Jason On Firms Podcast

Hosted by Jason Staats

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636

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Aug 2026

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I'm Jason Staats, and on this podcast we talk through practical tips to run more profitable, calm accounting firms

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August 21, 2026Episode 6361 hr 11 min

636 The 20 Best Ways to find Accounting Firm Clients, Ranked [Let’s throw out the bad strategies]

🚀 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

August 18, 2026Episode 6351 hr 2 min

635 There Are 4 Types Of Accounting Firm [Which of these are YOU?]

🚀 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

August 14, 2026Episode 6341 hr 3 min

634 This Is The Worst Case AI Scenario for Accounting Firms [How to prepare for what might come]

🚀 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

August 11, 2026Episode 6331 hr 1 min

633 8 Brutal PRICING Truths for Accounting Firms [Let me fix your pricing!]

🚀 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

August 7, 2026Episode 63249 min

632 How Every Accounting Firm Changes After 6 Employees [You must plan for this!]

🚀 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

August 4, 2026Episode 63157 min

631 The Psychology Of Building A Successful Accounting Firm [What today’s most successful accountants do different]

🚀 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

July 31, 2026Episode 63055 min

630 The Workflow Secret Driving Profitable Accounting Firms [What the best firms are doing today]

🚀 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

July 28, 2026Episode 62954 min

629 This Data Shows The TECH Accounting Firms Are Using [New data from the world’s most advanced accounting firms]

🚀 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

July 24, 2026Episode 62847 min

628 13 Ways An Admin Should Support Your Accounting Firm [Why your admin may be your most important hire]

July 21, 2026Episode 6271 hr 6 min

627 How Accountants Can Build A Personal Brand in 2026 [The best thing you can do for your career (and firm)]

🚀 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 make the case that your personal brand may become your greatest career insurance policy in an AI-first world. I explain why most accountants remain professionally invisible, how the internet has fundamentally changed the way opportunities are created, and why becoming known for something incredibly specific can unlock a level of leverage that wasn’t possible a decade ago. I also roast a real accounting firm that’s grown through acquisitions, share my thoughts on seasonal tax firms, niche positioning, and staffing, and answer Mailbag questions about building AI apps, AI security, accounting firm acquisitions, practice management software, automation, and what the future looks like if AI can do the accounting work for us. 🔥 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 Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/ MakersHub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo Verito: https://verito.com/jason?utm_campaign=42071442-Jason&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=show-notes // Chapters: 00:00 - Why Personal Branding Matters More Than Ever 01:37 - Welcome to the Podcast 02:03 - Stop Being Professionally Invisible 04:12 - The Real Meaning of Personal Branding 06:01 - Why Visibility Creates Opportunity 07:44 - Finding a Game You Can Win 10:02 - Why Specificity Beats Reach 12:09 - Finding Your Unique Voice 13:06 - Turning Content Into Opportunity 17:09 - Will AI Make Personal Brands More Valuable? 20:00 - Escaping the Hour-for-Dollar Trap 22:04 - The Easiest Way to Stand Out 23:56 - Roast a Firm 24:42 - The Story Behind This Firm 29:49 - The Challenge of Buying Other Firms' Leftovers 35:08 - Choosing Between Seasonal and Year-Round Work 36:03 - Finding Seasonal Tax Talent 39:08 - Going Deeper Into Your Niche 41:59 - Mailbag 42:34 - Building AI Apps Inside Your Firm 48:00 - Buying an Accounting Firm 50:20 - Replacing Sage Intacct 52:03 - Building Your Own AI Reconciliation Tool 53:22 - Is Claude Cowork Secure? 54:42 - Can Instead Replace Traditional Tax Software? 57:14 - Specialized AI Agents vs Claude 1:00:00 - Do You Really Need More Automation? 1:01:54 - Choosing Between Canopy and TaxDome 1:04:20 - What Happens When AI Can Do Everything? 1:05:56 - 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