chartered accountants and business advisors, supporting clients for over 130 years with multi-award winning expertise. Offering a comprehensive range of accounting services to both individuals and businesses across London and East Anglia, Ensors combines expertise with clarity, experience with accessibility, and knowledge with passion. From accounts preparation and tax planning to corporate finance, business acquisitions, and forensic accounting, Ensors serves diverse sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, and charities, ensuring expert support across various fields.

For more information about Ensors: www.ensors.co.uk⁠

Ready to challenge your own comfort zone? This episode isn't just about technology rollouts - it's about the human side of transformation and what happens when theory meets the messy reality of organisational change.

Chris Morris