Scott Scarano: First, Grow People. Then Firm Growth Can Follow

We need the machines to do as much of this as we can.

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The Disruptors
With Liz Farr

When Scott Scarano lost a few good people at his firm, he had an epiphany that he needed to change things. Instead of continuing to grow for the sake of growth, he overhauled his management approach.

MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS:  Peter Margaritis: The Power Skills Every Accountant Needs | Joe Montgomery: Find the Sweet Spot of the Right Clients, Right Services and Right PricesMarie Green: Your Bad Apples Are Ruining YouMegan Genest Tarnow: Hire for Curiosity Rather Than ComplianceClayton Oates: One Way to Keep Clients for LifeRandy Crabtree: Follow These Three Rules to Keep Employees HappyErik Solbakken: Yes, You Can Work Less and Make More | Donny Shimamoto: Future Firm Growth Requires a MindshiftJennifer Wilson: Empower Young Workers to Build the Firm Everyone LovesMike Whitmire: Re-Think Your Hiring and Training PracticesHector Garcia: Success Strategies of a Quickbooks YouTube Superstar | Blake Oliver: Why Tax Work Yearns To Be FreePrivate Equity Explodes in U.K. | Brannon Poe: The Status Quo Must Go  | Accounting Nerds, Unlock Your Super Powers  | Disruptor: Jason Statts Shakes Up the Status Quo | Think Small to Think Big with Matt WilkinsonWhen Financial Statements Go Extinct with Corey SchmidtCan Geraldine Carter Save Accountants from Themselves?Re-Inventing Accounting with Tyler Anderson

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“And things are better now at the firm, because we’re not focused on growth,” but instead on “growing everybody,” including himself, Scarano said. By building better habits and finding better ways to do things, his team is growing its bottom line, and a few of the people who left earlier have now returned. “That’s the growth I like to see.” READ MORE →

Twyla Verhelst: How Firms Get Creative to Compete

That includes hiring non-accountants.
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The Disruptors
With Liz Farr
for CPA Trendlines

You have to be intentional about creating the firm you want, said Twyla Verhelst, CPA. The head of Accountant Channel at FreshBooks and creator of Women in Accounting Mentorship said the first step is getting clear on your why, your firm’s why and your team’s why so you can approach growth more intentionally.

MORE: Clayton Oates: One Way to Keep Clients for LifeRandy Crabtree: Follow These Three Rules to Keep Employees HappyErik Solbakken: Yes, You Can Work Less and Make More | Donny Shimamoto: Future Firm Growth Requires a MindshiftJennifer Wilson: Empower Young Workers to Build the Firm Everyone LovesMike Whitmire: Re-Think Your Hiring and Training PracticesHector Garcia: Success Strategies of a Quickbooks YouTube Superstar | Blake Oliver: Why Tax Work Yearns To Be FreePrivate Equity Explodes in U.K. | Brannon Poe: The Status Quo Must Go  | Accounting Nerds, Unlock Your Super Powers  | Disruptor: Jason Statts Shakes Up the Status Quo | Think Small to Think Big with Matt WilkinsonWhen Financial Statements Go Extinct with Corey SchmidtCan Geraldine Carter Save Accountants from Themselves?Re-Inventing Accounting with Tyler Anderson

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She said CPAs should be asking, “Why is it that a particular goal appeals to you?” “Is that the right thing to be working toward now?” “What will you do to get there?”

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Heather Smith: Try Not Growing Your Business

Heather Smith: We are the oxygen for the businesses around us.

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The Disruptors
With Liz Farr for CPA Trendlines

Heather Smith has loved accounting since she was 14 and loves the flexibility the profession offers. Since the mid-2000s she has been one of the original cloud accounting nomads, with an accounting business that she says fits in a lovely Italian handbag.

MORE: Randy Crabtree: Follow These Three Rules to Keep Employees HappyErik Solbakken: Yes, You Can Work Less and Make More | Donny Shimamoto: Future Firm Growth Requires a MindshiftJennifer Wilson: Empower Young Workers to Build the Firm Everyone LovesMike Whitmire: Re-Think Your Hiring and Training PracticesHector Garcia: Success Strategies of a Quickbooks YouTube Superstar | Blake Oliver: Why Tax Work Yearns To Be FreePrivate Equity Explodes in U.K. | Brannon Poe: The Status Quo Must Go  | Accounting Nerds, Unlock Your Super Powers  | Disruptor: Jason Statts Shakes Up the Status Quo | Think Small to Think Big with Matt WilkinsonWhen Financial Statements Go Extinct with Corey SchmidtCan Geraldine Carter Save Accountants from Themselves?Re-Inventing Accounting with Tyler Anderson

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In 2022, the ANISE Consulting founder based in Brisbane, Australia, demonstrated that nomadic lifestyle by attending all three live Xerocon events: London, New Orleans and Sydney. Heather is a tireless advocate for her small business clients and a fan of technology to improve our lives, including staffing. READ MORE →

Survey Results: CPA Partners Rejoice on Surging Fee Growth

Even COVID couldn’t quiet the cash.

By CPA Trendlines Research
The Rosenberg MAP Survey: National Study of CPA Firm Statistics

How to explain that giddy feeling in the bellies of accounting firm partners? It’s a plentitude of moolah.

MORE: IRS Audit Rates Are Dropping, and Big Earners Couldn’t Be Happier | Six More Ways to Fix the IRS | Is Remote the New Normal?Accounting Pros Face Challenges in Turbulent Times | Your Tax Season Success Plan Starts Here, Now | Tax Prep Fintech Startup: April Raises $30 Million | Accountants Agree: The Top Five Ways to Fix the IRS

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Revenue growth has been pretty decent for the last ten years. Even when it was down, it was up, that is, well above inflation. But the most recent results fro the new Rosenberg National MAP Survey show thrilling leaps for firms of all sizes.

Some of the apparent growth, however, is relative to a dip in the previous year.

READ MORE →

11 Ways to Boost Billings and Impress Clients

Businesswoman walking up stairsWin-win-win: Stand out from the competition, serve the client better and put more green in your bank account.

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

As you build your relationships with your clients, it’s always a good thing to see how you can serve them even better.

MORE ON SMALL-FIRM GROWTH STRATEGIES: How Clients Get Underserved and Accountants Get Underpaid | How Much Are Your Clients Costing You? | How Much Are Your Clients Costing You? | Six Ways to Make Your Own History During Women’s History Month | PPP Client Fraud: How Much Risk Is Too Much? | 3 Ways to Opt Out of Any Downturn | How to Lead in a Crisis
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Here are 11 ways you can add value to your existing services, which will enable you to stand out from the competition, serve the client better and put more green in your bank account.
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12 Ways to Stress Less This Busy Season

Calm balanced businessman sitting outdoors on bench in Yoga lotus pose meditating, with office building and blue sky in backgroundTips that are quick and low-cost.

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

I don’t want to stress you out, but we really do need to do something about our stress levels, especially during tax season. An American Psychological Association survey showed that our kids are getting headaches, having difficulty sleeping, and eating too little or too much because of pressure from school and household finances. The worst part is that the study showed that most parents were not aware of the severity of their children’s stress.

MORE ON SMALL-FIRM GROWTH STRATEGIES: Six Ways to Make Your Own History During Women’s History Month | Clubhouse: Hottest New Social Platform or Just More Noise? | Who’s Offering Your Clients PPP Services? | PPP Client Fraud: How Much Risk Is Too Much? | Survey: Who’s Not Billing for PPP Services? | Add These Money-Making Rituals to Your Work Day | 3 Ways to Opt Out of Any Downturn
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Many adults reported not knowing what to do to change their lifestyle so they could reduce their stress, so it just makes sense to talk about this a little.
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Seven Tips to Keep the Clients You Have

Woman wearing orange shirt texting on a smartphone walking in the street in a sunny day“Just about every time I called or emailed a client, they would think of more work for me.”

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

It’s far less expensive to keep your existing clients happy than it is to find new clients, especially because the trust factor between people continues to decline year after year. You might want to think about redirecting a portion of your marketing attention on your existing client base instead of networking for new clients. (And by the way, sending clients an organizer is not marketing!)

MORE ON SMALL-FIRM GROWTH STRATEGIES: 12 Ways to Stress Less This Busy Season | Six Ways to Make Your Own History During Women’s History Month | PPP Client Fraud: How Much Risk Is Too Much? | 3 Ways to Opt Out of Any Downturn | How to Lead in a Crisis
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Here are some tips to mine the pot of gold that lies right before you: your current clients who already trust you and are eager to hear about new solutions that will ease their pain and problems.
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3 Reasons Small Firms Stay Small

Woman in home office looking at paperwork in front of computerPlus 5 common situations. Do you see yourself?

By Hitendra Patil
Accountaneur

When firms want to grow but can’t, the problem is neither economy nor resources.

MORE ON ENTREPRENEURIAL STRATEGY: How Job Titles Can Rebrand Your Firm | Your Clients Hold a Secret Key to Your Practice Growth | Seven Lessons for Accountants from Self-Driving Cars | You Don’t Think Technology Helps Get New Clients? | Tax Season Management: Multi-Tasking Is a Myth
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  1. There are firms that do not want to grow. As long as it is by conscious, purposeful choice, it is a decision well respected.
  2. There are firms that believe that they cannot grow beyond what they have already achieved.
  3. Then there are firms that want to grow but struggle to break the shackles of being where they are now.

READ MORE →