This month's Best Practice, Accountancy Age's monthly supplement for smaller practices and their clients, meets Duncan & Toplis partner, Damon Brain, the current Accountancy Age Accounting Technician of the Year.

As one of the youngest UK accountants ever to be made partner, Damon believes the key to success is in building relationships.

In a case study, furniture business Duval Morgan's managing director, Lindsay McCready, explains how Brain and Duncan & Toplis became his non-executive directors.

Elsewhere, we discuss if an IT giant can help you sell an SME software, we find out why sacrificing personal finances to 'take care of the business' can be fatal, and we remind partners not to overdo the good food, wine and truffles.

And in our advice section we take on International Student Services' challenges and much, much more.

Enjoy the January issue - and our website.

This month's articles:

Editor's comment: Stick to realistic goals

Analysis: Companies must get their act together

Insider: Change of plan

Outsider: They need a motive 

Q&A: Gentle persuasion

Profile: Damon Brain, partner at Duncan & Toplis

Client's view: Suite talking

Finance: Put yourself first

Technology: At your service

Report-writing: Individual attention

Health: Time to face fats

Ask the experts: Cultural differences

What the experts say: International Student Services

Questions and answers: HMRC online filing rules

Business digest: Financial, market & economic resources