ask the geek: a couple great gadgets for saving money on all your other gadgets

two inexpensive gadgets that could save you big money.

more from ed mendlowitz, author ofimplementing fee increases,” plus: three and a half ways to get your own cpa practice | novice manager needs to know: how to do it all? | why no one listens to you | fun reads for busy season  |  when not to offer a free initial consultation | measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation |

question: i’m having a long-standing ‘disagreement’ with my husband about whether we should turn off our home computer when we leave for the day. i like to be as green as we can, but he’s read somewhere that it causes more ‘wear and tear’ and energy use to be constantly turning things on and off. i think he just doesn’t like to wait for it to start up! what’s your take?

answer: i’d rather not take sides in a domestic (ahem) power struggle, but as your husband may have found when googling around on the topic, pc power saving can be a complicated business. still, i have some tips that may result in a household compromise. i went to a geek colleague, scott dare, for his suggestions. read more →

seven ways to increase fees

the techniques for telling clients you’re raising your rates.

by ed mendlowitz
author of “implementing fee increases

any time is a good time is a good time to review your fees and consider increasing them.  but the beginning of the year or a new season is especially good.

keep in mind that whatever the method you choose, you are making a business decision that should be handled with care and finesse and can affect the relationship with the client that you have been cultivating.

also, losing the client is always a threat, so you must be prepared for this. further, not raising the fee also presents a threat to your long term success and business viability, and this must also be considered.

here are seven methods of increasing fees: read more →

three and a half ways to get your own cpa practice

and 11 good tips for once you do.

here at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间, ed mendlowitz answers some of the toughest questions practitioners can throw at him. he’s the right one to ask. after more than 40 years in the business – building his own practice, running the firm, and eventually selling it to a major regional firm, withumsmith+brown, where he remains a senior partner and consultant to professional services clients – he has the answers. we’re happy to have him at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间. send your questions for ed here, or chime in with comments below.

more from ed mendlowitz, the practice doctor q&a: novice manager needs to know: how to do it all? | why no one listens to you | fun reads for busy season  |  when not to offer a free initial consultation | measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation |

question: i am working for a cpa firm, but would like to start my own practice.  can you give me some suggestions?

response: essentially, you have three options (four if you count my pet project, but i won’t belabor it).

read more →

novice manager needs to know: how to do it all?

 

15 strategies for a first-time supervisor’s success.

here at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间, ed mendlowitz answers some of the toughest questions practitioners can throw at him. he’s the right one to ask. after more than 40 years in the business – building his own practice, running the firm, and eventually selling it to a major regional firm, withumsmith+brown, where he remains a senior partner and consultant to professional services clients – he has the answers. we’re happy to have him at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间. send your questions for ed here, or chime in with comments below.

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and amore from ed mendlowitz, the practice doctor q&a: why no one listens to you | fun reads for busy season  |  when not to offer a free initial consultation | measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation |

question: my boss asked me to call you.  i am a staff accountant with five years experience.  i am having a lot of stress trying to manage everything i have to do. i am juggling supervising people that i don’t know how to supervise, being managed less by those above me and having to figure out more for myself – including things i never did before or in industries i never worked on previously, keeping current with changes in accounting rules and taxes (since i am more like a generalist and clients ask me everything) never seem to have any free time, juggling my schedule because most of my clients are never ready when they say they will be and being accountable to my boss for everything i do plus what the staff working under me does. so how do i do it all? how can i prioritize all my responsibilities? read more →

why no one listens to you

the new “listening deficiency epidemic.”

ed mendlowitz cpa the practice doctor q and aquestion: i notice that most of the time my staff doesn’t listen when i talk.  how can i make them listen?

more from ed mendlowitz, the practice doctor q&a: fun reads for busy season  |  when not to offer a free initial consultation | measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation |

response: i find this issue very widespread.  i believe there is an epidemic of people not listening, not just staff.

read more →

fun reads for busy season

be kind to your brain and your brain will be kind to you. ed mendlowitz answers some of the toughest questions practitioners can throw at him. he’s the right one…

when not to offer a free initial consultation

are we giving it away too easily?

ed mendlowitz answers some of the toughest questions practitioners can throw at him. he’s the right one to ask. after more than 40 years in the business – building his own practice, running the firm, and eventually selling it to a major regional firm, withumsmith+brown, where he remains a senior partner and consultant to professional services clients – he has the answers.

related: measuring growth in yourself, staff and partners  |  what do you think you’re doing?  | can you teach judgment?  |  clients’ calls at home  | what you need to know before expanding into business valuation | asking an attorney for a referral fee  |  are partner retreats really worth the cost? | audit reports without doing the work? | should i really spend the time making checklists? | what’s a tax practice worth today? |

question: i was wondering what your thought is regarding initial consultation fees. currently, i do not charge a fee for an initial consultation, and it seems that most cpas do not charge either (at least not the sole-practitioners that i know). would the fee deter new clients or actually weed out the ones who are most likely not going to become clients anyway? if a fee is charged, then how much, and how long should the consultation last? should the fee be applied to any work that i am eventually engaged for?

it seems to be a toss-up between two different philosophies:

  • people value something more when they pay for it
  • you don’t want to create any barriers to entry

i am eager to hear your thoughts. read more →