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 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

🚀 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 the three identities accounting firms can adopt once they grow beyond roughly six employees and approach $1 million in revenue: the one-face firm, the two-face firm, and the no-face firm. I explain who each model suits, how each one scales, and why choosing intentionally can prevent you from building a firm you no longer want to run. I also review an LOI offering 1.5 times revenue for a virtual bookkeeping practice, share five ways to use AI to classify QuickBooks Online transactions, explain how Claude can send emails through custom connections, and answer questions about CPA credentials, tax workflow training, cloud hosting, and building a consulting practice around IRS controversy expertise.

🔥 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.
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes

// Chapters:
00:00 - The Firm Identity Tipping Point
01:20 - Why Firms Hit the $1M Wall
02:46 - #1 The One-Face Firm
05:02 - Becoming the Industry Expert
06:24 - Scaling Beyond One-to-One Work
08:03 - Who the One-Face Model Fits
09:31 - #2 The Two-Face Firm
10:43 - The Traditional Partner Problem
13:28 - Who the Two-Face Model Fits
14:20 - #3 The No-Face Firm
15:20 - Building a Repeatable Machine
16:27 - The Outcome Must Be Consistent
17:01 - Finding the Golden Problem
19:00 - Who the No-Face Model Fits
20:08 - Choose Your Firm’s Identity
21:29 - 🏹 Firm Hunters
21:40 I- s 1.5x Revenue a Good Deal?
23:10 - Is a 30% Margin Too Low?
26:37 - What Makes This Acquisition Work?
29:09 - Accounting Firm Valuation Benchmarks
30:00 - Should the Owner Sell?
31:17 - ☎️ Accountant Support
31:32 - Five Ways AI Can Classify QBO Transactions
31:53 - #1 AI Browser Use
32:36 - #2 AI Computer Use
33:12 - #3 Build a Chrome Extension
33:46 - #4 Automate QBO Bank Rules
34:48 - #5 Use a Dedicated App
37:33 - Is the CPA Still Worth It?
38:54 - Can Claude Send Emails?
41:21 - Are Tax Workflow Programs Worth It?
42:51 - Complex Property Classifications
43:03 - How Much Is Claude Paying Me?
44:15 - Best Cloud Hosting Providers
45:38 - Building an IRS Controversy Firm
49:00 - 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 six mindset shifts I consistently see behind the most successful accounting firms. We cover why client relationships should not automatically be treated as permanent, how high-agency firm owners deliberately shape their client base, why delaying difficult decisions makes running a firm harder, and why leaders should hire to protect their own time first. I introduce 🗄️ Tales From the Vault, where we revisit one of my earliest YouTube videos, its 300 views, painfully slow delivery, and an economically disastrous fanny pack referral program. Then, in 🔥 Unsolicited Takedowns, I question whether AI usage statistics and productivity flexes actually reflect meaningful work. I also dig into whether Claude can automate old-school accounting applications, the continued importance of time tracking, how to promote a side firm, where accountants should post online, and how new firms should approach pricing.

🔥 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.
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes

// Chapters:
00:00 - Six Mindset Shifts for Firm Owners
00:54 - Why Mindset Still Matters
02:13 - #1 Stop Expecting Forever Clients
05:00 - #2 Build a High-Agency Firm
07:25 - #3 Do the Painful Thing
09:40 - #4 Protect Your Own Time
12:06 - The First Four Mindset Shifts
15:21 - #5 Stop Figuring It Out Alone
16:16 - #6 Build Around Your Passions
21:05 - Why I Care About Accounting Firms
24:13 - 🗄️ Tales From the Vault
24:23 - My Cringey Early YouTube Video
25:28 - The Reality of Starting With No Audience
29:02 - Why I Kept Going
29:41 - The $35 Fanny Pack Giveaway
31:28 - 🔥 Unsolicited Takedowns
31:28 - The Whisper Flow Productivity Flex
34:00 - AI Usage Is Not Productivity
38:17 - 📬 Mailbag
38:29 - Can Claude Use Judy’s TenKey?
42:50 - Should Firms Still Track Time?
46:02 - Building a Side Firm Publicly
50:05 - X or Instagram for Accountants?
53:06 - Pricing a Brand-New Firm
57:34 - 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 why client information gathering is still the biggest bottleneck in most accounting firms and how the best firms use portals, automation, admins, and better processes to eliminate unnecessary project touches. I also introduce 🏖️ Accounting Firms Gone Wild, where I review unusual accounting firms currently for sale, and answer listener questions in 📬 Mailbag.
🔥 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.
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes

// Chapters:
00:00 - The Biggest Workflow Bottleneck
01:24 - Why Most Firms Stay Inefficient
03:06 - Good Portal vs. Bad Portal
08:03 - Better Client Request Systems
15:23 - Portal Workflows That Actually Scale
23:37 - 🏖️ Accounting Firms Gone Wild
34:35 - 📬 Mailbag
35:06 - Is Acupuncture Too Small a Niche?
38:08 - Mercury vs. Relay
41:33 - EA vs. CPA for Firm Owners
43:27 - Growing a Bookkeeping Firm Faster
45:56 - Handling Bad Google Reviews
47:28 - Should I Leave My Firm?
49:21 - AI and Citizen Developers
51:20 - Leaving a $200K Job to Start a Firm

💼 Links to those accounting firm listings:
Peer Review Practice https://accountingpracticesales.com/united-states/west/utah/20901-Utah-Based+CPA+Peer+Review+Practice/
Cupertino Firm https://www.bizbuysell.com/business-opportunity/rapid-growth-cpa-wants-another-cpa-25-49/2441221/
NW Montana Firm https://accountingpracticesales.com/united-states/west/montana/20849-Northwest+Montana+CPA+Practice/

🗣️ 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 exclusive data from more some of the most progressive accounting firms to reveal which tech stacks firms actually use at every stage of growth. I also roast a listener’s proposed tech stack, share practical AI and marketing recommendations, answer questions about KPIs, niching, Google Business Profiles, accounting careers in the AI era, and explain how I create content for YouTube.

🔥 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.
Karbon: https://karbonhq.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=jason-staats
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes

// Chapters:
00:00 - Biggest Tech Stack Survey Yet
01:01 - Practice Management by Firm Size
06:05 - Most-Loved Accounting Apps
08:49 - Marketing That Actually Works
11:20 - Delegate Your Inbox Smarter
13:13 - AI’s Hidden Data Advantage
16:15 - 🔥 Roast My Tech Stack
18:53 - Workflow vs Practice Management
20:47 - Bookkeeping or Tax First?
22:35 - AI Accounting Stack Picks
24:05 - Build a Smarter Tech Stack
30:53 - AI Video Editing with Claude
34:13 - 📬 Mailbag
34:34 - Best KPIs for Firm Owners
38:34 - Finding the Right Niche
43:08 - Do You Need Google Reviews?
45:04 - Growing Beyond $750K
48:36 - AI Skills for New Accountants
51:00 - Behind My YouTube Workflow
53:14 - 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