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 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! jason@jasononfirms.com

In this episode, I break down nine non-accounting apps that can make a modern accounting firm more efficient, from collaborative email and soft phones to AI assistants, meeting recorders, and scheduling tools. I also 🔥 Roast a Firm and explain why an extremely specific niche can be a powerful advantage. Then in 📞 Accountant Support, I answer questions about cutting lower-paying clients, using Claude with QuickBooks, choosing PC versus Mac for AI, trial balance software, replacing traditional software with AI, and whether new accounting graduates should start their own firms.

🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates
Financial Cents: Book a demo https://hubs.li/Q03PYVrp0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
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

// Chapters:
00:00 - 9 Essential Non-Accounting Apps
01:55 - Collaborative Email
04:44 - Soft Phones + SMS
06:25 - Loom for Client Communication
08:55 - Social Media Scheduling
10:19 - Password Management
12:24 - Claude or ChatGPT
14:04 - Slack or Microsoft Teams
17:54 - Meeting Recorders
19:04 - Scheduling Tools
23:28 - 🔥 Roast a Firm
24:54 - Why Specific Niches Work
25:43 - Building a Side Website
26:09 - Website Messaging
28:38 - Capturing Visitor Emails
30:23 - Adding Social Proof
30:48 - Rethinking Website Pricing
36:28 - Selling the Opportunity
38:43 - 📞 Accountant Support
38:58 - Cutting Lower-Paying Clients
40:08 - How Many Clients to Cut
44:02 - QuickBooks + Claude Outside the US
48:12 - PC vs. Mac for AI
50:32 - Trial Balance Software
51:02 - Accounting Software Mount Rushmore
53:02 - 10-Key ATB vs. Tallyfor
54:47 - Is Software Too Expensive?
57:02 - Should AI Replace CCH?
01:00:22 - Starting an Accounting Firm
01:05:26 - Realize

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn 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! jason@jasononfirms.com

In this episode, I rank 20 different client acquisition strategies, then I walk through exactly how I would build an accounting firm from scratch today. I cover two versions: what I’d do with the network I have now, and what I’d do if I were starting with no connections at all. Then in the 📫 Mailbag, I tackle keeping premium clients after their original pain disappears, automating phone and messaging workflows, AI’s impact on bookkeeping, preventing AI hallucinations, and whether the future of accounting really means everyone has to become an advisor.

🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates
Financial Cents: Book a demo https://hubs.li/Q03PYVrp0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
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

// Chapters:
00:00 - Finding New Clients
01:15 - Ranking 20 Acquisition Strategies
02:15 - Accounting Software Directories
03:40 - Paid Ads
06:50 - Cold Email
09:00 - TikTok
10:50 - Google Ads
11:40 - Virtual Events
13:40 - Hiring Industry Insiders
14:30 - Webinars
18:00 - Direct Mail
18:55 - Google Business Profile
19:55 - LinkedIn
21:05 - Physical Signage
22:20 - Online Communities
23:25 - Industry Software Directories
24:40 - YouTube
26:40 - Industry Partnerships
28:35 - Industry Authorities
30:55 - Brand Partnerships
32:25 - Industry Gates
35:40 - In-Person Events
38:01 - 🔥 Roast A Firm
39:00 - Starting With Jason’s Network
44:15 - The First Five Steps
45:20 - Starting With No Network
52:20 - Building a Lead Magnet
54:48 - 📫 Mailbag
55:15 - Keeping Premium Clients
58:15 - Automating Phone & SMS
1:01:10 - Is AI Crushing Bookkeeping?
1:03:45 - Preventing AI Hallucinations
1:06:25 - Does Everyone Need Advisory?
1:09:45 - Realize

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn 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! jason@jasononfirms.com

In this episode, I break down what an accounting firm could look like if AI eventually handles most of the actual production work. Using Satya Nadella’s framing of human capital and token capital, I explore why firm-specific knowledge, meeting transcripts, client conversations, and feedback loops could become some of the most valuable intellectual property inside an accounting firm. I also walk through three practical AI loops firms can start building today, dig into why accountants increasingly want MCP access instead of separate AI assistants inside every app, and answer listener questions in the 📞 Accountant Support section.

🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates
Financial Cents: Book a demo https://hubs.li/Q03PYVrp0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
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

// Chapters:
00:00 - Four types of accounting firms
01:40 - Compliance-only firms
03:15 - Finding a compliance niche
05:19 - Compliance pros and cons
07:53 - Tax firms doing bookkeeping
09:08 - The hardest firm to niche
10:33 - The fastest-growing firm model
11:27 - Selling the back office
13:13 - Books-first firm advantages
15:12 - Beyond traditional bookkeeping
18:51 - Accounting firm partnerships
20:30 - Bookkeeping-only firms
23:24 - Comparing all four models
24:29 - The opportunity in seasonal tax
24:44 - The Swear Jar
27:58 - 🤓 Nerd Corner: AI agents
31:15 - Grokbot and computer automation
34:39 - Where to draw the AI line
36:44 - Making AI agents safer
39:13 - 📞 Accountant Support
39:39 - AI fetching bank statements
42:38 - Spotting cheap clients
43:33 - Positioning around valuable problems
44:08 - Three-tier pricing
45:53 - Staff vs. senior accountants
46:13 - CRM vs. practice management
51:07 - Getting staff to adopt AI
54:52 - Tax Season Simulator
56:17 - Avoiding bottomless habits
56:57 - The second stomach debate
59:26 - Closing thoughts

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn 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! jason@jasononfirms.com

In this episode, I break down what an accounting firm could look like if AI eventually handles most of the actual production work. Using Satya Nadella’s framing of human capital and token capital, I explore why firm-specific knowledge, meeting transcripts, client conversations, and feedback loops could become some of the most valuable intellectual property inside an accounting firm. I also walk through three practical AI loops firms can start building today, dig into why accountants increasingly want MCP access instead of separate AI assistants inside every app, and answer listener questions in the 📫 Mailbag section.

📄 That article from Satya https://snscratchpad.com/posts/frontier-ecosystem/

🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates
Financial Cents: Book a demo https://hubs.li/Q03PYVrp0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
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

// Chapters:
00:00 - The AI-Native Accounting Firm
01:35 - What Happens When AI Does the Work?
03:05 - Software’s AI Disruption
06:00 - What Becomes Your Firm’s Moat?
07:15 - Human Capital + Token Capital
09:45 - Meeting Transcripts as Firm IP
12:15 - Building Valuable Accounting IP
15:59 - Human Judgment Still Matters
16:50 - Building AI Learning Loops
19:15 - Three Practical AI Loops
20:05 - AI Month-End Workpapers
24:35 - AI Tax Transcript Verification
26:55 - Automating Meeting Follow-Up
27:55 - Building Feedback Into AI
29:10 - Automating AI Workflows
31:50 - The Future Firm as AI Loops
34:15 - 🤓 Nerd Corner
34:30 - MCPs vs Built-In AI
36:35 - Will Claude Replace Tax Software?
39:05 - Why Firms Want Better MCPs
41:55 - Helping Your Client’s AI
44:25 - 📞 Accountant Support
44:45 - Replacing QBO With Claude
49:50 - Building Your Own Software
54:55 - AI-Powered Bank Rules
56:15 - Cloud Practice Management Security
57:55 - Losing Three Staff in a Month
59:45 - Pricing Through a Capacity Crisis
1:00:44 - Closing Thoughts
1:00:59 - Realize Community

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn 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! jason@jasononfirms.com

In this episode, I break down eight hard truths about pricing that most accounting firms need to hear, from why pricing should feel uncomfortable to why delivery matters more than technical quality. I then roast a real listener’s proposal and explain how to structure three-tier proposals that command higher fees without adding more work. We also dive into how AI is changing proposals, bookkeeping software, and custom apps built by firms, before wrapping up with questions about QuickBooks, MCPs, AI-led accounting, and why I think the golden age of accounting is still ahead.

🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates
Financial Cents: Book a demo https://hubs.li/Q03PYVrp0 and use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
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

// Chapters:
00:00 - Why Most Firms Underprice Themselves
01:15 - Truth #1: Pricing Should Feel Uncomfortable
03:45 - Truth #2: Clients Decide Your Value
05:59 - Truth #3: Premium Pricing Isn’t Evil
07:39 - Truth #4: Attract Better Clients, Don’t Sell More
09:13 - Truth #5: Stop Listening to C & D Clients
11:54 - Truth #6: Delivery Beats Technical Quality
17:19 - Truth #7: You Get What You Pay For
19:14 - Truth #8: Don’t Lock In Day One Pricing
22:40 - 🔥 Roast a Listener’s Proposal
31:47 - Building Better Three-Tier Proposals
38:23 - 🗄️ Tales from the Vault: Getting Real Online
42:03 - 📬 Mailbag
42:16 - Should You Leave QuickBooks Desktop?
45:43 - AI Is Replacing Software Subscriptions
48:00 - Will AI Change Three-Tier Proposals?
51:09 - Claude, MCPs & QuickBooks
52:52 - Should Your Firm Sell Software?
57:31 - The Golden Age of Accounting
59:37 - Realize

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa