Issue #29 - Your Firm’s Waiting for a Leader
+ 20 networking tips and accounting students coming for your job
Welcome to "Get Work Done," where we discuss the complexities of efficiently running accounting and bookkeeping firms. Brought to you by Financial Cents and delivered to your inbox every 2 weeks.
Small Change, Big Results
Many firms grow to 1 or even $3 million by working harder, hiring more staff, and raising prices. But what happens when you hit a ceiling?
Brandon Hall, CPA, shared the change he made that gave his firm big results.
These are hard-earned leadership lessons that transformed his firm into an IPA Top 500 practice generating $12 million annually. His message was clear: if you want to scale beyond a few million dollars, you must stop being a service provider and start being a leader.
He highlighted three stages of leadership growth you must go through to transition from client work to true leadership.
Stage 1: Leading Yourself (Startup Phase, $0-$1M in Revenue): At this stage, you wear multiple hats, serving clients, handling sales, and managing operations. This is necessary initially, but many firm owners stay in this stage too long because they believe they are “saving money” by doing everything themselves.
Stage 2: Leading a Small Team ($1M-$3M in Revenue): At this level, firm owners should focus on building a strong leadership team and removing themselves from direct client work. The mistake? Many firm owners keep taking on “just a few” clients themselves, thinking they are helping the firm when, in reality, they are holding it back.
Stage 3: Leading a Scalable Organization ($3M-$10M+ in Revenue): At this level, your firm should be running on systems, processes, and leadership teams, not dependent on the owner, but some firm owners who fail to fully empower their teams often hit a plateau because they still insert themselves into too many decisions.
Community 🫶
Introducing The Scale Up Academy by Keila Hill-Trawick, CPA
The Scale Up Academy, founded by Keila Hill-Trawick, is a refreshing space for established service firm owners who are ready to build the financial, operational, and leadership systems needed to scale with intention.
They are kicking off with a free virtual summit on June 13th, 2025, to help you break through your next growth ceiling by building systems that support sustainable profit, not just more hustle.
Counter Students by Logan Graf, CPA
Months ago, Logan launched a community called Counter for accounting firm owners or aspiring owners frustrated with the traditional systems.
Well, now, he has launched this new initiative targeting accounting students who want a head start in their careers. This is a space to discuss career progression, classes, internships, CPA/EA prep, and more.
If you're an accounting student (or you know any) with a .edu email, sign up now to reserve your spot.
Financial Cents now has a Reddit Community
We’ve created a dedicated Reddit community for accounting professionals.
It’s a space for firm owners, bookkeepers, and accountants to swap ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and get smarter about the way work gets done.
The subreddit also gives you direct access to peer advice. If you’re wrestling with a specific tool, facing an issue in your workflow, or exploring whether to hire or outsource, you can post a question and hear how others navigate similar decisions.
H🔥t today
Make Accounting Career Fun Again
The next generation of accounting students isn’t waiting politely for a seat at the table; they’re pulling up chairs. We’re talking Excel pros, tax interns, and analysts-in-the-making who already know their way around.
A recent Journal of Accountancy piece highlights a 24% enrollment spike in accounting programs at two-year institutions, which shows a strong spring semester for interest in the profession among college students.
According to Sue Coffey, CPA, CGMA, and AICPA’s CEO–Public Accounting, “It’s inspiring to see positive trends in student interest. Enrollment growth underscores the need to continue to raise awareness of the benefits of accounting careers.”
These aren’t future CPAs who need convincing. They’ve already raised their hands, and what they need now is for firms to meet them halfway with real opportunities, mentorship that matters, and a workplace that doesn’t treat them like a number.
There's more to this story, and it's worth the read.
The Data Breach That Cost a Firm 200k+ Clients
Your clients trust you with their most private financial information. That trust is hard-earned and easily lost. However, a breach can result in loss of clients, damage to your reputation, and lawsuits for negligence or failure to protect data.
Case in point: Chicago-based Legacy Professionals LLP had to notify 216,752 individuals after a 2024 hack and is already facing at least five class-action lawsuits over the exposed data.
The sad truth is that most clients won’t return after a breach, and prospective clients may think twice.
This Financial Cents article outlines practical, actionable strategies for improving security within your firm. It covers exactly how to tighten up your security without overcomplicating your workflow. Think smarter password policies, staff training that actually works, and clear boundaries around who can access what.
Every accounting and bookkeeping firm must take cybersecurity seriously today. Just as Brad Messner, cybersecurity expert and seasoned tax professional, has said, “We can’t just sit back and say, ‘I don’t understand this’ or ‘I’m going to plead ignorance.’ Ignorance is no longer an excuse.”
Swipe this workflow template
Swipe Dave Kersting's Accounting Firm Team Member Success Onboarding Checklist Template.
Get more templates from firm owners like you in our community template library.
Meme
Relatable?
Events
📍 AICPA ENGAGE – June 9–12 (Las Vegas, NV)
If you want to sharpen your leadership skills, explore new tech, or rethink your firm’s strategy, ENGAGE is where real conversations and insights happen.
The Financial Cents team will be there live at Booth #411. Swing by to say hello; we’d love to hear what you’re working on.
Also, Financial Cents will host a $500 raffle on the 10th & 11th. To enter, stop by our booth, grab a free T-shirt and raffle ticket, and make sure you’re there at the announced time for the live draw.
Don’t miss your chance to win!
📍 Workflow Live with Lori Hawkings - June 10th (Virtual)
Tax season is behind us, and for some clients, that means it’s time to part ways. Whether they’re moving on for personal reasons, shifting priorities, or simply wrapping up their engagement, how you handle that exit matters.
On the 10th of June, Lori Hawkins, owner of L & L Bookkeeping LLC, will walk you through how to manage client disengagement with professionalism and intention.
💡 BONUS: Attendees will receive Lori's Client Disengagement template.
📍 Scaling New Heights – June 22-25 (Orlando)
If you’re planning to be in Orlando, make sure we’re on your agenda. Catch the Financial Cents’ team at booth 184 & 185 to chat, answer questions, and show you what’s new inside the platform.
Here’s also something fun while you’re at it:
We’re hosting a $500 raffle at the Financial Cents booth! Just stop by to grab a free shirt and raffle ticket, then join us at the scheduled time for the live draw.
Firm Spotlight
Full Send Finance recently turned three, and their growth has been beautiful to watch.
Led by Roman Villard, CPA & Stacey Feldman, CPA, the company operates in a state of continuous improvement, thanks to its ability to leverage the best technology to drive client service.
When the company started, Roman only had to manage his own tasks; it was easy to track work without letting things slip through the cracks. However, when Stacey joined the team, she sought to implement systems that empowered the team to meet client deliverables at scale without compromising quality.
We had a chat with Stacey, and she shared how they scaled their accounting firm by 150% in just one year using Financial Cents.
How To Network Like A Pro
Based on tips from 20 Forbes Coaches Council Members
It’s event and conference season in the accounting industry, which means the name tags, hotel lobbies, and networking mixers are back in full swing.
Luckily, this Forbes article breaks it down with 20 practical tips from coaches and business leaders on how to network without that icky feeling.
Here are a few standouts that apply directly to accounting pros heading into AICPA ENGAGE, Scaling New Heights, and beyond:
✅ Go in curious, not scripted. Ask real questions that spark thoughtful conversation. Skip the elevator pitch. Think: “What’s something exciting you're working on this quarter?” or “What’s been a surprising challenge lately?”
✅ Don’t force the follow-up. If the connection feels real, keep it going, but don’t treat people like a sales funnel. A quick “great talking to you, hope to stay in touch” can go a long way.
✅ Listen more than you talk. People remember how you made them feel, not how many facts you shared. Give them space to tell their story.
✅ Be helpful, not transactional. If you can connect them to someone, recommend a tool, or offer a small insight, do it. No strings attached.
Takeaway: Networking is beyond collecting contacts. It’s about building trust, one real conversation at a time.
Until Next Time,
