DiSC Profiles Boost Staff Effectiveness
Summit CPA introduced DiSC personality profiles to address communication gaps in its remote workforce. The firm used the assessments to map employee behavior styles, tailoring collaboration and meeting structures accordingly. Early internal metrics show a 20% drop in clarification emails and a 15% boost in on‑time deliverables. Staff report higher engagement, indicating the tool’s impact on both productivity and morale.
Who Will Do What by When?
The article emphasizes that moving from strategic priorities to concrete actions is the critical "Implement" stage for any firm. It highlights the risk of losing momentum if accountability is weak, using Fortuna Accounting’s Sal as an example of a well‑intentioned...
What Goes Into M&A Valuations
The article breaks down the two primary components of CPA firm merger valuations: capital and goodwill. Capital is measured by adjusting accrual‑based equity for the fair market value of fixed assets, work‑in‑process and receivable reserves, and is typically paid in...
Jason Blumer & Ian Vacin: What 95% of Firms Never Do | Gear Up for Growth
In a May 15, 2026 episode of Gear Up for Growth, CPA leaders Jason Blumer and Ian Vacin unveiled their new book *Scale with Purpose*. Their research shows only about 5 % of accounting firms navigate their first major growth phase without setbacks. The authors argue that organizational design...
Let Firm Values Guide Your Hiring
The article stresses that a firm’s core values should be the primary filter when hiring. By defining and communicating these values, companies create a cultural foundation that attracts like‑minded talent. Hiring aligned employees strengthens the firm’s brand, improves collaboration, and...
The Talent War Has a Side Nobody Is Talking About
The article highlights a hidden facet of the talent war: firms that lack a visible career path below the partner level see the highest turnover. Owners also struggle to articulate a clear strategic direction, which compounds retention problems. Solutions are...
Make CPE Work for You
Sandi Leyva’s article shows tax and accounting professionals how to turn conference attendance into a profit center. It outlines three practical ways to recoup costs—leveraging new client leads, upselling existing services, and applying learned techniques to raise fees. Leyva also...
Bissett Bullet: Who Is Taking Care of Your Team?
Martin Bissett’s latest Bissett Bullet urges leaders to ask what their team needs to perform at peak levels. He identifies four pillars of employee security—mental, social, physical and financial—and challenges managers to verify each is in place. The piece includes...
The Real Problem with AI in Accounting | ARC
In a May 7, 2026 Accounting ARC episode, host Donny Shimamoto explores how artificial intelligence is outpacing the accounting profession’s ability to redesign its workflows. He interviews Danielle Supkis Cheek, senior vice president of AI, analytics and assurance at CaseWare, to illustrate the tension between...
CPA-PE Deal Tracker™: How Big Buyouts Are Turning the Profession Into a Platform
The CPA Trendlines CPA‑PE Deal Tracker shows 452 accounting‑related private‑capital events through April 2026, with 78 deals recorded year‑to‑date—well above the 44 logged in the same period of 2025. Deal flow has surged past the 450‑deal mark, signaling a shift from...
Automation Lets Staff Operate at Higher Levels
The article argues that automation is reshaping accounting firms by standardizing processes and freeing staff to focus on higher‑value work. By leveraging cloud‑based tools and AI, firms can align disparate team members onto a single workflow, reducing errors and manual...
The Seven C’s of Assessing Partner Potential
Martin Bissett’s article introduces a structured framework—the Seven C’s—for evaluating staffers aspiring to partnership. The model emphasizes competence, culture, commitment, client focus, communication, collaboration, and commercial acumen as critical lenses. Bissett argues firms need clear milestones and processes to turn...
Shape Partner Behavior Through Compensation
CPA Trendlines highlights how firms can shape partner behavior by linking compensation to measurable performance. By categorizing partners into quartiles—from high‑performing “stallions” in Quartile 1 to lower contributors—firms can tailor pay structures that reward results and discourage complacency. The article stresses...
Sarah Flischel: The End of the SALY Audit | The Disruptors
Sarah Flischel, Director of Audit Transformation and Training at AAFCPAs, is spearheading a shift from traditional, linear audit methods to a technology‑driven, risk‑based model. She emphasizes the distinction between incremental change and true transformation, borrowing Tom Hood’s insight that transformation...
Prioritize Your Mental and Physical Health
Behavioral financial advisor Rory Henry, director at Arrowroot Family Office, warns accounting professionals about the escalating burnout crisis and urges a shift toward holistic wealth management. He introduces a program that blends mental and physical health considerations with proactive financial...