Accounting Firm Coach: Office Hours

🚀 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’m breaking down nine essential AI security to-dos, explaining why responsible AI agent deployment matters more than compliance alone, and sharing some useful battery tech in 🤖 You Need This Tech. Then we’re building an HVAC accounting niche from scratch, tackling shareholder resistance to change, dealing with clients challenging tax returns using AI, and exploring why APIs and MCPs matter when choosing software. Plus, I respond to the local AI backlash, discuss whether accountants should buy sheep, and consider what a future with less work might look like.
// Chapters:
00:00 - Your 9 AI To-do’s
17:42 - This Is More Important Than AI Rules!
22:38 - Let’s Talk About Batteries
25:29 - Live Build an HVAC Firm Niche from Scratch
31:32 - Getting Shareholders to Change
35:12 - Fighting My Client’s AI
40:37 - Avoid Apps Without APIs?
44:51 - Local AI Backlash!
49:26 - Should Accountants Buy Sheep?
50:06 - We Love Them
🔒 Here’s the new AI security guide! https://accountingfirmcoach.com/ai-security
📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!
📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com
💰 Today's Sponsors
Canopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason
Realize: https://www.rlz.io/
Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://www.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/
Gusto: https://gusto.com/
Kick: https://www.kick.co/
🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://x.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 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 share five ways to turn an underperforming accounting firm website into a lead-generating machine, break down a firm for sale with 6,000 clients and an 84% margin, and introduce the 👿 Mean Bag, where we read some of the internet’s harshest comments about me. Then I tackle your Mailbag questions on firm acquisitions, IT hardware, must-have apps, AI coaching, and delegating client onboarding. Plus, we explore why offshore staffing isn’t always the answer to scaling your firm.
// Chapters:
01:07 My Website Sucks!
20:25 This 6,000 Client Firm Runs an 84% Margin
30:19 Mean Bag
39:40 These Accountants Are Looking For Work
41:14 Does A Firms Purchase Price Include Client-Paid Software?
42:14 IT Hardware for Firms?
46:17 Desert Island Apps
48:26 AI Coaching From Peers
50:10 The Dark Side of Offshore
54:09 The Profession’s Least Spooky Apps
📌 Here’s that tax mill we discussed https://us.businessesforsale.com/us/premier-southern-california-tax-and-accounting-platform.aspx
📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!
📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com
💰 Today's Sponsors
Canopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason
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
Realize: https://www.rlz.io/
🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://x.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 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 Perplexity’s local AI capabilities and whether accounting firms should trust AI running entirely on their computers. Then I share Halloween costume ideas for accountants, explore whether it’s time to start cloning accounting software with AI, and explain why space accounting could be a massive niche opportunity. In 📬 Mailbag, I cover how to charge for midyear bookkeeping catch-up, building an email list that actually converts, developing future firm leaders, choosing between Intuit Link and other tax workflow tools, and whether buying leads is worth it.
// Chapters:
01:35 - The All-In-One Local AI!
13:34 - 11 Halloween Costumes for Accountants
19:04 - Time To Start Cloning Accounting Apps?
29:23 - $21B Went Into This Niche In Q3 Alone!
34:43 - How To Charge For Catch-Up?
38:43 - Worth Building an Email List?
44:08 - How To Develop Leaders
47:47 - Is Intuit Link Good Enough?
50:47 - Worth Buying Leads?
53:27 - Because We Love Them!
📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!
📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com
💰 Today's Sponsors
Canopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason
Gusto: https://gusto.com/
Kick: https://www.kick.co/
Stanford Tax: https://stanfordtax.com/
Tax Bandits: https://www.taxbandits.com/
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://www.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/
🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://x.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 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 talk about whether independently owned convenience stores make a profitable accounting niche, share how one firm built a specialized practice serving disaster restoration companies, and tackle the growing frustration of clients using AI to challenge their accountants and attorneys. Plus, in 🤖 You Need This Tech, I share a battery management solution every parent needs, highlight accounting professionals looking for their next opportunity, and answer 📬 Mailbag questions about marketing bookkeeping services, finding and retaining talent, and whether free QuickBooks alternatives are worth considering.
// Chapters:
02:15 - Convenience Store Niche?
15:39 - This Firm Built A Disaster Restoration Niche
19:49 - Normies Vent About AI Being Better Than Professionals
32:18 - You Need This Battery Tech!
37:43 - Folks You Should Hire
39:33 - How to Market Bookkeeping Without Calling It Bookkeeping
43:28 - Finding and Retaining Talent?
48:37 - Free QuickBooks Alternative?
54:27 - We Love Them
📞 Leave me a voicemail at +1 (516) 980-4968!
📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com
📌 A link to Nikole Mackenzie’s niche story https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/messy-middle-what-one-tells-you-niching-nikole-mackenzie-qvcoe/
🔋 Here’s that battery charger you need https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSL7VZBP?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
💰 Today's Sponsors
Canopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason
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
TaxBandits: https://www.taxbandits.com/
🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://x.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 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 1
11:06 - Do This By December 1
20:44 - Do This By January 1
22:49 - 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 Ledgers
45:38 - 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! jason@jasononfirms.com
📌 Here’s that $1.4M/yr firm https://privatepracticetransitions.com/business-listing/1265-established-cas-practice-with-strong-growth/
💰 Today's Sponsors
Canopy: https://www.getcanopy.com/jason
Gusto: 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/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa