firm culture is a term that is frequently used and often taken for granted. assuming that your culture matches the firm’s stated goals isn’t wise, nor is considering the culture to be static and unchanging.
to create and maintain a firm culture that delivers positive results and brings team members together to work toward a common cause, you must take action to ensure that the many elements contributing to an engaging, positive firm culture are all working to create concrete manifestations of the culture you desire to see. read more →
jamie lopiccolo, the managing member of a small midwest firm, has been employing a subscription-based model for more than four years to invoice clients for services rendered. in addition to positioning the cpa as the client’s partner for success, it also encourages those who employ the system to provide maximum value in each client interaction, rather than focusing on getting as much money or billable hours as possible. catch another conversation with lopiccolo here: sell service, not hours.
the approach is to both manage expectations by the client and ensure a normalized cash flow for the firm. additional benefits include a more strategic approach to dealing with new clients because they are getting the full picture of their business’s needs.
there is no one right way to effectively network. you can join boards, attend conferences and sign onto various electronic forums, among other ways. no matter how you decide to get yourself out there, the critical factor is the approach you take. asking others, “how may i help you?” is the positive, proactive way to establish relationships.
you as the networker are seeking to build a relationship. if the other person or group benefits from your effort, think of it as an investment for the future. if you are looking for an immediate quid pro quo, it will become transparent to the other party. when you offer assistance, be authentic and sincere in your words and actions. follow through on your promises. read more →
now that everyone has (hopefully) had time to recover, there are four important steps to take to help next tax season go as smooth as possible
by christopher hayden
managing partner, hayden nelson & yoder
christopher hayden, cpa, cma, cgma is the managing partner of hayden nelson & yoder, a cpa firm based in pennsylvania, at hnycpas.com.
to avoid sugar-coating it, tax season is stressful. long work hours, back-and-forth with clients and mountains of documents can keep accounting professionals in the office for 20 or more additional hours each week. and this tax season felt extra-stressful with all the tax law changes, not to mention explaining to clients who had huge capital gains why they owed taxes.
but once the busy tax season is over, it’s time to review processes and take action to help the remainder of the year go smoothly.
make sure to give team members a pat on the back, especially if it’s their first time going through the madness of tax season or they went above and beyond this year.
however, once everyone has recovered enough, it’s time to go through the following steps: read more →
cpa firms often believe the most crucial part of negotiations to close a deal happens at the final stage of talks. but in order to have a satisfactory conclusion, you must set the tone at the beginning stage with an honest and forthcoming discussion based on mutual benefit – with an underpinning of respect and trust.
for young professionals, it is never too early to evaluate your negotiation aptitude. think about this as a process with key milestones. this gives you the chance to make modifications along the way and to avoid the last-minute pressures of bargaining that can remove the advantages you have created. adhering to a game plan will reduce the chances of objections from the other party, or even worse, the backing out of an arrangement that you considered to be a “lock.” this can be applied to discussions involving a promotion or a pay increase. read more →
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