Who's Really the BOSS?

Hosted by Marcus Dillon, Rachel Dillon

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161

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Jun 2026

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About the show

"Who's Really the BOSS?" highlights the joys and challenges of running a CPA firm with your spouse or family. From hiring and terminating to improving capacity, cash flow, and culture, our conversations cover leadership, operations, and current accounting industry challenges. Our mission is to strengthen families and accounting firms by helping listeners avoid the mistakes we have made, so they can lead and live happily ever after.

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June 8, 2026Episode 1257 min

Introducing Streamlined OS: The Operating System Built for Accounting Firms

Marcus and Rachel publicly unveil Streamlined OS, the operating system Collective by DBA built specifically for accounting firms to connect strategy, execution, measurement, and improvement in one place. They walk through how its 62-question assessment surfaces a firm's strengths and improvement areas, prioritizes three or fewer to tackle next, links each one to training and templates, and tracks progress against five core KPIs. They also get candid about running a less owner-dependent firm, why transparency with your team is worth the discomfort, and how the stabilize, systemize, and scale framework applied to DBA itself after its 2025 acquisitions.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (01:20) - What Is Streamlined OS (03:23) - Gather Conference Invite (07:16) - Why Firms Need It Now (09:40) - Optionality and Owner Dependence (11:46) - KPIs Dashboards Alignment (15:26) - Priorities and Next Steps (17:43) - Built From Real Experience (22:18) - Origin Story and Resources (26:15) - Pacing Change for Success (29:51) - What It Includes Next (30:59) - Dashboard KPI Tracking (31:45) - Team Assessment Setup (34:07) - Interpreting Results (35:45) - Focus Zones Resources (37:20) - Transparency With KPIs (42:45) - Five Core Metrics (46:34) - Owner Hours Value (50:53) - From Reporting To Action (53:49) - Collective Support Paths (55:10) - Credits Webinar Next Steps

May 25, 2026Episode 1152 min

Stop Paying Consultants to Tell You What to Automate

Marcus and Rachel introduce the Automation Idea Generator from Collected by DBA, a free tool designed to help accounting firm teams identify what to automate, assess ROI, and get started without hiring a consultant. The episode walks through a live demo and breaks down a key distinction the whole firm needs to understand: AI designs the process, automation runs it. They also get honest about the real barrier to adoption in most firms, which isn't the technology, it's the team.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai The Automation Idea Generator: https://collective.cpa/automationpromptWatch on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/zIW4hkn8wYwIntroducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (01:15) - Episode Tool Teaser (01:34) - Family Travel Update (05:42) - Why This Free Tool (07:07) - AI Vs Automation Basics (08:38) - Tech Pace And Firm Context (11:25) - Automation Initiative Start (12:47) - Credit To Tool Builders (14:10) - Temporary Tool Mindset (16:31) - Team Training Exercise (18:49) - Evaluating Automation ROI (21:08) - Real Example Prospect Folder (23:06) - Integration Reality Check (28:05) - Demo Begins Tool Link (30:36) - Software Stack Setup (32:12) - File Storage Choices (33:02) - Define the Pain Point (34:06) - Payroll Email Use Case (36:49) - Time Savings and ROI (38:57) - Generate the Prompt (41:10) - Claude Reviews Automation Ideas (44:18) - Risks and Change Management (48:13) - Empower the Whole Team (51:39) - Wrap Up and Feedback

May 11, 2026Episode 1045 min

How to Build an Accounting Firm Structure That Actually Works

SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Rachel and Marcus pull back the curtain on how DBA rebuilt their accounting firm from the ground up, moving from a structure where everything ran through one person to a three-tiered team model built for scale. They walk through each phase of the transition: defining roles, aligning consistent teams to clients, and building industry specialization that makes advisory conversations sharper and more valuable.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (00:39) - Family Updates (05:16) - Why Team of Three (06:54) - Problems With Silos (10:24) - Client Pain Points (12:01) - Three Roles Explained (15:41) - Model Goals and Benefits (21:11) - Phase One Define Roles (28:39) - Phase Two Align Teams (38:48) - Career Paths and Scaling (43:05) - Wrap Up and Listener Challenge

April 27, 2026Episode 91 hr 1 min

The Four Ps of Leading Change in Your Accounting Firm

Marcus and Rachel introduce their rally cry for 2026, "lead change, create impact," and share the four Ps framework (Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part) they've adopted at DBA and Collective to guide their team through rapid change. They get honest about past missteps, from announcing acquisitions without team buy-in to the temptation of initiating change without living through it. Along the way, they also weigh in on AI's impact on accounting firms and why the runway looks very different depending on who your clients are.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (00:53) - Moving to Fort Worth (02:19) - Busy Season Chaos (04:01) - Move In Surprises (06:26) - Leading Change Theme (07:11) - Rally Cry for 2026 (09:15) - Rapid Change Pressures (11:53) - AI Job Impact Talk (17:18) - Tech Savvy Client Story (22:32) - Preparing Team for Change (26:25) - Lessons from 2025 (28:31) - Clarity Beats Resistance (29:47) - Early Acquisition Missteps (31:13) - Intentional Change Mindset (32:16) - Adopting Lencioni Four Ps (34:01) - Purpose Align With Values (36:48) - Clarity Beats Vagueness (43:33) - Picture Define Success (46:52) - Optimist Pessimist Exercise (52:08) - Plan Roadmap And Owners (55:43) - Part Define Everyone Role (58:43) - Recap Repeat And Close

April 13, 2026Episode 857 min

DBA 3.0: Remote Work, Team of Three, and the Reinvention That Took 15 Years

Marcus and Rachel Dillon pick up where they left off, walking through the third major chapter of Dillon Business Advisors: from the shift to fully remote work and the development of their Team of Three model, to two strategic acquisitions that pushed the firm past $6 million in revenue. Marcus also pulls back the curtain on the conversations he's having now with firm owners at every size, from $1M to $250M, about succession, technology, and what it really means to build enterprise value. It's a candid look at where DBA has been and the questions every firm owner should be asking about where the industry is headed.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (02:21) - Remote Work Pivot (03:33) - Tech Stack for Remote (06:02) - Exiting Audit Practice (07:27) - PPP and ERC Surge (08:24) - Team of Three Model (14:45) - Rebrand SEO Fallout (18:11) - Capacity and Growth Choices (19:21) - Strategic Acquisitions 2025 (25:14) - Owner Hours and Balance (28:43) - Leadership Retreat Insights (29:35) - Industry Deal Chatter (31:35) - Succession Stewardship Mindset (33:39) - Managing Partner Reality Check (35:50) - Legacy Firms vs Enterprise Value (40:27) - Rollups Create New Niches (45:39) - Optionality and Independence (50:43) - Short Horizon Strategy (52:12) - Team Structure Upskilling (55:38) - Closing Advice and Patience

March 30, 2026Episode 71 hr 2 min

15 Years of DBA: The Origin Story

Marcus and Rachel Dillon reflect on 15 years of Dillon Business Advisors, tracing the firm's origins from a cold-letter acquisition of a $400K book in 2011 through two distinct five-year chapters of growth, tough lessons, and reinvention. They cover the early grind of building stability, a mentor acquisition that didn't go as planned, strategic client block sales, and the unexpected pivot that COVID forced on the firm.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (01:00) - Life Updates (06:42) - Recharge Mexico Plans (08:57) - DBA 15 Year Lookback (12:23) - Why Start DBA (18:44) - Leaving Firm For Family (21:20) - Early Goals And Acquisition (24:34) - Scrappy First Years (31:11) - First Five Years Growth (33:49) - 2016 Milestones And Family (37:06) - Acquiring Mentor Practice (38:13) - Culture Clash And New Office (39:52) - Tax Season Chaos And Billing (43:06) - Systems Coach And MRR Push (47:30) - Spinning Off Clients And Office (50:07) - 2019 Focus And Boundaries (54:36) - COVID Remote Shift And Audit Exit (58:29) - Revenue Floor And Margin Goals (01:01:48) - Wrapping Up & Chapter Two

March 16, 2026Episode 656 min

Running a Remote Accounting Firm From a Mexican Beach

Sandra Koch founded Aurora Consulting Group in 2011 and spent years chasing the dream of a beautiful brick-and-mortar office — then sold the building, went fully remote, and eventually moved to a small coastal town in Baja California with dirt roads and 25 species of whales. She joins Marcus and Rachel to talk about the anxiety of going remote, the grief of letting go of a physical space, and why she now believes her clients get a better version of her than they ever did when she was managing an office.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (01:19) - Life in Mexico (02:00) - Firm Origins and Growth (04:05) - Going Fully Remote (12:05) - Client Visits and Meals (13:57) - Client Mixer Playbook (20:23) - Letting Go of Office (24:41) - Remote Hiring and Culture (29:33) - Incentives That Stick (33:44) - Why Retreats Matter (35:12) - Missing The Office Myth (38:46) - Better Owner Better Service (41:46) - 2026 Focus Words (45:01) - Trust Clean Help (46:37) - Science Experiment Mindset (49:55) - Collective Community Impact (54:48) - Closing And Next Steps

March 2, 2026Episode 552 min

Building a Referral Pipeline That Actually Works

Rachel and Marcus pull back the curtain on how Dillon Business Advisors went from zero website leads after a botched domain migration to a packed January calendar full of prospective client meetings. They trace the full lead journey — from SEO recovery and HubSpot automation to referral partner relationships and the pre-call nurturing that warms prospects before Rachel even says hello.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - BOSS S5E5 (00:28) - January Survival Recap (02:18) - Sales Calls Surge (04:18) - Rebrand Website Fallout (08:40) - Traffic Drops to Zero (10:38) - Audits and Vendor Lessons (13:12) - Calendar Automation Flow (19:59) - Nurturing Before Calls (22:17) - Where Leads Come From (24:27) - Tax Season Referral Tips (25:25) - Reviews and Testimonials (26:46) - Make Reviews Easy (27:27) - Celebrate Team Wins (28:39) - Track Client Case Studies (30:36) - Lead With Results (32:21) - Discovery Call Agenda (35:07) - Where Leads Come From (36:30) - Referral Partner Outreach (39:22) - Webinars and Playbook (41:54) - Events and Capacity (45:27) - In Person Lead Gen (49:29) - Final Action Steps

February 16, 2026Episode 456 min

Tax Season Doesn't Have to Control Your Firm

Tax season doesn't have to mean overtime, blackout dates, and pizza-party morale boosts. Marcus and Rachel walk through the operational decisions and team structures that keep DBA running at 36 hours a week year-round. From Flex Fridays and unlimited PTO to ditching 1099 prep for annual-only clients, rethinking which client relationships to keep, and using video commentary and text messaging to meet clients where they are.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (02:23) - Life Update: Moving to Fort Worth (12:20) - Tax Season Norms and Firm Practices (26:27) - Flexible Work Hours and PTO Policies (28:12) - Transition to Unlimited PTO (31:16) - Team Collaboration and PTO Planning (35:04) - Client Services and Team Structure (45:39) - Refinement and Client Evaluation (48:43) - Tax Advisory Plan (TAP) (55:16) - Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

February 2, 2026Episode 353 min

Behind the Scenes of Two Accounting Firm Acquisitions in One Year

Marcus and Rachel sit down with Amy McCarty to unpack the reality of DBA's two 2025 acquisitions—from pre-close team meetings and tech stack migrations to payment processor transitions and the decision to space deals 90 days apart. They share specific timelines, technology consolidation wins and challenges. This is the acquisition conversation focused on what happens after everyone stops congratulating you.SponsorsDiscover.AI - discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:47) - Amy Background and Role (02:36) - Discussing Recent Acquisitions (04:20) - Growth and Team Expansion (07:15) - Pre-Acquisition Planning (13:56) - Onboarding and Integration (28:57) - Introduction to the 2025 Tech Stack (29:32) - Building the Azure Environment (30:24) - First Acquisition: Technology Integration (33:20) - Second Acquisition: Technology Integration (37:33) - Managing Legacy Systems (46:36) - Payment Systems and Client Invoicing (50:44) - Engagement Letters and Standardization (53:10) - Conclusion and Future Plans