Jason On Firms Podcast

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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.


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Canopy: 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
Financial 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 Valuations
01:40 - 449 Firms for Sale
02:30 - Typical Firm Size
03:25 - Fractional Acquisitions
03:50 - Size vs. Multiple
04:45 - CPA Credentials
05:35 - Premium Firm Characteristics
06:40 - Where Firms Are Listed
07:15 - Private Firm Sales
08:35 - Reasons for Sale
09:05 - Time on Market
11:55 - Valuation Outliers
13:25 - Premium Firm Examples
15:00 - Highly Profitable Firms
15:55 - The Coolest Office Gadget
16:05 - X Polar C1
17:05 - 8 Sleep Comparison
18:00 - Remote Workforce Monitoring
21:34 - 📫 Mailbag
21:59 - Choosing an AI-Savvy IT Provider
22:29 - ChatGPT and Claude
23:19 - AI Due Diligence
27:00 - Getting Started With Video
27:19 - Make 100 Videos
28:14 - Reduce Production Friction
28:39 - Invest in Lighting
29:04 - AI Video Editing
29:29 - Video as a Competitive Advantage
30:14 - Organic Growth vs. Acquisition
30:49 - Acquisition Efficiencies
31:24 - Firm Size and Valuation
31:44 - Industry vs. Geography
32:14 - Avoiding Capacity Problems
32:49 - AI and Diversification
33:49 - Work Yourself Out of the Firm
34:09 - Three-Tier 1040 Proposals
34:19 - Pricing Simple Services
35:29 - Premium Delivery Tiers
36:29 - Better Than Doing More
37:04 - Scoping Availability
37:44 - Bronze Client Economics
38:04 - Opinionated Proposal Design
40:34 - Firm360 and Intake
41:19 - Choosing the Right Workflow
43:04 - Practice Management Options
43:39 - Acquiring a Small Client Book
44:09 - Building a Side Hustle Firm
44:49 - Seller-Financed Acquisitions
45:14 - Finding A Clients
45:54 - Acquisition as a Launchpad
46:19 - Evolving Your Client List
47:24 - Closing Thoughts


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