smartpros net advances 44%, to $2.2 million, for year
net revenue up 22%, net income up 44%, operating profit up 44% over fiscal 2006
it’s good to see my old friends at smartpros doing well and still on a roll…. read more →
here’s what you’re looking for: 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
survey results: how to fire a client
response to our article, “four reasons to fire a client today: turn problems into profits,†has been brisk.
practically every accountant has at least one client they wish they didn’t. and about two-thirds of accountants are doing something about it — by firing a client within the last year. every practitioner may have a different threshold for pain, but few don’t have at least one “client from hell†story. and just as many have some advice for colleagues.
here are the initial results from our survey, how to fire a client…
tax season gets off to smooth start
cpas report fewer glitches, improved business results.
benchmark your business; join the busy season survey.
by rick telberg
despite last-minute changes to the tax code and an emergency economic stimulus package… despite critical staffing shortages and late or unprepared clients… despite all that, busy season 2008 appears to be going better and smoother for most accountants. so far, anyway.
in my soundings of the profession, cpas are generally telling me that they are less harried and that business is generally as good or better so far this busy season as compared to the same period in 2007.
in all key gauges — revenues, profits, volume and stress-accountants are reporting a smoother, better and healthier busy season. read more →
melancon reports gains in cpa license mobility
“we’ve made more progress in the last 18 months in this area than in the last 120 years,” says barry melancon (pictured), president and ceo of the aicpa.
mobility bills have been enacted in 12 states and legislation is pending in 22 others, melancon tells webcpa. seven states — illinois, indiana, louisiana, maine, rhode island, tennessee and texas — approved mobility legislation in 2007, and new mexico enacted it this year. meanwhile, bills in washington state, idaho and utah are awaiting signatures.
3 things never to say to lgbt coworkers
pricewaterhousecoopers’ stephanie peel is an american success story.
peel, a cpa with pwc for over 17 years, now serves on the firm’s lgbt-partner advisory board, which consists of a dozen leaders in the firm who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and provides guidance to the management committee to help further advance initiatives and activities.
at pricewaterhousecoopers, an acknowledged leader in diversity initiatives, peel is a managing director in the pwc assurance practice specializing in sarbanes-oxley section 404 compliance.
read more →
eight ground rules for your next partner retreat
annual leadership meetings are a hallmark of well-managed, growth-oriented cpa firms.
but they need to be handled properly, or they’ll become a waste of time or worse.
jack hinsche (pictured), managing partner of windes & mcclaughry in long beach, calif., provides some ground rules:
- the opening presentation should articulate a clear purpose for the retreat.
- begin and end at the prescribed times.
- have open and honest communication, with participation a requirement.
- attendance is mandatory, with “very limited” exceptions for emergencies or important family events.
- commit to a “firm first” mentality.
- maintain a positive attitude for the retreat.
- develop and commit to personal follow-up assignments.
- deal with conflict as part of the process.
“when we first had a retreat our revenue was well under $1 million and now we’re over $60 million,” says managing partner ivan brown (pictured), of red bank, n.j.-based withumsmith+brown. “the annual retreat has been a key component to our success and stability of the partner group.”
buying or selling an accounting practice?
how to avoid becoming another horror story
at some point, every cpa firm owner considers buying another practice or dreams about life after cashing out. this month’s california cpa magazine covers the issue well, with expert advice and experiences from john ezell, brenda calkins, and joe kovar.
here’s a gem from kovar worth remembering: “whatever your reason may be to buy a practice, one thing to keep in mind is patience.”
full article here… read more →
always-on cpas demand better connectivity
mobile cpas clamor for upgrades to stay competitive. join the conversation. take the survey. get the answers.
by rick telberg
for the finance executive
mark hodell, director of audit and management services at a manufacturer of furniture and electronic assemblies in jasper, ind., spends up to 10 hours a week working from outside his company’s offices. and he’s quite pleased that he can.
like many other accountants working in business and industry, hodell rates the ability to work out of the office as an important ingredient in a achieving both a successful career and happy home life. he relies on a smartphone-the souped-up, e-mail-equipped version of the no-frills traditional cellphone-to increase his personal productivity, improve communication with colleagues, and balance his work life and personal life. he says it “allows more flexibility in your life.” read more →
how to get smart about your charts in three easy steps
excel, smartdraw show why a picture is worth a thousand numbers.
rick telberg
for hewlett packard
many of today’s reports contain large numbers of business graphics. that’s a good thing; after all, the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words is especially true when it comes to conveying numbers.
unfortunately, while finance and accounting professionals are usually quite comfortable with tables of figures, they often aren’t quite as facile when it comes to the pictorial representation of those figures.
creating charts from microsoft excel or in powerpoint is pretty much a matter of highlighting the data and clicking on the chart icon, which launches the microsoft chart system. for many users, that’s the beginning and the end of the process. the result is a chart, but not necessarily one that reflects well on you or your firm.
here are a three pointers on how to spice up your business graphics: read more →
can’t live without broadband?
you don’t have to with evdo or hsdpa in your laptop.
by rick telberg
for hewlett packard
technology moves along at an ever-accelerating clip. five years ago, broadband internet connectivity was something special, and was slowly taking over from dial-up. today, it is almost ubiquitous. if you are still using dial-up, it’s because there are few or no broadband options in your area. read more →
mint.com raises $12 million
the online upstart challenger to quicken seems to be gathering momentum.
here’s their media release, hot off the pr wire… read more →
rebates complicate tax season
three details clients won’t understand
if trish mcintire’s experience is any indication, tax practitioners could face some exasperation this busy season explaining the rules of rebate checks to clients.
“a lot of taxpayers are going to get a surprise when they get their rebate check,” says trish (pictured), an enrolled agent and 20-year veteran, “and they won’t like it. i may have to hide out somewhere come may to save my sanity.” read more →
q&a: john ezell on m&a trends for cpa firms
merger-and-acquisition activity appears to be quickening for smaller firms.
but the credit meltdown and a looming recession are clouding the long-term picture, according to one of the profession’s leading brokers.
john r. ezell (pictured), cpa, is the president of prohorizons, a national brokerage and consulting firm specializing in the acquisition, sale, and merger of accounting and tax practices. john has advised hundreds of clients in the merger and acquisition of accounting and tax firms since founding 
the company in 1995. he is the principal author of the book, “successful practice sales: the complete guide to buying, selling or merging your accounting, consulting or tax practice.”
q: how’s the market for firm mergers today?
ezell: the market is as strong as ever. there seems to be a larger supply of firm owners thinking of selling for many of the same reasons they have done so in the past — retirement, burnout, other business read more →