in 1994, in a small hotel meeting room in colorado springs, 50 accounting firms were up in arms when the presenter mentioned quickbooks. they shouted angry comments: “quickbooks is destroying my business.” “they want to take my clients.” “they are giving people a false sense of security with their commercials that say, ‘if you can write a check, you can do quickbooks.’”
the presenter was nervous and asked me what he was to do. i said i use quickbooks for your company, and i have no idea what i am doing, and i could use an accountant to teach me.
will hill is the founder and owner of will hill consults, llc, a coaching and consulting firm serving the tax and accounting profession. he has been serving the tax and accounting community since 2001.
the pace of change in the tax and accounting profession has increased dramatically in the last 20 years. some change, such as regulatory change, is forced. other forms of change, such as technology change, is imperative to make. but when it comes to making changes to your client engagement strategy, that choice is yours. i have not spoken to a firm owner yet over the past half decade who hasn’t had at least one significant change to their practice during that time. many have gone through multiple changes per year.
but just because you have gone through changes to your practice doesn’t mean you’ll be more successful. so, when we look at firms that have navigated change successfully to make a positive impact on their business, what sets them apart? they have one thing in common: they make “a pact” for success. read more →
in the next 36 months or so, nearly half of accounting leaders could find themselves labeled as legacy problems. that’s the stark prediction in the latest episode of accounting influencers, where host rob brown unpacks how private equity is fundamentally reshaping the rules of leadership, authority, and influence in the profession.
as private equity (pe) firms continue to invest heavily in accounting, they’re accelerating transformation—and not everyone is keeping up. “this is not just about writing big checks,” says brown. “it’s a power shift that rewards adaptability, speed, and strategic boldness over patience and technical seniority.”
i have lost count of how many accountants have told me this over the years. but i also learned that what they really mean is that they do not have a well-defined, structured “sales process.”
this post is not about fundamental sales skills. that is beyond our scope. this is more about how to develop and execute your client accounting services sales process, pitch and supporting collaterals that can help get you more cas sales. read more →
there’s no doubt that advancements in technology are changing the world, and the accounting industry is no exception. technology is making us more productive, more efficient and more connected.
on the flip side, it’s also taking over some of our jobs. this is a reality in the accounting industry that we cannot ignore. technology is driving major changes for the future of the accounting world. we need to be aware of what’s happening and take strategic steps to advance along with these changes. otherwise, we are going to be left in the dust. read more →
differentiation, confidence, and connection can transform firms.
this is a preview. the complete video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to pro members | go pro here
sponsored by “it’s not just the numbers: how to move beyond the numbers and deliver real value for your clients.” by penny breslin and damien greathead. see today’s special offer
capstone conversations
by jean caragher
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
bonnie buol ruszczyk, founder of bbr companies and one of the accounting profession’s most respected marketing strategists, joined jean caragher for a compelling episode of capstone conversations—this time as a newly inducted member of the association for accounting marketing hall of fame.
ruszczyk, who was also named aam’s volunteer of the year in 2014 and has made accounting today’s top 100 and cpa practice advisor’s most powerful women in accounting lists, spoke candidly about how far marketing has come in accounting—and how far it still needs to go.
“accounting marketers bring a perspective to firm strategy that many partners don’t have,” she says. “it’s not just about brochures and branding—it’s about growth strategy, mergers, business development, and client alignment.”
let’s talk about leadership – the type of leadership necessary to drive an organization to become a standout, high-performing organization. although many of the principles are applicable to any middle-market organization, i have focused on professional service firms and within that, accounting firms where i spent my entire career.
every firm, every firm leader, every partner, and every team member can stand out and be a top performer. it’s a choice and a commitment to excel.
throughout my career, i have worked with some fabulous standout organizations, some that were just improving a little each year and some that could not get out of their own way. i have worked with many leaders who consistently drove their organizations to excellence and significant growth in revenue and profits outperforming most in their industry.
i started to wonder, was there one factor that these standout organizations all shared?
many entrepreneurs struggle with letting go of control. it’s natural – this practice is your baby! but micromanaging or failing to properly delegate will squander your investment in a new hire and frustrate both of you. here’s how to build a team that actually lightens your load:
delegate effectively: delegation is not throwing a task over the fence and hoping for the best. it involves clear instructions, the right resources and appropriate authority given. when you delegate, be explicit about the outcome you expect, any important parameters, and deadlines. for example: “please reconcile client x’s bank accounts for september and october and note any discrepancies or unusual items for my review by friday.” provide context too: “they had an issue last month with a missing deposit, so keep an eye out for that.” as your team member proves themselves, you can delegate in broader strokes. early on, check in periodically (but try not to hover). think of delegation as a skill you practice – you’ll get better at it over time.
today’s bissett bullet: “if an accountant were to give a sales professional a half-day course on accountancy, how competent would the sales professional be in accounting? now reverse that scenario.”
by martin bissett
you learn as much about how to grow your client base in a half-day training course as i learn about credits and debits in the same timescale. you took four years, at least, to get the qualifications and letters after your name that you have now got. treat sales with the same level of respect. it is also a profession; it is also not mastered in half a day. invest accordingly.
today’s to-do:
take a look at how much support your fee-earning people in the firm have had in the last 12 months on understanding the process of sale, and then invest in more support.
emerging professionals and a gen x cfo explore mentorship, curiosity, and why success no longer wears a suit and tie.
sponsored by “it’s not just the numbers: how to move beyond the numbers and deliver real value for your clients.” by penny breslin and damien greathead. see today’s special offer
when you think of accounting, do you picture spreadsheets and number crunchers locked in back offices? think again.
in a special student-led edition of the accounting arc podcast, high school senior and center for accounting transformation intern arpan grewal joins college accounting student chayton farlee and seasoned professional nealy wheat, cae, sphr, for an energetic and thoughtful conversation about the changing face of accounting—and what it means to succeed today.
wheat, who serves as chief financial and administrative officer of the american society for nondestructive testing (asnt), shares hard-won career wisdom and personal stories to inspire the next generation. but this isn’t your typical “how i made it” narrative. instead, listeners are treated to an open dialogue about failure, growth, curiosity, and the power of building your network early.
“success is not a straight line,” wheat says. “it’s a lattice of opportunities, setbacks, and mentors.” read more →
tax guru art werner doesn’t pull punches—and when it comes to the state and local tax (salt) deduction limits in the proposed “big beautiful bill,” he’s sounding the alarm for tax pros across the country.
“this was the one area under the tax cuts and jobs act that had the most screaming going on,” werner says, referencing the uproar he witnessed during live lectures in high-tax states like new york and california. “they were really angry.”
while early rumors suggested the salt cap might rise dramatically—perhaps even to $40,000—the current proposal sets the limit at $30,000 for married filing jointly and $15,000 for married filing separately, tripling the current $10,000 cap. that might sound like a win… until you read the fine print.
if you recently passed the cpa exam, bar or other professional designation, congratulations. you put a lot of work and time into learning about the technical aspect of your profession.
unfortunately, what they didn’t teach you is how to build a professional practice, gain clients and understand client needs. these talents are just as important as being a good auditor, tax consultant or management consultant. read more →
the accounting profession will never resemble an automotive production line, perhaps for no other reason than we don’t look good in steel-toed boots. we’ll never be widget producers and, from my viewpoint, that’s a good thing. however, our position among the professional class shouldn’t blind us to the benefits of standardizing many of our services.
anyone who has been an accountant for any length of time has certainly seen enough to eliminate the need to reinvent the wheel every time they start a new engagement. an entire firm has even more institutional knowledge to draw from. you can develop reliable and repeatable recipes for different services and deliverables by capturing this institutional knowledge. this is standardization, and it makes your service offerings more efficient, cheaper, consistent and predictable – all good business practices. you’ll be able to predict with better accuracy the time frames required for new projects, and you’ll be able to scope out exactly what will be required to bring the project to a successful conclusion. read more →
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