Growing Your Firm | Strategies for Accountants, CPA's, Bookkeepers , and Tax Professionals

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, brought to you by Jetpack Workflow, host David Cristello welcomes back Geni Whitehouse, founder of The Impactful Advisor and Information Technology Alliance (ITA) president, who specializes in the wine industry. Geni, also known as the Countess of Communication and author of "How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting: 52 Ways Even a Nerd Can Be Heard," discusses the latest trends in her membership base, the importance of niche advisory services, and effective communication strategies. Join us as we explore insights into talent acquisition and dive deep into various industry-specific challenges and opportunities. The listener will learn about the book "How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting" and the author's journey from being a tax professional to finding ways to resonate with clients and deliver value. They will also learn about leveraging humor, embracing unique qualities, improving communication skills, transitioning to advisory roles, and addressing challenges in the accounting industry.

Today's episode features Samantha Santaniello, partner at R.S.K Tax & Consulting. Samantha discusses the importance of setting boundaries to manage time effectively as a business owner. Host David Cristello explores topics like systems and processes for scaling a firm, balancing work and family life, and utilizing AI transcription tools. Tune in to gain insights on optimizing workflow and achieving work-life balance in the accounting industry. The listener will learn about setting boundaries, systems and processes for scaling a firm, managing personal routines and juggling multiple responsibilities as a business owner and parent. They will also hear about the services provided by R.S.K Tax & Consulting, focusing on small business owners and real estate investors. The importance of tax planning and strategy for small business owners, real estate investors, and individuals will also be discussed, along with insights into building a successful business with a sibling and managing personal systems effectively. Additionally, the benefits of having a morning routine, utilizing an administrative assistant, and implementing tools like Jetpack Workflow for organization and task management will be highlighted. The episode will also cover the significance of building a great team, incorporating ideas from others, and utilizing digital assistants in virtual meetings.

Summary In this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Jordan Sublette, the CEO and founder of Cloud Accounting Staffing. Jordan shares his journey of building and selling his firm, and dives into the world of outsourcing talent. They discuss the challenges of talent crunches and how Jordan navigated through them. Tune in to gain insights on building a successful firm and leveraging outsourcing effectively. What you'll learn The listener will learn about the journey of Jordan Sublette, CEO and founder of Cloud Accounting Staffing, including building his firm, outsourcing talent, structuring a sale, and navigating the world of outsourcing.

In this insightful episode of the "Growing Your Firm" podcast, brought to you by Jetpack Workflow, host David Cristello is joined by special guest Adam Lean, CEO and co-founder of The CFO Project. Adam shares his expertise on how accountants can go beyond traditional number-crunching by engaging with clients through meaningful conversations that resemble therapeutic sessions. By asking open-ended questions about clients' businesses and aspirations, accountants can foster a deeper connection and provide greater value. Adam also delves into the importance of CFO advisory services as a scalable way for accountants, CPAs, bookkeepers, and enrolled agents to grow their firms and increase their earnings. The episode discusses the rise of advisory services in the accounting industry, from integration in mid-market firms to adoption by smaller practices as a lucrative service offering. Listeners will learn about the importance of asking clients questions to get them talking, the benefits of adding CFO advisory services to accounting firms, and the current state of advisory services in the industry.

On this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Daniel Hood, the editor-in-chief of Accounting Today. With over two decades of experience in the industry, Daniel shares insights into the evolving trends in accounting firms and the push for advisory services. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the future of accounting and the role of technology in shaping the industry. The listener will learn about the evolution of accounting firms, advisory services, trends in the accounting profession, and the impact of AI on the industry.

On this episode of Growing Your Firm, David Cristello interviews Scotty Scarano, the self-titled wrapping custodian at Accounting High. Scotty, who is also the founder of a $2 million accounting firm and serves on various tech company boards, shares insights on OKRs and his rap career. Tune in to learn more about Scotty's journey and his unique approach to the accounting industry. The listener will learn about Scotty Scarano, his journey from rap to running a profitable firm, growth strategies, challenges faced, importance of trust in a team, holding employees accountable, saying no to certain opportunities, staying on the same page with team members, mindset of business owners when selling a firm, incentivizing growth, performing rap at accounting conferences, and OKR.

In this episode of the Growing Your Firm podcast, host David Cristello welcomes John Seiffer, a seasoned business owner and remote CEO, to discuss the concept of Output Thinking and its application in team management. John, a business coach and former president of the International Coach Federation, shares insights on how to make managing teams easier by focusing on visible, measurable outputs. The conversation touches on culture, values, and attitudes in a unique way, offering valuable perspectives for the audience. Tune in to learn how Output Thinking can transform the way you lead your team and firm. The listener will learn about the concepts of culture, values, and attitudes, and how to apply them to make managing a team easier. The importance of defining outputs for employees, creating processes, and investing in employee happiness will also be discussed.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, brought to you by Jetpack Workflow, host David Cristillo sits down with Tyler Winn, the founder and CEO of Cirrus Payroll. Tyler shares his journey of falling into the payroll business in 2012 and subsequently building a seven-figure firm that specializes in processing payroll for small businesses. Alongside running Cirrus Payroll, Tyler operates a coaching business for accountants called Payroll Profits (Formally, Winning with Payroll), where he debunks the myth that payroll services are inherently unprofitable and unpleasant to manage. He discusses the benefits of separating payroll services from an existing accounting firm, which can lead to a symbiotic relationship between the two entities and provides opportunities for cross-marketing services. The episode aims to help accounting firms understand how they can grow by incorporating payroll services and leveraging them as a strategic tool for expansion.

On this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Fred Tate, the Managing Director of CFO Shield. Fred discusses how CFO Shield takes a consultative approach to create tailored solutions for clients, offering fractional CFO services along with bookkeeping and payroll support. Fred also emphasizes the importance of understanding and meeting individual client needs, showcasing the unique approach of the firm. Tune in to learn more about how CFO Shield stands out in the industry and prioritizes client service. You will learn about the importance of connecting people together to create an ecosystem, launching a CFO firm, as well as how CFO Shield tailors solutions to specific client needs and provides a variety of services including bookkeeping and payroll.

Today on the Growing Your Firm Podcast, David Cristello sits down with guest Kane Polakoff, a principal client advisory services practice leader at CohnReznick. They delve into the world of client advisory services, discussing how to scale it, the tech stack involved, and the execution for high performance. Kane’s extensive experience working with various organizations in advisory capacities brings a wealth of knowledge to the conversation. Join them on this exciting journey into the realm of client advisory services. The listener will learn about client advisory services, scaling, tech stack, executing in a high-performance manner, focus on verticals, building proposals, collaborating with clients, communication, coordination, capacity building, API automation, financial metrics, resource allocation, talent crunch, and industry insights.

In this insightful episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello, founder and CEO of Jetpack Workflow, welcomes Tammy D. Little, CEO and founder of the FTC Group. The discussion centers around Tammy's journey from working as a controller/CFO for a large construction firm to launching her own firm, the FTC Group. Tammy shares her experiences in creating effective systems and processes for her business, as well as her strategies for team resourcing that includes both onshore and offshore components. Listeners will learn about the tools and technologies that Tammy and her remote team utilize to manage tasks for clients, such as using Loom for video instructions and Jetpack Workflow for task management and recurring job assignments. Tammy also recounts how a request from a tax accountant to help clean up a client's messy books led her to realize her passion for details and problem-solving, which ultimately sparked the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey. Join us as we explore Tammy's transition from full-time employment to entrepreneurship, her passion for fixing complex problems, and her commitment to developing a scalable, systemized approach to running a successful firm in the accounting and finance industry. This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. LiveFlow empowers you with flexible, powerful reporting tools to create customized dashboards that meet your specific needs. Connect to all your clients’ QuickBooks accounts and import their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time. Learn more and book your demo here.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, brought to you by Jetpack Workflow, host David Cristello interviews Jennifer Ryan, the owner of Bookkeeping Direct. Jenny shares her journey from initially joining the firm as a contractor to eventually buying the business in 2016. She highlights the company's impressive growth of 140% in the past year and discusses how the firm expanded its staff to four members. This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. LiveFlow empowers you with flexible, powerful reporting tools to create customized dashboards that meet your specific needs. Connect to all your clients’ QuickBooks accounts and import their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time. Learn more and book your demo here.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, David Cristello interviews Brad Schuchardt, founder of BTBK Accounting Services. Brad specializes in providing full-service accounting solutions to restaurants, offering accurate financial information and strategic business insight. They discuss Brad's journey into his niche, marketing strategies, and scaling up his firm. They also touch on the importance of building a strong team and partnerships. This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. LiveFlow empowers you with flexible, powerful reporting tools to create customized dashboards that meet your specific needs. Connect to all your clients’ QuickBooks accounts and import their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time. Learn more and book your demo here.

In this episode of the Growing Your Firm Podcast, host David Cristello interviews James E. Heyward, the principal at Heyward CPA. They dive into the world of technology and discuss the apps and tools that are working well for James' firm, as well as those that aren't. They also touch on the importance of using a support desk for client communication and setting expectations for response times. Tune in to learn about the marketing technology landscape and gain insights on how to optimize your firm's tech stack. This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. LiveFlow empowers you with flexible, powerful reporting tools to create customized dashboards that meet your specific needs. Connect to all your clients’ QuickBooks accounts and import their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time. Learn more and book your demo here.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Lisa Wolfson-Jones, owner and CPA at Mac-L Associates. Lisa shares the benefits of having client information ahead of meetings and how it helps create more effective discussions. They also discuss running a virtual firm and serving small businesses, particularly sole proprietors and entrepreneurs. Lisa launched Mac-L Associates in 2010, and they provide accounting services for small businesses and individuals. Tune in to learn more about Lisa's journey and insights for growing a successful accounting firm. This episode is sponsored by LiveFlow. LiveFlow empowers you with flexible, powerful reporting tools to create customized dashboards that meet your specific needs. Connect to all your clients’ QuickBooks accounts and import their financial reports from QuickBooks into Google Sheets in no time. Learn more and book your demo here.

Pawel Brzeminski is the founder and CEO of Snap Projections. Pawel has achieved great success in launching, growing, and successfully exiting his company. He has a strong ethos of reaching acquisition scale and shares insights on the unexpected process of getting acquired. In this episode, host David Cristello interviews Pawel Brzeminski, the founder and CEO of Snap Projections. Pawel shares his journey of launching, growing, and successfully exiting his company. He discusses why he chose not to raise money from venture capitalists and instead opted for an acquisition. Pawel also provides insights into the process of reaching a scale where the company becomes an acquisition target and shares his experiences afterward. Tune in to learn from Pawel's story and his successful arc with Snap Projections.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Trina Rozen, owner of Trina Rozen CPA. They discuss various topics, including unique ways Trina has structured her firm, pricing strategies, making tax prep profitable, and her opinions on the coaching community. Trina shares insights on dealing with challenging clients and finding success as a solo practitioner in South Pasadena, California. Tune in for an entertaining and informative conversation. In this episode, we talk about Trina’s experiences with tax preparation and running her firm. But we also dive into some of the following topics: The benefits of offering 1040 tax services as a CPA Her approach to managing workload during tax season The importance of having a well-organized workflow process Dealing with weird returns and customer service challenges Acquiring and integrating firms Considerations when buying CPA firms Using Jetpack for technology workflow Challenges of tax season and client organization

In this episode of the Growing Your Firm podcast, host David Cristello interviews Stephanie Mack, the founder of Account Mobility, a fully remote accounting practice. Stephanie shares her insights on how she's positioning her practice for growth, particularly in the area of tax advisory and tax prep. She discusses the importance of workflow automation and software in streamlining accounting processes and talks about the increasing number of CPAs and EAs retiring, creating opportunities for her practice. Tune in to learn more about Stephanie's unique approach to growth and her perspective on the future of the accounting industry.

In this episode of Growing Your Firm, host David Cristello interviews Deneen Dias, Vice President of Growth and Strategic Partnerships at Botkeeper. Daneen shares her expertise in helping top firms undergo digital transformation and discusses the world of CAS (Client Accounting Services). She also delves into the definition of CAS, where to start, and how to successfully implement and scale up CAS. Additionally, she explores the implications of AI in building CAS teams.

In this episode, host David Cristillo interviews Melissa Miranda, a certified public accountant and owner of Step-by-Step Accounting. They discuss the importance of preparing for maternity leave as a business owner and how to structure your team and workflow. Whether it's maternity leave or any other extended absence, Melissa shares valuable insights on setting up processes that can be applied across the board. Tune in to learn how to effectively manage time away from your business. In this episode, you will learn about Melissa Miranda's experience preparing for maternity leave as a business owner, including the challenges and strategies involved. You will also learn about the structure and services offered by Melissa's accounting firm, Step-by-Step Accounting. Additionally, the episode discusses the use of a recruiter to fill a senior role, the organizational structure and change management strategies of Step-by-Step Accounting, the speaker's pricing strategy, and recommended books for business owners.