Running an Accounting Business

Ed Mendlowitz CPA The Practice Doctor Q and AQUESTION: I am the managing partner of my accounting firm by default. No one else wanted to do it. I am trying to manage things but I have a full schedule, am shorthanded on staff and continue to do a reasonable amount of marketing. I am overwhelmed. How do others do it?

RESPONSE: I purposely left off the size of the firm because my response applies to every size firm – those with two partners on up to large firms with upward of 50 partners. No matter the size of your practice, it is a business and needs someone dedicated to running it. Smaller firms need less time, possibly less skills and perhaps one of the partners can fill in this role. Larger firms need a person who spends substantially all of their time running the business, but not necessarily a partner.