Advertise on podcast: Jason On Firms Podcast

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter 📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I break down the three biggest priorities accounting firm owners need to tackle before year-end, including tech transitions, hiring, client renewals, and getting ahead of January production. Then, in 🏹 Firm Hunters, we look at a $1.4 million accounting firm with an unbelievable 87% of revenue going to the owner. I also introduce a new segment called 👿 Mean Bag to tackle whether AI is about to get dramatically more expensive, rethink the all-in-one versus best-of-breed software debate in 🤓 Nerd Corner, and answer 📬 Mailbag questions about accounting ledgers, getting clients to sign proposals, AI agents, and keeping client data secure. // Chapters:01:32 - Do This By November 111:06 - Do This By December 120:44 - Do This By January 122:49 - This $1.4M/yr Firm Is Running An 87% Margin!?28:38 - Is AI About To Get Expensive?34:03 - Is All-in-One A Mirage?42:38 - Double vs New AI Ledgers45:38 - Simplify That Proposal!47:28 - Create An AI Agent User?49:12 - Claude MAX Plan Made Secure?52:07 - Lester Returns 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 📌 Here’s that $1.4M/yr firm https://privatepracticetransitions.com/business-listing/1265-established-cas-practice-with-strong-growth/ 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonGusto: https://gusto.com/Kick: https://www.kick.co/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/Realize: https://www.rlz.io/Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://www.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/ 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter 📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I explore how to build a niche accounting firm by tapping into industry-specific communities and partnerships. In 🤓 Nerd Corner, I cover eight major tech updates from Canopy, Financial Cents, Digits, Karbon, Gusto, Double, Kik, and RightTool. Then, in the 📬 Mailbag, I tackle delegating more work to admins, construction accounting software, Microsoft Copilot, tax workflow tools, lead tracking, and building a remote accounting firm. // Chapters:00:00 - These Industries Need YOU15:14 - 8 Tech Updates29:19 - Push This Work to Admins33:44 - Construction Accounting Software?36:09 - Microsoft AI Use-Cases37:59 - Don’t Buy This Tax Workflow Software42:54 - Lead Tracking App44:53 - Transitioning A Firm To Remote Work51:31 - We Love Them 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonTaxBandits: https://www.taxbandits.com/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.com/Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesRealize: https://www.rlz.io/ 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter 📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I break down two surprisingly profitable accounting firms for sale, including one generating over $1.6 million with just two people, and explain why outsourcing and offshoring can create very different business models. In 💾 You Need This Tech, I share a $400 artificial skylight designed to bring natural-looking light into your office. Then, in 🤓 Nerd Corner, I challenge some of the guidance around AI and taxpayer data presented at an IRS National Tax Forum session. Finally, I answer 📬 Mailbag questions about Double as a practice management tool, seller financing when buying a firm, AI for nonprofit accounting, software security, Grok, and why heavily funded tax AI startups aren’t on my app recommendations list. 📌 The skylight https://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-Skylight-Ceiling-NatureConnect-inches/dp/B0HDTPRNSD?sr=8-1💲 The tax firm that’s for sale https://privatepracticetransitions.com/business-listing/1262-established-virtual-tax-practice/🧾 And the CAS firm that sold https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/cp2024/ // Chapters:00:00 - A 2-Person $1.6M Firm11:32 - A 60% Margin CAS Firm21:52 - You Need This Tech26:05 - Bad AI Advice From The IRS36:56 - Double As A PM?40:04 - Up-Front Cash?44:16 - AI For Fund Accounting47:35 - How To Know if an App Is Secure?49:21 - Firms Using Grok!?52:53 - BlackOre Basis and Accrual 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonGusto: https://gusto.com/Kick: https://www.kick.co/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.com/Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter 📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I break down a new AI accounting study suggesting that leading models can outperform human accountants, and explain what that actually means for our firms. I share why public booking links are a bad idea, explore Claude’s faster AI models and new ChatGPT features, and explain why AI won’t fix bad business decisions. Then I highlight accountants available for hire and answer questions about selling a firm to private equity, why I dropped Xero from my recommendations, and whether standalone receipt management software still makes sense. 📌 Here’s that AI vs accountants study https://www.mercor.com/blog/human-baselines-for-benchmarks-ai-now-outperforms-junior-accountants/ // Chapters:00:00 - The End Is Near13:45 - Bad Booking Links17:35 - This AI Model is FAST24:20 - Hormozi Pops The Balloon26:20 - ChatGPT Updates31:45 - Accountants For Hire34:25 - Sell His Firm to PE?42:45 - I Dropped Xero47:55 - New Receipt Tech? 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonGusto: https://gusto.com/Kick: https://www.kick.co/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.com/Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I break down whether you can build a bookkeeping firm without QuickBooks or Xero, and why specializing around a painful industry-specific accounting system may be a much bigger opportunity than simply choosing a newer ledger. I also look at Meta’s upcoming VR glasses, debate separating technical production from client relationship management, dissect a supposedly self-sufficient $1.2 million accounting firm for sale, empty out September’s Swear Jar, and answer Mailbag questions about sponsorships, advisory positioning, buying versus building a firm, AI-powered email management, and tax research tools. 📌 Here’s that firm we talked about https://poegroupadvisors.com/practice/va2036/ // Chapters:01:54 - Building a Bookkeeping Firm Without QuickBooks or Xero11:20 - The Industry Ledger Opportunity17:05 - Meta VR Glasses: Goodbye, Monitors?23:25 - Technical Hire or Relationship Manager?26:49 - Planning for When Someone Leaves31:58 - A CPA Firm Run in 30 Owner Hours a Year33:46 - What You're Really Buying38:05 - The September Swear Jar42:41 - How Sponsors Work at Accounting Firm Coach45:01 - What's Wrong With the Word "Advisor"48:07 - Buy a Firm or Grow Organically?50:55 - Admin vs AI for Email Management57:00 - CoCounsel vs. Claude, ChatGPT or Blue J 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonGusto: https://gusto.com/Kick: https://www.kick.co/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.com/Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firms and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter📌 Check out the cool stuff our sponsors are doing here: https://accountingfirmcoach.com/sponsors/ Welcome to Accounting Firm Coach Office Hours presented by Canopy. I’m Jason Staats. Ready to get 1% better at running an accounting firm? In this episode, I break down how I’d approach a potential $540,000 client opportunity without simply discounting services, share a three-step system for eliminating reactive client status check-ins, and look at the latest AI models from Claude and ChatGPT for accounting firm work. Then I hit the 📫 Mailbag to talk three-tier pricing, niche positioning, getting an overwhelmed firm back under control, connecting Claude across multiple QuickBooks clients, AI security, and work-paper management. // Chapters:00:00 - Intro01:04 - A $540K Opportunity11:20 - A $243M Opportunity18:58 - A System for Client Updates27:06 - The Worst Thing A Client Can Feel29:16 - A New AI Model in Claude35:16 - New Models in ChatGPT38:43 - 3-Tier Fails41:43 - Fully-Automated Micro Bookkeeping44:29 - What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do47:23 - Connecting Claude to Multiple QuickBooks Files50:41 - Struggling To Capitalize On AI53:16 - Workpaper Management for Small Firms54:54 - Closing Thoughts 📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] 💰 Today's SponsorsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jasonGusto: https://gusto.com/Kick: https://www.kick.co/Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.com/Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://x.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down why the latest generation of AI models should force accounting firms to rethink how work actually gets done, from bookkeeping and tax prep to review, staffing, and firm structure. I explain why the biggest limitation is no longer the AI itself, but workflows that were never designed for AI, and how firms can rebuild production around more structured, reviewable systems. I also run through 10 recent accounting tech updates in 🤓 Nerd Corner, answer 📫 Mailbag questions about app recommendations, AR services, Juno, document management, Power Automate, and Claude plus Beancount, and share the upcoming rebrand from Jason On Firms to Accounting Firm Coach. ⚒️ Tools I mentioned in the podcast:- Filed open sources their 1040 engine https://www.filed.com/blog/we-open-sourced-our-tax-engine- Ramp launches accounts receivable https://ramp.com/blog/introducing-accounts-receivable- Campfire forecast https://www.linkedin.com/posts/johnglasgow_campfire-is-the-first-erp-that-calls-the-activity-7507836212796227584-MPz-- Accrual Arc https://accrual.com/arc- Canopy + Juno integration https://juno.tax/integrations/canopy- QuickBooks updates https://www.firmofthefuture.com/product-update/september-2026-mpu- Double lower-cost AI model https://doublehq.com/- Digits’ 11 new automated quality-control checks https://digits.com/blog/quality-checks/- Financial Cents AI file routing https://financial-cents.canny.io/changelog/ai-file-routing- RightTool right-click QBO navigation https://righttool.app/release-notes/ 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason complete your demo for a $75 gift card // Chapters:00:00 - AI Changes the Workflow04:30 - Building From Scratch06:40 - AI at Any Scale06:50 - Claude + QuickBooks10:25 - Automating Tax Prep12:05 - The Workflow Problem13:30 - AI-Compatible Workflows18:35 - Rebuilding Production20:15 - Excel 104021:25 - Accounting AI Agents24:40 - Solo + AI Firms27:15 - The First Human Hires30:15 - Rethinking Firm Structure35:10 - Work Worth Doing38:35 - Building AI Skills40:03 - 🤓 Nerd Corner40:13 - Filed Open-Source Tax Engine41:24 - Ramp Accounts Receivable41:49 - Campfire Forecasting42:19 - Accrual ARC42:39 - Canopy + Juno42:49 - QuickBooks Updates45:04 - Double AI Costs45:39 - Digits Quality Control46:14 - Financial Cents File Sorting46:49 - RightTool Updates48:03 - 📫 Mailbag48:13 - Apps by Firm Size52:58 - Managing Client AR56:23 - Juno for Tax Intake58:28 - Replacing FileCabinet01:00:48 - Microsoft Power Automate01:02:18 - Claude + Beancount01:03:53 - Accounting Firm Coach01:05:03 - The Podcast Is Changing 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down eight different types of hires accounting firm owners can make, ranking them based on how effectively they give the owner time back and reduce bottlenecks. In 🤖 You Need This Tech, I share a simple hydration tool that can help you stay focused and productive throughout the day. Then I answer 📫 Mailbag questions about securely redacting PII, the future of my live events, buying your first accounting firm, audit tech stacks, contract review work for other firms, and whether I might eventually get involved in accounting firm M&A or rollups. 💧The Autonomous Hydrate https://www.autonomous.ai/robots/hydrate 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason complete your demo for a $75 gift card // Chapters:00:00 - Hiring Backwards03:45 - Eight Hiring Paths04:25 - Production Capacity06:40 - The Growth Hire08:00 - Specialist Expertise09:50 - Operations Hire14:50 - Client Experience17:40 - Tech + Automation20:35 - Your Future Successor22:50 - Administrative Support25:00 - Best Hiring Options26:10 - 🤖 You Need This Tech27:25 - Autonomous Hydrate31:00 - Four Available Accountants33:45 - 📫 Mailbag34:05 - Redacting Client PII38:15 - Future Live Events40:25 - Buying Your First Firm45:35 - Audit Tech Stacks48:05 - Contract Work for Firms50:25 - JasonOnFirms M&A?53:00 - Building a Firm Network54:30 - Could It Become a Rollup?56:00 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down the accounting conferences and industry events that are actually worth attending, including how to use client-facing events. 🐝 We talk in Niche of the Week on how to become more visible in a specific industry. I also share a simple lighting upgrade that can dramatically improve how you look on video, then answer 📫 Mailbag questions about industry-specific credentials, Mercury launching an accounting ledger, earning potential for accounting firm owners, AI-backed firm rollups, practice management platforms expanding into close automation, and whether joining a PE-backed platform really gives firm owners a meaningful seat at the table. 📄 Here’s that list of over 1,000 events https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1alr-NMmUWXUK4nC-JK-Nnr7R8Kg9BIJXSsLFqEQOU1s/edit?usp=sharing🔦 And here’s that video light https://amarancreators.com/pages/amaran-verge-max 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason complete your demo for a $75 gift card // Chapters:00:00 - The Best Accounting Events02:05 - 1,100 Upcoming Events03:00 - Intuit Connect03:45 - Scaling New Heights04:45 - AICPA Conferences05:35 - Bridging the Gap06:25 - Reframe07:20 - Customer Conferences08:15 - Skip Technical Training09:00 - State Society Events09:35 - Client Industry Events10:06 - 🐝 Niche of the Week10:15 - Why In-Person Matters11:25 - Industry User Conferences15:05 - Certification Events15:55 - Association Meetings16:35 - Trade Shows17:20 - Local Chapters17:50 - Golf Fundraisers18:30 - Member Alliances20:15 - Virtual Events20:50 - Mastermind Groups21:00 - Events to Avoid21:30 - Compliance Events22:35 - Better Video Lighting24:10 - Amaran Verge Max27:48 - 📫 Mailbag28:13 - Industry Credentials30:33 - Favorite Star Trek Episode30:48 - Mercury’s Accounting Ledger32:00 - Replacing Traditional Ledgers34:13 - Accounting Firm Income35:13 - Selling Outcomes, Not Hours36:33 - Finding Expensive Problems38:18 - Moving Beyond Hourly Rates41:03 - AI Accounting Rollups43:48 - Built-In Close Automation45:03 - Best-of-Breed vs. All-in-One46:13 - PE Shareholder Seats48:13 - Alternatives to PE49:37 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I compress a full year of accounting tech updates into one deep dive to help firms lock in their software decisions before year-end. I break down what changed across accounting ledgers, practice management, month-end close, tax workflow, tax software, proposal tools, meeting assistants, and generalist AI, including which tools moved into my leader categories and which AI features are actually worth paying attention to. I also explain why MCPs, AI agents, and computer use are becoming the biggest trends in accounting tech, while making the case that firms should still build next year’s stack around proven software instead of unreleased promises. 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80Financial Cents: sign up at https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats // Chapters:00:00 - The 2026 Tech Update01:20 - Cutting Through AI Hype02:05 - The App Categories03:10 - Accounting Ledgers04:00 - New Ledger Leaders04:55 - QuickBooks Online Updates06:05 - Intuit Accountant Suite07:20 - Books Close08:10 - Digits Updates09:35 - Kik and MCP11:45 - Practice Management12:15 - The Four PM Leaders13:00 - Canopy Updates16:45 - Canopy Tax Workflow17:15 - TaxDome Updates19:20 - Financial Cents Updates20:30 - Karbon Updates23:50 - Month-End Close Automation24:10 - Double Updates26:20 - Ramp Stack28:50 - Tax Workflow29:00 - New Tax Workflow Leaders29:10 - TallyFor32:20 - Filed33:20 - Filed Pro Work35:05 - Stanford Tax35:35 - Soraban36:30 - Truss37:45 - Tax Software38:45 - ProConnect Updates39:15 - Drake Smart Extract40:15 - UltraTax Updates41:55 - Proposal Tools42:35 - Anchor Updates43:40 - Ignition Updates44:20 - Meeting Assistants44:50 - Ping45:45 - Abacore and Vinyl46:15 - Better Client Meetings49:40 - Generalist AI Assistants50:45 - Claude Updates52:00 - ChatGPT’s Comeback52:35 - Computer Use AI54:30 - AI Using Your Apps55:05 - Grokbot57:00 - What Actually Changed57:35 - Lock In Your Tech Stack58:50 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down what the current market for accounting firms is telling us about valuation, including which firms are commanding higher multiples, why size alone does not appear to drive value, and what makes virtual and niche firms more attractive to buyers. I also highlight a bizarre new office gadget, discuss how accounting firms should evaluate their IT support for the AI era, and answer 📫 Mailbag questions about AI readiness, acquisitions, three-tier proposals for simple services, and whether firms should grow organically or through acquisition. 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: Go to https://www.getcanopy.com/jason and schedule a demo to see for yourself, and Canopy will send you a $75 gift card after your demoFinancial Cents: sign up at https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats 📄 Grab the firm listing data set here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HHxl5KGG-3zApXRbpok8Hkacvn4vE6D_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=101670352005046800441&rtpof=true&sd=true🪑 Butt cushion https://www.xpolar-tech.com/pages/xpolar-c1🎙️ The podcast episode with video advice https://youtu.be/xBitNWRIQeg?si=iDxnhxIlVWrMFHi9 // Chapters:00:00 - Accounting Firm Valuations01:40 - 449 Firms for Sale02:30 - Typical Firm Size03:25 - Fractional Acquisitions03:50 - Size vs. Multiple04:45 - CPA Credentials05:35 - Premium Firm Characteristics06:40 - Where Firms Are Listed07:15 - Private Firm Sales08:35 - Reasons for Sale09:05 - Time on Market11:55 - Valuation Outliers13:25 - Premium Firm Examples15:00 - Highly Profitable Firms15:55 - The Coolest Office Gadget16:05 - X Polar C117:05 - 8 Sleep Comparison18:00 - Remote Workforce Monitoring21:34 - 📫 Mailbag21:59 - Choosing an AI-Savvy IT Provider22:29 - ChatGPT and Claude23:19 - AI Due Diligence27:00 - Getting Started With Video27:19 - Make 100 Videos28:14 - Reduce Production Friction28:39 - Invest in Lighting29:04 - AI Video Editing29:29 - Video as a Competitive Advantage30:14 - Organic Growth vs. Acquisition30:49 - Acquisition Efficiencies31:24 - Firm Size and Valuation31:44 - Industry vs. Geography32:14 - Avoiding Capacity Problems32:49 - AI and Diversification33:49 - Work Yourself Out of the Firm34:09 - Three-Tier 1040 Proposals34:19 - Pricing Simple Services35:29 - Premium Delivery Tiers36:29 - Better Than Doing More37:04 - Scoping Availability37:44 - Bronze Client Economics38:04 - Opinionated Proposal Design40:34 - Firm360 and Intake41:19 - Choosing the Right Workflow43:04 - Practice Management Options43:39 - Acquiring a Small Client Book44:09 - Building a Side Hustle Firm44:49 - Seller-Financed Acquisitions45:14 - Finding A Clients45:54 - Acquisition as a Launchpad46:19 - Evolving Your Client List47:24 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down how accounting firms can make their sales and discovery process less painful by moving repetitive information upstream, introducing pricing earlier, setting better expectations, and using AI meeting transcripts to continuously improve the process. I also launch a new segment, 🫖 Hot Tea, covering Xero drama, Drake’s new extraction tool, the Puzzle acquisition, practice management consolidation, and the growing tension between all-in-one platforms and open ecosystems. Then I answer 📫 Mailbag questions about remote staff accessing U.S. bank accounts, file management, accountant perfectionism, practice management for larger firms, K-1 and 1099 extraction, and building a tax planning and advisory practice. 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: Go to https://www.getcanopy.com/jason and schedule a demo to see for yourself, and Canopy will send you a $75 gift card after your demoFinancial Cents: sign up at https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats // Chapters:00:00 - Fixing Your Sales Process01:50 - The Sales Process Problem02:47 - Stop Calling Everyone Tire Kickers07:57 - Move Information Upstream13:06 - Talk Price Earlier14:00 - Better Discovery Meetings17:30 - The Monthly Sales Review21:10 - 🫖 Hot Tea21:42 - Xero Backlash24:45 - Drake Smart Extract24:45 - Puzzle and Accrual26:50 - Carbon Updates28:28 - The App Ecosystem War32:42 - All-in-One vs. Best of Breed35:15 - Double Updates36:07 - Testing Instead38:37 - 📫 Mailbag39:00 - Remote Bank Access43:07 - Accounting File Management48:07 - Accountant Perfectionism53:16 - Practice Management for Big Firms55:37 - K-1 and 1099 Extraction57:29 - Building a Tax Advisory Practice01:03:16 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down the biggest AI developments of the last two weeks and what they could mean for accounting firms, especially the shift toward AI that can actually operate a computer instead of simply chatting with you. I explain why computer-use AI could be especially powerful in accounting, where firms are constantly stitching together disconnected software, and why security and due diligence become even more important as AI agents gain more autonomy. I also go through 🔥 Roast My Tech Stack and answer to some of your questions in 📞 Accountant Support. 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: Go to https://www.getcanopy.com/jason and schedule a demo to see for yourself, and Canopy will send you a $75 gift card after your demoFinancial Cents: sign up at https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats // Chapters:00:00 - The AGI Era01:20 - Artificial General Intelligence02:30 - Fable 5.104:45 - AI Benchmarks06:10 - GPT6 Astra07:55 - AI That Uses Your Computer09:25 - Automating Accounting Work10:40 - AI Inside Your Apps12:15 - What Do I Do With My Hands?13:05 - ChatGPT vs. Claude13:49 - AI Security Risks15:59 - Trusting AI Agents18:00 - Sandboxing AI19:45 - The Four-Monitor Accountant21:15 - Talking to Your Computer22:25 - Learning AI23:25 - AI Due Diligence25:35 - 🔥 Roast My Tech Stack26:25 - The 3.5-Person Firm27:54 - Practice Management28:44 - Month-End Close Automation32:24 - Drake Tax Hosting34:09 - Filed vs. GruntWorx34:49 - GoHighLevel35:24 - Document Management36:09 - Digits or Zero?36:29 - Upfront Pricing38:03 - Stop Building Software38:38 - AI and the Tech Stack40:44 - Submit Your Tech Stack40:59 - 📞 Accountant Support41:19 - Acquisition Fatigue43:14 - When to Acquire Firms43:59 - Starting With Small Acquisitions44:04 - Leaving Intuit45:19 - The Case for AI46:04 - Moving Beyond QuickBooks48:59 - Raising Your Prices49:44 - Migrating Existing Clients51:19 - Outsourcing Bookkeeping52:59 - Offshore Bookkeeping53:58 - AI Bookkeeping54:43 - Business Valuation Credentials55:38 - Building a Valuation Practice56:38 - Is an Accounting Degree Still Worth It?57:28 - Accounting Beyond Bookkeeping58:18 - AI Watermarks59:08 - Talking to Clients About AI01:00:14 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I dig into data from 5,000 accounting firm listings to see what firms are actually selling for, what drives higher multiples, and which common M&A assumptions don’t hold up. I also break down medical spas as a potential accounting niche in 🐝 Niche of the Week and map out how I would enter that market. Then I answer to your questions in 📞 Accountant Support. 📄 Grab the Accounting Firm Acquisitions spreadsheet I talked about: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HHxl5KGG-3zApXRbpok8Hkacvn4vE6D_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100194317059241398669&rtpof=true&sd=true 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesSoraban: https://hubs.ly/Q04cNLF80MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: Go to https://www.getcanopy.com/jason and schedule a demo to see for yourself, and Canopy will send you a $75 gift card after your demoFinancial Cents: sign up at https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats // Chapters:00:00 - 5,000 Accounting Firm Sales01:15 - Accounting Firm M&A Data02:35 - Multiples Are Rising03:30 - Does Firm Size Matter?05:45 - Virtual Firm Premium06:25 - Why Owners Sell07:15 - Geography and Firm Value07:45 - Most Firms Sold Are Small08:55 - Financing Firm Acquisitions09:20 - Buyer Demand Is Rising09:40 - Which Services Sell Best?10:35 - The 1.5x Multiple Myth14:55 - More M&A Surprises16:50 - What Firms Actually Sell For17:40 - 🐝 Niche of the Week18:00 - Medical Spas19:05 - Are Solo Med Spas Too Small?20:20 - The Better Med Spa Client21:25 - Targeting More Mature Med Spas23:05 - Finding Med Spa Clients28:30 - Med Spa Referral Channels30:10 - The Swear Jar32:30 - Accounting Cornerstone Foundation32:35 - 📞 Accountant Support32:55 - Puzzle Acquired by Accrual35:00 - How Fast Should Your Firm Grow?41:55 - Claude Skills Security44:35 - Claude Pro and Client Data46:40 - Automating QBO Deposits48:55 - Can Instead Replace UltraTax?51:55 - App Recommendations52:00 - Accounting Firm Sales Data 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! [email protected] In this episode, I break down 23 accounting firm models that go beyond traditional bookkeeping and tax, including specialized compliance, niche audit, and advisory opportunities that small firms can compete for. Then I take the idea of specialization to its logical extreme and build a space accounting firm from scratch, using government awards, cost reimbursement contracts, conferences, and accelerators to find potential clients. In 📫 Mailbag, I dig into whether AI will eliminate junior accounting roles, how firms can use AI to attract better clients, connecting Claude directly to QuickBooks Online, private versus cloud AI models, what I’m spending on AI subscriptions, and the environmental tradeoffs of AI. 🔥 Want the chance to have your firm anonymously roasted? Complete this form! https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsVerito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notesKarbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staatsMakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaatsCanopy: Go to https://www.getcanopy.com/jason and schedule a demo to see for yourself, and Canopy will send you a $75 gift card after your demo // Chapters:00:00 - 23 Accounting Firm Niches03:30 - Trust & Estate Firms04:50 - Nonprofit Tax Firms05:40 - Tax Representation Firms06:10 - Sales & Use Tax Firms07:20 - Foreign-Owned Business Firms08:10 - Expat Tax Firms08:40 - Crypto Compliance Firms09:00 - Cannabis Compliance Firms09:34 - 401(k) Plan Audit Firms10:40 - Government Grant Audit Firms14:04 - Nonprofit Audit Firms14:39 - HOA Audit Firms15:29 - Construction & Surety Firms16:14 - Affordable Housing Firms16:59 - Franchisor Audit Firms17:24 - Captive Insurance Audit Firms17:49 - Credit Union & Community Bank Firms18:24 - Business Valuation Firms19:09 - Divorce Forensics Firms19:44 - Forensic & Fraud Firms20:09 - Royalty & Contract Compliance Firms21:09 - Healthcare Reimbursement Firms21:53 - Government Contractor Firms26:13 - Building a Space Accounting Firm27:43 - Finding Space Companies30:02 - Cost Reimbursement Contracts31:33 - Space Industry Gateways32:33 - Finding Niche Opportunities33:08 - Let’s Make a Hire35:48 - 📫 Mailbag36:22 - Will AI Replace Juniors?41:47 - Using AI to Grow44:17 - Claude + QuickBooks45:32 - Private AI Models50:26 - Jason’s AI Spend52:36 - AI’s Environmental Cost54:36 - Closing Thoughts 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa