as more and more cpa firms venture into consulting services, they will be faced with the question of how they should expand their non-traditional services. some of the more common service areas include technology, wealth management and specialized consulting services for a niche or industry.
as firms look to these affiliated service lines and entities to be part of their growth, the move often presents some major challenges. here are a few tips to help avoid or address some of the most common challenges. read more →
a successful client accounting services practice requires increased interactions with clients. your usual non-cas methods of client communications are not sufficient to meet the demands and expectations of your cas clients. you must leverage new tech tools to reach out, communicate and collaborate with clients more frequently.
some accounting software can help you automate client notifications (by email/text) based on customized triggers set up in the software. similarly, automated payroll software can keep clients informed automatically. mobile apps of core accounting software are becoming a necessity to deliver client service and communications.
he is getting older, and while he has no plans to retire and is actively trying to grow his practice, he periodically meets with larger firms to see if there is an interest in acquiring his practice when that day comes. by doing this he stumbled on a fantastic business development formula. read more →
an annual strategic review is key to a structured advisory services practice. the review provides an annual event where everyone’s attention is focused.
the review can follow the annual financial report or precede when budgets are being put together. the annual strategic review articulates and confirms your strategic role. and make no mistake, the annual strategic review delivers a process to secure recurring fees and upon which to hang your advisory hat. the client receives a copy of the plan and then the fun starts when you support them in the implementation of their plans, one project at a time and one action at a time. billable time. read more →
a common turn of phrase is that a crisis reveals our character in how we respond. while that may be true in some respects, i believe what a crisis actually uncovers is how effective we are with our skills. the question is, what is this crisis revealing about your cpa firm’s business development skills?
it’s easy to sell when selling is easy. you don’t have to be as effective; skills don’t have to be as honed. frankly, it’s easier to get by with mediocre skills. read more →
a super-rich individual (net worth = $500 million or more) asked us to examine a tax mitigation strategy he was using. he was quite proud of how ingenious it was and how well it worked. the complication was that some of his business dealings were under scrutiny, and he wanted to make sure his wealth planning would not cause any problems. as part of this tax strategy, he had done several things: read more →
technology has overtaken the traditional forms of communication that include face-to-face interaction, telephone conversations and of course, the handwritten or typed note slipped into an envelope, affixed with a stamp and dropped in the mailbox.
but wait. how can professionals succeed if the situation calls for in-person interaction if they have not been given the necessary training in the art of a conversation? whether you are involved in a job interview or entertaining a potential client over a meal, how you exercise the appropriate behavior will determine whether a relationship is forged or tossed on the pile of failed results. read more →
a recent article from harvard business review, “what makes a company future-ready?”, shared insights from multiple industries in looking at which companies adapted and thrived versus those that didn’t perform as well.
as i read through the article, i couldn’t help but think, “how would these insights apply to accounting firms and the future of accounting?” read more →
i’ve been focusing on the leadership accounting firms need to succeed in a future driven by seismic disruptors. we began with strategy, then empowerment. this third post will address the critical element that makes empowerment work – accountability.
a characteristic of a great “edge” leader is the ability to empower everyone and understanding that as a leader, your responsibility is to lead and not manage. if you are the type of leader that manages, you own accountability since you can’t manage and empower at the same time. as i defined it in my previous post, a simple definition for empowerment that applies to all organizations is, “authority or power given to someone to do something.” read more →
every firm that is serious about advisory services needs one client-facing advisory process that you can articulate to the market, but that is also consistent with how you deliver advisory services and of course operate internally. there is no need to “customize” the advisory process based on the client.
the value in advisory services is not just in fees from strategic reviews but from all of these services, and often the fees from consulting can be very significant. for this reason, your advisory services need to be structured and not ad hoc. it is important that you have an articulated, repeatable advisory process, which must be client-facing, not just a list of technical services. read more →
you don’t have to solve the problem, just make the introduction.
by ty hendrickson
cross-selling at accounting and advisory firms. it’s something a lot of firms often talk about but frequently seem to struggle with. but as the profession continues its shift toward advisory services, it’s never been more critical.
there’s so much opportunity to do more for existing clients (and drive revenue higher). yet, many accounting professionals tend to overcomplicate the cross-selling process, which simply begins – and sometimes ends – with having a conversation. read more →
kei morita is a principal in the los angeles office of holthouse carlin & van trigt llp.
with the war for talent at a fever pitch these days, stock-based compensation (sbc) is one of the most effective ways for private companies to attract and retain valued workers. it’s also a very effective way for early-stage companies and other private entities to preserve cash flow while allowing key employees to share in the company’s growth. but the sbc accounting rules and calculations can be very complex.
while fasb and the private company council (pcc) issued guidance late last year to make it somewhat easier for private companies to account for share-based awards, many challenges still remain. if you’re a cfo, controller, treasurer, hr director or another stakeholder in a privately held company – or have clients that are privately held companies – it’s critical to follow the sbc accounting rules correctly. read more →
we hired sam out of school and he worked for us for two and a half years and then we split up our firm. this was ages ago and sy and i left our third partner to form our new firm on jan. 1.