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  • How CPA Firms Get Recommended by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity

    How CPA Firms Get Recommended by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
    Oct 15 2026
    Business owners are no longer only searching Google for an accountant. They are asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity who to hire, then uploading proposals, websites, and LinkedIn profiles and asking the AI whether a firm is the right fit. Ross Simmonds, founder and CEO of the B2B content marketing agency Foundation and founder of Distribution.ai, joins Brannon Poe to explain what this shift means for CPA firm owners.Ross is the author of the Amazon bestseller Create Once, Distribute Forever and has been ranked by BuzzSumo among the top content marketers in the world. In this episode, he explains generative engine optimization (GEO), the practice of shaping your content so AI platforms recommend your firm. Fewer than 5% of Americans pay for an AI subscription, but business adoption is far higher. That means the business owners your accounting practice serves are already using these tools to make buying decisions.Traditional SEO still forms the foundation of a strong accounting firm website. GEO adds a new layer built on niche service pages, case studies, awards, community involvement, and content distributed across LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, and podcasts. Ross also explains why these same signals support recruiting, since job candidates now research potential employers through AI before they apply.The Conversation Covers:How business owners use AI to discover, compare, and evaluate CPA firmsWhy a “Who We Serve” page with niche sub-pages helps AI match your firm to the right clientsHow generative engine optimization differs from SEO, and why your firm needs bothWhy employer branding shapes whether candidates find your accounting firm at allHow to test your AI visibility accurately by logging out before you searchWhy AI-written content needs your own expertise before it goes liveReputation has always driven growth in public accounting. AI platforms are now one of the places that reputation gets built, and firms that tell their story clearly across channels give both people and AI a reason to recommend them.This Episode Is For: CPA firm owners curious about how AI search affects client acquisition, accounting firm leaders ready to strengthen their online visibility without hiring an agency, practice owners wondering how to stand out to candidates researching firms through AI, and anyone interested in what generative engine optimization means for the accounting profession.Q&A Section: How are clients finding CPA firms differently today? Ross Simmons, founder of Foundation and Distribution.ai, explains that clients are using AI platforms like Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity not just to discover accounting firms but to evaluate them. They upload proposals, screenshots, and firm websites and ask the AI directly who they should hire.What is generative engine optimization and why does it matter for accounting firms? Generative engine optimization, or GEO, is the practice of optimizing your content and online presence for AI platforms rather than just Google search. Ross explains that the signals that influence AI recommendations, including YouTube videos, Reddit threads, reviews, and social content, are different from traditional SEO ranking factors.What should a CPA firm's website include to show up in AI search results? Ross recommends creating specific "Who We Serve" landing pages for each client type or industry your firm works with. AI platforms crawl these pages to match your firm to relevant search prompts, so specificity matters more than general descriptions.How can a CPA firm build visibility without a full-time marketer? Ross suggests starting with an SEO audit using a tool like Ahrefs' Let I Do, then using a content distribution platform to spread existing content across LinkedIn, Facebook, and other channels. The goal is to get your story out to more places so AI platforms have more signals to work with.Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome and guest introduction: Ross Simmons, founder of Foundation and Distribution.ai01:14 - How search is shifting from Google to AI and what that means for CPA firms03:21 - How ChatGPT changed the search experience and why adoption is faster inside businesses than among consumers07:03 - How the entire buyer's journey has changed: discovery, consideration, and comparison in the AI era08:57 - Why "Who We Serve" landing pages help LLMs match your firm to the right clients10:54 - How AI platforms evaluate employer brand: values, culture, community involvement, and awards15:33 - What GEO is and how it differs from traditional SEO17:40 - Practical low-lift tools for CPA firms: Ahrefs, MCP connectors, and Distribution.ai20:17 - Common content mistakes: checking your own AI ranking while logged in, and copy-paste AI content23:07 - Ross's story: a fantasy football blog, a borrowed suit, and a C-suite meeting in MiamiDownload Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively ...
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    28 Min.
  • Why CPA Firm Succession Starts the Day You Hire

    Why CPA Firm Succession Starts the Day You Hire
    Oct 8 2026
    Many CPA firm owners wait until they're ready to retire to ask who can replace them. Susan Stutzel, CPA, business performance coach, and co-owner of Partners Coach Inc., believes that question should start the day a new hire walks in the door. In this episode of The Accountant's Flight Plan, Brannon Poe and Susan explore how developing leadership and professional skills at every level builds a stronger accounting practice and a smoother path to firm succession.Susan brings more than 25 years of experience in public accounting, including roles at a top five national firm, a regional firm, a small business, and a Fortune 500 company. She has seen why succession plans stall: owners with no one ready to lean on, managers measured only on chargeable hours, and staff who never hear what the path to partnership looks like. One firm she worked with believed no one wanted to become a partner. Once someone asked, staff and senior managers said they were interested.Brannon adds the buyer's perspective. Many firm owners contact Poe Group Advisors years before they plan to sell, and that early start pays off. Buyers want great teams and well-run practices, and a lot can be accomplished in a few years. Susan notes that an owner who isn't growing their team becomes the bottleneck, which makes any transition harder.The Conversation Covers:How developing leadership skills early creates successors from within your CPA firmWhy owners who stop growing their teams become the bottleneck to firm successionHow one firm learned its staff wanted partnership once someone askedWhy tying manager bonuses only to chargeable hours slows leadership developmentHow AI is changing the way firms train the next generation of accountantsWhy buyers look for strong teams when evaluating an accounting practiceSusan's advice for firm owners planning ahead is a shift in role: move from being the expert in the room to creating more experts in the room. The team you build today shapes the options you have when you're ready to sell.This Episode Is For...This episode is for accounting firm owners planning a sale or transition in the next five to ten years, partners ready to identify and develop their successors, owners curious about what buyers look for in a CPA firm, and leaders wondering how to reduce owner dependence before stepping back.Q&AWhen should a CPA firm owner start succession planning?Susan Stutzel, CPA and co-owner of Partners Coach Inc., recommends starting the day new staff join the firm. Building leadership and business development skills at every level creates successors long before the owner is ready to retire.Why do buyers care about a CPA firm's team?Brannon Poe, founder of Poe Group Advisors, notes that buyers want great teams and well-run practices. Firm owners who start preparing several years before a sale have time to strengthen both.How can firm owners find successors within their own staff?Susan suggests asking directly. Many staff and senior managers are interested in partnership but never hear about the opportunity. Open conversations about career paths often reveal future leaders already inside the firm.What makes a CPA firm harder to sell?When the owner is the bottleneck and no one else can lead client relationships or the team, a transition becomes more difficult. Developing capable leaders reduces owner dependence and makes the firm more attractive to buyers.Timestamps:00:00 - Welcome and guest introduction: Susan Stutzel, co-owner of Partners Coach Inc. 02:35 - Why AI can amplify expertise but cannot build trust or lead an effective feedback conversation 04:19 - Professional skills are where knowledge transforms into real impact for clients and colleagues 05:11 - Is technical knowledge being commoditized, and what replaces it as the differentiator? 07:00 - Why managers need to unlearn how they were trained and rethink development entirely 08:34 - Why niche expertise got the profession this far and why it is no longer enough on its own 10:02 - Why Susan refuses to call them soft skills: these are business skills, and they are often the hardest to learn 12:36 - What it means to build a great place to work across hybrid and remote arrangements 15:41 - What firm owners should be communicating to high performers and what staff should be advocating for 16:02 - Case study: no one interested in partnership because the conversations simply were not happening 19:04 - Young firm owners building tech-forward niche practices and outearning traditional partners 23:28 - What courageous leadership looks like when there are no complete answers 25:28 - The Kubler-Ross loss curve and why your team has to work through what you already processed 27:12 - Growing yourself alongside your firm: why the owner who stops growing becomes the bottleneck 29:59 - What Susan wishes more CPA firm owners understood about leadership development 30:27 - The best firms start development at onboarding, not at partner elections 31:14 - ...
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    38 Min.
  • 10x Multiple, 90% Cash at Close: Why Buyer Fit Matters in Accounting Firm M&A

    10x Multiple, 90% Cash at Close: Why Buyer Fit Matters in Accounting Firm M&A
    Sep 29 2026

    One CPA firm owner received 11 offers and chose the buyer he liked best. That buyer paid above asking price even after learning the firm's cash flow was lower than reported. Outcomes like that happen when sellers have leverage. In this episode of The Accountant's Flight Plan, Brannon Poe and Morry Brown, Poe Group Advisors' Regional Market Leader for California, look at what matters after price in accounting firm M&A: buyer fit, leverage, and control of the timeline.

    About a third of CPA firm owners on Poe Group Advisors webinars say they have received an unsolicited letter of intent. Morry explains why LOI terms are almost always the best they will be, why diligence tends to lower them, and why the exclusivity clause is usually the only binding part of a non-binding LOI. One seller spent six figures in attorney fees on a one-on-one deal that fell apart at the last minute.

    A structured process with multiple buyers changes those dynamics. When a buyer backed out of a San Francisco deal in early January, Poe Group Advisors brought in a backup buyer and closed in two weeks, before tax season began. That firm sold for a 10x multiple with 90% cash at close. Brannon and Morry also cover partner alignment, how to define success a year after closing, and why the selling season for CPA firms runs from June through December.

    The Conversation Covers:

    • Why LOI terms are usually the best they will be, and how diligence tends to lower them
    • Why the exclusivity clause is the one binding part of a non-binding LOI
    • How a backup buyer closed a San Francisco deal in two weeks after the first buyer backed out
    • How a seller with 11 offers got his preferred buyer to pay above ask
    • Why defining success a year after closing helps CPA firm owners choose the right buyer
    • How clustering buyer conversations creates real momentum and stronger terms

    Price matters in any accounting practice sale. But for most CPA firm owners, the deal they feel good about a year later is the one where the buyer fits their clients, their team, and their goals.

    This Episode Is For...

    This episode is for CPA firm owners who have received an unsolicited offer and are wondering how to evaluate it, partners ready to align on goals before exploring firm succession, and public accounting leaders curious about how multiple buyers change leverage in an accounting firm M&A process. It is also for owners who care deeply about their clients and staff and want a buyer who will take care of both.

    Timestamps:

    • 00:00 - The Price Is Right. But Is the Buyer Right?
    • 01:30 - Morry Brown's background in equity research and private capital
    • 03:00 - Why a third of CPA firm owners have received an unsolicited LOI
    • 06:30 - Why most Accounting firm owners care about clients and staff as much as price
    • 09:30 - Why LOI terms almost always get negotiated down in diligence
    • 10:45 - Six figures in attorney fees on a one-on-one deal that fell apart
    • 12:30 - The due diligence deadline red flag in a CPA firm sale
    • 14:30 - A lower offer right before Christmas and the sunk cost trap
    • 17:00 - How a backup buyer closed a San Francisco CPA firm deal in two weeks
    • 22:30 - The exclusivity clause: the binding part of a non-binding LOI
    • 27:30 - Aligning partners and defining success before a firm succession process
    • 32:00 - A Nashville Accounting practice buyer with a bigger vision
    • 36:30 - Why time kills deals and how clustering buyer conversations helps
    • 40:30 - 11 offers and a buyer who paid above ask for a Texas cloud firm
    • 44:30 - How seller mindset helped drive a 10x multiple with 90% cash at close
    • 47:00 - Why August and the June to December window matter for CPA Firm sales
    • 50:30 - Separating business risk from legal risk in the purchase agreement


    Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/

    Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.

    *Download now and receive:*
    - (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template
    - (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
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    51 Min.
  • Inside a 255-CPA-Firm Alliance: What Drives Firm Succession and Growth

    Inside a 255-CPA-Firm Alliance: What Drives Firm Succession and Growth
    Sep 17 2026
    Ed Rivera is a director with BDO Alliance USA, a network of 255 CPA firms and 180 Business Resource Network firms across the country. As an accounting firm owner or practice leader, the question Ed hears most is whether ownership structure determines success. His answer: it does not. Across the public accounting firms he works with, what separates growing practices from stalled ones is leadership alignment, not whether the firm is a traditional partnership, private equity backed, or an ESOP.In this episode, Ed and Brannon dig into the volume of private equity interest reaching CPA firm owners today, and why treating private equity as one single category misses real differences in holding period and strategy from firm to firm. They also unpack what drives a firm toward merging versus staying independent, and Ed's view that both paths are usually driven by the same underlying pressure: whether the accounting practice can invest in the systems, talent, and technology its clients now expect.The conversation also covers what alliance membership can unlock for practice management beyond training, from peer roundtables to leadership development pipelines, and why firms that build something their community is proud of tend to have an easier path through firm succession, whether that means a sale, a merger, or staying independent. Ed closes with a simple framework for any accounting firm owner weighing a succession decision: start by asking why the firm was built in the first place, and who it is really built for.The Conversation CoversHow firm leadership alignment matters more than ownership structure or capital sourceWhy the volume of private equity calls to CPA firms has changed the conversation for accounting firm ownersHow firms decide between merging, selling, or staying independent, and why the early pressures often look the sameWhy joining an alliance for one reason often uncovers value the firm didn't expectHow asking "why" before a succession decision keeps the process groundedWhy community identity and pride show up as a real differentiator for public accounting firmsEd's closing point is a useful one: the firms that build something genuinely attractive, whether they stay independent or eventually partner with someone else, are the ones that focus on the work itself and the clients and communities they serve. The structure follows from that. Getting the structure right first, without clarity on the mission and the people, rarely works in the other direction.This episode is for accounting firm owners curious about how alliance membership could support their growth strategy, practice management leaders wondering how private equity interest should factor into their long-term plans, and firm owners ready to think through firm succession, whether that means selling, merging, or staying independent. It's also a good listen for anyone exploring what makes a CPA firm attractive to a future buyer or partner.Timestamps00:00 - Welcome to The Accountant's Flight Plan with guest Ed Rivera01:32 - What the BDO Alliance is and how 255 CPA firms work within it03:10 - What's top of mind for accounting firm owners in 202605:20 - Why the pace of change in public accounting feels faster than ever06:45 - Why leadership alignment matters more than ownership structure09:15 - Mergers and acquisitions activity across Alliance member firms11:40 - Private equity call volume and why not all PE firms are the same14:05 - What drives a CPA firm to merge versus stay independent16:50 - Culture concerns firm owners raise before a merger or sale18:40 - A firm that joined for training and found unexpected value in roundtables20:30 - How one firm built a stronger leadership bench in three years22:50 - A framework for firm owners weighing sale, merger, or firm succession25:15 - Why community identity shows up in the buildings firms choose to build27:40 - A memorable travel story from earlier in Ed's career30:05 - Book recommendation: The Human ElementBook RecommendationThe Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas by Loran Nordgren and David Schonthal [Amazon link]Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases necessary to keep your firm afloat.*Download now and receive:*- (1) Major Fee Increase Letter Template- (1) 20% Fee Increase Letter Template
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    33 Min.
  • How One CPA Firm's Valuation Doubled in a Private Equity Bidding War

    How One CPA Firm's Valuation Doubled in a Private Equity Bidding War
    Sep 10 2026
    Brannon Poe and Bailey Ball, Chief Growth Officer at Poe Group Advisors, sit down to talk through the questions coming up most often on sales calls with accounting firm owners right now. Bailey brings a recent listing to life: a CPA firm with a large individual tax practice went to market with updated cash flow numbers, drew a wave of private equity interest, and saw its valuation move from the original asking range to double. The buyers driving that competition had access to AI tools that automate simple tax returns, which meant higher margins on the acquired practice and more room to pay for it.That story sets up a broader conversation about how AI is changing practice management across the accounting profession. Brannon explains why the first CPA firms to adopt these tools are seeing an outsized advantage in valuations, much like early adopters of any new technology, and why the shift from compliance work to advisory and reliance is becoming less optional for public accounting firms as automation takes on more of the routine work. Bailey adds that AI already has practical uses for accounting firm owners beyond tax prep, from workflow automation to sourcing niche buyers for specialized practices.From there, the two turn to what actually drives owner cash flow in a CPA firm, a core factor in accounting practice valuation. Brannon breaks it down to three categories: client selection, pricing strategy, and team culture. He shares an example of two firm owners who essentially swapped profitability levels after taking over each other's practices, proof that cash flow in an accounting practice has more to do with management than with the business itself. The conversation closes on fit: how buyers read culture and energy in early meetings, and why sellers who focus on finding the right match, not just the highest offer, tend to land better outcomes when they sell their CPA firm.The Conversation Covers:How one CPA firm's valuation doubled after updated cash flow numbers sparked a private equity bidding warWhy early AI adopters in the accounting profession are seeing outsized profit margins right nowHow the shift from compliance to reliance is becoming necessary for public accounting firms as AI takes on simple returnsWhy client selection, pricing strategy, and team culture are the three biggest drivers of owner cash flow in a CPA firmHow buyers evaluate accounting firm culture and fit through seller energy in early meetingsWhy aligning on fit before price tends to produce better financial outcomes when selling an accounting practiceWhether the conversation turns to AI, cash flow, or culture, the same idea keeps surfacing for accounting firm owners: the numbers on a firm's books only tell part of the story. How an owner manages the practice, and how well a buyer and seller actually fit, shape the outcome of a CPA firm sale as much as any valuation model can.This Episode Is For:CPA firm owners curious about how AI is actually influencing what buyers are willing to pay for an accounting practice, practitioners wondering how much of their firm's profitability comes down to management style versus the business itself, accounting firm owners ready to think beyond price and start evaluating fit when it comes time to sell, and leaders exploring how to build a culture and hiring process that gives their CPA firm a competitive edge in practice management.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Welcome and introducing Bailey Ball, Chief Growth Officer at Poe Group Advisors01:30 - How AI is affecting CPA firm valuations03:00 - The tax practice listing that doubled in value through a bidding war06:15 - Why private equity buyers with AI tax tools paid a premium08:00 - The shift from compliance to reliance in the accounting profession10:15 - Practical AI workflow uses in accounting practice management and M&A12:00 - Why profitability still matters even with low owner hours14:00 - How AI tools can create time back for CPA firm owners15:30 - Why cash flow is more malleable than most firm owners think18:00 - The three biggest drivers of owner cash flow21:00 - Why hiring remains the hardest part of building a CPA firm team23:00 - How a strong culture protects a firm through a bad hire25:00 - What buyers actually look for in team and culture27:30 - Why seller energy and mindset shape buyer perception early on29:30 - The speed dating approach to matching CPA firm buyers and sellers31:30 - Why fit matters more than price in a hot accounting M&A marketBook RecommendationsLondon Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe [https://www.amazon.com/London-Falling-Mysterious-Gilded-Familys/dp/0385548532] The Unplugged Vacation by Brannon Poe [https://poegroupadvisors.com/unplugged/] Download Now: https://poegroupadvisors.com/accounting-practice-academy/increase-letter/Price increases are nothing to fear. The real challenge is effectively informing clients of these changes. Our templates will help you demonstrate your value and help clients understand the increases ...
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    33 Min.
  • Inside the CPA Firm M&A Market: Private Equity, Valuation, and What's Next

    Inside the CPA Firm M&A Market: Private Equity, Valuation, and What's Next
    Sep 3 2026

    Private equity has pushed CPA firm valuations higher than anyone expected, and Brannon Poe says the accounting profession still has significant runway left. In this solo episode, Brannon steps away from the usual guest format to share a market update: where private equity stands in accounting M&A, how AI is reshaping which practices are in demand, and what firm owners should understand about valuation before they consider a sale.

    Brannon walks through why the accounting industry remains more fragmented than sectors like veterinary, dental, and healthcare, and why that suggests more consolidation is ahead. He explains a shift in buyer demand: as AI absorbs more of the simpler, transactional work, both advisory practices and straightforward individual tax practices are seeing strong interest, while service mixes that once felt safe are being reevaluated.

    He also addresses the questions he hears most often. Has private equity permanently changed the profession? Is there a bubble forming? Which firms are not a good fit for a PE sale? Brannon offers grounded, experience-based answers to each, drawing on Poe Group Advisors' work selling CPA firms since 2003.

    The conversation moves into what actually makes a transition successful. Brannon argues that fit, cultural alignment, shared vision, and compatible management styles matter more than most sellers expect, and that talking with a wide pool of potential buyers before committing to one leads to better outcomes on both price and terms. He closes with a look at the fundamentals of valuation, why virtual and metro-area firms tend to draw stronger multiples, and why terms often matter more than the headline number.

    The Conversation Covers:

    • How AI is shifting buyer demand toward advisory work and away from simpler compliance services
    • Why the accounting industry still has more consolidation ahead compared to other PE-driven verticals
    • How to know if your firm is a good fit for a Private Equity sale versus a traditional buyer
    • Why talking with more potential buyers before granting exclusivity leads to a better outcome
    • How location and virtual operations expand your buyer pool and strengthen your valuation
    • Why the multiple you see in a headline deal rarely tells the full story

    This episode is for firm owners curious about how private equity is changing the accounting profession, practitioners wondering how AI will affect the value of their practice, and anyone exploring a future sale who wants to understand what actually drives valuation.

    Timestamps:

    • 00:45 - Why this episode is a solo market update instead of a guest interview
    • 02:10 - The state of the CPA firm M&A market in August 2026
    • 03:40 - Why Accounting Practice valuations keep climbing past projections
    • 05:15 - How the accounting industry compares to more consolidated verticals like veterinary and dental
    • 07:00 - Why AI is shifting demand toward advisory and Tax Practice work
    • 09:20 - Whether Private Equity has permanently changed the Accounting Firm Owner landscape
    • 11:45 - Is there a bubble in Accounting Practice valuations
    • 13:30 - Which CPA Firms should think twice before selling to Private Equity
    • 15:50 - How PE consolidation connects to the Silver Tsunami and Firm Succession
    • 18:10 - Why fit matters more than price in a Public Accounting sale
    • 20:35 - The hiring-process analogy for finding the right buyer
    • 23:00 - A ten-year outlook for the Accounting Practice profession
    • 25:20 - Why supply and demand drive CPA Firm valuation
    • 27:15 - How location and virtual firms affect your buyer pool
    • 29:40 - The most common misconception about Practice Management and firm value
    • 31:50 - Why terms matter more than the multiple you see in headlines
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    20 Min.
  • What Private Equity Means for Small and Midsize CPA Firms | Rebekah Brown Olson

    What Private Equity Means for Small and Midsize CPA Firms | Rebekah Brown Olson
    Jul 16 2026
    Rebekah Brown Olson didn't plan to lead a state CPA society. A single leadership assessment during a firm training session reframed how she saw her own strengths, and thirteen years later she's the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs, connecting firm leaders across the profession every day. In this conversation, Brannon Poe talks with Rebekah about what's really driving change in accounting right now, and why she believes community, not information, is what separates firms that thrive from firms that struggle.Rebekah shares an encouraging read on the student pipeline, pointing to strong turnout and impressive second-career candidates at a recent University of Maryland accounting graduation event. She also walks through her theory on where private equity is headed: a barbell shaped profession, with large firms formed through consolidation on one end and a new wave of small, independent firms on the other, as CPAs who leave newly acquired environments choose to build something of their own.For firm owners thinking about their own exit, Rebekah's advice centers on two habits: treating strategy as something to revisit constantly rather than a plan that sits on a shelf, and involving the people around you early, since real alignment comes from letting your team weigh in on where the firm is headed.The Conversation Covers:How a leadership assessment redirected Rebekah's entire career pathWhy community may be the biggest differentiator for CPA firms over the next decadeHow private equity could reshape the profession into a barbell-shaped structureWhy small firms are positioned to specialize and move faster than larger competitorsHow involving your team early creates real strategic alignment ahead of a transitionWhy choosing the right private equity partner matters more than the deal itselfRebekah closes with a story from her college years at Ohio State, working as a football field manager during a live scrimmage, that ties back to the same theme running through the whole conversation: what it looks like when a community shows up for someone.This Episode Is For:Firm owners curious about how community and connection shape long-term successLeaders ready to think through a 5 to 10 year exit and succession planPractitioners wondering how private equity might change hiring, retention, and cultureAnyone interested in how small firms can compete through specialization and speedBook Recommendation:The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It by Dr. Kelly McGonigal Amazon linkTimestamps:00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome 00:14 - Introducing Rebekah Brown Olson, CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs 00:57 - How a quarter-life crisis and a leadership assessment changed Rebekah's career path 01:41 - From CPA firm senior to curriculum developer at the Maryland Association of CPAs 03:12 - Working part time, then full time, then becoming CEO three years ago 04:02 - What Brannon and Rebekah share: burning out of public practice and finding a better fit 04:45 - What Rebekah gets to do now: advocate for the profession and connect people across it 05:06 - The big picture view: what the Maryland Association of CPAs CEO is seeing right now 05:31 - Why getting good at change is the most important capability for any accounting firm 06:00 - Why community is the competitive advantage when complexity and change accelerate 06:34 - Why you can't know everything but you can know a lot of people 07:19 - Recruiting new students: are the numbers moving and what kind of students are coming in 08:15 - Why the pipeline alarm is starting to work and what recent graduation events are showing 08:40 - Accounting as a stable major during economic uncertainty 09:07 - What the new wave of accounting students looks like: different backgrounds, strong leaders 09:30 - Retention: are people staying in the profession better than they used to? 10:01 - The historical reality of planned attrition in CPA firm hiring 10:45 - The move from public to private still happens but may be slowing 11:10 - Brannon's theory on PE-driven salary increases and the poaching risk that comes with it 11:37 - Why starting salaries in accounting need to keep rising to compete for talent 12:00 - How private equity is creating a barbell-shaped profession 12:40 - What the disappearance of the midsize CPA firm looks like and why it matters 13:29 - How small firms can win through specialization and speed on technology 14:25 - What Rebekah would tell a CPA firm owner who is 5 to 10 years from an exit 15:17 - Why a 5 to 10 year plan has to be iterative, not static 15:43 - Involving your team in strategy: why it changes buy-in, retention, and execution 16:08 - The Business Learning Institute and working with small to midsize firms on strategy 16:32 - Why the best insight sometimes comes from the person scheduling client appointments 17:53 - Vision casting as a retention tool: why people stay when they know where ...
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    30 Min.
  • Renewals, Referrals, Recent Conversations: Building Pipeline Without Extra Hours

    Renewals, Referrals, Recent Conversations: Building Pipeline Without Extra Hours
    Jul 2 2026
    Kristen McGarr has spent over 20 years helping businesses implement CRM systems that actually work. Her core belief is that the future of CRM isn't about more technology, it's about more humanity. For CPA firm owners who have tried a CRM, abandoned it, or never started one at all, that perspective changes the conversation entirely.Kristen is the founder of Adroit Insights and CRM Growth, a growth strategist, fractional chief revenue officer, and CRM implementation specialist. She works across platforms like Zoho, HubSpot, and ActiveCampaign, and she is known for making complex systems genuinely approachable. In this conversation, she gets specific about the problems she sees most often in accounting firms: systems that are over-configured, features that never get used, and adoption that stalls because the CRM feels like administrative work rather than a growth tool.The most actionable part of this episode is Kristen's framework for building a pipeline when you have never tracked one before. She calls it the three R's: renewals, referrals, and recent conversations. For renewals, look at one-off projects that could become recurring revenue and clients you haven't heard from yet this year. For referrals, send a simple email during busy season asking for introductions and reviews. For recent conversations, think about who mentioned a challenge you rolled right past without addressing. The irony, as Kristen points out, is that tax season is exactly when firms have the most contact with clients and the most opportunity for all three, even though it feels like the worst possible time.Kristen's approach strips away the complexity that keeps most firms from ever getting real value out of a CRM. Her advice is consistent throughout: start simple, solve for the 90% of problems you actually have, and build a system that can grow with you rather than one you have to replace in a year.This episode is for firm owners curious about what a CRM can actually do for their practice when implemented well, leaders wondering how to maintain business development momentum through busy season, practitioners ready to build a pipeline but unsure where to start, and anyone who has tried a CRM before and walked away frustrated.Timestamps:00:00 - Brannon Poe intro and podcast welcome 00:14 - Introducing Kristen McGarr, founder of Adroit Insights and CRM Growth 00:57 - Kristen's core belief: the future of CRM is humanity, not more technology 01:17 - Why most CRM implementations fail: adoption and overcomplicated configuration 02:07 - The demo trap: why what you see is rarely the off-the-shelf product 02:47 - Most firms use only 10 to 20% of their CRM's actual functionality 03:03 - Where AI fits into CRM today and why it shouldn't be trusted 100% 03:56 - Signs a CPA firm is ready to scale versus needing to fix its foundation first 04:17 - Why consistency and predictability matter more than fast growth 05:02 - How predictable, even revenue throughout the year affects accounting firm valuation 05:48 - The tax season surge and dip problem and how to create more consistency around it 06:05 - Why business development gets dropped during busy season and how to fix that 06:37 - The growth-ready system: templated outreach that still sounds like you 07:49 - How to automate personalized outreach without doing it manually every time 08:21 - Why spacing out outreach matters more than frequency 08:41 - Turning client education into shareable case study content for prospects 09:17 - The three R's: renewals, referrals, recent conversations 09:36 - Renewals: how to spot recurring revenue opportunities in your existing client base 09:53 - Referrals: why sending referral emails during busy season is low effort, high return 10:26 - Recent conversations: catching the tax planning and advisory needs you rolled past 11:09 - The irony of tax season: it's your busiest time and your biggest pipeline opportunity 11:31 - Why a transactional accounting firm cannot function well without a CRM 11:53 - Kristen's three-part CRM checklist: integrations, reporting, and flexibility 13:06 - Funny story: the vendor lesson that led to building an internal team 14:22 - Why trusting your gut early on a bad vendor fit saves time and money later 14:55 - How building an internal team improved client satisfaction across the firm 15:29 - Why picking technology vendors is especially hard for relationship-focused accountants 15:55 - The value of trusted resources and networks when evaluating new tools 16:11 - Book recommendation: "Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss 17:09 - Where to find Kristen: LinkedIn and CRMgrowth.comBook Recommendation: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
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    18 Min.