Growing Your Firm | Strategies For Accountants, Cpa's, Bookkeepers , And Tax Professionals

Ingrid is a bookkeeping nerd and CEO of Polymath. She loves taking a topic that most small business owners put on a scale from boring to terrifying and turning it into a fun and rewarding part of entrepreneurship. Ingrid is the creator of the Ask A Bookkeeper puppet show, founder of the Southern Oregon Bookkeepers Association, and leader of the Southern Oregon Woodard Group. Ingrid started Polymath in 2008, and jumped right into being a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor at that time. Since then she has taken “bookkeeping nerd” to the next level, by always staying on the cutting edge of the industry and teaching our accounting colleagues how to do the same.  Ingrid always enjoys taking on big projects, learning new things, and helping others get organized and on the road to success… especially when it involves puppets. (If you don’t enjoy it, what’s the point!) Ingrid has experience as treasurer for non-profit organizations, and she is a founding member of the Southern Oregon Bookkeepers Association, an organi

Debbie is the owner of Behind the Scenes Financial Services, consultant to the sleeter group and a Quickbooks Proadvisor.  In this latest Grow Your Firm podcast, Debbie shares what she believes are the keys to your success that leads to your clients’ success: Thinking proactively and not reactively A guide to profitability How time is a profit center Improving the client relationship …and so much more!  

Chad Ridner is the President of TwoRoads, a bookkeeping and tax company that relieves the burden and mystery of bookkeeping and tax, empowering business owners to clearly focus on what they’re most passionate about and what they do best.

Quick question... if you were to count up the number of services you provide, how many could you list?  Many firm owners get stuck in the trap offering "me too" services that end up costing a significant amount time, only to find out that the profit margin is never increasing ...    Today's guest found a different way, which was to also introduce CFO level services for many of their clients.    In this exclusive interview,  we sat down with Steven Byler & Dan Gertudes, Partners at GrowthLab, where we discussed How To Ditch The Basic Accounting Services And Become An Outsourced CFO Firm.

Chet is the Managing Partner at Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk& Loyd, LLC (SJHL), a full-service accounting firm inMcPherson, Hutchinson, and Wichita KS. We work with individuals andbusinesses in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture,medical practitioners, school districts, cities & counties,among others. We are told by our clients that they prefer to workwith us because we genuinely care about their success and see thebig picture. SJHL was established in 1936 and I joined in 2006 as an accountant,was admitted as partner in 2011 and became Managing Partner in2014. My primary responsibilities include performing businessadvisory services, business valuations, individual & corporateincome tax, and working with closely held businesses to help themget where they want to be.

At GMLCPA, I’m helping businesses like yours make better decisions and move ahead faster. You see, competing in a global marketplace isn’t easy. It takes expertise and in-depth analysis to ensure you’re making the most of every opportunity. And that’s just the beginning. If you’re wearing the hat of a CFO, you know how quickly it can take you out of your leadership role. That’s why, here at GMLCPA you can benefit from our Part-time or Virtual CFO services. That’s right. Whether you are a small or mid-sized business, you can bundle CFO Services into a monthly package or as stand-alone consulting services. Imagine having a C-Level executive without the added payroll costs. You’d receive the feedback and guidance you need on your terms. This means, help navigating complex business systems and practices. But that’s not all. GMLCPA offers you outsourced accounting and business consulting. Now, you can get the help you need, when you want it. It really is the answer you’ve been looking for. Here’s the kicker. O

At GMLCPA, I’m helping businesses like yours make better decisions and move ahead faster. You see, competing in a global marketplace isn’t easy. It takes expertise and in-depth analysis to ensure you’re making the most of every opportunity. And that’s just the beginning. If you’re wearing the hat of a CFO, you know how quickly it can take you out of your leadership role. That’s why, here at GMLCPA you can benefit from our Part-time or Virtual CFO services. That’s right. Whether you are a small or mid-sized business, you can bundle CFO Services into a monthly package or as stand-alone consulting services. Imagine having a C-Level executive without the added payroll costs. You’d receive the feedback and guidance you need on your terms. This means, help navigating complex business systems and practices. But that’s not all. GMLCPA offers you outsourced accounting and business consulting. Now, you can get the help you need, when you want it. It really is the answer you’ve been looking for. Here’s the kicker. O

In this episode, we explore: Why You Would Want to Leave a Traditional CPA Firm Why the Billable Hour Model Does Not Work Change the Way You Do Business Focus on Quality and Not Quantity Jay Holmes is a Partner at BlueBack Accounting

Paula joined Beaird Harris in 1991 and became a shareholder in 2002. She works extensively with start-up companies and small businesses, specializing in working with physicians, dentists, attorneys, franchises, and sales companies. Paula is active in our wealth management business and has a passion for helping our clients achieve financial independence. With her extensive tax background, she works to merge financial planning goals with integrated tax strategies to achieve maximum financial results and tax savings. Paula also oversees the Firm's internship program and staff hiring and takes great pride in finding and retaining great Beaird Harris team members. Paula is a 1992 graduate of Texas A&M University and became a CPA in 1994. She is a licensed Investment Advisory Representative, as well as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Texas Society of CPAs. She is also an active volunteer and serves on her church finance board of directors.

Joel Sinkin is the President of Transition Advisors, LLC., a firm that exclusively consults on Mergers & Acquisitions for public accounting firms. He is an expert in practice evaluation, succession planning and transaction structure. He has personally overseen 900+ transaction closings of accounting firms since 1990 and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting from 2012 - 2015 by Accounting Today. He has worked with firms of all sizes from sole proprietors to large regional and international firms. He consults on internal and external succession planning and provides complete transaction support including valuations, alternative deal structures, documentation, due diligence and transitional issues regarding partners, staff and clients. Transition Advisors is dedicated to working exclusively with accounting firms nationwide to: • Develop and execute strategies to expand through mergers and acquisitions • Identify objectives and create unique methods to facilitate retirement and o

About his recent presentation at DigitalCPA:  The sale is complete and now you have to ensure the client stays excited about working with your firm. How long does it take to onboard a client? Who should be involved? How do you get the client to change to your processes and tools without overwhelming them with change? What are the systematized steps to onboarding? These questions, and others, will be discussed in this session.  About Robert:  Robert came to CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) in November 2014 transitioning over from a current outsourcing client of the firm. Robert has experience with several prestigious non-profits & higher education institutions in the Washington, D.C. area such as: the University Professional & Continuing Education Association, the American Physical Therapy Association, Georgetown University, & the National Academies of Science & Medicine. Robert is currently front running the firm wide Bill.com Team for support & sales; he also provides support for severa

CEO/Principal Taxnologi Solutions, LLC Taxnologi provides effective and efficient solutions for all of your indirect tax compliance and consulting needs. With over 20 years of combined experience, we specialize in tax software consulting integration and implementations (Vertex, Sabrix, Taxware, etc.), transaction tax automation, state tax compliance (sales, use, and property), tax research, audit defense, and property tax services. We continually adapt to the ever changing world of tax law and accounting allowing us to remain on the cutting edge of tax technology.

Tim ShortsleeveCPA.CITPLess   “Focus, environment, results.”  Tim Shortsleeve creates high performing organizations with these three words.  Having worked with a diverse range of clients, Tim knows that audit, tax, and planning issues are the easy parts.   Tim digs deep to understand his clients and guide them through the process of building a more efficient, healthy organization.  It’s a collaborative process that yields results, trust, and positive momentum. Tim graduated from the State University of New York at Oswego in 1984, and spent the first decade of his career in the Rochester, NY offices of Price Waterhouse and a Rochester regional accounting firm.  In 1994 he became a partner with the firm Bonn, Shortsleeve & Co., and over the course of 15 years provided tax, audit, accounting and process improvement services to closely held businesses in the areas of manufacturing, construction, not-for-profit, retailing, health care, and high-tech service industries. Tim left the firm in 2010 and joined TYS

Sandra is a visionary leader who is gifted with the ability to tackle emerging as well as future challenges. She works with a sense of adventure, preferring to focus upon the most essential facts in order to grasp a "big picture" view of any situation. Sandra relies upon her creativity and inspiration to cut through complexity and devise timely solutions while following her instincts to "keep the ship moving" at all times (and improvising with precision when necessary to make sure that happens.) Sandra is a naturally gifted public speaker who is noted for the energy and excitement she brings to an audience. At the same time, she adds a personal touch that leaves individuals in the crowd with a sense that she is your friend. This ability to build relationships and project warmth makes Sandra especially effective at building great teams. She is a team player in her own right, offering her multi-tasking skills and a realistic viewpoint that can keep an agenda on track and people focused on the tasks at hand. S

On Dustin:    "The pioneer and industry expert in applying Lean Six Sigma, Project Management and Constraint Management principles within public accounting firms. Providing expert Master Black Belt consultation to professional service and transactional processes as well as to small and mid-size manufacturers. I focus on applying practical concepts with a plan that is uniquely customized to each organization. Real process change happens when you have a combination of the right tools, with the right faciliation and team leadership, utilizing practical improvement ideas. This helps to ensure more complete and timely buy in within the business to process changes. Specialties:Uniquely applying the concepts of Lean Six Sigma, Project Management and Constraint Management within professional service organizations. I help public accounting firms and other professional service organizations go beyond traditional productivity initiatives to drive real and lasting process changes to the organization. The innovative app

Director of Technology & Marketing HPC Accounting & Tax July 2015 – Present (3 months)Greater Los Angeles Area Design and implementation of accounting technology solutions internally and for clients. Putting that knowledge to good use marketing HPC's wide range of cloud solutions. Co-Founder & CEO Cloudsourced Accounting LLC January 2013 – June 2015 (2 years 6 months)Greater Los Angeles Area Grew an online bookkeeping and cloud integration firm from scratch to serve hundreds of customers all over the country in under three years. Went from zero to a dozen team members spread over four states. Cloudsourced Accounting was acquired by Harshman Phillips & Company (HPC) in July of 2015

From Mike's Linkedin:::  A CPA and CVA (Certified Valuation Analyst) who specializes in the area of dental and other healthcare entities.I work primarily with privately owned practices and individuals and strive to become their most trusted financial advisor. We take a long-term approach to dealing with clients by billing them a flat monthly rate and often investing time over and above our agreements when clients need big things accomplished. We have the flexibility that many of our larger competitors don't have.

Carrie is a founding shareholder and President of The Whetstone Group, Inc. Since 2000 Whetstone has provided growth consulting services to hundreds of CPA firms, professional service firms, and companies in business-to-business markets nationwide. She has nearly 20 years of professional services marketing experience. Carrie helps clients: Determine how to best organize for growth and build a sustainable growth culture. Develop comprehensive growth plans, providing ongoing support and consultation. Establish accountability for business development and meet their revenue goals. Implement follow-up strategies to help manage the sales process with prospective clients and maximize their ROI on marketing.   She is also a skilled trainer and provides group sales training as well as one-on-one coaching that enables attendees to better understand the sales cycle and develop the personal skills necessary to close sales. Firm leaders, practitioners, marketing professionals benefit from her knowledge and dynamic ap

Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk has been a member of the creative and marketing services community for over 20 years and does not appear to be leaving it anytime soon. As president of bbr marketing, she has relished the challenges of entrepreneurship as she worked to grow and nurture a new business. Since the firm’s inception in 2009, Bonnie has led the young company to become widely recognized and respected within the professional services marketing niche, with award-winning client websites and an outstanding history of business success. Bonnie quite literally wrote the book on online marketing for accounting firms, Take Your Marketing Online: Proven Ways to Grow Your Firm in the Digital Age, at the request of the AICPA. Prior to this feat, she was recognized for two years in a row as one ofAccounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People and is in great demand as a consultant, speaker and leader at various industry events. She is a founding member of the Atlanta Independent Women’s Network and is the Atlanta chapt