Issue #39 - Mexico’s Calling, Accounting’s Evolving, and AI’s Writing Your Playbook
Plus: Karl goes full game show, your peers drop recs that actually help, and your SOP might just buy you a piña colada.
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
Your Ticket to Mexico
It’s October 23. Your team’s already talking about Q4 like it’s a medieval siege. The air smells like pumpkin spice and stress (spooky szn, is that you? 👀). Somewhere in the distance, a client just asked for a 7-month backdated financial report in “one simple PDF.”
And you, brave, sleep-deprived accounting firm owner, are clutching your SOP binder like a life raft.
Friend, you need a break. Not a fake break where you half-watch Netflix while replying to “quick question” emails. A real break. A revival. A sunshine-soaked, workflow-taming, margarita-flavored awakening.
Which brings us to the Workflow Showdown, and the truth that built it: sometimes the biggest results come from the smallest changes.
Maybe it was the checklist you finally documented.
Maybe it was the automation that replaced five emails and three status updates.
Maybe it was even ditching a clunky step that no one liked, and suddenly your whole team breathed easier.
Every firm has one of those moments—a small shift that creates calm where there used to be chaos, a micro-move that turns into a macro-win.
We want to see yours.
The Workflow Showdown is your chance to share the system that changed your firm, and possibly earn an all-expense-paid trip to Mexico.
See this as an opportunity to share that positive improvement in your processes. When you give others a glimpse of what’s possible, the impact grows even bigger.
So take five minutes and submit the workflow.
This time, your system could be your ticket to rest, recognition, and a round of drinks on the beach in Mexico.
All on Financial Cents, of course 😉
Community 🫶
Advisory Accountants & Bookkeepers Network By Alyssa J Ciera
This community is for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial professionals who are starting to think differently about the way they work. If you’re looking to build a firm that isn’t just busy but intentional, this is the place.
It’s where firm owners like you talk honestly about what it takes to grow without constantly doing more, what it means to move beyond basic compliance work. How to attract clients who value your insight, and what it looks like to offer deeper, more strategic services without overcomplicating things.
You don’t need to have a big plan mapped out. Maybe you’re just exploring what’s next. Maybe you’ve already started making shifts. Either way, you’re not alone in figuring it out.
The Profitable Accountant By Reza Hooda
If you’re worn out from the long hours and not seeing the return you hoped for, you’re not alone. A lot of people feel the same. You had a vision when you started, and maybe it’s drifted. That doesn’t mean it’s too late to get things back on track.
This community is for accountants and firm owners who want to turn their practices into something more profitable and more fulfilling.
This is also a space to talk through the challenges, the roadblocks, and the small wins. To learn from others, share what’s real, and slowly build a firm that works for you, not the other way around.
WorkflowCon 2025 is in 3 Weeks! 🤯
If you’ve been meaning to rethink how your firm operates but haven’t had the time or space to step back and do it, this might be a good place to start.
Over two days, you’ll hear from firm owners, advisors, and workflow specialists who quietly build practices that run more smoothly and sustainably. The sessions are focused, the conversations are practical, and the goal is simple: to help you create systems that support your team, your clients, and your capacity.
If you haven’t registered yet, now’s a good time. Set the time aside. You might come away with a different view of what’s possible.
P.S.: If you’d like to convince your boss for a chance to attend WorkflowCon, here’s an email template you can use to convince them.
H🔥t today
Accounting Could Be STEM’s New Offshoot
According to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), three-quarters of Americans (74%) believe accounting courses should be designated as a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education program.
The AICPA is advocating for legislation to establish the accounting profession as a STEM career pathway and to support long-standing efforts to bring awareness of the opportunities accounting can provide to young people who are considering their future careers.
“The role of an accountant has been significantly transformed by technology, which now goes beyond adopting advanced tools to innovating systems that support clients in making better decisions and enhancing service quality,” said AICPA President & CEO Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA. “STEM legislation would highlight the clear and logical integration between accounting and technology – emphasizing the value of accounting professionals, including CPAs, as technological leaders.”
The Exit Wave Is Coming. Who’s Ready to Catch It?
As a growing number of Baby Boomer business owners near retirement, concerns are being raised about what happens next for the small businesses they leave behind. Without a clearer path for ownership transfer, many of these businesses could end up in the hands of large corporations or private investors—not because it’s the best option, but because it’s the only one available.
In Queensland, one accountant decided to act. They launched a petition asking the federal government to consider a loan program similar to what exists in the US—one that makes it easier for everyday buyers to step in and take over profitable small businesses. The petition has already drawn nearly 1,300 signatures.
In the US, the Small Business Administration helps ease the risk for banks by guaranteeing part of a buyer’s loan. It’s a structure that gives more people a shot at business ownership, not just those with deep pockets.
Swipe this workflow template
Swipe this Quarterly Accounting Checklist Template by Misty Scott
Get more templates from firm owners like you in our community template library.
Meme
The audacity. Relatable?😀
Events
📍Intuit Connect - October 27 -29, 2025 (Las Vegas)
The Intuit Connect conference kicks off next week!
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.
📍 Reframe 2025 - November 2 - 5 (Florida)
This event empowers accounting professionals to master value-driven pricing strategies, communicate their worth with assurance, and elevate their pricing conversations to drive business growth.
Key topics include the psychology of pricing, building client trust through transparent and confident communication, and overcoming objections with ease.
Attendees will delve into strategies to position premium services, implement tiered pricing models, and transition from hourly billing to value-based and subscription models.
If you’re ready to get your money up, don’t miss it.
NoteWorthy
Karl Strube’s On the Hot Seat & Disneyland’s On the Line
In this episode of Who Wants To Be An Accounting Millionaire, we meet Karl Strube, the owner of Strube CPA PC. He’s playing for a $1,000 prize, not for himself, but to take his kids on a trip to Disney World.
Over ten questions, all centered on tax loopholes, Karl has to think fast and stay sharp. The further he goes, the harder it gets. No buzzers or flashing lights, just one accountant, a quiet goal, and a shot at turning tax knowledge into something his kids will remember.
Mark Wickersham’s GenAI Guide for Accounting Firms
Maybe you used to think AI was something only big tech companies played with. Something cool in theory, but not really built for Accounting firms.
But that’s changed.
Tools like Generative AI, yeah, the kind behind ChatGPT, are becoming more accessible, and they’re actually useful. We’ve started seeing how they can help manage workflows, draft client emails, and brainstorm content or processes. Nothing flashy. Just small shifts that save time and make things run a little smoother.
Mark Wickersham, Chartered Accountant, public speaker, and #1 best-selling author, Value Pricing Academy, shares how you can integrate AI into your accounting workflow to save time, improve efficiency, and deliver more value to clients.
In just 5 pages, he’ll show you how to get started.
What Are Your Thoughts?
Share your POV in the comments.
You can also join the FC Reddit community here.
Until Next Time,
