succession

Lexy Kessler: Your Future Depends on These Three Questions | Gear Up for Growth

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At stake: Growth, relevance and survival.

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Gear Up for Growth
With Jean Caragher

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CPA firm leaders must act decisively on technology, talent strategy and long-term identity or risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving marketplace, Lexy Kessler, Chair of the AICPA and a partner at Aprio, tells JJean Caragher in a new episode of Gear Up for Growth.

MORE Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here MORE Gear Up for Growth | MORE CPA Trendlines Streaming Network here

In a wide-ranging discussion, Kessler focuses on three urgent priorities for firm leaders.  

    • AI Adoption Is No Longer Optional 
    • The Talent Pipeline Is Showing Real Progress, and 
    • Firm Leaders Must Recalibrate Who They Want to Be 

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Succession Planning? Time Is Running Out

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Businessman running after clock in silhouette

M&A BONUS: A 22-point due diligence kit.

By Domenick J. Esposito
8 Steps to Great

Much has been written and discussed regarding succession planning at CPA firms driven by the vast number of founders, leaders and rainmakers who are retiring at a record pace.

MORE by Domenick J. Esposito
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Key takeaways in this post:

  • Mid-market sustainable brands generally combine practices as opposed to acquiring or buying practices.
  • Spend time to make sure it feels right.
  • The easier part is getting the contract signed; the harder part is the integration of the two practices and to make sure 1 + 1 at least = 3.

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Rosenberg MAP: Staff Turnover Falls to Record Low

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Are CPA firm retention tactics finally paying off?

By CPA Trendlines Research
The Rosenberg Survey

Staff turnover at CPA firms has fallen to its lowest level in years, signaling that the profession’s investments in culture, compensation and flexibility are paying dividends.

MORE: The 2025 Rosenberg MAP Survey is available from CPA Trendlines here.

The 2025 Rosenberg MAP Survey reports average professional staff turnover at 11.1 percent, down sharply from 18.8 percent in 2022 and the lowest since before the pandemic, marking a major shift after years of talent turbulence.

Firms that struggled to recruit and retain staff during the labor shortages of 2021 and 2022 now report greater stability and stronger pipelines.

“This trend may reflect firms’ stronger retention strategies,” the survey notes. “Lower turnover not only reduces recruitment and training costs, but also helps preserve institutional knowledge and maintain stronger client relationships.” READ MORE →

Rosenberg Survey: Efficiency Slips as Staffing Expands

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Now available from CPA Trendlines here

Productivity drives profitability as never before.

By CPA Trendlines Research
The Rosenberg Survey

After several years of steady gains in productivity, CPA firms are seeing a slight decline in revenue per person, suggesting firms are adding staff faster than they are growing revenue, even as hiring rebounds and turnover drops.

MORE: The 2025 Rosenberg MAP Survey is available from CPA Trendlines here.

According to the new 2025 Rosenberg Survey, the erosion in average revenue per full-time equivalent employee comes after consistent increases from 2020 through 2024. Larger firms are still posting the highest efficiency levels. But the overall trend points to a mild dilution of productivity as practices rebuild teams and expand support infrastructure following years of lean staffing. READ MORE →

Partner Pay Hits $615,000 But Lags Behind Revenue Growth

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Precision management now drives partner prosperity.

Now available from CPA Trendlines here

 

Precision management now drives partner prosperity.

By CPA Trendlines Research
The Rosenberg Survey

After years of strong top-line expansion, CPA firm partners are finding their personal earnings growth lagging behind overall revenue gains, according to the 2025 Rosenberg Survey.

MORE: The 2025 Rosenberg MAP Survey is available from CPA Trendlines here.

Average income per equity partner is rising just 3.2 percent this year to $615,000, compared with double-digit revenue increases in the last two years. The survey concludes that leverage, the ratio of professional staff to partners, and billing rate management remain the most decisive drivers of profitability.

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