Issue #38 - The IRS Might Log Off, Excel Needs a Nap, and You Need a Workflow
Brandon Hall found calm (and 7 figures). Meanwhile, you're still double-checking formulas at midnight.
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
You’re Working 10X Harder Than You Need To
It’s a strange reality, isn’t it?
The more your firm grows, the more it feels like you’re sprinting uphill. There are more opportunities, yes, but also more moving parts, expectations, and pressure to deliver value without overextending your team.
Growth has a way of quietly piling on complexity, and some firms respond the only way they know how: by working harder, hiring more, hustling more, and compensating for process gaps with extra hours and good intentions.
But what if working harder isn’t the only path to the results you want to see?
Here’s a perspective worth considering: Firms that grow without burning out tend to look inward before they scale outward. They don’t just add more people to handle more work; they become obsessive about building repeatable workflows.
At this 10X Virtual Bookkeeper’s Bootcamp, you'll unpack some of the practices that help firms like yours operate at 10X efficiency, not by grinding harder, but by getting clearer.
You’ll see:
The kinds of workflows top-performing firms rely on to eliminate wasted motion.
How better project tracking can reduce rework, delays, and the nagging feeling that “someone dropped the ball.”
Why visibility across your team makes your services more consistent and profitable.
A plug-and-play workflow template that you can start experimenting with.
You started your firm to build something meaningful, to serve your clients well, and to create a business that supports the life you want, not one that consumes it.
This is for anyone who’s tired of feeling like they’re working harder than they should. It’s for firm owners who know there’s a better way but aren’t quite sure where to start. And it’s for teams who are ready to work smarter.
Community 🫶
The Successful Bookkeeper Community By Michael Palmer
With over 10,000 members and growing, this community is more than just a Facebook group; it’s a space built for bookkeepers, by bookkeepers.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your firm, you’ll find support, answers, and inspiration from people who actually get it. Got questions about pricing? Need feedback on your onboarding process? Want to celebrate a win, or vent about a tough client day? This is the room for it.
The Entrepreneurial Accountants by Ben Brown
This community is for self-employed accountants who want more than just clients; they want the right clients. The kind who respect your expertise, value your time, and happily pay for the quality you bring.
Here, you’ll connect with fellow accountants, bookkeepers, and tax professionals who are all working toward the same goal: building highly profitable firms without running themselves into the ground.
You'll learn how to position your services so they stand out, how to communicate your value with confidence, and how to attract clients who see you as a partner, not just a service provider.
Clear the chaos, Find Your Calm at Workflowcon 2025
There’s a moment every firm owner has. Usually around 11:43 p.m. When you’re staring at your laptop, realizing you spent the entire day putting out fires that shouldn’t have existed in the first place.
This is where WorkflowCon 2025 comes in, and it’s definitely not another “you just need to hustle harder” pep talk.
With 20+ sessions and workshops, you and other firm owners will figure out how to stop duct-taping your businesses together and start building systems that work.
H🔥t today
AICPA Calls For All IRS Employees to Keep Working During Shutdown
You know it’s bad when the AICPA starts raising its voice.
So here’s the tea, according to Accounting Today.
The American Institute of CPAs is urging the federal government to keep all Internal Revenue Service employees working for the duration of the shutdown, pointing to the approaching Oct. 15 deadline for filing C corporation tax returns and for individuals who requested a six-month extension back in April.
The AICPA believes the consequences of a drastically smaller workforce during a tax filing deadline and immediately preceding the start of next year’s tax filing season would be dire.
“Right now, taxpayers, C-corporations, and tax advisors are working hard to meet the October 15th filing deadline — this can be stressful enough,” said Melanie Lauridsen, vice president of tax policy and advocacy with the AICPA, in a statement. “An extended government shutdown during this important filing deadline will compound this anxiety if the IRS is not 100% staffed.”
Excel's Reign is Experiencing a Paradigm Shift
On Sept. 30, 2025, Microsoft Excel officially hit middle age, celebrating 40 years of being the cornerstone business tool for accountants and other finance professionals in quantitative and qualitative tasks alike.
Excel’s accessibility, versatility, flexibility, simplicity, and sheer ubiquity (1.5 billion users can’t be wrong) have made it the dominant player in the number-crunching workplace. It should be lauded for being the universal go-to tool for accountants. But it is starting to look tired and replaceable as the tool of choice for accountants and decision-makers worldwide.
Excel has been threatened many times before, and although there have been successful competitors, modern, AI-centered solutions are emerging everywhere.
Swipe this workflow template
Swipe this Withholding Assessment Checklist Template by Eden Badertscher
Get more templates from firm owners like you in our community template library.
Meme
Relatable?😀
Events
📍Intuit Connect - October 26 -29, 2025 (Las Vegas)
Intuit Connect 2025, which was called QuickBooks Connect until 2024 when it was changed to “emphasize its integrated platform”, is a popular annual event that brings together accounting professionals and Intuit users of all experience levels to learn, grow, and build relationships.
At this conference, you’ll see how other firms across different levels effectively leverage Intuit software like QuickBooks, top speakers that cut across various industries, and Intuit Connect’s Peer-to-peer learning.
Oh, Financial Cents will be there too!
We'll be partying with Woodard in our VIP Suite, and you're invited.
📍 Women Who Count Conference - October 21 - 25, 2025 (Arizona)
Women Who Count is an annual conference organized by the Accounting and Financial Women Association (AFWA). For four days, Women Who Count helps female accounting and finance professionals to learn and network across several topics, including tax, finance, leadership, and communications.
This event teaches attendees hard accounting skills and soft skills that will give them a competitive edge in the industry.
If you’re a woman, it’s also a great avenue to connect with other women in the industry.
NoteWorthy
What Happens When Accountants Compete for Glory and $1,000?
Turns out, more than you’d think.
We gave accountants a spotlight, a seat in the hot chair, and one question:
“Final answer?”
Who Wants to Be an Accounting Millionaire is not your average quiz show. It’s where firm owners, tax pros, and CPAs go toe-to-toe for bragging rights and a shot at $1,000.
Over eight episodes, from Nick Boscia, CPA (EP 1) to Amber Thompson (EP 7), we’ve seen close calls, bold plays, quiet panic, and some answers so confident, they were wrong. Gloriously wrong.
If you’re in it for the questions, the competitiveness, or just to see your peers crack under pressure (gently), the full series is now ready for your viewing pleasure.
7 Figures Later: What Brandon Hall, CPA, Did Differently
Brandon Hall is the Managing Partner at Hall CPA PLLC. A firm he founded in 2016, which has grown to a 7-figure firm.
Hall CPA PLLC, also known as The Real Estate CPA, is a boutique accounting and consulting firm with a sole focus on serving the needs of real estate investors and real estate business owners. They’ve provided candid, intelligent counsel to more than 600 clients.
So what’s the difference between building a solid practice and scaling a 7-figure advisory firm?
According to Brandon, it comes down to two things most accountants tend to overlook: Knowing your advice is worth paying for, and knowing how to say it out loud.
If you don’t believe in the value of your recommendations, your clients won’t either.
Brandon didn’t just offer advisory services; he built his firm around it.
And he’s sharing exactly how he did it.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Share your POV in the comments.
You can also join the FC Reddit community here.
Until Next Time,
