get more done by saying no

businessman in dark gray suit raise his hand in action of stop and word "stop" on his red palmwho sets your priorities? you.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i do not seem to be able to get everything done that needs to be done and still have time for extras, which i like to do, like marketing and doing new things for clients. any tips?

more: make cpe worth your while | are you marketing for 2022 yet? | stop drowning in client documents | make more money starting now | the wrong way to look for staff | strategic planning for the small firm | before you sell your practice | work the client needs … but won’t pay for
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

answer: this is a recurring theme, and an issue we all have. it seems that we all have the same amount of time but some use it more wisely than others.
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she wanted her shoebox back

one of the oddest ways i ever lost a client.

hoisted from comments
looking at comments, ed mendlowitz seems to have hit a nerve with this piece. 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 readers are reacting with knowing nods and war stories of their own

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

who would ever think that the most important part of a shoebox with a client’s tax information was the shoebox?

more: when parents, children hit an impasse | how bickering can ruin a family business | one hour a year since 1972 | 50 ways to make more money in busy season | 20 good ways to boost tax season production
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

not me, and i lost a client because of it. read more →

tax season is over; now what?

woman driving a sports carhow are you marking this year like no other?

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

i always ended tax season with my office closed the next day. we once gave employees a choice of taking off either the day after or friday after tax season. those who chose the friday said they should have taken off the day after. that day off provided a way to unwind and just be lazy.

more: when parents, children hit an impasse | how bickering can ruin a family business | one hour a year since 1972 | why annual staff evaluations fall short | why create an accounting firm business model? | the clients that keep you awake at night
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

one year, one of my partners, a close friend and i all bought new cars that day. it is a day to clear your mind and come down from a high-performance mentality.
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when parents, children hit an impasse

overhead view of male and female business partners analyzing statistical annual report represented in graphs on digital tablet.four ways to proceed.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

many family-run businesses have parents and children who perform excellently together, and i have worked with many proud companies. however, occasionally there is a stumbling block, in that a parent and child just cannot get it together. what to do?

more: how bickering can ruin a family business | ceos don’t always know numbers | finding new business in sustainability | 14 simple, easy tips for a better tax season | how to recoup staff training costs | 10 ways to stay in control
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

in many small businesses an underperforming employee hurts, and oft times there is a reluctance to get rid of them. they linger on, holding back the company. it is inevitable that they will be gone at some point, but that point seems to be delayed past when it should have been dealt with. biting the bullet is necessary, and when the owners realize they are better off in the long run, they take the necessary step.
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make cpe worth your while

three young businessmen in office training sessionhow to make the best choices.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i received a call from an accountant with some questions about a foreign-owned client of his. he had the client for 15 years and seems he did not file a ton of required disclosure forms.

more: are you marketing for 2022 yet? | don’t fire that staffer on may 18! | employee demands a raise she doesn’t deserve | how are you spending the next five years? | how to get the most from cpe | does your staff know all the services you provide? | price your practice by gross | advising estate executors: the newbie guide to getting started | how’s your overhead? | envision your future, then plan for it
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

in the course of our discussion it turns out he never took a cpe program or even read an article on the topic. the question here is why didn’t he?
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how bickering can ruin a family business

advise without getting in the middle.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

i have had many clients where children work in their parents’ business and have seen a lot of private interactions that shouldn’t have ever occurred, but did.

more: ceos don’t always know numbers | wealth is a state of mind | the six types of “impossible” clients | you’re not just taxes | granting unconventional request pays off
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

you might think the time i saw a father and son punching and wrestling with each other would be the worst, but it wasn’t. the worst are the psychological games parents and children play with each other, many times without the arguing or evident disagreements.
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ceos don’t always know numbers

numbers floating around man examining calculator with magnifying glassit’s worth your time to ask about what they do know.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

one time i had a client who became his company’s ceo. this was a public company and i knew him as well as i could know someone whose tax returns i prepared and met with two or three times a year and spoke to over the phone another two or three times a year.

more: wealth is a state of mind | one hour a year since 1972 | 50 ways to make more money in busy season | 20 good ways to boost tax season production | why annual staff evaluations fall short
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

at one meeting i asked him how he spent his days and how he managed the transition to ceo.
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are you marketing for next year yet?

it’s not too early to plan for next season.

by ed mendlowitz
tax season opportunity guide

marketing takes many forms. further, many accountants are not trained in marketing. i also know that while most cpas want more business, they are too busy with what they have to be actively seeking new business. additionally, marketing can be external, internal or retentive.

more: don’t fire that staffer on may 18! | what to do with a lousy client? | but i am managing! | how to run a practice in 90 pages | how improv can help accountants | four tips for new partners | an alternative to pro bono | 14 better uses for timesheet data
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

external is where new clients are solicited. that takes effort, ingenuity, time and maybe even some money.
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wealth is a state of mind

businessman holding two papers with happy and angry face each on themtwo clients, one rich and one poor.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

some time ago i had breakfast with a client who was not able to make ends meet but was fortunate to have his brother-in-law send him monthly checks so he and his wife could get by without any pressure.

more: one hour a year since 1972 | finding new business in sustainability | 14 simple, easy tips for a better tax season | how to recoup staff training costs | 10 ways to stay in control | advice to new accountants | clients don’t lose sleep for overpaying taxes | when time-based pricing works
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

i had a very pleasant time talking with him and he was a truly happy and content man. it was a pleasure to be with him.
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don’t fire that staffer on may 18!

midsection of businessman moving out with cardboard box from officefour reasons not to let people go after tax season.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i am planning on letting go of some staff after tax season and will hire replacements at a higher level. any suggestions?

more: what to do with a lousy client? | stop drowning in client documents | make more money starting now | the wrong way to look for staff | strategic planning for the small firm | before you sell your practice | work the client needs … but won’t pay for
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

answer: 1) your implication is that you will hire replacements at a higher level.
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one hour a year since 1972

digital visualization of a blue alarm clock“i love it when clients’ children call me.”

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

one day i met with a client for one hour to get his tax information. this is a client i have had since 1972.

more: finding new business in sustainability | the six types of “impossible” clients | you’re not just taxes | granting unconventional request pays off | 20 best practices for staff training and retention
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

at this point his tax return is much less complicated and he could easily mail in his info, but then we would forgo the meeting. we met when his lawyer introduced me to help negotiate his divorce. i got it done and in a way that he and his soon to be ex-wife did not fight and remained friends (to this day!). because of this i will never lose this client. we are truly in a great profession!
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what to do with a lousy client?

young businessman staring at laptop computer in officeexamine how you’re managing the relationship.

by ed mendlowitz
the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 practice doctor

question: i have a client that is a not-for-profit and they are having a dinner and expect me to attend as well as take an ad.

more: stop drowning in client documents | employee demands a raise she doesn’t deserve | how are you spending the next five years? | how to get the most from cpe | does your staff know all the services you provide? | price your practice by gross | advising estate executors: the newbie guide to getting started | how’s your overhead?
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

however, they are a lousy client. they do not give us the requested information until the last minute and then complain we are always late with our report. they pay us months after the bill is sent and then only after quite a few phone calls, and then they complain about the fee being too high when it is half of our time charges – they are on a fixed fee and don’t let us raise it each year. and now they expect a “contribution.” what should i do?
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finding new business in sustainability

green "opportunity" highway sign with sunrise backgroundwhy now is the time to invest in corporate sustainability and social responsibility reporting.

by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting

my columns are autobiographical and some tell about things that happened decades ago – although they’re still relevant – and hopefully, there are takeaways you can benefit from.

more: the six types of “impossible” clients | 50 ways to make more money in busy season | 20 good ways to boost tax season production | why annual staff evaluations fall short | why create an accounting firm business model? | the clients that keep you awake at night | creating a cross-selling culture | cross-selling beyond your comfort zone
goprocpa.comexclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

this one is about something just starting to happen and presents an opportunity for you to get in on the ground floor of what could become a hot area for additional revenues. the overall topic has various names, two of which are sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
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