Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brannon Poe
Rebekah Brown Olson didn't plan to lead a state CPA society. A single leadership assessment during a firm training session reframed how she saw her own strengths, and thirteen years later she's the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs, connecting firm leaders across the profession every day. In this conversation, Brannon Poe talks with Rebekah about what's really driving change in accounting right now, and why she believes community, not information, is what separates firms that thrive from firms that struggle.
Rebekah shares an encouraging read on the student pipeline, pointing to strong turnout and impressive second-career candidates at a recent University of Maryland accounting graduation event. She also walks through her theory on where private equity is headed: a barbell shaped profession, with large firms formed through consolidation on one end and a new wave of small, independent firms on the other, as CPAs who leave newly acquired environments choose to build something of their own.
For firm owners thinking about their own exit, Rebekah's advice centers on two habits: treating strategy as something to revisit constantly rather than a plan that sits on a shelf, and involving the people around you early, since real alignment comes from letting your team weigh in on where the firm is headed.
The Conversation Covers:
- How a leadership assessment redirected Rebekah's entire career path
- Why community may be the biggest differentiator for CPA firms over the next decade
- How private equity could reshape the profession into a barbell-shaped structure
- Why small firms are positioned to specialize and move faster than larger competitors
- How involving your team early creates real strategic alignment ahead of a transition
- Why choosing the right private equity partner matters more than the deal itself
Rebekah closes with a story from her college years at Ohio State, working as a football field manager during a live scrimmage, that ties back to the same theme running through the whole conversation: what it looks like when a community shows up for someone.
This Episode Is For:
- Firm owners curious about how community and connection shape long-term success
- Leaders ready to think through a 5 to 10 year exit and succession plan
- Practitioners wondering how private equity might change hiring, retention, and culture
- Anyone interested in how small firms can compete through specialization and speed
Book Recommendation:
- The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It by Dr. Kelly McGonigal Amazon link
Timestamps:
- 00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome
- 00:14 - Introducing Rebekah Brown Olson, CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs
- 00:57 - How a quarter-life crisis and a leadership assessment changed Rebekah's career path
- 01:41 - From CPA firm senior to curriculum developer at the Maryland Association of CPAs
- 03:12 - Working part time, then full time, then becoming CEO three years ago
- 04:02 - What Brannon and Rebekah share: burning out of public practice and finding a better fit
- 04:45 - What Rebekah gets to do now: advocate for the profession and connect people across it
- 05:06 - The big picture view: what the Maryland Association of CPAs CEO is seeing right now
- 05:31 - Why getting good at change is the most important capability for any accounting firm
- 06:00 - Why community is the competitive advantage when complexity and change accelerate
- 06:34 - Why you can't know everything but you can know a lot of people
- 07:19 - Recruiting new students: are the numbers moving and what kind of students are coming in
- 08:15 - Why the pipeline alarm is starting to work and what recent graduation events are showing
- 08:40 - Accounting as a stable major during economic uncertainty
- 09:07 - What the new wave of accounting students looks like: different backgrounds, strong leaders
- 09:30 - Retention: are people staying in the profession better than they used to? 10:01 - The historical reality of planned attrition in CPA firm hiring
- 10:45 - The move from public to private still happens but may be slowing
- 11:10 - Brannon's theory on PE-driven salary increases and the poaching risk that comes with it
- 11:37 - Why starting salaries in accounting need to keep rising to compete for talent
- 12:00 - How private equity is creating a barbell-shaped profession
- 12:40 - What the disappearance of the midsize CPA firm looks like and why it matters
- 13:29 - How small firms can win through specialization and speed on technology
- 14:25 - What Rebekah would tell a CPA firm owner who is 5 to 10 years from an exit
- 15:17 - Why a 5 to 10 year plan has to be iterative, not static
- 15:43 - Involving your team in strategy: why it changes buy-in, retention, and execution
- 16:08 - The Business Learning Institute and working with small to midsize firms on strategy
- 16:32 - Why the best insight sometimes comes from the person scheduling client appointments
- 17:53 - Vision casting as a retention tool: why people stay when they know where the firm is going
- 18:45 - What happens when someone is not bought in: it's okay, not every culture fits every person
- 18:56 - What Maryland Association of CPAs members are saying about private equity and succession planning
- 19:25 - The top-level conversation: are we picking the right PE partners?
- 20:06 - The case for remaining independent and why different firm models are healthy for the profession
- 20:50 - What non-decision-makers feel about PE: caution, valid concerns, and fear of change
- 21:17 - Why settling on a PE buyer too soon is one of the biggest risks in a sale process
- 21:42 - Why every PE firm is different and why comparative analysis matters more than people realize
- 22:23 - Football story: handing the ball to Troy Smith and getting tackled by Ted Ginn Jr.
- 25:17 - What the experience after the tackle taught Rebekah about community showing up for people
- 26:45 - Book recommendation: "The Upside of Stress" by Dr. Kelly McGonigal
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Kristen McGarr has spent over 20 years helping businesses implement CRM systems that actually work. Her core belief is that the future of CRM isn't about more technology, it's about more humanity. For CPA firm owners who have tried a CRM, abandoned it, or never started one at all, that perspective changes the conversation entirely.
Kristen is the founder of Adroit Insights and CRM Growth, a growth strategist, fractional chief revenue officer, and CRM implementation specialist. She works across platforms like Zoho, HubSpot, and ActiveCampaign, and she is known for making complex systems genuinely approachable. In this conversation, she gets specific about the problems she sees most often in accounting firms: systems that are over-configured, features that never get used, and adoption that stalls because the CRM feels like administrative work rather than a growth tool.
The most actionable part of this episode is Kristen's framework for building a pipeline when you have never tracked one before. She calls it the three R's: renewals, referrals, and recent conversations. For renewals, look at one-off projects that could become recurring revenue and clients you haven't heard from yet this year. For referrals, send a simple email during busy season asking for introductions and reviews. For recent conversations, think about who mentioned a challenge you rolled right past without addressing. The irony, as Kristen points out, is that tax season is exactly when firms have the most contact with clients and the most opportunity for all three, even though it feels like the worst possible time.
Kristen's approach strips away the complexity that keeps most firms from ever getting real value out of a CRM. Her advice is consistent throughout: start simple, solve for the 90% of problems you actually have, and build a system that can grow with you rather than one you have to replace in a year.
This episode is for firm owners curious about what a CRM can actually do for their practice when implemented well, leaders wondering how to maintain business development momentum through busy season, practitioners ready to build a pipeline but unsure where to start, and anyone who has tried a CRM before and walked away frustrated.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome
- 00:14 - Introducing Kristen McGarr, founder of Adroit Insights and CRM Growth
- 00:57 - Kristen's core belief: the future of CRM is humanity, not more technology
- 01:17 - Why most CRM implementations fail: adoption and overcomplicated configuration
- 02:07 - The demo trap: why what you see is rarely the off-the-shelf product
- 02:47 - Most firms use only 10 to 20% of their CRM's actual functionality
- 03:03 - Where AI fits into CRM today and why it shouldn't be trusted 100%
- 03:56 - Signs a CPA firm is ready to scale versus needing to fix its foundation first
- 04:17 - Why consistency and predictability matter more than fast growth
- 05:02 - How predictable, even revenue throughout the year affects accounting firm valuation
- 05:48 - The tax season surge and dip problem and how to create more consistency around it
- 06:05 - Why business development gets dropped during busy season and how to fix that
- 06:37 - The growth-ready system: templated outreach that still sounds like you
- 07:49 - How to automate personalized outreach without doing it manually every time
- 08:21 - Why spacing out outreach matters more than frequency
- 08:41 - Turning client education into shareable case study content for prospects
- 09:17 - The three R's: renewals, referrals, recent conversations
- 09:36 - Renewals: how to spot recurring revenue opportunities in your existing client base
- 09:53 - Referrals: why sending referral emails during busy season is low effort, high return
- 10:26 - Recent conversations: catching the tax planning and advisory needs you rolled past
- 11:09 - The irony of tax season: it's your busiest time and your biggest pipeline opportunity
- 11:31 - Why a transactional accounting firm cannot function well without a CRM
- 11:53 - Kristen's three-part CRM checklist: integrations, reporting, and flexibility
- 13:06 - Funny story: the vendor lesson that led to building an internal team
- 14:22 - Why trusting your gut early on a bad vendor fit saves time and money later
- 14:55 - How building an internal team improved client satisfaction across the firm
- 15:29 - Why picking technology vendors is especially hard for relationship-focused accountants
- 15:55 - The value of trusted resources and networks when evaluating new tools
- 16:11 - Book recommendation: "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss
- 17:09 - Where to find Kristen: LinkedIn and CRMgrowth.com
Book Recommendation:
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Frank Longobardi started a five-person CPA firm in Hartford, Connecticut on November 1st, 1984, with a first-year revenue goal of $300,000. For the next 23 consecutive years, the firm grew both top and bottom line, every single year. By the time he and his partner decided to merge up, they had built a $14.5 million firm with over 100 people and ten partners.
In this conversation, Frank walks through every phase of that journey with the kind of candor that only comes from having lived it. He talks about the early days of working 3,000-plus hours a year, the moment he realized hating to lose a $400 tax return was holding his firm back, and why he told every partner the same thing: it is not your client, it is the firm's client. He also shares his perspective on the partnership model at scale, why private equity entered accounting, and what the profession's talent structure will look like as AI reshapes the work.
The conversation covers:
- How a five-person startup grew for 23 consecutive years without a single down year
- Why hating to lose any client, even a $400 return, was the biggest early mistake
- How to transfer client relationships to the next generation of partners without losing the client
- Why he told every partner "it is not your account, it is the firm's account" and what shifted when they embraced that
- How the CohnReznick mega merger came together and what it took to lead a $430 million combined firm
- Why the traditional pyramid staffing model is evolving into a diamond shape as AI changes the work
- How private equity entered accounting and what PE firms are actually looking for in acquisitions
Frank's career is a rare example of someone who has seen the profession from every angle: sole proprietor, regional firm leader, mega merger architect, top 25 CEO, and now PE advisor. His perspective on what it takes to build something worth buying, merging, or leading is grounded in 40 years of doing exactly that.
This episode is for firm owners curious about what the path from small firm to large firm leadership actually looks like, leaders wondering how to transfer client relationships without losing them, practitioners thinking about whether merging up makes sense for their next chapter, and anyone interested in how private equity is evaluating and reshaping accounting firms from the inside.
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome
- 00:13 - Introducing Frank Longobardi, former CEO of CohnReznick
- 00:56 - Why Frank chose accounting: a blue-collar family, a high school course, and the University of Connecticut
- 01:55 - Frank's career path: regional firm, Big Eight, and starting his own firm in 1984
- 02:42 - The first business plan: $300K goal, five people, $40K salary each
- 03:02 - 23 consecutive years of top and bottom line growth at Longobardi and Company
- 03:27 - Merging into J.H. Cohn in 2007 as their entree into Connecticut
- 04:33 - Running industry groups and earning a board seat at J.H. Cohn
- 04:46 - The CohnReznick mega merger of 2012: combining a $240M and $190M firm
- 05:09 - Becoming a $430 million firm and one of the first mega mergers in the profession
- 05:43 - Running for sole CEO in 2015 and serving a four-year term with mandatory retirement at 65
- 06:01 - What the CEO years were really like: navigating the compliance-to-advisory shift and people challenges
- 07:01 - What Frank learned from wearing every hat at a small firm that big firm leaders never experience
- 07:27 - Strategic planning, partner coaching, and the reality of 1,500 to 1,600 charge hours a year
- 08:13 - Managing expectations during busy season: communicating with clients and keeping the team motivated
- 09:13 - The biggest challenges in growing from startup to $14.5 million
- 10:35 - Client service intensity and keeping good people for the long term as the two main growth drivers
- 11:07 - Home-grown partners and the value of developing talent from within the CPA firm
- 11:57 - The biggest mistake: hating to part ways with any client, including a $400 1040
- 12:13 - What managing at scale taught Frank about the discipline of bringing in the right accounting clients
- 12:31 - How difficult clients affect team morale and why post-Covid firms have gotten better at weeding them out
- 13:14 - Why technical CPAs struggle to let go and why letting go is how firms scale
- 13:46 - How to transfer client relationships to the next generation: patience, coaching, and making it a two-year process
- 14:42 - Clients belong to the firm, not the partner: why that mindset shift matters for CPA firm succession
- 15:27 - How Frank developed next-generation leaders by helping them build on their own strengths
- 16:17 - The partnership model: what works, what does not, and why 270 partners makes decision-making complex
- 17:26 - Why accounting has become capital-intensive and what that means for the traditional profit distribution model
- 18:01 - Retaining 5% of revenue inside the firm: why Frank pushed for it and why partners pushed back
- 18:35 - Why private equity entered accounting: capital needs, governance limitations, and the cost of M&A
- 19:25 - How accounting firm M&A economics shifted from deferred retirement payments to cash-heavy PE deals
- 20:05 - The profession is changing faster than ever: AI, private equity, and what that means for CPA firms
- 20:28 - Frank's post-retirement path: offshoring advisory, private equity diligence, and board seats
- 21:03 - Working with an offshoring firm post-Covid and watching augmentation services boom, then normalize
- 22:32 - The build-operate-transfer model for offshore accounting centers in India and South Africa
- 23:05 - The most critical principle in offshoring: treat the offshore team like any other office
- 23:40 - Consulting for private equity firms evaluating accounting acquisitions: 8 to 10 diligence projects
- 24:34 - Board seats at a PE-backed accounting firm in Rochester and a CAS firm in Salt Lake City
- 25:02 - What Frank has observed about how private equity grows organizations from the inside
- 25:34 - AI as the biggest trigger for change in the accounting profession over the next 3 to 5 years
- 26:08 - How AI will affect assurance, tax, advisory, hiring, and training in CPA firms
- 26:52 - The shift from a pyramid to a diamond: why mid-level technology and analytics talent will matter most
- 27:32 - Why AI is creating an opportunity to add more value to clients than ever before
- 28:25 - Accounting enrollment is increasing for the third year in a row: why that matters
- 28:50 - Starting salaries need to be competitive with private equity and investment banking to attract top talent
- 29:33 - Book recommendations: "The One Minute Manager" and "Who Moved My Cheese?" and a note on EOS
- 30:56 - Living your values as a leader: calling people out when they exhibit them, not just stating them
- 32:06 - Where to connect with Frank: LinkedIn and frank.p.longo@gmail.com
The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Brian Gray made partner at a top 100 CPA firm, built a career advising billionaires and high-net-worth families on complex tax strategies, and then realized that none of it had made him any happier.
Brian is a tax partner, award-winning CPA, frequent speaker at the USC Tax Institute, and the author of Suck Less, Laugh More. He has had a front-row seat to some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and noticed a pattern: about 10% of them get the balance right and 90% are still searching. By his early forties, he recognized himself in that pattern. He was helping clients structure their legacies while his own family life was strained, and he had been telling himself that family came first when his actions said otherwise.
This conversation goes deeper than practice management. Brian shares the specific moment that shifted everything, the exercises he used to identify the beliefs running in the background, and how he rebuilt his personal values, his family values, and eventually his firm's values from the ground up. His firm's core value landed on caring, and he and his business partner made the financial commitments to back it up, hiring for capacity and reinvesting in their team even when it meant reducing the bottom line.
The conversation covers:
- Why making partner didn't change anything and how that realization set off a deeper search
- How having a front-row seat to entrepreneurial clients revealed the pattern: financial success rarely equals fulfillment
- Why telling yourself family comes first when your actions say otherwise keeps you stuck
- How writing down seven days of negative and positive emotions reveals the patterns running in the background
- Why he moved "success" from his number one value to number six and replaced it with love
- How his firm landed on caring as its core value and then made the hiring decisions to actually live it
- The warrior and the wizard framework: why achieving eventually needs to give way to mastering your emotions
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome
- 00:13 - Introducing Brian Gray: tax partner, speaker, author of "Suck Less, Laugh More"
- 00:48 - The gap between financial success and fulfillment: what Brian observed in wealthy clients
- 01:39 - Asking the question: when is enough, enough?
- 02:05 - Making partner and realizing it did not solve anything
- 03:07 - The Olympic gold medal pattern: achieving the goal and wondering what it was all for
- 03:32 - What the astronauts who went to the moon felt when they came back
- 04:02 - How alcohol became a way to numb the gap between achievement and meaning
- 04:51 - What it looks like when high-achieving CPA clients are financially successful but not fulfilled
- 05:10 - Growing as a way to become more, not just accumulate more
- 06:12 - The midlife reset: when it arrives, how long it lasts, and what kind of clarity it takes
- 06:51 - Helping clients structure their legacies while his own life needed restructuring
- 07:17 - The specific moment of clarity: "my family deserves better than I'm being"
- 08:21 - Being honest about what really came first: business or family
- 09:03 - The lies high achievers tell themselves and how the ego protects against discomfort
- 09:49 - Humility and gratitude as the antidote to self-deception
- 10:13 - How a core belief like "success equals happiness" gets installed and how to question it
- 10:55 - Shifting the number one core value from success to love, and what changed
- 11:17 - The seven-day emotion-tracking exercise from "Suck Less, Laugh More"
- 11:58 - What the exercise reveals about the emotional patterns running in the background
- 12:22 - The warrior and the wizard: why the achiever eventually gets tired
- 12:45 - Why high achievers are especially at risk of the burnout that comes from the warrior pattern
- 13:07 - Tony Robbins on emotion: you have already felt what you are chasing
- 13:26 - Why the satisfaction from external achievements lasts days, not months
- 14:04 - Stated values vs. lived values: how Brian approached this for himself, his family, and his firm
- 14:39 - Writing down eight family values with his kids in middle school
- 15:29 - How the firm's leadership team landed on "caring" as the number one company value
- 16:08 - What it actually means to live the value of caring: hiring for capacity and investing in the team
- 16:27 - Hiring and client decisions driven by values, not just targets
- 17:07 - Funny story: parenting teenagers and the wisdom of just saying yes
- 18:15 - Book recommendation: "Suck Less, Laugh More" by Brian Gray
- 18:42 - Additional recommendation: "Die with Zero" by Bill Perkins
- 19:03 - Where to connect with Brian: LinkedIn
Book Recommendations:
Suck Less, Laugh More by Brian Gray
Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
Meghan Hickman has spent over three years as our EOS implementer at Poe Group Advisors, and this conversation is one we have been looking forward to sharing. Meghan works with entrepreneurial leadership teams to help them build structure, create accountability, and scale with intention. She has helped over 40 organizations do exactly that, including ours.
The conversation covers:
- How a career in politics taught Meghan to recognize when your work is bringing out the worst in you
- Why the "right person, right seat" framework gives leaders language for decisions they already sense but can't articulate
- How the Accountability Chart reveals the structure a firm actually needs vs. the one it has outgrown
- Why the Vision Traction Organizer works where traditional strategic plans fail, because it evolves every 90 days
- How to distinguish between head signals and heart signals when deciding whether to restructure or exit
- Why the companies that scale fastest are the ones willing to run toward hard problems and simplify relentlessly
- How vulnerability-based trust separates teams that break through from teams that stay stuck
Timestamps:
00:36 - Meghan's background: from US Senate press secretary to entrepreneur 01:26 - How a copy of "Traction" in 2014 changed the direction of Meghan's career
01:52 - Growing an EOS company by 62% in five years and launching her own practice
03:12 - Starting in the least entrepreneurial environment possible: bureaucracy vs. the private sector
04:43 - The moment Meghan knew it was time to leave: the night Osama bin Laden was captured
06:09 - Sending out resumes at 1:00 in the morning and the one that changed everything
07:48 - Effective self vs. destructive self activity: the exercise that explained everything
09:28 - What working in the private sector revealed about her unique abilities
11:14 - Core value alignment: using values to attract the right people like a magnet
13:04 - Why the press secretary seat was the wrong one and what EOS language helped her understand
15:21 - Burnout vs. readiness to sell: how to tell the difference
17:04 - Head signals: the business is running you, things feel harder than they should
19:14 - The prescription for heart signals: a leap, whether that is a transition, a sale, or a new chapter
22:02 - Meghan's own red flags: road rage, everyone seems difficult, an unmade bed
25:37 - What the Accountability Chart actually does and why it matters past five or ten employees
28:08 - The value of an outside perspective: seeing the game when you cannot see it from the field
30:22 - The Vision Traction Organizer: a two-page strategic plan that actually gets used
33:17 - How your ideal clients evolve as your firm evolves, and why revisiting matters every 90 days
37:20 - Why firms that obsess over simplification and say no more than yes scale the fastest
40:05 - Meghan's memorable career story: getting her senator to the Today show in the nick of time
45:06 - There is no learning in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the learning zone
45:48 - Book recommendations: "Traction," The Five Minute Journal, and "The Gifts of Imperfection."
đ Book Recommendations: đ
- Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman [https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837]
- The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change [https://www.amazon.com/Five-Minute-Journal-Happier-Minutes/dp/0991846206]
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown [https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Imperfection-Think-Supposed-Embrace/dp/159285849X]
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Joe Woodard has trained over 150,000 accounting professionals and spent his career studying what separates firms that grow from firms that stay stuck. His answer? It almost always starts with pricing.
In this conversation, Joe walks through the Woodard Ideal Practice Model, which focuses on seven key areas of operational excellence: brand, services, clients, technology, process, engagements, and team. But the most actionable insight he shares is simpler than a seven-part framework. He says the very first lever any firm should pull is pricing, and he lays out a specific strategy for doing it. Double the price on your bottom 20% of clients. If half of them stay, you have the same revenue. If all of them leave, you get the capacity back. Either way, you win.
Joe also shares a measured perspective on AI adoption, noting that mass adoption in accounting is still 12 to 18 months away and that the best thing practitioners can do right now is learn directly from the developers of the platforms they already use.
This episode is for firm owners curious about how to create capacity without hiring, practitioners ready to revisit their pricing strategy before the next busy season, leaders wondering where to start with advisory services, and anyone interested in a practical framework for building a more valuable practice.
Timestamps
00:14 - Introducing Joe Woodard: founder of Woodard, host of Scaling New Heights
02:03 - How Joe's practice led to Scaling New Heights and a coaching and consulting division
04:01 - The shift from compliance to advisory: what is holding CPA firms back
06:01 - Skill set and mindset working together: cash flow projections, dashboards, and KPIs
07:16 - The downward spiral: too busy to invest in new skills, team pressure, and turnover
09:18 - Applying the Pareto Principle to your CPA firm client base
10:42 - How to move methodically through the full client base after creating capacity
12:19 - How pricing improvements affect CPA firm valuation: revenue per FTE and clients per million
13:33 - Why the mindset block comes back around when targeting larger advisory clients
16:34 - How to reinvent your service structure instead of just improving the existing one
19:05 - Why most accounting firms are under-contracted and what to do about it
20:13 - AI adoption in accounting: where the profession is now and how fast it is moving
22:30 - Xero, QuickBooks, and Intuit: how AI integrations are already changing daily workflows
24:08 - Joe's story: his daughter, a butterfly named Alicia, and a mockingbird
27:01 - Book recommendation: "A World Without Work" by Daniel Susskind
29:03 - Where to find Joe Woodard online: woodard.com
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Seven episodes. Dozens of real-world examples. One recurring answer.
Brannon Poe and Ian Brennan sit down one more time to close out the Power of Focus series. Throughout this series, the pattern that emerges is hard to ignore: the firms that get results are the ones that get intentional about where they put their energy.
This episode is for accounting firm owners who have listened to the series and are ready to identify their first move, practitioners curious about how the 80/20 Principle applies to their client list and services, leaders wondering how to build a team culture that attracts and retains the right people, and CPA firm owners ready to shift from working in the firm to working on it.
Timestamps:
- 01:04 - Welcome to the final episode of the Power of Focus series
- 02:20 - Ian opens the conversation: recurring themes across the Power of Focus series
- 03:40 - Why focus is a simple concept with a powerful and consistent payoff
- 04:40 - Why creating capacity is the essential first step for any CPA firm transformation
- 05:25 - Where Brannon's focus on focus came from: the 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
- 07:06 - Letting go: Greg Toner and Bill and Chris Murphy as standout examples from the series
- 07:54 - Staffing in a shrinking talent pool: why culture is the most durable retention strategy 08:54 - How client selection and service mix affect team morale and turnover in CPA firms
- 09:39 - Why sharing a clear vision with your team matters more than most firm owners realize 10:27 - What Brannon has observed about vision when selling accounting firms in the M&A space
- 12:30 - How a focused vision makes your CPA firm more attractive to job candidates
- 14:04 - Why being a jack of all trades limits margins and exhausts accounting firm owners
- 15:57 - Greg Toner's growth model: how knowing the recipe made scaling repeatable
- 16:21 - Brannon's closing thought: find a mastermind and surround yourself with other firm owners
- 17:08 - Ian closes the series: seven episodes, real results, an invitation to dive in
A niche accounting firm with 45% cash flow and 1,500 owner hours sold for 5.6 million dollars on 2.6 million in revenue. That is the kind of result possible when a CPA firm owner gets intentional about the factors buyers care about most. In this episode, Brannon Poe sits down with Laurens Ball, a highly accomplished intermediary at Poe Group Advisors, to break down what really drives practice valuations in today's market.
This is the latest episode in our Power of Focus series, where we explore how CPA firm owners use focus as a strategic advantage. Laurens brings real-world case studies from the M&A side, showing how niche firms consistently grow faster, charge 20 to 40% higher fees, and attract buyers willing to pay premium prices. From a dental-focused practice generating daily referrals to an agricultural firm that found its perfect buyer by leaning into its specialty, the evidence is clear: focus pays off at the point of sale.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to the Power of Focus series and Accounting Practice Academy
00:25 - Welcoming Laurens Ball, senior intermediary at Poe Group Advisors
01:32 - What is a focused CPA firm? Laurens' definition
02:13 - Why intentionality is the foundation of practice growth
02:37 - Why hesitant-to-niche firm owners are leaving value on the table
03:19 - How niche accounting practices grow faster and charge 20 to 40% higher fees
03:52 - Dental niche example: weekly referrals and consistent growth
04:08 - Professional poker player niche: a memorable and lower-owner-hour firm
05:00 - Why niche firm margins, growth, and owner hours make them desirable at market
05:27 - Cost segregation firm: multiple offers, all-cash close
06:16 - Agricultural firm example: tractor on the website and the right buyer match
07:46 - Current state of the CPA firm M&A market in spring 2026
08:09 - When strong firms can see 7X EBITDA and what it takes to get there
09:03 - Niche firm sold at 5.6X: what the numbers looked like
09:41 - What buyers are really evaluating: cash flow, team strength, growth prospects
10:43 - How de-risking your accounting firm opens up more buyers and better terms
11:48 - Why the team is becoming the most important factor for roll-up buyers
11:48 - The "90-day question": what falls apart first if the owner steps away
12:08 - How to analyze your CPA firm client list for quality, fit, and pricing
12:31 - Seller case study: raising fees from $360 toward $700, keeping 98% of clients
14:08 - Across-the-board 20% price increase: 2,000 returns, five clients left
14:49 - CPAs have more pricing power than ever, with some firms at $2,000 per 1040
16:32 - How owner dependence affects buyer interest and sale terms
18:35 - Success story: owner reduced hours by 500 while keeping EBITDA steady
19:26 - Top advice for accounting firm owners who are 3 to 5 years from a sale
20:31 - How six months to a year of changes can mean $1 million more in valuation
21:02 - Why team health is the longest-lead and highest-impact strategy before a sale
22:33 - Why owner-centric practitioners are hardest to get to stop and look at the firm
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Ric Payne has been thinking about how accountants build better practices for decades. If you have been in the industry for a while, you likely know about Ric Payne.
He co-founded Results Accounting Systems in 1992, ran the Accountants Boot Camp across multiple continents, and worked with thousands of firms around the world.
His conclusion? High-performing firms are selective about who they work with.
The conversation also features Ian Brennan, director of Accounting Practice Academy (APA), a PGA workshop. Ian and Ric discuss how intentional client selection is foundational to everything else a firm tries to do; from pricing and marketing to advisory services and succession planning.
This episode is for firm owners curious about how strategic client selection creates pricing power and referral momentum, practitioners ready to build a client base that supports an advisory practice, CPA firm leaders wondering how to increase net profit without simply chasing more revenue, and accountants who want to build a practice they are genuinely excited to show up for.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction to The Accountant's Flight Plan podcast and guests
3:11 - Overview of the episode: client selection and Ric's white paper
6:42 - Why having no client criteria means having no strategy
7:33 - Steve Jobs on what not to do: the decision framework that changed Ric's approach
9:01 - The four growth profiles: fast-start satisfier, opportunistic harvester, & the patient builder
15:15 - The founder's gap vs. the Midas gap: two very different CPA firm outcomes
19:07 - Baker's Law: bad clients drive out good clients
20:54 - Why partners with lower utilization often have the highest net profit per partner
23:18 - Systems theory: your CPA firm is perfectly designed for the results it gets
26:58 - John Wooden's definition of success and why it applies to accounting firm owners
32:53 - Case study: UK accounting firm replaces ten 1,000-pound clients with one 10,000-pound client
37:01 - Dealing with imposter syndrome when stepping into an advisory role
41:11 - The 11 client selection criteria: the full walkthrough begins
57:05 - Roger Martin's Playing to Win [https://www.amazon.com/dp/142218739X ]and how it applies to accounting practice management
1:00:44 - Brannon on how the criteria tie back to personality, results, and client experience
1:05:46 - APA lesson: You cannot market your accounting firm if you don't know who your clients are
1:08:13 - How to find Ric Payne and access the client selection white paper
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Jason Ackerman, Co-Managing Partner at BNA Advisors, helped grow the firm from a $1.5 million firm to over $7 million organically, without acquiring a single practice. He joined his father's firm in 2012, scaled the team from 14 to 35 people, and built systems that allow the firm to handle more than 2,000 individual tax returns per year. His approach combines practical technology adoption, intentional pricing strategy, and a long view on people and talent.
This is the fifth episode in our Power of Focus series and Jason's story is a strong example of what is possible when a firm stops trying to do everything and starts doing the right things well. This episode digs into the specific tools and tactics Jason's team is using right now, during tax season. His firm is rolling out 8821 authorizations for every client so they can pull IRS transcripts through Tax Now, catching payment discrepancies and missed filings before they become problems. They are also using a payment platform called Remission to schedule quarterly estimated payments for clients in one place. Theyâre reducing the back-and-forth and keeping the firm proactive rather than reactive. Both moves are part of a broader philosophy: reduce what the client has to do, increase what the firm can see.
The through line of this conversation is intentionality. Jason is not automating things for the sake of automation, heâs not chasing every new AI platform, and heâs not pricing low to win volume. Every decision connects back to a clear standard: does this make the practice better, or does it just add noise? That kind of focus, applied consistently over more than a decade, is how a $1.5 million firm becomes a $7 million firm without a single acquisition.
This episode is for CPA firm owners curious about building scalable systems without outside capital, practitioners ready to revisit their pricing strategy before the next season, firm managers wondering how to develop staff into more business-aware team members, and accounting practice owners thinking ahead about talent and technology in a changing industry.
Timestamps
- 00:36 - Jason Ackerman introduces BNA Advisors: $7M firm, organic growth, and co-founding a software startup
- 01:08 - Growing a CPA firm from $1.5M to $7M without acquisitions since 2012
- 02:21 - Series context: practice management tactics for tax season 2026
- 03:23 - Why tax compliance still requires real expertise despite the shift toward advisory
- 05:07 - The 8821 strategy: pulling IRS transcripts proactively for every accounting client
- 06:46 - Using Remission to schedule and track quarterly estimated tax payments
- 08:24 - The biggest operational pain points BNA solved as the firm scaled to 35 people
- 09:22 - Why Karbon became a cornerstone of BNA's CPA firm practice management system
- 10:52 - How to approach technology adoption: change one thing at a time
- 12:15 - How Jason evaluates new software as an early adopter in the accounting industry
- 13:22 - A measured take on AI tools: waiting for the market to shake out
- 15:56 - How private equity is reshaping the accounting talent pipeline
- 27:42 - Why value pricing is the single biggest lever for CPA firm owners preparing to sell
- 29:21 - Why pricing high from the start attracts better accounting clients and protects your time
- 30:38 - Book recommendation: discussion of the Karbon co-founder book featuring BNA Advisors
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Chip Summers worked 2,900 hours a year for over 25 years. Every Saturday. Some Sundays. Always behind. Then he made a series of decisions that transformed his firm.
He raised prices across the board. He moved on from high-maintenance, low-return clients. He gave up control and let his staff handle work from start to finish. He invested in technology that made everyone more efficient. And in December 2025, for the first time in over 25 years, he was caught up. He had almost nothing to do. It felt weird, but wonderful.
Today, Chip's eight-person firm in Orangeburg, South Carolina doesn't work Saturdays anymore. They close every Friday after tax season. During tax season, they're only open half days on Fridays. His staff isn't burnt out. His clients bring organized documents instead of shoe boxes. And he's serving as Vice Chair of the South Carolina Board of Accountancy while running a healthier practice than he ever thought possible.
This is the fourth episode in our Power of Focus series, where we explore how CPA firm owners use focus as a strategic advantage. Chip's story shows that transformation doesn't happen overnight, but when you touch every aspect of your practice with intentional changes, the results compound.
The conversation covers:
- How working 2,900 hours a year with no end in sight became the motivation for change
- Why pricing was only part of the transformation, giving up control mattered just as much
- The year they set minimums and lost fewer than five clients
- How technology investments made the team more efficient without increasing hours
- Why closing Fridays after tax season boosted staff morale and reduced turnover
- The decision to exit attestation work and focus entirely on tax planning and consulting
- How being upfront about pricing changes led to almost zero pushback from clients
Chip's biggest lesson? You can't do it all yourself. Most accountants want to touch everything from start to finish. But when you structure your staff to handle work properly, invest in the right technology, and price your services to match the value you deliver, you create capacity you didn't know was possible. And that capacity changes everything.
This episode is for firm owners working too many hours for the revenue they're generating, leaders curious about how to delegate without losing quality, practitioners wondering if it's possible to run a firm without weekend work, and anyone ready to transform multiple aspects of their practice at once.
Time Stamps:
00:14 - Introduction: Chip Summers, Orangeburg CPA since 1991
01:34 - Serving as Vice Chair of SC Board of Accountancy
02:36 - The CPA firm that said yes to everyone for 45 years
03:18 - Why being everything to everybody became impossible
04:01 - Working 2,900 hours a year with no end in sight
05:32 - Caught up for the first time in 25 years: how it felt
06:10 - You can't do it all yourself: restructuring Accounting staff workflows
07:17 - Technology investments that made everyone more efficient
07:29 - Discussing pricing upfront and what changed
08:39 - From shoe boxes to organized Tax clients
09:24 - A completely different CPA firm than four years ago
10:21 - No more Saturday work for staff
10:57 - Raising prices 5-10% every year and losing fewer than five clients
12:03 - The biggest change: giving up control
13:27 - When staff burn out, they leave, and someone else gets your investment
14:03 - The story of giving away a client file on his first month
15:21 - Book: The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
15:45 - "Nobody is ever going to die from an accounting emergency."
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Greg Toner kept only his best clients, raised prices, picked one niche, and grew his practice 15X.
While many CPAs accept any business that comes their way, Greg found success by being highly selective. He looked at his client list, identified the bottom 10% who weren't getting value from his work, and let them go. Then he raised fees on the clients who remained. His team didn't complain. His revenue didn't drop. And the capacity he created allowed him to focus exclusively on serving veterinarians across Canada.
Today, Greg works with 360 vet practices from coast to coast. He doesn't prepare tax returns anymore. He doesn't do bookkeeping. His role has evolved into technical sales and high-level tax planning because he built systems that allow his team to handle the rest. When you niche down and get really good at solving the same 15 problems over and over, referrals fly and close rates skyrocket.
This is the third episode in our Power of Focus series, where we explore how CPA firm owners use focus as a strategic advantage. Greg's story proves that the riches really are in the niches, but only if you're willing to make the hard decisions first.
Timestamps:
01:55 - How firing the wrong Accounting clients changed everything
03:18 - The APA spreadsheet that made the decision obvious
04:14 - Why his team was happy to see clients leave
04:57 - No revenue loss, not even in the short term
05:19 - The dam holding back good clients
06:17 - Why he joined APA (opportunistic, not desperate)
07:01 - From sole Accounting practitioner to 15X revenue
07:28 - Evolving from doer to technical sales role
09:11 - The mental leap of hiring high-salary staff for your CPA firm
11:07 - Solve the same problem 100 times, become a hero
12:23 - Why niching down made CPA Firm growth rapid
13:26 - 10 leads a week, high close rate
13:50 - How 15 vet clients became 360 across Canada
15:18 - The horror film basement full of paper files
16:56 - Book: 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan
Bill and Chris Murphy increased their firm's value by half a million dollars in six months. They weren't desperate to sell, just ready to work reasonable hours with clients they liked. So they did something about it. They fired almost all their individual tax clients and more than doubled their fees.
The result? They gained revenue and clients happily paid for the valuable work they provided. Their firm had the capacity to provide even better service to their remaining clients. . And when they sold their firm with us back in 2022, they closed for $500,000 more than their original listing price.
This is a husband-and-wife team who merged their separate practices, worked themselves into the ground, and then made the hard decisions that transformed everything. They cut unprofitable clients, raised prices dramatically, restructured staff workload through weekly meetings, and learned to trust the process even when it felt uncomfortable.
Bill and Chris didn't just sell their firm. They sold a better firm, a more profitable firm, a firm that didn't depend on them working unreasonable hours. And they did it by firing clients who don't fit, charging what they're worth, and trusting that the revenue will come back.
This episode is for firm owners who know there is a better way to build a balanced practice, but havenât known how to get there. This is a success case study on the power focus!
Key Timestamps:
02:21 - Bill's biggest roadblock: staying in the weeds and not developing staff
04:18 - The mental, spiritual, and physical toll of holding onto all the work
07:12 - The big move: firing almost all individual tax clients
08:35 - How the first APA lesson paid for the entire workshop
09:57 - The biggest obstacle to letting clients go: themselves, not the clients
12:49 - How pruning clients created capacity for everything else
13:21 - Doubling fees and the apology that worked
14:37 - "I'm sorry for undercharging you before."
16:02 - You have to put the work in, APA isn't passive
17:14 - Monday morning meetings: agenda, time limit, workload reallocation
19:16 - Driving the bus vs. riding in the back seat
24:24 - Book recommendation: Walk Away Wealthy by Mark Tepper
Part of the Power of Focus Mini-Series
What really separates great accounting firms from the rest?
That question is what led Brannon Poe and Ian Brennan to put together this mini-series. And after years of working with firm owners across the country, lifting up the hood on hundreds of practices, the answer kept coming back to the same thing: focus.
Welcome to the Power of Focus, a mini-series produced in partnership with Accounting Practice Academy. Throughout the series, you'll hear from APA alumni, members of our Poe Group team, and other industry voices sharing real-world perspectives on what happens when firm owners get deliberate about where they put their energy. Whether that's focusing on the right clients, the right staff, the right type of work, or simply on where you as the owner add the most value, the firms that get this right see results that compound over time.
THE CONVERSATION COVERS:
- Why 80% of accounting firms are underperforming, and what the top 20% are doing differently
- Two distinct models for a highly profitable practice (high complexity/high value vs. high volume/high efficiency) and why most firms get stuck between them
- The "closet analogy": why pruning before you can grow is the move most owners resist
- How client selection may be the single biggest lever in your practice
- The fear behind price increases, and why most firm owners are sitting on more pricing power than they realize
- What it looks like when a younger, entrepreneurial owner grabs hold of these concepts and runs with them
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
01:49 Where Brannon's thinking on focus began: the 80/20 Principle
02:50 What the Pareto Principle is and why it shows up everywhere
04:43 How reviewing hundreds of CPA firm financials revealed the pattern
06:24 A real-world example: $2.3M revenue, $1M owner cash flow, 3 months off
08:06 Two models for a highly profitable CPA firm
10:40 Niching down as a focus strategy, and why it scales faster
12:01 Delivering value as the core of everything
13:04 The closet analogy: you can't add until you prune
16:19 APA alumni spotlight: Bill and Chris Murphy and the first domino
20:09 Why creating capacity through price increases often doesn't work the way you'd hope
21:52 The shortage of CPAs and what it means for your pricing power
23:45 How to identify your right clients (the answer is already in your practice)
25:24 Asking your staff who they love working with
27:40 The mindset obstacle: the belief that you already know it all
28:25 Why change usually waits for a crisis, and how to change before one arrives
29:26 Greg Toner: what happens when a younger owner grabs the vision and runs
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Barbara Agerton flunked retirement. After selling her California CPA practice, she thought she'd ride off into the sunset with her husband. Instead, she got bored, picked up the phone, and asked if she could come work for the company that sold her firm.
Now she's an intermediary at Poe Group Advisors, which means she gets to help other firm owners navigate the exact journey she just completed. Barbara knows what it feels like to let go of the practice you built, to wonder if you're doing the right thing, and to discover that the transition you were dreading turned out easier than expected.
Barbara sold her practice after running it remotely from Texas for eight years. She transitioned to the cloud back in 2013, before that was the standard playbook, and built systems that allowed her team to run everything without her in the room. When it came time to sell, her buyer barely called during the transition. Barbara's feelings were a little hurt, but that's actually when she knew she'd done everything right.
The conversation covers:
- How losing two key team members to relocations forced a pivot to cloud-based practice in 2013, and why the trust challenge of going remote was harder than expected
- The emotional reality of selling: "It's like cutting your arms off" when you stop interacting daily with people you've worked with for years
- Why her buyer barely called during transition (which hurt her feelings but proved she'd built systems that didn't need her)
- The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey approach: stop solving every problem yourself and teach your team to find their own answers
- Why she wishes she'd sold sooner instead of waiting, and how most sellers wait until illness or family situations force the decision
Barbara's biggest lesson? Most sellers wait too late. They wait until illness, family situations, or burnout force the sale. The best exits happen when you're selling from a position of strength, not desperation. The firms that sell the easiest are the ones where the owner has already slowly, gradually let go over years of building systems and empowering their team.
The irony? Barbara prepared so well for retirement that she got bored and came back to work. But now she gets to use everything she learned to help other firm owners prepare for their own exits, whether they actually retire or, like her, discover they're not quite done yet.
This episode is for firm owners wondering when to start preparing for an exit, leaders trying to figure out how to let go without losing control, anyone considering a move to a remote or cloud-based accounting practice, and sellers who think their practice isn't "perfect enough" to take to market yet.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 Introduction to Barbara Agerton
- 01:34 Preparing for the Sale of a CPA Practice
- 03:39 Transitioning to a Cloud-Based Accounting Practice
- 07:00 Client Experience During a CPA Firm Transition
- 08:50 Deciding to Sell Your CPA Firm: Personal Motivations
- 09:58 Emotional Challenges of Selling a Tax Practice
- 11:01 The Importance of Team Dynamics
- 13:30 Preparing Your Team for a Sale
- 16:03 Reflections on Timing and Selling any bookkeeping, CPA, or CAS practice
- 18:30 Book Recommendations and Closing Thoughts
Book Recommendation:
Unreasonable Hospitality
Private equity is flooding into accounting, but taking an offer because of the flashy number on the table isnât always the best decision.
In this crossover episode with the Inside Public Accounting Podcast, Brannon Poe joins host Rob Brown to break down whatâs really happening in CPA firm M&A right now. After attending a private equity conference at Harvard Business School, Brannon shares why this may be the most excitingâand chaoticâera heâs seen since entering the M&A space in 2003.
Accounting firms check every box private equity investors love: recurring revenue, fragmented ownership, under-optimized systems, and opportunity for scale. But while the market is strong and options are abundant, the real risk isnât missing outâitâs moving too fast. Headline offers can be enticing, yet the fine print, cultural fit, leadership alignment, and long-term vision ultimately determine whether a deal becomes a win or a regret.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why private equity is so aggressively targeting CPA firms right now
- The danger of the âheadline offerâ and how earnouts can change the real math
- Why selling your firm is rarely just a financial decision
- How to think about opportunity cost and the value of your time
- What buyers actually want today (and why owner dependency kills value)
- The critical $2.5Mâ$5M growth stretch and why itâs so hard to scale there
- When acquisition creates âescape velocityâ for smaller firms
- Why burnout might be telling you: âfix the firm,â not âsell the firmâ
- The power of pruning your client base and focusing instead of being everything to everyone
- Why boundaries around time, pricing, and services are strategic rather than restrictive
The M&A market may be active, but urgency is not a strategy. Whether youâre considering a sale, exploring private equity, or simply trying to build a stronger, more valuable firm, this conversation offers clarity in a noisy environment. In a consolidating profession, the firms that win wonât be the ones chasing the biggest multipleâtheyâll be the ones making disciplined decisions about timing, focus, and fit.
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
Selling your accounting firm is a major life transition and that often comes with an emotional tax that proper strategy can mitigate.
Lisa Handziak, who covers much of the Northeast and Midwest for Poe Group Advisors, has guided owners through successful exits. She's learned that the sellers who thrive during this transition aren't the ones who avoid emotions; they're the ones who understand how to channel them productively. Take confidentiality, for example. Sellers often feel guilty keeping the sale from their staff, but Lisa reframes it completely: You're not keeping a secret. You're creating stability. When you protect your team from premature anxiety, you're actually protecting them, not betraying them. This episode reveals how the best exits happen: with preparation, clear vision, and a strategic mindset that turns your final tax season into proof of how valuable your firm really is.
Key Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
02:04 - Understanding the emotional journey of selling (and why it's normal)
06:41 - The readiness test: what are you going to do next?
08:19 - How one seller rediscovered what matters after exiting
10:01 - The seller who got re-excited about her firm and built even more value over 3 years
13:27 - The seller who got sick during tax season and proved the firm was buyer-ready
15:16 - "You're not keeping a secret, you're creating stability," the confidentiality reframe
19:25 - The attitude reset that transforms your final tax season
22:38 - How starting earlier eliminates seller regrets
25:08 - Accelerating profitable firms to their goals through strategic planning
28:39 - The inspiring buyer success story: from $1M to a major exit
30:12 - Why strategic buyers protect their investment by waiting to meet staff 33:41 - What happens when transition communication goes wrong (and how to avoid it)
35:39 - Bringing the human element back to M&A
36:22 - Book recommendations
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
The firms winning with AI aren't the ones implementing every tool they can find. They're the ones being strategic about what actually moves the needle.
Rachel Ferris learned this firsthand when she built TaxStack AI, not because she wanted to start a software company, but because she needed a solution that didn't exist. As a tax advisor specializing in Puerto Rico's Act 60, she was spending hours researching complex state-specific cases. ChatGPT seemed like the answer, until it started citing Reddit and Quora as sources. When she'd call it out, it would cheerfully admit, "You're right, that's actually not correct." That's when she realized: if she wanted AI that actually worked for tax research, she'd have to build it herself.
In this episode, Rachel shares how she created a platform that sources directly from actual tax code, IRS forms, and treasury regulations, so you get accurate answers with citations you can trust. But more importantly, she breaks down the difference between firms that will thrive with AI and firms that will struggle: it's not about adopting everything, it's about adopting responsibly.
The conversation covers:
- Why ChatGPT's fact-check problem makes it dangerous for tax research (and how to fix it by sourcing your own database)
- The cautionary tale of firms that went all-in on AI integration in 2024, only to abandon everything six months later
- Why now is the time to pause and evaluate rather than frantically adopt every AI tool that hits the market
- How AI should free you up for higher-value advisory work with existing clients, not just help you take on more volume
- Ed Kless's "transformation economy" concept: moving from providing transactions to providing transformations
- The three-pillar approach to attracting and retaining young talent: technology + mentorship + entrepreneurship mindset
- Why mandatory mentorship programs fail (and what actually works instead)
- How being genuinely curious about people has opened more doors than any technical skill Rachel has learned
Rachel also breaks down why firms that use AI responsibly will win, while firms that use it to cut personality and human connection will lose clients. She explains why young people crave personal connection more than you think, why entrepreneurial-minded accountants connect better with business owner clients, and how spending three hours talking to a Pizza Hut franchise owner taught her more about business than any textbook.
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
In this episode, Yuri (aka "The Fun CPA") explains why now is the perfect time to build the kind of firm where people genuinely want to work. He's spent four years building a following on LinkedIn by saying the things that managers and senior accountants at big firms are thinking but can't say out loud.
His mission is to change the perception of accounting by showing what's possible when you prioritize people, mentorship, and actually enjoying the work you do.
The good news is that students aren't avoiding accounting because they don't want meaningful work. The firms that figure out how to create those better options internally will win the talent game for the next decade.
The conversation covers:
- Why visibility into firm life (thanks to Reddit and Fishbowl) is actually helping the profession by forcing transparency and accountability
- How forward-thinking firms are building cultures where people genuinely want to stay, creating competitive advantage in a tight talent market
- The opportunity for firms that invest in mentorship and long-term thinking, while others chase short-term efficiency metrics
- Why the current moment is perfect for CPAs who want to build firms differently (or work at firms that prioritize culture over billable hours)
- How Yuri's Mentors Count community is filling the mentorship gap for accountants in their first five years
- The rise of networking events that people actually enjoy attending (and why that matters for building genuine professional relationships)
BOOK RECOMMENDATION:
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On ItâUnlock Your Persuasion Potential in Professional and Personal Life: Voss, Chris, Raz, Tahl
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction of Yuri Capilovich and his mission in accounting
03:10 - Yuri's background and career path into accounting and technology
07:30 - The real problems holding accounting firms back
12:45 - AI as an enabler, not a replacement
18:30 - Using technology to improve client experience and firm margins
23:40 - The mindset shift firm owners must make to scale
29:10 - What forward-thinking firms are doing differently right now
34:50 - Final thoughts on the future of the profession
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
If your best accountants are walking out the door, it's probably not about the money.
In this episode, Tim Schurrer (CEO of David Novak Leadership and author of "The Secret Society of Success") reveals the leadership principle that grew Yum! Brands from $4 billion to $32 billion, and it has everything to do with solving what's plaguing CPA firms right now: the talent crisis.
Here's the reality: when your senior accountant flawlessly closes out another month, files returns ahead of deadline, or navigates a complex client situation without you even knowing there was a problem, they become invisible.
That's the curse of excellence in accounting.
And while you're focused on billable hours and realization rates, your best people are quietly wondering if anyone actually notices the value they bring.
We talk to Tim about how his company studied companies that built decades-long dynasties (Walmart, Southwest Airlines), and found one non-negotiable: they created cultures where everyone counted. Not through pizza parties during busy season or casual Friday perks, but through systematic recognition that made people feel genuinely seen for their contributions.
Tim breaks down how this translates directly to CPA firms struggling to keep talent.
In this episode, we cover:
- The two reasons people quit (spoiler: your compensation package isn't fixing either of these)
- The danger of taking "the joy of the decision" away from your team, especially during tax season when you're tempted to control every client interaction
- How firm owners can stop micromanaging review notes and start empowering staff to own client relationships (with the right training framework)
- Why so many managing partners hit burnout chasing revenue targets that don't actually align with what success means to them personally
- The "empowerment is an earned right" framework that lets you delegate without losing quality control
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
You've spent years developing your next generation of partners, but what happens when they don't want to lead, can't secure financing, or simply aren't the right fit to take over?
In this episode, our Ontario Market Leader Darryl Boyd, reveals why so many multi-partner firms are discovering that their "default" internal succession plan isn't working, and why external sales often deliver better outcomes for everyone involved.
Over his decade with Poe Group Advisors, Darryl has helped the Canadian M&A landscape transform from earnout-heavy transactions to all-cash deals that prioritize fit over spreadsheets.
We explore the uncomfortable truth about internal succession: technical excellence doesn't equal business leadership, and the partner who's great at client work may have zero interest or aptitude for running the firm.
The conversation highlights that:
- Why exhausted accounting firm owners often just need better systems, not an exit strategy
- How private equity is slowly earning trust in Canada, and why most CPA firm sellers still choose CPA buyers
- The hidden assumptions killing Accounting M&A deals (like the "25% client loss" myth with zero data behind it)
- Why the best transactions happen when both parties forget about price and focus on whether the handoff will actually work
We also tackle the massive variability across firms that makes a cookie-cutter valuation worthless: profitability, owner workload, geographic markets, and cultural dynamics all impact valuation more than sellers realize. Whether you're a multi-partner firm wrestling with succession, a solo tax practitioner planning your exit, or a buyer trying to understand what sellers really care about, this episode will challenge your assumptions about how accounting practice transitions actually work.
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Smith who is a functional medicine dietitian, gut-health expert, and founder of Lisa Smith Wellness. We explore the realities of deep stress and the health impacts that so many accounting firm owners quietly carry. We start by talking about the concept of âdeep stress,â how it differs from everyday overwhelm, and why professionals who juggle multiple roles often donât realize their bodies are stuck in long-term survival mode. Lisa breaks down the signs many CPAs ignore: waking up tired, constant tension, reliance on caffeine or wine, disrupted sleep, brain fog, and that ever-present feeling of being âon.â
Timestamps:
03:55: Introducing the concept of deep stress
05:58: How stress impacts sleep and cortisol
07:57: What entrepreneurs consistently overlook in wellness
10:50: Habit change and understanding personal motivators
12:52: Redesigning your life and business through intentionality
16:34: Long-term health implications of unmanaged stress
18:59: Feeling trapped in your business and how to begin unwinding it
23:05: Reducing stress and improving clarity
24:26: Priceâs Law, the Pareto Principle, and understanding real productivity
29:14: Pre-tax-season tips for improving energy and well-being
30:46: The âcampfire methodâ for stabilizing daily energy
34:29: Lisaâs book recommendations for leaders and entrepreneurs
Lisaâs Resource Recommendations:
- Prepare Your CPA Firm for A Sale by Brannon Poe [https://poegroupadvisors.com/prepare/]
- Atomic Habits by James Clear [https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299]
- The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson [https://www.amazon.com/Slight-Edge-Turning-Disciplines-Happiness/dp/1626340463]
- Who Not How by Dan Sullivan [https://www.amazon.com/Who-Not-How-Accelerating-Teamwork-ebook/dp/B0867ZJ151]
- Traction by Gino Wickman [https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837]
- The Common Path to Uncommon Success by John Lee Dumas [https://www.amazon.com/Common-Path-Uncommon-Success-Fulfillment/dp/1400221099]
- Journaling Guide: [http://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal]
Connecting with Lisa:
- Listen to my Pretty Well PODCAST https://apple.co/3Y2IbSZ
- Visit my Website https://lisasmithwellness.com
- Read my Wellness BLOG https://lisasmithwellness.com/blog/
- Find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/
- lisa.lsw@outlook.com
Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/
Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.
Download now and receive:
- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
In this episode, we sit down with returning guest Nick Sinclair, founder and chairman of TOA Global, one of the largest accounting outsourcing companies in the world. Nick shares the unlikely origin story of how a leadership trip to the Philippines revealed the talent and scalability his own firm desperately needed. This inspired him to build what has now become a powerhouse with more than 4,500 team members serving over 1,100 firms worldwide. His personal âwhyâ behind the business was shaped by watching his parents lose everything when he was young. This drives his mission to ensure more people get the financial advice they need by helping firms leverage the offshoring support they need to deliver high-touch service.
Timestamps: 00:37 â Introduction to Nick and his background * 02:46 â How TOA Global began * 04:10 â Early offshoring lessons and growing pains * 06:40 â The unexpected demand that revealed a real business * 07:43 â Nickâs personal âwhyâ and decision to scale globally * 09:12 â Why the Philippines has such strong accounting talent * 11:25 â Why every accounting firm needs a people plan * 13:30 â Industry capacity issues and long-term global staffing strategy * 15:07 â How offshoring perceptions have evolved * 16:19 â Quality challenges, cultural misunderstandings & outsourcing stigma * 18:00 â Outsourcing reveals internal firm weaknesses * 19:16 â Offshoring accelerates local careers * 20:00 â People are the product in accounting firms * 22:20 â Human connection as the professionâs long-term differentiator * 23:02 â Why training and quicker competency paths matter * 25:06 â Building career plans and accelerating development * 27:39 â Challenges firm owners face when building global teams * 28:56 â Cultural nuances in leading global teams * 31:21 â Leadership, flexibility, and knowing your people * 32:30 â Nickâs most memorable career moment * 34:23 â Book recommendation: Buy Back Your Time*by Dan Martell * 35:24 â Where to connect with Nick: LinkedIn
Link to full listing: https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/sc2038/
Firm Highlights:
- Young, energetic owner committed to staying 10+ years to run and grow the firm.
- Selling 70â100% equity, with plans to offer key employees an ownership stake.
- 3+ CPAs on staff and over 20 employees.
- High-net-worth clients with strong loyalty and consistent referrals.
- 78% of services tied to business clients.
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, we sit down with Kristen Corey, founder of Media Books Agency, to talk about how accountants can use marketing to strengthen their brand, attract ideal clients, and communicate value beyond compliance work. With experience in both public accounting and marketing, Kristen shares how her journey from working as an auditor to owning her own marketing agency taught her the importance of storytelling and connection in the profession.
Key Timestamps
00:57: Introduction of Kristen Corey and her journey from auditor to marketer
03:00: Building a marketing career abroad and launching Media Books Agency
07:00: The importance of communication skills for accountants
10:10: Why every firm needs marketing, even if referrals are strong
13:05: Using AI tools like ChatGPT for tone, content, and creative brainstorming
16:31: Marketing strategies for small accounting firms under $5M
17:29: The power of newsletters and relationship-based marketing
20:41: Under-the-radar marketing tactic: consistency on social media
23:54: Funny story: catching potential fraud during an internship
27:20: Book recommendation: Extraordinary Circumstances by Cynthia Cooper
Link to full listing: https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/sc2038/
Firm Highlights:
- Young, energetic owner committed to staying 10+ years to run and grow the firm.
- Selling 70â100% equity, with plans to offer key employees an ownership stake.
- 3+ CPAs on staff and over 20 employees.
- High-net-worth clients with strong loyalty and consistent referrals.
- 78% of services tied to business clients.
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, we sit down with Jody Padar, known across the industry as The Radical CPA, to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the accounting profession. Jody shares her journey from founding one of the first cloud firms in 2010 to working in tech startups like Botkeeper and now launching her newest venture, XcelLabs. Her mission is to prepare firms for 2030 by building AI-first practices that leverage automation to expand the capacity for empathy, client connection, and creativity in order to transform advisory work.
Timestamps:
00:00: Using AI strategically to enhance advisory work
01:06: Jodyâs career journey and launch of XcelLabs04:00: PE capital, fintech, and aging leadership disrupting the accounting industry
08:00: How money movement and tech are transforming accounting
10:11: How to leverage AI to build deeper client relationships at scale
13:20: PE-driven competition for top accounting talent
14:26: Using AI to rewrite firm operations and scale
15:24: ChatGPT, Claude, and creative thinking over automation
23:20: Using AI for unbiased performance feedback
27:35: Book Recommendation: Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can and Canât Do
Link to full listing: https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/sc2038/
Firm Highlights:
- Young, energetic owner committed to staying 10+ years to run and grow the firm.
- Selling 70â100% equity, with plans to offer key employees an ownership stake.
- 3+ CPAs on staff and over 20 employees.
- High-net-worth clients with strong loyalty and consistent referrals.
- 78% of services tied to business clients.
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, we sit down with Mike Schwarz, CEO of MyZone AI, to explore the evolving need for modern accounting firm leaders to adopt AI. In this episode, we discuss how AI is impacting the world and what the projected implications are for small business owners in every industry.
There are some key strategies for implementing AI in this episode. We encourage you to learn about the ways it can help your business without becoming overwhelmed by it. Even just thirty minutes a day learning AI tools can add up to major advances in your accounting firm. Watch in the player above or listen through the player below to hear more!
Timestamps:
00:00-02:30: Introduction of Mike Schwarz
03:10-06:45: Rethinking firm capacity and leadership challenges
08:15-11:30: Building systems that balance efficiency and employee well-being
11:40-13:10: AI as a catalyst for change in compliance and advisory work
17:50-19:30: Leveraging AI for efficiency and expanding firm capacity
23:15-25:00: Maintaining the human advisory touch alongside automation
25:45-28:00: Leading through change and fostering trust in new tech
28:00-29:45: The future of AI in predictive analytics and decision-making
31:00-33:30: Advice for firm owners navigating transformation
33:45-End: Closing thoughts and how to connect with Mike
Link to full listing: https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/sc2038/
Firm Highlights:
- Young, energetic owner committed to staying 10+ years to run and grow the firm.
- Selling 70â100% equity, with plans to offer key employees an ownership stake.
- 3+ CPAs on staff and over 20 employees.
- High-net-worth clients with strong loyalty and consistent referrals.
- 78% of services tied to business clients.
Quality leadership that grows your accounting practice isnât about pushing your team to work harder. While it may sound counterintuitive, modeling a healthy, balanced life is what actually moves the needle. In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan, Rob Dube opens the conversation by emphasizing that when leaders prioritize wellness, the team will follow suit. This results in less burnout, fewer mistakes, better client service, and a more harmonious work environment. If you are happy in your work and life, your team and CPA practice will thrive as well.
Brannon and Rob also discuss the importance of vulnerability and authentic connection to maintain effective leadership. By sharing your personal story with partners, employees, and close peers, leaders build trust and authentic engagement. Some practical ways to start doing this could be asking for feedback from your close friends and peers on what your strengths and weaknesses are, allowing leaders to shed their âarmorâ. This can lead to more self-awareness and foster deeper relationships and a higher-energy workplace.
To conclude, Rob and Brannon discuss the importance of setting boundaries to prioritize high-value work. The effectiveness of avoiding hustle culture, taking time off, and delegating lower-value tasks ensures that leaders remain energized for what truly matters. By focusing on purpose, energy, and mindful action, leaders can build resilient teams, sustainable practices, and more fulfilling lives.
Timestamp List: Key Sections:
- 02:00 - Introducing The Ten Disciplines
- 04:00 - Climbing the Two Mountains: Achievement vs. Meaning
- 07:00 - Chaos vs. Awareness: Tuning Into Your Body
- 11:00 - Understanding the Driven Personality
- 14:00 - Vulnerability and the Inner Story
- 21:00 - Practical Steps to Peel Back the Armor
- 26:00 - Combatting Hustle Culture and Setting Boundaries
- 31:00 - Delegating and Avoiding Low-Value Work
- 37:00 - Resources and Key Takeaways
Link to full listing: https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/sc2038/
Firm Highlights:
- Young, energetic owner committed to staying 10+ years to run and grow the firm.
- Selling 70â100% equity, with plans to offer key employees an ownership stake.
- 3+ CPAs on staff and over 20 employees.
- High-net-worth clients with strong loyalty and consistent referrals.
- 78% of services tied to business clients.
The Evolving Role of Private Equity
In this special episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan, Brannon meets with Morry Brown, regional market leader here at Poe Group Advisors, formerly of Goldman Sachs, to share a timely update on how private equity is impacting mergers and acquisitions in the accounting profession today.This was a live discussion with an informative Q&A at the end.
Morry and Brannon dive deep into the steady rise of PE-backed deals and discuss the impact of outside capital on CPA firm sales. They unpack why it is funding partner buyouts and, therefore, reshaping the structure of firm operations themselves. Morry highlights why many of these investors view the accounting profession as a âstickyâ industry, given its recurring revenue streams. This makes CPA firms especially attractive compared to other industries with less stable revenue projections.
Pros and Cons for CPA Firms
Brannon highlights that while PE firms often bring significant advantages (including technological advancements and recruitment capital), the deal structures they propose can be unrealistic when compared to traditional sales. Morry reflects that the earnouts and layered incentives within these deal proposals are becoming increasingly common. This can, unfortunately, create complications for sellers who are looking for a cleaner transition than private equity can provide. Brannon and Morry both emphasize the importance of owners thinking carefully about what they want. Especially, considering that a straightforward deal that looks less flashy on paper might be better in practice than a larger quote that relies on a complex earnout structure that would lead to a messy exit.
What CPA Firm Owners Need to Know for the Future
So what do the next 12â18 months look like for the industry? With interest rates and capital funds shifting consistently, Brannon and Morry believe that not all private equity buyers will remain active to the same degree. For firm owners, this simultaneously creates opportunities and reasons to be cautious. Before deciding your next steps in the future of your firm, get clear on what your own goals are outside of the changing tide within the industry. Whether you want to maximize your firmâs value, ensure continuity for your staff, or simply exit without complexity, knowing your goals will help you make them a reality.
Timestamps:
02:00 â Introductions of Morry and Brannon
06:30 â Why private equity is interested in accounting firms' sales
10:15 â PE-backed deals vs. traditional sales: whatâs the difference?
14:45 â Earnouts, incentives, and PEâs risk of overcomplication
20:10 â Possible benefits of PE investment: talent and technology upgrades
26:00 â Market shifts: Interest rates and deal pace
31:30 â Practical advice for firm owners considering PE offers
43:58 â Question and Answer period from firm owners like you!
From A Big Four Firm to EntrepreneurshipIn this special episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan, Brannon sat down with Raffi Yousefian, a NY/DC-based CPA and entrepreneur, to discuss his journey to building a thriving tax practice. Raffi began his career at EY before launching his own firm in 2016, growing rapidly before making the bold decision in 2022 to niche down into three verticals. By 2023, he doubled down on his fastest-growing and most rewarding segment: restaurants. He dedicated his brand to that niche and sold off the rest with the help of Poe Group Advisors.
Timestamps:00:37 â Intro of Raffi Yousefian his background from EY to launching his own firm and finding his niche
04:00 â Why Raffi left public accounting to become an entrepreneur
06:50 â Doing less to grow more: The power of niching
11:45 â Selling off part of a firm: Risk vs. reward
15:20 â Why focus builds deeper expertise and stronger advisory
20:00 â Benchmarks, AI adoption, and automation in accounting
27:33 â DJ life during tax season: A funny story
31:48 â Book recommendation: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore
33:00 â Connect with Raffi via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffiyousefian/
We are taking a look back on an episode from the archives! Enjoy this retelling of how Accounting Practice Academy came to be.
In this episode of the podcast, we have Ian Brennan (APAâs Creative Director), and my wife Carol Poe (PGA Buyer Specialist/APAâs right-hand woman) who played a pivotal role in the creation and execution of the workshop. This workshop wouldnât exist without them and thereâs some fun stories as to why thatâs the case.
The main reason it wouldnât exist without them, they filmed and produced the workshop! The pandemic left us without a studio or film crew and so, we created our own little film studio in the office. There was a lot of determination, and good humor that went into developing this workshop that we are so proud of. In the end, doing this project with a less than traditional film style gave us the opportunity to revise, condense and perfect our virtual course.
Notable Moments
1:14: Welcoming Carol and Ian on the podcast
2:58: How the pandemic changed filming
5:00: Filming the first several modules and deciding they werenât good enough
8:40: Re-writing the module videos
9:00: Building the course while people were already in the workshop
11:50: Perfecting the workshop to add the most value from start to finish
13:30: The big moves members made last session
15:20: Ianâs passion for the project
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, Brannon is joined by Morry Brown, California market leader at Poe Group Advisors and a longtime family friend. Morry shares his journey from Goldman Sachs to helping CPA firm owners navigate the evolving landscape of firm sales, particularly as private equity (PE) ramps up its interest in the accounting profession.
Making Informed Decisions in a Rapidly Changing MarketMorry and Brannon explore why having multiple offers and opportunities to talk to different buyers gives sellers more leverage and clarity about what matters most. They also discuss why PE buyers are increasingly interested in younger firm owners who arenât necessarily ready to retire and what this means for those owners. From roll-up strategies and scalable efficiencies to risks around long-term PE timelines, Morry breaks down what firm owners need to consider if theyâre eyeing a potential exit in todayâs fast-evolving environment.
Timestamps
1:09 â Intro: Morry Brownâs background & joining Poe Group Advisors
3:13 â Why PE buyers are drawn to CPA firms
5:00 â Market changes, rising valuations, and firm consolidation
7:02 â Inside the PE acquisition process & what headline numbers miss
11:14 â Fit vs. price: what really matters when selling
16:01 â Understanding PE timelines, fund mandates & market uncertainty
19:30 â PE can improve firm performanceâbut it depends on the vision
22:27 â Industry roll-up comparisons: Blockbuster, Waste Management, AutoNation
24:10 â AI + outsourcing: the next evolution in firm efficiency
26:00 â Book rec: Life by Keith Richards
27:17 â Wrapping up: connect with Morry via the Poe Group Advisors website
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan, we are joined by Wayne Findlayâentrepreneur, founder of Findlay & Co., and CEO of The Back Room. Wayne shares his global perspective on how accounting firms can stay competitive in todayâs talent-scarce landscape by leveraging offshoring, modern tech, and clear growth paths for team members. If youâre a firm owner thinking about scale, succession, or private equity, this episode is full of practical, real-world insight.
Get in touch with Wayne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynenz/
Episode Timestamps
01:12 â Introduction of Wayne Findlay and the founding of The Back Room
04:09 â Why offshoring is becoming more common in U.S. & Canadian firms
05:50 â Global talent shortage & the retention pressure from PE
09:09 â The win-win of delegation and internal growth
12:10 â How to use AI wisely and keep firm data secure
16:18 â His firmâs expansion into Colombia and why itâs strategic for U.S. work
19:00 â Preparing your firm for sale: what PE buyers want to see
22:45 â Funny story from an accounting conference
25:33 â Book rec: The Four Principles of Management
27:57 â Connect with Wayne and see him at upcoming conferences
The Power of Authenticity in Attracting Talent and Changing Perceptions
In this episode of the Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, we interviewed fellow podcaster and reputation-building expert Rob Brown. Rob is the host of three accounting-related podcasts with a collective following of over 50,000 listeners and is the author of Build Your Reputation. He has spent over two decades working in business development and training for accountants, who he found to be passionate but often struggling with the interpersonal side of growing a firm.
After a life-changing stroke, Rob recalibrated his career to focus on helping accountants shape their stories, amplify their impact, and build personal brands that not only elevate their firmsâbut the profession as a whole.
Timestamps:
00:21 â Introduction of Rob Brown and his background
2:40 â How Rob moved from education to accounting business development
8:00 â The talent crisis and why firm branding matters
12:40 â Authenticity and representation in your firmâs story
17:19 â How to build a personal brand (without burning out)
26:46 â Scaling, saying âno,â and making space for growth
32:27 â Whoâs responsible for the professionâs brand?
37:00 â Brannon shares why he chose accounting
40:00 â Funny personal story from Rob
44:30 â Book recommendation: Deep Work by Cal Newport
The Evolution of an Industry in Real Time
In this episode of the Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, Brannon Poe is joined by Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, to explore the shifting tides of the accounting industry. From his start as a receptionist to laying out physical newspapers and magazines to leading one of the profession's most respected publications, Dan shares his unique vantage point on the industryâs past, present, and rapidly approaching future.
AI Is HereâBut Weâre Just Getting Started
Dan and Brannon dive into the transformative role artificial intelligence is beginning to play in accounting. While the AI boom is still in its infancy, the industry is already seeing an influx of capital and enthusiasm for automation, agentic AI systems, and data-driven insight. Dan emphasizes the importance of starting smallâtesting tools, cleaning data, and learning to interact with AIâto position CPA firms for long-term impact and return on investment.
Dan Hood is Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, where heâs spent decades covering the accounting professionâs biggest trends, challenges, and opportunities. You can connect with Dan via LinkedIn or visit AccountingToday.com to explore more of his work.
Timestamps:
00:42 â Introduction of Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today
01:50 â Danâs career journey from receptionist to editor
04:22 â AIâs growing impact on accounting and data usage
11:20 â Starting small with AI: how to learn and scale
16:05 â Scaling your firm: "What got you here wonât get you there"
21:50 â The shift in revenue per employee as firms grow
24:20 â Letting go to grow: moving toward zero billable hours
26:10 â Advisory services, PE firms, and new ownership models
29:30 â The challenges of the traditional partnership model
32:00 â Wedding story: accountants arenât boring!
34:48 â Book rec: Say Nothing
39:03 â Closing thoughts and where to connect with Dan
Providing Salary Transparency to Practitioners
In this episode of the Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, Dominic Piscopo shares with Brannon about his startupâBig4Transparency. This service provides accounting firms with data around salary compensation, breaking up the data by sector, geography, and position seniority. It is easy to use and accessible for firm owners who value their employees and want to compensate them fairly. They offer a tiered price model based on firm size and additionally offer recruitment services. To learn more, you can visit their website here: https://www.big4transparency.com/
Dom is the founder of Big 4 Transparency, the largest crowdsourced database of accounting salaries on the market with over 18,000 rows of cleaned, standardized data. Big 4 Transparency is where 250,000+ accounting professionals go for high-quality salary data. Dom created this based on his own experience as a CPA working in tax at Deloitte and his frustrations with how difficult it was to find proper salary data - heâs now built a business around it charging firms a subscription fee for access to in-depth analytics on this data set with quarterly updates, helping them set salaries without all the leg work of being involved in compensation surveys.
Following Your Passions to Find Balance
Brannon and Dom discuss their shared experiences starting out their careers in Big 4 Firms. In Domâs experience working for a Big 4 before striking out on his own, he highlights the value of following all your disparate passions. He shares how his side business as a bartender and DJ for weddings led to cross-pollination with his tax work. With prospective clients meeting him through his side jobs and discovering the possibility of utilizing his tax services. The opportunity to find new and exciting opportunities outside of the traditional mold is important to keeping balance, as well as feeding your work-life balance.
Connect with Dom:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/
Email: dom@big4transparency.com
Big4Transparency: https://www.big4transparency.com/
Timestamps:
00:47 - Introduction of Dominic Piscopo and his service: Big4Transparency
8:30 - The Image Problem in the Accounting Industry
14:50 - How new technology provides an opportunity to add value
17:22 - Balancing a side business as a DJ with a Big 4 job
22:06 - Breakdown of how Big4Transparency works
A Shifting Profession
The accounting profession is evolving, and Seth Fineberg has had a front-row seat to these shifts. A seasoned journalist who found his niche covering the accounting industry, Seth brings a unique perspective on how the field has transformedâand where itâs headed next. In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan, Brannon Poe sits down with Seth to discuss the modernization of accounting firms, the talent shortage, and why more professionals are rethinking the traditional firm model.
The Divide Between Tradition and Innovation
According to Seth, with over 1.4 million accountants in the U.S., the industry is divided when it comes to change. Seth estimates that roughly 55-60% of professionals are adapting to a modern approach, others still resist shifting away from legacy structures. The pandemic and ongoing talent shortages have forced many firms to rethink their operations, prioritizing value over volume. Seth shares insights into how firms are transitioning into more advisory-driven roles, integrating wealth management services, and leveraging AI to automate routine tasksâall while maintaining the essential human element of accounting.
Embracing the Future
As the conversation wraps up, Seth reflects on the bigger pictureâhow accountants can embrace change, stay positive, and focus on what they can control. With the industry on the brink of major transformation, those who adapt will find themselves at the forefront of a more dynamic, engaging profession. Tune in to hear why the future of accounting is filled with opportunity, and how the right mindset can help you navigate it.
If this conversation inspires you to start improving your practice, check out Accounting Practice Academy. We have a workshop that focuses on improving your cashflow to above 50% and reducing your owner hours to under 2,000 annually.
Timestamps:
1:25 - Introduction of Seth and his path to working as a journalist in the accounting industry.
8:27 - How the younger generation of accountants is finding more balance.
18:22 - The talent shortage and how it combined with the pandemic pushed the industry to modernize.
22:10 - the innovative suture of the accounting profession.
37:00 - Funny story about karaoke at the Engage conference
45:44 - Book recommendations and closing off:
The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin: https://www.amazon.com/World-We-Make-Novel-Cities-ebook/dp/B09TZXTJD5
This week, weâre celebrating a special occasion on The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast! In honor of Brannon Poeâs birthday, we flipped the scriptâour Marketing Director, Bailey Ball (who also happens to be Brannonâs daughter), took over the mic to interview him. Their conversation takes us on a journey from the earliest days of our company, when Bailey was in elementary school, to the thriving 20+ person team we have today.
Time Stamps:
3:20 - The early days of the company and how it grew into what it is now
8:30 - Working with family - the pros and cons
13:40 - Advice for hiring family members
21:00 - Major changes in the accounting industry â Technology, Private Equity and Remote work
28:40 - What can we do as M&A to help sellers and buyers make good choices
34:22 - Advice for listeners
35:42 - Brannonâs most outlandish deal experience
39:26 - Wrapping Up & book reccomendations: Walter Isaacsonâs biographies [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Walter-Isaacson/author/B000APFLB8?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true# ].
In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, Brannon sat down with Giles, founder of Accountests and a seasoned accounting professional with 25 years of experience in public accounting and 18 years as a partner in a firm. Giles founded Accountests after years of frustration with the unpredictability of hiring in the accounting profession; hiring seemingly qualified candidates to later realize that they were not the right fit.
Accountests is a structured testing approach to help CPA firms make better hiring decisions. His firm provides assessments that measure both technical and soft skills, ensuring that candidatesâfrom college graduates to senior managersâare the right fit before they are brought on board.
With the ongoing talent shortage in accounting, firms can no longer afford to rely on outdated hiring methods. The reality is that the pipeline of qualified professionals is not getting any stronger. As firms explore technology, automation, and offshoring to fill the gaps, the hiring process itself remains a critical piece of the puzzle. Giles explains how firms can leverage testing to gain a first-mover advantageâallowing them to receive a resume, assess a candidate, and confidently make a hiring decision in a matter of days rather than weeks. Without a defined process, many firms fall into the trap of hiring reactively rather than proactively.
One of the key takeaways from this discussion is the role of testing in evaluating both hard and soft skills. While firms often worry that assessments might scare candidates away, the reality is quite the oppositeâstrong candidates appreciate a structured and transparent process. Some firms use testing after an offer to determine training needs, but Giles suggests integrating it earlier in the process to make more informed decisions from the start. A well-explained assessment process helps candidates understand their own strengths and how they align with the role.
To wrap up, Giles shares some of his favorite business books, including Shoe Dog (https://amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike-ebook/dp/B0176M1A44 )and works by Richard Branson (https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000APPS34**), as sources of motivation for growing a business.
For those looking to refine their hiring strategy and develop stronger teams, his firm, Accountests*, provides a data-driven approach to making smarter, more confident hiring decisions. Connect with Giles on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-pearson-fca-8a175843/?originalSubdomain=nz ) or visit https://www.accountests.com/ to learn more.*
Time Stamps:
00:50 - Introduction of Giles and what led him to the development of Accountests.
4:50 - The current state of the staffing shortage and the impact it will continue to have on smaller firms
7:02 - Is the adage âHire slow fire fastâ still true in todayâs market?
11:40 - Using testing to asses both hard and soft skills to expedite and simplify the hiring process
20:14 - Testing for leadership capabilities and career growth within your organization
In this episode, Brannon sits down with Ryan Pulice CPA, a (financial planner/accounting firm owner) to explore his unique journey of finding his niche, working with small businessbusiness owners, and real estate investors. Ryanâs venture into accounting was almost accidental. After starting his college journey in computer science he found that it was not the path for him. At his fatherâs suggestion, he started down the accounting route andâlearning that it is the language of businessâdiscovered a passion.
Ryan consequently started his own accounting business and expanded by acquiring another CPA firm in 2019. He has since grown his firm by combining a love for real estate investment with a desire to provide the best services to clients. He offers insights on the benefits of owning your real estate and why aligning personal interests with your practice can enhance client relationships.
Ryan and Brannon also discuss the critical need to bring new CPAs into the profession, strategies for creating a more accessible career path, and how technologyâlike AIâis reshaping the industry.
If you are struggling to find your niche, looking for ways to marry your passion with your business, or advice on growing your business, this is an episode you donât want to miss! Tune in for book recommendations, a funny tax-return-turned-love story, and Ryanâs thoughts on how mindset influences success in business and life.
Timestamps:
3:10 - How Ryan became a CPA
5:05 - The need for more accountants to enter the profession and the importance of making the profession more accessible
8:43 - The opportunities AI presents to the accounting industry
13:20 - How a tax return question ended in a marriage
15:42 - The real estate tax niche
17:54 - Book recommendations
- The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power by Daniel Yergin
- Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind by Sean Runnette, Joe Dispenza, et al.
**20:40 - Closing upâhow to get in touch with Ryan
Link to Ryanâs podcast, The CPA Zone: https://open.spotify.com/show/4jEOSgMImKdRp7wLWg5YOX**
The Pulice Group: https://www.thepulicegroup.com/
Reaching 100 episodes is no small feat, and The Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast has officially hit that milestone! To mark the occasion, Ian Brennan (Creative Director at Poe Group Advisors) takes on the role of guest host to turn the microphone on Brannon Poe, CPA, the mastermind behind the podcast.
This 100th episode isnât just a celebration; itâs a heartfelt reflection on the mission and purpose that have driven Brannon to serve the accounting industry for over 20 years. Whether youâre a long-time listener or tuning in for the first time, this episode is a testament to the power of guidance, growth, and the pursuit of building a practice you truly love.
In this special episode, Brannon reflects on his journey of serving the accounting industry and helping CPAs build firms they love. He shares the story of how he began selling accounting firms, a pivotal career shift that laid the foundation for everything that followed. Over two decades later, Brannon has gained incredible insights from his work in mergers, acquisitions, and firm development, all of which he discusses with Ian.
Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at the inspiration behind Accounting Practice Academy [https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/ ], a program designed to guide accountants toward firm growth and success. Brannon and Ian also delve into the growing interest of private equity in the accounting profession and its implications for CPA firm owners.
The episode uncovers the origin story of The Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast, exploring how Brannon turned his vision into a platform that delivers actionable insights to CPAs worldwide. He shares the lessons heâs learned about growing a business, likening it to âa series of letting go,â and offers thoughtful advice to the accounting profession about navigating change and seizing opportunities.
To wrap things up, Ian fires off rapid-fire questions, prompting Brannon to share his favorite books, including The Five Dysfunctions of a Team [https://a.co/d/9Runb7T ] and Walter Isaacsonâs inspiring biographies [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Walter-Isaacson/author/B000APFLB8?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true# ].
Thank you for being part of this journeyâhereâs to the next 100 episodes and beyond!
Time stamps:
0:55 - How Brannon started selling accounting firms
9:22 - What Brannon has learned from his time in the mergers and acquisitions business
21:09 - The inspiration for Accounting Practice Academy
26:08 - The reasons behind private equityâs interest in the accounting profession
33:47 - The origin story of the Accountant Flight Plan podcast
40:31 - Growing a business and letting go
45:08 - Advice to the accounting profession
47:10 - Rapid-fire questions and wrap-up
What role can accountants play as partners for small business owners, and how can they navigate the challenges of scaling a firm? In this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, Brannon explores these questions with Cory Gayman, a CPA and entrepreneur whose firm JCG CPA Firm specializes in empowering small business owners to succeed. As a firm owner who started small, Cory shares his journey and insights on building a client-focused practice, overcoming hiring challenges, and balancing service quality with sustainable growth.
As an advocate for proactive accounting, Cory discusses why accountants are uniquely positioned to help business owners understand the "language of business." He reveals common mistakes entrepreneurs makeâlike overlooking accounting basics and cash flowâand explains how accountants can help clients clarify their business goals. Cory points out that understanding cash flow isnât just an accounting function; itâs essential for owners who want to grow beyond just "creating a job" for themselves and truly scale their business.
Cory also dives into the future of accounting, from embracing tech advances like online portals and automated updates to adapting to a changing labor market where remote work and outsourcing have become the norm. Building relationships with bookkeepers and leveraging outsourcing opportunities have helped Cory's firm thrive in a time of rapid change. For those looking to become more strategic business advisors, Coryâs story offers valuable lessons in adapting to technology and maintaining client-focused growth.
Curious about what it takes to scale your own accounting firm, work effectively with small business clients, or strengthen client relationships? Tune in for practical advice on the keys to a successful accounting practice, along with Coryâs recommended reads for inspiration. You can listen to the podcast on the player below or watch the latest episode here!
If this conversation inspires you to learn how your firm would fare in the marketplace, please download our CPA VALUATION KEY FACTORS REPORT.
Time Stamps:
00:18 - Introduction of Cory Gayman and his passion for small business ownership and helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals
3:42 - Facing and overcoming the challenges of scaling a business
7:57 - The most common mistakes small business owners make
11:33 - The importance of understanding how cashflow works in your business
14:20 - Being proactive and goal-oriented in your business
20:40 - Finding staff and attracting talent to the firm
22:36 - Book recommendation and closing thoughts
Why has there been such an increase in private equity buyers acquiring accounting firms and what does this mean for the industry? In this episode of the Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast Brannon dives deeper into the subject and what it means for your firm with accounting practice intermediary, Laurens Ball and California market leader, Morry Brown. Laurens has been brokering deals on our team for five years now and Morry, a member of our sales team, has a background in outsourced CFO services and global investment banking with Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. In this episode, you will learn why private equity is here and how it could benefit the profession in the long run.
Private equity has entered the accounting world primarily because they see the value that CPAs provide. With the staffing shortage in full swing, accounting and bookkeeping services are in high demand. This means that accountants have more pricing power than they realize. With the opportunity to raise prices and increase revenue, firm owners could increase topline revenue and cash flow creating more value in their firms.
Buyers with private equity backing see this potential and want to capitalize on it. With the knowledge and experience to implement or streamline systems while consolidating multiple CPA firms, private equity buyers could optimize firms effectively. While this potential is exciting and comes with the opportunity for selling at progressively higher multiples, it is important for sellers to keep their vision top of mind.
Whether selling to a private equity firm or not, finding the right fit buyer is key. Knowing what the buyerâs vision is and how they hope to grow the firm after close is crucial to knowing whether or not the deal will be successful. Cluing into the non-monetary elements of an offer is vital to knowing whether or not it is the right one for you and your employees.
Are you considering a private equity buyer or looking to learn more about how the current market increases your pricing power as a firm owner? Read our Private Equity Market Report to dive deeper into this topic and learn what questions you should ask when considering these types of deals: Private Equity M&A in the Accounting Industry
Time stamps:
1:55 - Overview of where we are with Private Equity in the Accounting Industry
3:36 - How do you know if a PE buyer is right for you?
8:22 - Private equityâs impact on pricing valuation
10:50 - Will private equity increase top-line revenue?
14:15 - Knowing the buyerâs vision can indicate success
31:59 - Market knowledge & the non-monetary elements of an offer
35:00 - Wrap up and - book recommendations
- Brannon - To Be Loved - by Berry Gordy
- Morry - Life - Keith Richards
- Laurens - Shoe Dog - by Phil Knight
What do you need to know before selling your lifeâs work or buying someone elseâs? Learn from Stephanieâs experience as she shares her perspective on avoiding key obstacles during the acquisition and transition process in buying or selling an accounting practice. After working together in the mergers and acquisitions space for more than 15 years, you donât want to miss out on Brannon and Stephanie's conversation!
This podcast touched on:
- The importance of having a vision before you sell your CPA firm.
- Why buyers and sellers need to consider cultural fit before transitioning.
- Having hard conversations early on to avoid issues in the long run.
Whether you are considering buying or selling a CPA firm, it is crucial to consider your personal and professional goals beforehand. Knowing what your vision is before leaving your practice or buying a new one is vital to the success of either endeavor. Additionally, knowing what your values are and focusing on finding a cultural fit is key to the negotiation and transition process. Listen to learn more in this episode of the Accountantâs Flight Plan!
If this conversation inspires you to learn how your firm would fare in the marketplace, please download our CPA VALUATION KEY FACTORS REPORT.
You can listen to the podcast on the player below or watch the latest episode here!
Time stamps:
00:34 - Introduction of Stephanie Smith; Poe Groupâs most experienced broker.
3:10 - What makes for the most challenging and most enjoyable deals?
10:55 - What you need to do to prepare to sell your CPA firm.
16:12 - Why focusing on fit is key to a successful accounting firm transition.
24:05 - How AI could help the accounting profession.
28:28 - Book recommendation: Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
Is tracking your hours decreasing your productivity and profitability? According to Geraldine Carter, the answer is most likely yes. In their conversation, Brannon and Geraldine break down how the hourly billing model takes you away from providing real value to your clients. Conversely, getting your hours down and doing away with the hourly billing model altogether could be the key to raising your bottom line.
This podcast touched on:
- Hourly billing vs value pricing.
- The impact of private equity on the accounting industry.
- Why hiring wonât solve the problem of overwork.
By refocusing on the value you can provide to your clients rather than on the hours you are billing them for you can increase your revenue while simultaneously lowering your hours. The key to building the business you want and living the life you want lies in refocusing your firm so that you can make meaningful changes. Listen in to learn how you can gain capacity, think critically, and make moves to live a life with balance.
Time Stamps:
0:38 - Introduction of Geraldine Carter
1:44 - Private equity firms in the accounting space
5:50 - Why are so many CPAs overworked and what is the solution?
15:31 - How to price upfront without hourly billing.
19:40 - Why hourly billing is a trap.
35:38 - Geraldineâs new book - Down to 40 Hours [https://geraldinecarter.com/book]
38:22 - Wrapping up
Getting in touch with Geraldine:
Geraldineâs Website: https://geraldinecarter.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldine-carter/
Learn why buying a CPA firm âisnât like buying a houseâ with buyer specialist Carol Poe. For the aquisition and transition process of buying an accounting firm to be successful it is crucial that both the buyer and seller are the right fit. By focusing on the work culture and personality of both, Carol guides buyers and sellers to find the best fit for their clients and team.
This podcast touched on:
- Working with your spouse.
- What to look for in a buyer.
- How to find success in your new firm.
Having a vision for your new firm is crucial to the success and longevity of that firm. Part of that vision starts with making sure that each practice is paired with the perfect buyer. Listen to the full episode to hear more about how getting clear on your goals before acquisition is crucial to finding the success you want.
Time Stamps:
0:39 - Introduction of Carol.
4:20 - How Carol started working as buyer specialist for Poe Group.
7:45 - The process of finding the right fit.
17:40 - Why sellers are looking for someone who will take care of their clients and staff.
23:55 - Book recommendation and closing thoughts.
- âThe Womenâ by Kristin Hannah
- [https://www.amazon.com/Women-Novel-Kristin-Hannah/dp/1250178630]
Getting in touch with Carol:
For appointment email: cpoe@poegroupadvisors.com
How do you strike out on your own as a solo or small firm CPA? Learn from Josie Parrâs experience doing just that. Hear how her work as a tax strategist for entrepreneurs led to the development of the Profitable Lifestyle Summit [https://summit.profitablelifestylefirm.com/], a free virtual summit to empower entrepreneurs in the accounting world to build profitable firms that support their ideal lifestyle. PGA will be speaking at this virtual summit and you can attend this August 27th-29th.
This Podcast Touched On:
- The challenges and opportunities of working as a solo or small firm CPA.
- Why burnout is one of the biggest challenges CPAs face.
- Resources for entrepreneurs in the accounting industry.
Taking the leap of faith to work for yourself can be a daunting task. However, it can also become one of the most rewarding challenges a professional can face. Through sharing her experience and cultivating a community with others, Josie demonstrates that it is possible to build a practice that feeds the lifestyle you want to build. Whether you are just beginning to consider that journey for yourself or are in the process of building your practice, this is a conversation you donât want to miss.
Time Stamps:
0:39 - Introduction of Josie Parr, CPA and the Profitable Lifestyle Firm Summit
6:07 - Why burnout is one of the biggest challenges and opportunities in the accounting industry.
12:28 - Josieâs experience branching out on her own after working in a top 100 firm.
15:40 - Book recommendations:
- Leading from the Front by Courtney Lynch and Angie Morgan [https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Front-No-Excuse-Leadership-Tactics/dp/0071465014]
- Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss [https://www.amazon.com/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended/dp/0062407805]
Getting in Touch with Josie:
đ» Josieâs Website: https://jparrcpa.com/
đ The Profitable Lifestyle Summit Website: https://summit.profitablelifestylefirm.com/
đž Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jp_cpa/
đ±Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josieparrcpallc
đ€ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/josie-parr-cpa-llc/
How can you grow your firm into the most efficient and customer-focused business that it can be? Jason Ackerman and Brannon do a deep dive into the importance of value billing, building a healthy firm culture and why private equity sees value in the profession.
This podcast touched on:
- Timesheets vs value billing.
- Education in the accounting field.
- The implications of private equity for CPA firm owners.
Whether you are a well-established firm or looking for new opportunities to grow, it is crucial to put the customer first and effectively communicate the value you can provide them. Making the switch to value billing, offering advisory services and building a healthy culture for your team could revolutionize your firm.
Time Stamps:
0:39 - Introduction of Jason Ackerman
5:18 - Jasonâs path to choosing Accounting as a profession.
13:11 - Timesheets and why value billing is more efficient.
25:35 - Implications of private equity in the accounting industry.
28:22 - The importance of education in the accounting profession.
Hear first-hand experiences on dealmaking from broker, Laurens Ball, on considerations for private equity buyers and finding the right fit. Whether selling your firm or looking to buy, finding the right cultural fit for your clients and team is key. When considering private equity deals it becomes paramount to consider the buyerâs background and industry knowledge to accurately assess whether or not it would work for you.
This podcast touched on:
- The key factors that help increase the number of potential buyers for an accounting firm.
- The importance of cultural fit for buyers and sellers.
- What to think about when considering a private equity buyer for your CPA practice.
Looking at the big picture and talking to as many buyers as possible can help you gain clarity and differentiate a ânoâ from a definite âyesâ. Every deal is different and looking for a buyer who you would enjoy working with yourself can be a good indication that they would be a potential fit for your firm. Whether you are buying or sellingâthe right fit is everything!
Time Stamps:
0:32 - Introduction of Laurens.
6:54 - The challenges that could accompany a private equity deal.
11:15 - What to consider if you are a buyer.
14:55 - What to keep in mind if you are selling.
- A sellerâs guide to evaluating buyers: [https://poegroupadvisors.com/sellerguide/]
17:28 - Pros and cons about the presence of private equity growing in the accounting space.
Book Recommendations from Laurens:
- Shoe Dog [https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Memoir-Creator-Nike/dp/1501135910]
- Atomic Habits [https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299]
How can accountants leverage the power of marketing to grow their businesses? Brannon and Matt Banker of Marketing for Accounting Firms explore the key concepts to building a strong brand in the accounting space. If the prospect of expanding your marketing strategy has you stumpedâthis episode is for you!
Brannon was a guest on Blake Oliverâs The Accountantâs Podcastâa very special episode that we are sharing with you now. Blake interviewed Brannon on the key factors that go into assessing the valuation of a CPA firm, the differences between valuation on virtual firms and why cashflow to owner is key.
How can you most effectively price and package your offerings to optimize staff retention and client satisfaction?
Matt Kanas, Managing Director at Ignition has dubbed 2024 the year of change in the accounting industry. We discussed what this change looks like and what the implications of it are for CPA firm owners. With his unique perspective servicing CPA firms from within the tech industryâthis made for an exciting conversation.
CPA firm owner, entrepreneur and Xero ambassador Liz Mason, shared insights from starting her own virtual firm, High Rock Accounting, and using cloud-based accounting tools to find and successfully serve your niche. Her passion for entrepreneurship is contagious and makes this a conversation you donât want to miss!
Since joining Poe Group as a Regional Market Leader, Darryl has been an integral part of the team. Listen in on our conversation discussing the ins and outs of guiding buyers and sellers through the transition process. Discover what makes for a smooth transition and why preparation is integral to the acquisition process.
Join me in a conversation about the world of specialization with Catherine Tindall, founder of Dominion Enterprise Services. Catherineâs area of expertise lies within her ability to craft precise credit and income tax planning strategies, particularly focused on the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). In this episode, Catherine shares her rationale for choosing to specialize in ERC, including where her practice will head in a post-ERC world. Together, we dive deep into the complex history of ERC, the future for professionals assisting in ERC, and the importance of understanding eligibility determinations for practitioners venturing into this specialty.
Contemplating the sale of your practice or firm? Seasoned entrepreneur, Clay Blakely candidly shares how he grew his CPA practice and why he and his wife decided to sell. Finding the right buyer is all about fit so we chatted about how Clay was able to establish what he wanted in a buyer and his motivation for a sale. Of course, we canât talk about selling an accounting firm without reflecting on Clayâs experience with transition.
Ready to grow your accounting firm? Letâs listen to the wisdom shared by a seasoned entrepreneur, Meryl Johnston. A Chartered Accountant, founder of Bean Ninjas, and Head of Accounting at TeamUp, Meryl brings a wealth of experience to the table. Together, we chat about the power of niching down and the art of running a non-owner-centric business. Meryl shares her entrepreneurial journey, transitioning from CEO to a part-time advisor role, noting the importance of sticking to your goals while growing a business, and ensuring your needs and life take precedence.
In this episode, I interview Geni Whitehouse, CPA, co-founder of Solve Services, and a Level 5 Advisor and Coach at www.TheImpactfulAdvisor.com. Geni is an advocate for unlocking the magic in numbers for business owners. Geni and I share a conversation about the current opportunities in advisory: Setting frameworks, showing accounting impact, and exploring niche services.
Itâs time we talk tech. In this episode, I interview Jesse Rubenfeld, Founder and CEO of FinOptimal, and Tom Zehentner, Director of Growth. We dive deep into the topic of automation including the three main characteristics of an automated process.
We were thrilled to have Andrea MacDonald, the founder and CEO of Pro Tax & Accounting LLC, on this episode of Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast. In addition to her wealth of expertise in managing micro businesses, Andrea shares her insights on the strategic process of acquiring an accounting firm.
On this episode, I chat with Jason Blumer, one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting (Accounting Today) about the current state of the accounting industry. Jason is the founder of Thirveal, CEO of Blumer & Associates, and co-host of 2 podcasts: Thrivecast and The Businessology Show. He shares how he grew his cloud-based accounting firm over the past 20 years and why he became an advisor in the industry.
If you are ready to learn the mindset shift needed to start thinking about scaling challenges creatively, this is a great episode. Geraldine Carter, coach to single-owner CPAs, joins me on this episode of Accountantâs Flight Plan and shares the mindset needed to bring your work week back to 40 hours.
Are you a firm owner who is considering selling your practice? Or are you a potential buyer thatâs looking to acquire your first business? Then you do not want to miss the opportunity to learn how Patrick Dichter leveraged his non-CPA background to acquire and grow 3 CPA firms. On this episode of Accountantâs Flight Plan, Patrick shares his top 4 reasons why CPA firm owners should consider a non-CPA buyer. Brannon and Patrick even discuss both the bad and good surprises to expect as a buyer, with a non-traditional CPA background. Â
Bill Cates, expert in acquiring new clients through referral, joins me to chat about building habits within your business to maximize referrals, and convert them into clients or even new staff! Join this discussion to learn more about creating a perpetual revenue system, the power of asking questions, and result-producing strategies that build personable relationships.
On this episode of Accountantâs Flight Plan, We interviewed Giles Pearson, former partner of PWC & co-founder of Accountests. Giles shares how Accountests was developed as a solution to a gap in the hiring process for CPAâs.
Randy Crabtree, former general tax practice owner, and current specialty tax prep firm owner, discusses the impacts of burnout and how to avoid it! Randy has experienced both the highs and lows of leadership and chats with us about maximizing your traits as an entrepreneur and growing employee morale.
This was a great meeting of minds on practice management! We had Roger Knecht on the podcast discussing insights from his post secondary course for accounting professionals, Universal Accounting.
This podcast touched on:
- Opportunities in the profession
- Service offerings
- Staffing issues and solutions
- What drives practice value and client retention
- Improving time management and profits
In this podcast, Jordan (of Troika) and I dive into what it means to be intentional about marketing as an accounting firm. Jordan takes a thoughtful approach that considers what a firm needs, and what would be most effective which is refreshing when most marketers say more, more, more.
We recently had productivity expert, Marcey Rader, on the Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast to chat with us about managing remote staff, healthy work from home boundaries and how to best work in that pesky email inbox! Â
Rob owns Guardian Financial and Gordian Staffing which places remote staff in Mexico who are fluent in English and college educated in Accounting firms across America. His goal is to help create capacity and lighten the burden of the staffing shortage. Â
In this episode we dove into:
- How marketing and branding impact your practice
- Staffing and retention
- Jessicaâs possible acquisition (I always love to hear about how people approach acquisitions.)
- Vacation! (Jessica is the reason we have our bookThe Unplugged Vacation)
Susan Bryant, recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting (Ignition 2021) and firm owner of MB Group in Plano TX, joins us on this episode to discuss staffing, pricing, and client acquisition from an insightful, high level POV.
You know it's time to go up on fees when you hit a growth plateau. If you are capped out on time and canât take on new clients to increase revenue, it's time to increase your fees.
This week we have Loren Fogelman on the podcast. She is a business coach for accountants and gives step-by-step advice for raising fees. Her expertise is in pricing strategies.
Alex Loweinstein heads up talent acquisition for CPAs at Parro. Parro places fractional 1099 accounting professionals in firms.Â
Alex Loweinstein heads up talent acquisition for CPAs at Parro. Parro places fractional 1099 accounting professionals in firms.Â
Kenji and I had an awesome conversation Iâm excited to share with you guys. I really wanted to get into how he grew his accounting firm and his advice for how you can scale your ownâŠnot to mention⊠He has some amazing key insights on attracting and retaining staff.
Learn how Alex Dawes scaled her cloud firm and gain insight into how you can implement those growth tactics in your firm.Â
On this podcast, we discussed accounting trends specific to the U.S and how they compare with the industry world-wide. Bruce has noticed a slower trend for the United States to adopt fixed price billing packages compared to Australia and the U.K. He attributes that to the complicated tax code of the U.S. We also chatted about digitization, and why data collection is one of the biggest hindrances to the transition from traditional accounting.
The tech stacks and tools accountants are using to virtualize their firms, and the benefits of converting.Â
Mario cut his client list by 150 clients and increased his revenue by $150,000 all the while setting boundaries around his weekends and nights. In this experience share, Mario says, âI got control of my business so it could provide for my life and not be my life.â
We know that hiring and retaining staff is a huge struggle for many businesses right now, not just in the accounting industry. In short, what employees want is work-life balance, flexibility and a healthy company-culture. Our most recent podcast guest, Jill Christensen is impassioned about helping companies build the right culture for attracting and retaining employees.
Jill is a former Fortune 500 Corporate Communications business executive with a Six Sigma Green Belt, Jill understands how organizations operate, and what they need to do differently to engage employees. Her book, If Not You, Who?, is a global best-seller, and her popular weekly blog was named a Top 100 Corporate Blog alongside of Apple and Microsoft.
Allocating time and energy toward automation can seem daunting, but truthfully it's just tedious. Itâs a matter of selecting the right software and getting support to help integrate. Help could come from a team member or an external coach to help move your clients over 1 by 1.Â
Iâve always said itâs analogous to doing dishes. You can only load one dish at a time, and you can only convert one client at a time. Tedious for sure, but when you think about the potential to scale while reducing your owner hours the temptation to automate grows. The fact of the matter is, it makes your firm highly marketable.
In this episode, David and I cover a lot of ground in the realm of automation. We got to see how our perspectives in tech and in brokerage influenced each other and played off one another's viewpoints for the future of the industry. There's some great back and forth here that I think you'll enjoy.
In her coaching, Geraldine focuses on the kind of pricing model you use in your firm, what your client list looks like, and what changes could be made based on your goals; and from there onto how to revitalize your firm with some simple changes to your service packaging and advisory.Â
It was awesome getting to chat with her in this episode and share some commonalities in our coaching experience. In this episode, we both leaned into a common truth â that thereâs so much possibility on the table for firm owners â especially in the forecasting and advisory role.
Liz Farr is a CPA and full-time freelance writer for the accounting profession. Her words have been in Forbes, CFO.com, Accounting Today, and the Journal of Accountancy to name a few.Â
Liz is hoping to bring accounting into a more balanced future with her writing partnerships. We discuss how the accounting profession is moving towards automation and how if you donât adjust youâll be left behind. Accountants now have the opportunity to offer financial advice and clear reporting to give clients value in a new and exciting way.Â
âThe org chart of the future for accounting firms is not going to be a pyramid, itâs going to be a diamond shape.â We talk about how automation will reduce the size of the lower strata of admin/staff and increase the quantity and value of CPAs who can act as advisors and who âconnect the dotsâ for their clients. The biggest message I gathered from our chat was that you canât be afraid to move into the future and protect your biggest retirement asset, your firm.
In this episode, we quickly connected on how important it is to have a simple explanation of the numbers even for our own businesses. If you stop for a moment and think about whatâs possible when you as a business owner get a solid, tactical expression of your numbers, the world gets a whole lot bigger. With better reporting , you can properly formulate a growth plan for your business over the next year, three years, or even 10 years.Â
Without a simple explanation of numbers , your perspective is too narrow. Spencer helps widen the scope of whatâs possible with his team at Shift Financial Insights.Â
We decided to change up the podcast a little bit and turn the focus inward to give you guys a glimpse into how Accounting Practice Academy came to be. Â
In this episode of the podcast, we have Ian Brennan (APAâs Creative Director), and my wife Carol Poe (PGA Buyer Specialist/APAâs right-hand woman) who played a pivotal role in the creation and execution of the workshop. This workshop wouldnât exist without them and thereâs some fun stories as to why thatâs the case. Â
The main reason it wouldnât exist without them, they filmed and produced the workshop! The pandemic left us without a studio or film crew and so, we created our own little film studio in the office. There was a lot of determination and good humor that went into developing this workshop that we are so proud of. In the end, doing this project with a less than traditional film style gave us the opportunity to revise, condense and perfect our virtual course.Â
David and I have been friends for years, and when we last spoke I could see him light up as he talked about this new venture heâd been thinking about in the podcasting world. I could tell he was excited and it shows. His new and now-running venture is Your Podcast.Team.
â[Podcasting] Itâs the rarest form of online content.âÂ
David noticed there were some barriers to entry in the podcasting scene, the technology aspect, the worries about hosting capabilities, âwhat will I talk about?â etc. but because he saw so much value in the art form he wanted to make a streamlined avenue for anyone to build out there own podcast and thatâs where YourPodcast.Team came from.
In this episode, Gina and I dive into the finer points of her hiring process so you can instantly come away with practical, implementable âto-doâsâ. She explores common pitfalls most of us are making, simple tweaks in our hiring conversations that make substantial changes, and a workflow to sift through your candidates.
Recently, Brannon had an exciting conversation with Ryan Lazanis. Ryan is a CPA who considers himself more of an entrepreneur than an accountant. In 2013 he founded a fully cloud-based accounting firm which was acquired five years later with the help of the Poe Group team. Now Ryan is focusing on his passion to help modernize the traditional accounting firm model and foster innovation in the profession. To learn more, check out his website and blog, futurefirm.co.
Ryan shares on this podcast how he started his completely cloud-based firm and how there was originally a good deal of push back from other CPAs. He had a revolutionary vision to create not just good client service, but to create an incredible client experience. He also wanted a fun workplace for himself and his workforce that allowed for flexibility and required less of the aspects of the accounting business that he found mundane. Ryan succeeded.
If you want to get out of the bottleneck position in your firm, you have to delegate. The first step toward delegating is Auditing Your Time.Â
Bradâs advice, âAudit yourselfâŠfor a week or so just audit. Every time you sneeze document it. And estimate how many hours per month youâre spending on [any given] task.âÂ
Mitch Baldridge is a CPA based in Houston, Texas and he has been steadily growing his firm, Baldrige CPA, since going out on his own in 2014. His first year, he essentially made no revenue and now he has several employees and steadily growing margins.
Mitch found Brannon a few years ago when he was thinking about acquiring a firm. He thought he would purchase an existing practice to help build the capacity and growth he was needing. Instead, Mitch actually ended up being a beta member for what would become Accounting Practice Academyâą (APA). In 2020 he took the workshop again with the first round of members.
On the most recent episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast, we interviewed Shehan Chandrasekera, who is one of a handful of CPAs in the country recognized as a real-world operator and conceptual subject matter expert on cryptocurrency taxation. He is the Head of Tax Strategy at CoinTracker, partner at JAGArgueta CPAs a Forbes Tax Contributor and a CPE instructor who has won various awards.
Communicating with clients like they are another accountant doesnât cut it.
Justin Hatch shares with our listeners that what clients want from their accountants is simplified language and visual reporting first, and then a dive into the details. Accountants have to give their clients a high-level perspective written in laymanâs terms when it comes to data.
Even without a start in public accounting, (or perhaps because of that) Rich Stang built a powerhouse of a firm by focusing heavily on one thing â Hiring for culture.
In this podcast he dives into how his team is the source of that growth and success. The art of hiring well takes finesse and several counter-intuitive perspectives, some of which Rich explores in todayâs episode.
In 2019 we helped Jim sell his CPA practice in the Washington, DC area and we wanted to share with you a bit about what it was like for him to successfully go through that process.
He talks about taking the leap to start his own firm, how he decided to exit, and what he wished he had known in the midst of managing his firm.
A pearl of wisdom that Jim shared with us in this episode is that: âYou gotta understand one thingâŠyou only have so many tax seasons in you.â
Guess what? You donât get to choose whether or not you have a brand; you either have a weak brand or you have a strong brand.
Thatâs just one of the powerful ideas that Matt Wilkinson and Maggie Antone share in this episode of The Accountantâs Flight Plan Podcast. Listen in (or watch) to learn from Maggie, a seasoned branding expert whoâs worked with big brands such as Coca Cola, BP, McDonaldâs, and World Vision, to name a few. She and Matt created Troika to focus just on branding for accounting firms.
If youâve listened to this podcast for any amount of time youâll know we usually focus on business fundamentals over tech, but Gusto was an exception to the rule.
At Poe Group Advisors, we switched to Gusto for our payroll this summer and itâs incredibly easy to use. I havenât been this excited about a software in a long time. Itâs one of those companies where after you integrate it you sit there and think âMan, why didnât I think of this?â
Itâs no coincidence that niche rhymes with rich.
Brandon Hall is the CEO of the Real Estate CPA. His company provides advisory, accounting and tax services to real estate investors. Brandon is also a CPA and a national speaker. Listen in about how he built his fast-growing, highly focused CPA firm, and his unique insights into the world of accounting and real estate.
If you have been thinking about differentiating yourself by narrowing your focus, then you donât want to miss this one!
Recruiting and retaining accounting talent is one of the most challenging and impactful responsibilities for CPA practice owners, so you donât want to miss this one. Mark Goldman is the founder of MGR Accounting Recruiters in San Antonio, Texas. He has over 20 years of accounting experience and has served on the board of directors for the Texas Society of CPAs, the San Antonio Chapter of TSCPA, and Institute of Management Accountants and the American Payroll Association. He is extremely knowledgeable in the area of hiring and recruiting for accountants.
Wayne is the founder of both The Back Room, and Findlay & Co Chartered Accountants in New Zealand. Wayne transformed (and sold) his local accounting firm to go on to build a global business for Accountants by creating incredible processes and cutting-edge methods to increasing capacity. This is one you donât want to miss!
We have a very special guest on our podcast today. Alan Miltz is a co-author of the global best-selling book â Scaling Up by Verne Harnish. Alan is a renowned author and speaker who is dedicated to helping companies scale up their profits. His techniques and Optimist software have become a global standard and are used by 500 Global Banks and 30,000 businesses! The common theme in Alanâs business is to make the complex simple.
Daniel Moshe is a successful entrepreneur and renowned speaker. Daniel founded Tech Guru out of his dorm room during his freshman year of college!
Fast-forward to today, and Tech Guru has grown into a successful nationwide firm specializing in IT services ONLY for accounting firms. They are currently in âgrowth modeâ with the increased need for remote systems.
Carrie and Sean have some great insights to the process of owning, hiring, training, and working remotely in a virtual world that may be new to many. They were the owners of Gnarlybooks.ca and managed a team of 14 remotely throughout Canada. They operated a full-service cloud-based bookkeeping and accounting firm with the fundamental concept of âHelping Moreâ. With this belief, all decisions, operations, and approaches were based on this core philosophy at GnarlyBooks. This certainly pertains to employee retention, motivation, and engagement as much as it pertained to both customer satisfaction and business growth.
Please join us for an enlightening and light-hearted podcast with Peter Margaritis. Peter is also known as âThe Accidental Accountant.â He is a CPA, author, podcast host, world renowned speaker and âChief EDUtainment Officer.â Listen in to learn how you can incorporate improv with your business. It is especially useful when you need to get the creative ideas from your team out on the table AND tighten up those bonds while working remotely.
This podcast is definitely worth your time especially now as tax season is ramping up! Ed gives some great advice for streamlining and saving time during tax season.
We recorded this podcast with Ed Mendlowitz in January of this year. This podcast episode was full of so many great tax season tips, we decided to share again. It will help you get ready for any tax season! Ed brings a ton of experience and understanding for accountants, we know you will enjoy.
Brannon recently had the pleasure of being a guest on David Sprayâs IC-DISC show podcast. Listen in for a candid recap about ideal clients, accounting practice values, financing of accounting practices, and the biggest misconceptions about buying and selling accounting practices.
Did you know that currently in the U.S., only about 10% of firms are cloud-based; whereas in Australia and New Zealand the rate is around 50%? Also, did you know that cloud firms typically sell for much higher multiples than traditional firms? Why is that?
Listen in on Brannonâs conversation with Ben Richmond, who is the Vice President of Business Growth for the accounting software company Xero to learn more.
This week, Brannon sat down with Anna Liotta for a podcast you DO NOT want to miss! This isnât your typical accounting podcast, as they discuss generational differences in the workplace and the importance of understanding them to run a successful company. No wonder Fortune 500 companies keep bringing Anna back to talk about generational codes and the large impact they make on a businessâ success!
If you are thinking about modernizing your firm, you donât want to miss this podcast. Brannon recently sat down with Tate Henshaw to discuss the ins and outs of transitioning a traditional firm over to a cloud-based firm.
Tate led the charge transitioning Polay+Clark from server to cloud, which led to his current position at Xero as a local ambassador in the Atlanta area, sharing insights from his experience running a cloud-based practice. Tate was also recently named a 2019 â40 under 40 Honoreeâ by CPA Practice Advisor.
Blake Oliver is our latest guest to sit down for a conversation with Brannon. Blake is an entrepreneur, accountant, writer and speaker who specializes in cloud accounting technology. He is the Director of Product Marketing for FloQast. In 2016 and 2017, he was named a â40 Under 40â in the accounting profession by CPA Practice Advisor. I had the pleasure of meeting Blake and David at a CalCPA event to celebrate new licensees. Blake recently became a CPA. Listen to the podcast to gain more insight into how Blake created and sold his cloud-based accounting practice.
Jason Ding is our latest guest to sit down for a conversation with Brannon. Jason is a young practice owner who purchased his CPA firm in the Vancouver, BC area through Poe Group Advisors in 2018. Jason is the proud owner of Jason Ding, CPA Inc., which provides accounting, tax and consulting services. Whatâs really interesting about his story is just how heâs grown his CPA firm since purchasing. He made some very bold moves! Listen in to find out how he went about driving exponential growth.
Many of you we presume are already familiar with Ron Baker because he truly is a trailblazer in the accounting industry. If this if your first time hearing Ron speak, then you are in a for a real treat!
Ron is essentially the father of âvalue-pricingâ in the accounting world. We could not be more excited to share his and Brannonâs conversation with you. In 1989 he first began switching from charging for time (billable hours) to charging fixed prices for value delivered.
Brannon recently had an enlightening conversation with Amy Vetter. Listen in on their conversation about work life balance, which helps create a more productive work-force and a more productive you. Amy Veter is a CPA, author, teacher, public speaker and yoga studio owner. In this podcast, Amy gives us insight into the contentment she feels in business and life by living a purposeful, mindful, relaxing and productive life. We highly recommend you listen to the business and life advice Vetter has to contribute in this podcast.
Shannon is the Vice President of lending for accounting and tax professionals at Live Oak Bank. He can provide loans in all 50 states of the US. He was recruited to launch the accounting and tax vertical in 2017 after successfully launching a similar program at another top 25 SBA lender. Shannon has over two decades of banking experience and has worked in a number of small business initiatives. He spent the beginning part of his career in the special assets group of a niche lending division at one of the nationâs largest banks, assisting in the sale of professional practices. This knowledge helps him understand the importance of the deal flow and striving to always keep the deal moving forward. As well, he is committed to the accounting profession, attending all major accounting trade shows annually, meeting with industry experts and constantly staying in front of trends in the accounting world. To learn more, please visit the Live Oak/Poe Group landing page.
Rita is a nationally known CPA firm management consultant, speaker and author. She has been repeatedly named to Accounting Todayâs list of Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. CPA Practice Advisor has also named Keller one of The Most Powerful Women in Accounting. Keller confers with some of the most respected consultants to the CPA profession. These relationships allow her to maintain a keen sense of what CPA firms are facing nationwide.
Ryan shares on this podcast how he started his completely cloud-based firm and how there was originally a good deal of push back from other CPAs. He had a revolutionary vision to create not just good client service, but to create an incredible client experience. He also wanted a fun workplace for himself and his workforce that allowed for flexibility and required less of the aspects of the accounting business that he found mundane. Ryan succeeded.
Blockchain Technology has the potential to make a big impact in the financial industry. Find out the major concepts behind how it works and get a better understanding of it's possible uses.
Brannon recently sat down with Joanne Black, Americaâs leading authority on referral selling. A captivating speaker and innovative seminar leader, Joanne is changing the definition of rainmaker. Referral selling generates revenue faster than any other business development method, while decreasing costs, eliminating the competition, and gaining new clients more than 50% of the time.
Danetha Doe is the creator of Money & Mimosas and host of the Future of Accounting podcast. Named a millennial thought leader by the Hong Kong Institute of CPA's and a next-generation accountant by Quickbooks, Danethaâs blog and podcast reaches thousands of millennials and accountants eager for advice on how to create financial independence.
Learn how David decided to focus on workflow, a particular pain point for most accounting owners.
Chris Sloan's philosophy on law is very much aligned with Poe Group Advisors' experience in helping clients with the purchase and sale of CPA firms. Learn how a concise contract can save you time, money and frustration on both sides of the agreement without sacrificing legal protection.
A conversation between Brannon Poe and Drew Keasler about Drewâs purchase of a CPA practice and subsequent growth.
Penny Fair co-founded Ashgrove Learning to help accountants in public practice in Canada with practice management and professional development. She and Brannon discuss a wide range of topics including the value of mentorship, quality control, and staff training.
Listen in and youâll hear some great tips for developing smoother and more profitable tax seasons. You can tell by listening to Ed that he has a wealth of knowledge and experience at making tax season not only more profitable, but more fun as well. Regardless of how many tax seasons youâve been in practice, there is something in this recording for everyone. For most owners of accounting practices, tax season provides your bread and butter. Why not find out how to gear up for your next one!
Allen started his practice in the basement of his family home with only a handful of clients and has grown it into a multi-partner office with about 30,000 square feet of office space.
Sloan group has created an interesting business model for entrepreneurial accountants to work together. It all started when they ended up renting an office that was a lot bigger than they needed at the time.
Believe it or not, there is actually a company that focuses exclusively on building websites for accountants. Listen to our exciting conversation with Matt Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Bizink. Matt has some amazing insights on marketing for accountants and has helped many firms become incredible online.
I recently reached out to Bill Sheridan to talk about social media for accountants. Bill is the creator and co-author of one of the âtop accounting blogsâ in the United States- CPA Success. Bill speaks regularly to accountants on the strategic uses of social media and the future of communication in his role as chief communications officer of the Maryland Association of CPAâs. All of Billâs socializing has made him one of the top accounting influencers in the world today. Listen in to learn how social media can make a difference for you.
Jeff is one of todayâs leading âLeadership & Marketing Strategists.â He is the Author of more than 20 books, four best sellers, Publisher of PERFORMANCE/P360 Magazine, Co-Host of the national business entrepreneur program on Catalyst Business Radio, and Human Capital Developer for more than twenty years with Jeff Magee. Listen in our lively conversation.