profile of a modern firm: putting the vision into practice

maksymiw
michael maksymiw, cpa cgma msa, is executive director, aprio firm alliance at aprio. he connects growing firms with resources to advance client relationships and provides access to subject matter experts in specialties that fall outside a firm’s wheelhouse. he holds a master of science in accounting from university of connecticut.

three ways an integrated model helps attract talent.

by michael maksymiw, cpa cgma msa
the holistic guide to wealth management

a successful future firm has an abundance mindset and an adaptable leadership style. the abundance mindset is based on the belief that there is enough work for everyone. that means the firm can focus on what it wants to – it can pick its niche. and the firm will utilize its network of other firms who think similarly to completely service the client.

more: toward a 21st-century cpa: a dynamic vision | what multiples mean to accounting firms | tsunami of m&a, pe is disrupting the accounting profession | why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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a generalist who tries to do everything for a client is the old model. a specialist who finds other specialists to ensure the client has the best team around them for their success is the model of the future.
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toward a 21st-century cpa: a dynamic vision

portrait of susan bryant
bryant
susan bryant is a certified public accountant and certified tax strategist. she has earned widespread recognition, including honors as a woman of empowerment, enterprising woman of the year, and being named among the top 50 women in accounting.

seven areas of focus for every firm.

by susan bryant
the holistic guide to wealth management

as the old saying goes: “everyone wants an accountant; no one wants to be an accountant.” whether that saying is true or not, the future of our profession hinges upon casting a new vision.

more: what multiples mean to accounting firms | tsunami of m&a, pe is disrupting the accounting profession | why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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accounting has been many things over the years, but “exciting” is not an adjective you hear often to describe it. reliable. dependable. necessary. sure, but rarely exciting.

however, we live in fast-moving and volatile times. everything is changing rapidly. the aftermath of the pandemic, and the seismic shifts it caused in the global and local economies, have upended nearly every aspect of business. sector after sector is scrambling to adapt to our fast-changing world. it’s a world in which the stock market is volatile; inflation is high; war, recession and weather events loom; and millions of boomers are exiting the work force and surging into retirement. with the world changing so fast, every aspect of business services needs to change with it, including accounting.
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what multiples mean to accounting firms

plus the appeal of rias.

by rory henry
the holistic guide to wealth management

why are accounting firms measured in revenue multiples while most other businesses are measured in ebitda multiples?

according to allan koltin, accounting industry transaction guru, there is no better reason than because that’s how we’ve always done it in the accounting profession.

more: tsunami of m&a, pe is disrupting the accounting profession | why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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“accounting firms have zero ebitda; they clear out the register every year,” noted koltin. “when i talk to firms about private equity, i have to walk them back and explain how you’re going to create your own ebitda. and the biggest piece of it is what we call the ‘scrape of partner compensation.’ you’re making $1.2 million. can you live on $800,000 if we move that extra $400,000 into an ebitda category and put a multiple of 7x to 11x on that and get capital gain?” asked koltin.

“partners 55 and older love it. partners who are 35 are not so sure.”
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tsunami of m&a, pe is disrupting the accounting profession

cresting ocean wave made of $20 bills

return on relationship still just as important as roi.

by rory henry
the holistic guide to wealth management.

there’s no question the pandemic accelerated the accounting profession’s transformation and the entry of private equity (pe) into the marketplace. in many ways the pandemic years were an inflection point. the old way of doing things – meeting clients face to face and providing tax and accounting services – is essentially over. the pandemic and private equity are propelling the profession forward as firms adopt new service offerings, change how they operate, and find innovative ways to recruit, retain and compensate talent.

more: why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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pe is considered “smart money” because it has a track record of building better business models, increasing efficiencies and then selling the companies and firms they invest in for a profit. smart money sees enormous potential by investing in accounting firms thanks to technology that makes it easier than ever to integrate professional services on a much larger scale.
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why cpas are best positioned to become financial advisors

portrait of blake oliver
oliver
blake oliver is a cpa and the founder and ceo of earmark, an app that offers nasba-approved cpe and irs-approved ce credits for listening to your favorite accounting and tax podcasts. he also co-hosts the accounting podcast, the world’s most popular podcast for accountants.

you have a lot of advice to offer beyond taxes.

by blake oliver
the holistic guide to wealth management.

“isn’t it ironic? we ignore those who adore us and adore those who ignore us.” – author ellen hopkins

every cpa i know wants to help clients make the best financial decisions. study after study shows cpas are their clients’ most trusted advisors because they have integrity, are prudent, and don’t engage in the hard sell, especially when it comes to financial services.

more: how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships | rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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most cpas claim to do tax planning. but how can you do proper tax planning without knowing a client’s financial goals? you need to know much more about a client than merely their tax liability. yet that’s often where the accountant’s relationship with their client stops every year. how many people have a great tax guy/tax gal whose only goal is to minimize their client’s tax liability? that’s their job, right?
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how wealth management has evolved

vintage pocket watch lying on hundred dollar billsand how the accounting profession has been right alongside.

by rory henry
the holistic guide to wealth management

the accounting profession is evolving rapidly. new business models are emerging, and firms are uncoupling themselves from the constraints of a partnership structure, from outdated service offerings, and from time-based pricing practices.

more: rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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you may be asking yourself: “what business am i truly in?” or perhaps, “what business should i be in?” before answering these questions, consider that you may ultimately be in the relationship business more than you’re in the tax, accounting or bookkeeping business. it doesn’t matter which training, certifications or acronyms you have following your name. if you’re moving into financial planning – or thinking about doing so – you might want to ask yourself: “am i really in the human business?”
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introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships

henry
rory henry, a behavioral financial advisor, is the director at arrowroot family office and co-founder of afo wealth management forward. he has created a program to help accounting professionals incorporate holistic wealth management and proactive planning services into their practice.

clients don’t just want answers, they want empathy.

by rory henry
the holistic guide to wealth management

in his iconic work, “meditationes sacrae” (1597), sir francis bacon wrote that “knowledge itself is power.” many scholars believe bacon wanted to further the idea that having and sharing knowledge is the cornerstone of reputation and influence – and therefore power. all achievements emanate from this philosophy.

more: rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm | why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management
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but in many areas such as business, finance, sports and the military, knowledge can be a competitive advantage. therefore, many are reluctant to share their knowledge with others.
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rory henry upends the traditional accounting firm

henry
rory henry, a behavioral financial advisor, is the director at arrowroot family office and co-founder of afo wealth management forward. he has created a program to help accounting professionals incorporate holistic wealth management and proactive planning services into their practice.

why “advisory” encompasses more than you might think.

by rory henry
the holistic guide to wealth management

i work at a virtual family office called arrowroot family office. over the course of my career i have learned that family (and family dynamics) significantly shapes who we are and how we form relationships in life.

more: why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management

research shows that one of the biggest drivers of family dynamics is the order in which each child is born. birth order theory, developed by alfred adler in the 20th century, suggests that the order in which children are born can have a significant impact on their development and personality.
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why now is the time for cpas to embrace wealth management

portrait of seth fineberg
fineberg
seth fineberg is an accounting industry consultant, content strategist, analyst and speaker. his current business is accountants forward. he has been a business editor and journalist for over 30 years, the vast majority of which has been spent overseeing the accounting profession’s evolution.

start with a conversation.

by seth fineberg
the holistic guide to wealth management.

today we are cresting the biggest waves of change that i’ve seen in my 20-plus years of covering the accounting profession. i’m talking about the need for cpas to go beyond simply being the trusted tax guy (or girl) for their clients and to help them manage all aspects of their wealth. this movement has been building for the better part of a decade, but only recently has it gone from “i’ll think about it” to “can i afford not to get on board?”

not to sound the alarm bells here, but cpas must soon choose between riding the financial planning wave or being swept under it.
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financial planning: beyond the numbers

young man looks in mirror, sees older version reflected back

strive for harmony between your present and future selves.

by rory henry, cfp, bfa
the holistic guide to wealth management.

when helping clients plan for retirement, exit their business or reach other major financial goals, we tend to default to the numbers. financial projections, spending needs, drawdown rates and risk tolerance are great navigational aids, but as lewis carroll wrote in alice in wonderland, “if you don’t know where you’re going any road will take you there.”

more rory henry: be the flywheel to increase revenue
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in the fast-evolving field of behavioral finance, research shows that understanding clients’ emotional relationship with money is just as important as the numbers. and a new approach is showing that getting in tune with our future selves is one of the best ways for clients and their advisors to plan for retirement.

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be the flywheel to increase revenue

“this will be the largest transfer of wealth the nation has ever seen in such a short period of time.”

by rory henry, cfp®, bfa

henry

rory henry is a director at arrowroot family office and host of the wealth management forward podcast. he can be reached to discuss ways to integrate financial planning into your practice through the cpa partnership program at (310) 566-5865 or at rory@arrowrootfamilyoffice.com.

the financial advice business is undergoing significant change, particularly in the accounting and wealth management sectors. the arrival of private equity firms, combined with the rise of m&a and rapid advancements in technology, has shifted the landscape considerably. while these changes are unsettling to some practitioners, i view them as opportunities.

more: four core principles for elite wealth management | why you need a team of experts | why a virtual family office? why now? | is your client’s umbrella big enough? | your client’s instincts are wrong | preserving wealth is a different mindset | three approaches to investment consulting
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in many ways, a cpa is a flywheel at the center of the financial advisory engine. all the other providers and advisors rotate around the cpa, and together they build momentum as the firm expands its offerings and as the advice engine gains speed and confidence.

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