Here’s what you’re looking for: Jody Grunden

PRICING, FEES & BILLING RATES

Four Approaches to Billing

two women shaking hands across desk

Do you know your break-even point?

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

When I attend CPA conferences across the United States, I often hear from CPAs: “I don’t want to bill for my time.”

So, how do you bill your clients?

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Client billing can include hourly billing, but it can also include flat-fee, retainer-based and/or value-based billing. Most people use one of these four methods. Some use all of them or even a hybrid.
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PRO Member Exclusive

Automation Is Key to Accounting

Humans remain best for critical thinking.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

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.

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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.
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MANAGEMENT

The Secret to Remote Work: Checklists

Woman leading meeting, flipchart in backgroundPerfecting processes assures that clients benefit, and so does your team.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

With the right people in place, empowered to work independently, and proper access to the tools that are necessary to get the work done, process comes next.

MORE: Turn Process into Profit | Three Keys to Client File Security | Cybersecurity Poses Challenges for Virtual Firms | Check the ROI of New Tools | Is That Shiny New Software Your Best Choice?
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Creating process is important in any business if you want to scale, but it is imperative when it comes to remote work. Process helps streamline things, reduces confusion and makes your team more efficient and productive.
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FEATURED

Turn Process into Profit

Pixelated blue text "workflow" on binary code backgroundIt might be time for a new 80-20 rule.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

As a business grows, it becomes necessary to systemize the processes in order to increase the team’s efficiency and deliver a consistent experience for clients.

MORE: Three Keys to Client File Security | Cybersecurity Poses Challenges for Virtual Firms | Check the ROI of New Tools | Is That Shiny New Software Your Best Choice? | Distributed Firms Need Different Tech Suites | A Tech Stipend for Employees? Why Not?
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One of the challenges that comes with creating systems can be getting every team member on board with the process you want to put in place. For example, Joe may have one way of doing things, while Karen does them another way and Susie yet another.
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FEATURED

Three Keys to Client File Security

Illustration of computer security threatsWe were happy we had these when the IRS and FBI came knocking.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

Have you ever been contacted by the IRS with the FBI involved? I can tell you from firsthand experience that it’s a bit alarming when that happens!

MORE: Cybersecurity Poses Challenges for Virtual Firms | Check the ROI of New Tools | A Tech Stipend for Employees? Why Not? | Why Remote Workers Need Retreats | Better Understanding = Better Communication
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We were once contacted by the IRS because they thought our server had been compromised. When the field officer who came to our office asked to see our server, we explained that we didn’t have a server.
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FEATURED

Cybersecurity Poses Challenges for Virtual Firms

File sharing is trickier than in person.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

Working remotely has some great perks for the employees – flexible hours, no commute, casual dress and fewer distractions, to name a few. However, working remotely can also present some unique challenges when it comes to technology and security.

MORE: Check the ROI of New Tools | Is That Shiny New Software Your Best Choice? | It’s OK When Some Employees Quit | Take the Pain Out of Online Meetings | Why Your Firm’s Core Values Matter | Be More Efficient with Tech Stacks | Not All Employees Will Work Out
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Unlike a traditional brick-and-mortar office, when you work remotely, no one is going to walk into your home office and set up your equipment for you. Employees have to be willing and able to hook up all those cables, monitors and other peripherals themselves.
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FEATURED

Check the ROI of New Tools

ROI illustrationInnovation is great when it’s for the right reasons.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

Depending on your age, you may or may not remember Lotus 1-2-3. It was a hugely popular spreadsheet program back in the ’80s and early ’90s that was eventually taken over by Excel. If we had been “married” to Lotus 1-2-3 at that time, we may have gone out of business because we wouldn’t have been able to react fast enough.

MORE: Is That Shiny New Software Your Best Choice? | Distributed Firms Need Different Tech Suites | Staffing: 10 Key Interview Questions | Leaders Need Time to Lead | When Value Billing Eliminates Guesswork | Put Bots to Work for You
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This is the world of technology today. We have to operate under the mindset that what we’re currently using may or may not be around in five years.
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FEATURED

Is That Shiny New Software Your Best Choice?

Businessman looking at question mark sketch on the wallThe most important feature is effectiveness.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

Whether you purchase a one-time software license or pay for a tool on a subscription basis, the cost of software can add up quickly. It’s necessary to conduct a thorough analysis of any new software program before you decide to buy it, and you need to constantly evaluate the effectiveness of the tools you’re using.

MORE: Distributed Firms Need Different Tech Suites | A Tech Stipend for Employees? Why Not? | Why Remote Workers Need Retreats | Better Understanding = Better Communication | Make Tech Your Ally in Protecting Clients | Not All Employees Want the Same Perks
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We have learned that we want to be sure we’re getting the most out of our software, that our tools remain the right fit for our needs and that they are cost-effective.
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FEATURED

Distributed Firms Need Different Tech Suites

How we made our decisions.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

The tools that are used by a distributed firm with remote clients are going to vary greatly from those of a traditional brick-and-mortar firm.

MORE: A Tech Stipend for Employees? Why Not? | It’s OK When Some Employees Quit | Take the Pain Out of Online Meetings | Why Your Firm’s Core Values Matter | Be More Efficient with Tech Stacks
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Every tool we consider or use has to be cloud-based. Nothing can be restricted to a single computer or location.
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FEATURED

A Tech Stipend for Employees? Why Not?

Dog sleeping in home office as woman works at computer in backgroundNot everyone wants the same perks.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

In addition to the more traditional benefits, we also offer a few creative perks that I think our employees really appreciate, including an education stipend and a technology stipend.

MORE: It’s OK When Some Employees Quit | Staffing: 10 Key Interview Questions | Leaders Need Time to Lead | When Value Billing Eliminates Guesswork
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Education Stipend

We believe that continuing education keeps our team members sharp and ahead of the game. One of our core values is “curiosity” because we want our employees to always be thinking about how we can improve our services, become more efficient and do things better. We want people to think outside the box because we’re not a typical accounting firm, nor do we ever want to be one.
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FEATURED

It’s OK When Some Employees Quit

Illustration of different types of people connectedEveryone isn’t the right fit.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

There’s a common misnomer when it comes to retention and keeping people on the team. Retention doesn’t mean keeping every single person on your team forever.

MORE: Staffing: 10 Key Interview Questions | Why Remote Workers Need Retreats | Better Understanding = Better Communication | Make Tech Your Ally in Protecting Clients
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Not only do you want to get the right people on the bus, but you also want to get those people into the right seats. We want Summit CPA to be a great place to work, and we want great people to be working here. However, we realize it may not be the right place for every person.
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CHECKLIST

Staffing: 10 Key Interview Questions

To uncover potential fast and early.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

Before our firm became a distributed company with a remote workforce, our hiring was naturally limited to a small geographical location – Fort Wayne, Indiana.

MORE: Why Remote Workers Need Retreats | Take the Pain Out of Online Meetings | Why Your Firm’s Core Values Matter | Be More Efficient with Tech Stacks | Not All Employees Will Work Out
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When we really started to grow, we knew we needed to bring in more senior-level accountants to be able to handle the clients we were bringing in at such a rapid pace.
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MANAGEMENT

Why Remote Workers Need Retreats

Happy business professionals giving high five hand slapInvest in face-to-face interaction.

By Jody Grunden
Building the Virtual CFO Firm in the Cloud

With a brick-and-mortar company, there are a number of standard costs that you would expect to have, such as rent or mortgage, utilities, building repairs, furniture, technology, etc. The total amount of these kinds of costs typically falls in the range of 3-4 percent of the company’s annualized revenue. That amount can be pretty significant for a lot of companies.

MORE: Take the Pain Out of Online Meetings | Leaders Need Time to Lead | Better Understanding = Better Communication | Why Your Firm’s Core Values Matter | When Value Billing Eliminates Guesswork | Make Tech Your Ally in Protecting Clients | Be More Efficient with Tech Stacks
GoProCPA.comExclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

Some business owners may think they can save the company all of that money by going remote, but I personally believe that’s a terrible idea. While it’s true that a distributed company doesn’t have the costs that come with having a physical space, the very nature of a remote work environment results in a completely different and unique set of needs that should be considered in the company’s annual budget.
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