CPA Trendlines

Today's Features

Ten Tips for a Better Busy Season

Some of these you may want to keep year round.

By Sandi Leyva
The Complete Guide to Marketing for Tax & Accounting Firms

Another busy season is upon us. Are you feeling excited, anxious or dread?

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It’s probably a mix, but hopefully there’s more excitement than any other emotion because you will be helping so many more people during busy season than any other time of the year. Here are 10 easy-to-implement ideas to help your busy time go smoother than ever.

ABOUT US

Bissett Bullet: What Are The Outcomes?

Today’s Bissett Bullet: “Listing the services of your firm – bad. Demonstrating the outcomes in clients’ lives as a result of the implementation of your expertise – good.”

By Martin Bissett

Hopefully, this needs little more of an explanation than you see above. If we decide to talk about services, expect the prospective client to glaze over. If we talk about their lives and how we can get them closer toward their dreams, expect to win high-quality new Grade A fees. It is no more complicated than that.

Today’s To-Do:

Today’s action point is to review your last meeting with a potential client. Did you talk about the features and services that you provide or did you talk about the client and their ambitions? Which was the greater of the two? If it is the first, change it. If it is the second, you are on the right track.

See more Bissett Bullets here

ACCOUNTING ARC

The Fastest Way to Lose Talent Is “Dick Leadership” | ARC

Label intent, clarify tone and choose the right channel so feedback lands as coaching, not conflict.

Sponsored by The Balanced Millionaire: The Advisor Edition by Dr. Jackie Meyer | See Today’s Special Offer

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Accounting ARC
With Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto
Center for Accounting Transformation

???Build a 7-figure firm in just 4 hours a week!

Leaders in accounting do not need to choose between being “nice” and being effective.

In this ARC episode, Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP; and Liz Mason, CPA, make the case that the best bosses aim for something tougher — kindness with clarity.

The conversation starts with a story familiar to anyone who has ever hovered over the “Send” button on a difficult message.

MORE Accounting ARC: Post-Holiday Fatigue Isn’t a Failure; It’s a Signal | OCR, Research Bots & Meeting Assistants: What Actually Helps Now | Return Season is the New Stress Test | Small Firms May Have the Biggest Advantage in 2026 | Downgraded: What the DOE Said About Accounting | Savage: Using Your License as a Megaphone | Baker: Interpreting Pricing Psychology | Don’t Get Fired by Your Own Automation | What Amazon Doesn’t Tell You | Royalties, Residuals, and Reality Checks | ARC-SLC

Mason, founder and CEO of High Rock Accounting, recalls proposing a conference talk with a deliberately provocative title — a reminder that most professionals feel the tension between holding the line and keeping the peace. The point, she says, is not to sanitize reality. It is to learn how to hold people accountable without turning it into a personal attack.

GROWTH STRATEGIES

How Time Blocking Boosts Your Focus and Revenue

You can get AI to help, too.

By Jackie Meyer
The Balanced Millionaire: Advisor Edition

“It’s not about having time, it’s about making time.” We all start with the same 24 hours, yet some advisors seem to achieve more in a workday and still get home in time for dinner. Many tax and financial advisors begin their day consumed by urgent emails and end it wondering where the time went.

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Reclaiming your hours is about taking control of your schedule so you can focus on what truly matters. This post provides specific strategies for time management and prioritization – so you can boost productivity, avoid burnout and actually achieve that mythical concept: work-life balance. The payoff? More freedom, more impact and yes, often more revenue as you spend time on high-value tasks instead of getting lost in the weeds.
READ MORE →

MARKETING & SALES

Five Reasons to Use Change Orders

And five steps to follow.

By August Aquila
MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention

Accounting firms, like any other professional service providers, may use change orders for several reasons. Here are a few key reasons why accounting firms should consider utilizing change orders:

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Scope of work changes: Change orders allow accounting firms to document and address any changes in the scope of work requested by their clients. These changes could involve additional services, alterations to existing services, or changes in project timelines. By using change orders, accounting firms can clearly define the new requirements and avoid any misunderstandings or disputes with their clients.