November 2023
Before you indulge in turkey and pumpkin pie this week, join us in reliving some of our favorite guests and business insights from 2023! In addition to sharing their Thanksgiving traditions Joey Kinney and Hannah Hood fill in to introduce highlights from previous episodes of the show. In this “best of” feature, you’ll catch advice from agency owners and thought leaders, such as David C. Baker and Tom O’Neil. Topics discussed range from AI and marketing to challenges of agency burnout and the value of lifelong learning in business.
November 2023
Jody and Jamie welcome Simon Severino, CEO of Strategy Sprints, to discuss the challenges faced by creative agencies in their sales pipelines. Simon emphasizes the importance of team members creating opportunities, standardizing procedures, and gathering additional work from existing clients. They talk about the importance of finding the right commission structure for sales teams and the need for visualization in the sales process.
October 2023
As partners of SoDA (Society of Digital Agencies), Summit directors Jody, Jamie, and Christy recap a recent event in Mexico City and share their experiences and key takeaways—both for Summit and their digital agency clients. They highlight the importance of networking and learning from others' experiences in the digital agency industry. Jody discusses a trend that he’s seeing in the industry, which is the need for a flatter, more agile organization and the benefits of using software like Parallax for capacity management. Christy takes it all in as her first time at a SoDA event, and Jamie expresses his excitement for new AI enhancements in the industry.
October 2023
Jody and Jamie discuss the importance of marketing for agencies with Logan Lyles, Content Marketing Evangelist. Logan shares his background in sales and marketing, particularly in the agency space, and offers insights on how agencies can overcome marketing challenges, such as allocating resources. They emphasize the need for agencies to market the problem they solve, rather than just the solution. They also weigh in on the benefits of recording and sharing internal meetings and client calls for coaching, training, and building trust with potential clients. Don’t miss the State of Agency Operations Report
September 2023
Joey and Jody chat with Brandon Leibowitz, founder and operator of SEO Optimizers. They discuss the importance of consistency and quality in SEO, as well as the need for good content and the incorporation of social media. Brandon explains the changing landscape of Google's algorithms and the focus on high-quality content and backlinks, vs generating content for the sake of it. They also discuss the uncertainty of the future of SEO with the emergence of ChatGPT and AI.
September 2023
Join Joey and Shanif Dhanani, AI and Software Consultant, as they discuss all things AI. Shanif explains that AI is a mathematical system that predicts words based on training data, making it good at tasks but not at taking over jobs–or the world. They also discuss the benefits and limitations of AI, ethical concerns, and the need for human involvement in tasks and jobs. They address concerns about AI-generated content, data privacy, and the evolving nature of the internet. They conclude the show with the benefits of automation and AI tools for businesses, potential impact of automation on job roles, and the need for individuals to learn how to effectively use AI tools.
October 2023
Adam and Tom welcome Gina Cotner, Founder of Athena Executive Services, which provides executive assistant services. Gina explains the differences between virtual assistants and executive assistants, as well as the challenges and benefits of working with virtual assistants from different cultures. They discuss pricing models in the industry, and Gina advises on considering the compensation of assistants when choosing a service. They also delve into the onboarding process for new clients and the importance of clear communication expectations. Gina emphasizes the importance of delegating tasks that align with one's expertise and passion and shares tips for maximizing the effectiveness of executive assistants.
November 2023
In this episode, Tom is joined by Carol Bowser, JD, founder of Conflict Management Strategies. They discuss the impact of conflict in the workplace, the importance of creating a healthy environment, and the challenges of remote work on conflict resolution. Carol shares strategies for fostering a positive remote work culture and provides insights on navigating conflict and difficult conversations. She emphasizes the importance of effective communication, feedback, and clear expectations.
October 2023
In this podcast episode, Tom Wadelton interviews John Fonger, consultant, coach, speaker, and owner of WTS Enterprises, who specializes in helping busy entrepreneurs develop and implement effective systems in their businesses. John discusses his methodology based on the book Work the System by Sam Carpenter, which aims to help entrepreneurs work on their businesses rather than in them. He emphasizes the importance of having clear systems, documented procedures, and a systems mindset to increase productivity and reduce workload. John shares examples of clients who have successfully implemented these strategies and highlights the benefits for accounting firms.
October 2023
One of our favorite guests is back: Geraldine Carter! Tom and special guest co-host, Hannah Hood, chat with Geraldine to discuss the importance of niching down and specializing in serving a specific market to attract clients who value their services. Geraldine shares valuable insights on how to communicate value to clients and navigate value-based conversations. She also emphasizes the importance of understanding and articulating the value of accounting services to clients, as well as the subjective nature of value. The episode concludes with a discussion on setting boundaries and managing client expectations in the accounting profession.
October 2023
Tom is joined by Summit colleagues, Christy Buchanan and Guillermo Rodriguez, as they discuss the cannabis industry as a niche for accounting firms. Guillermo, a Virtual CFO specializing in the cannabis industry, shares his expertise and explains the challenges and opportunities in the industry. They discuss the differences between the cannabis industry and CBD, regulatory challenges, financial forecasting, and obstacles faced by cannabis businesses. Guillermo emphasizes the importance of building relationships with banks and navigating the challenges of banking in the cannabis industry. They also talk about valuable metrics for retailers in the cannabis space and the passion and purpose behind many cannabis business owners.
September 2023
Tom chats one-on-one with Alex Sonkin, the founder of Virtual Family Office Hub, an open platform offering the best-in-class resources and services in every specialty that a family office or leading CPA firm needs to serve and benefit their most affluent clients. Alex explains the concept of family offices and the challenges faced by CPAs in providing comprehensive advice. He introduces the Virtual Family Office model, which allows business owners to access global resources. Tom and Alex also discuss the importance of due diligence, independent peer review, and continuous improvement in tax planning.
September 2023
One of our favorite guests is back: Geraldine Carter! Tom and special guest co-host, Hannah Hood, chat with Geraldine to discuss the importance of niching down and specializing in serving a specific market to attract clients who value their services. Geraldine shares valuable insights on how to communicate value to clients and navigate value-based conversations. She also emphasizes the importance of understanding and articulating the value of accounting services to clients, as well as the subjective nature of value. The episode concludes with a discussion on setting boundaries and managing client expectations in the accounting profession.
August 2023
Roger Knecht, President of Universal Accounting Center, joins Adam and Tom to share valuable insights on the different types of services offered by accounting firms and how to effectively deliver them. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication and packaging of services to clients. The conversation delves into the hierarchy and pricing of services, the importance of recognizing the value provided, and explaining the return on investment to clients. They also discuss the roles of mentor, consultant, advisor, and coach, and the significance of building personal relationships with clients. The episode concludes with insights on meeting frequency and pricing strategies.
September 2023
In this podcast episode, Jody and Joey chat with Crista Grasso, international lean and agile business consultant and Creator of the Lean Out Method, to discuss the concept of "lean" in business and its importance. They emphasize the need for business owners to make mindset shifts as they scale their businesses, including the realization that they can't do everything themselves and the need for systems and processes. They also discuss the importance of checking one's ego and recognizing that others may be better suited for certain tasks.
September 2023
One of the show’s favorite guests returns! Jeff Bartsch is a visionary storyteller and founder at Story Greenlight. Through Story Greenlight, Jeff and his team empower experts and professional advisors to tell their stories, serve more clients, and expand their impact in the world. On this episode Joey and Jeff discuss the power of storytelling as a tool for communication, both internally and externally, for agencies. They explore different story structures and tools for effective storytelling. Jeff introduces the "ABT" (and, but, therefore) tool, which serves as a foundational tool for setting up any kind of communication. They discuss how this tool can be used in various contexts and how it can help overcome challenges in translating financial information for business owners. They also emphasize the power of storytelling in aligning people, diffusing conflict, and creating emotional connections.
August 2023
One of the show’s favorite guests returns! Jeff Bartsch is a visionary storyteller and founder at Story Greenlight. Through Story Greenlight, Jeff and his team empower experts and professional advisors to tell their stories, serve more clients, and expand their impact in the world. On this episode Joey and Jeff discuss the power of storytelling as a tool for communication, both internally and externally, for agencies. They explore different story structures and tools for effective storytelling. Jeff introduces the "ABT" (and, but, therefore) tool, which serves as a foundational tool for setting up any kind of communication. They discuss how this tool can be used in various contexts and how it can help overcome challenges in translating financial information for business owners. They also emphasize the power of storytelling in aligning people, diffusing conflict, and creating emotional connections.
August 2023
One of the show’s favorite guests returns! Jeff Bartsch is a visionary storyteller and founder at Story Greenlight. Through Story Greenlight, Jeff and his team empower experts and professional advisors to tell their stories, serve more clients, and expand their impact in the world. On this episode Joey and Jeff discuss the power of storytelling as a tool for communication, both internally and externally, for agencies. They explore different story structures and tools for effective storytelling. Jeff introduces the "ABT" (and, but, therefore) tool, which serves as a foundational tool for setting up any kind of communication. They discuss how this tool can be used in various contexts and how it can help overcome challenges in translating financial information for business owners. They also emphasize the power of storytelling in aligning people, diffusing conflict, and creating emotional connections.
August 2023
In the 100th episode Jody and Jamie chat with long-time client Todd Nienkerk, CEO and co-founder of Four Kitchens. From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Four Kitchens is a creative agency that has left an indelible mark in the world of digital innovation. Rebranding emerges as a key topic of discussion, with Todd and Jody emphasizing its significance in staying relevant and competitive in the ever-evolving digital realm. They stress the importance of maintaining a consistent brand image and identity, ensuring that clients and stakeholders can easily recognize and connect with an agency’s unique value proposition.
August 2023
Laïla von Alvensleben, Remote Work Coach and Collaboration Designer,* joins Jody and Joey to discuss the benefits of asynchronous communication and the use of tools for effective collaboration. Laïla shares insights on setting boundaries, prioritizing work, and the importance of clear communication. They also talk about the importance of retreats for remote teams and the logistics involved in organizing them. Laïla emphasizes the value of soft skill training and building relationships during retreats.
July 2023
In this episode, Jody and Joey are joined by Lauren Minors, the Director of Partnerships and Marketing at Reason One, a full-service digital agency. They discuss the challenges and strategies involved in the RFP (request for proposal) process. Lauren emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's needs and delivering value beyond just the requested services. She shares her experience of working on numerous RFPs and highlights common mistakes made in the process. The conversation also touches on bidding against incumbent agencies, maintaining long-term relationships with clients, and the significance of understanding why clients choose an agency for their projects.
July 2023
Jamie and Jody welcome David C. Baker, esteemed speaker, published author, and agency advisor–having consulted with more than 900 small independent firms. They delve into the importance of understanding and impacting the financial performance of an agency, offering advice on analyzing financials and setting financial goals. David shares key metrics to monitor and emphasizes the need for honesty and transparency in advising clients. David encourages listeners to tackle money head-on.
August 2023
In this episode, Tom and Adam welcome Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch, to provide tips and strategies for successful selling. Nikki emphasizes the importance of creating curiosity, asking questions, and telling stories to engage clients and establish credibility. She also shares her five-step process to a sales conversation called the "selling staircase," which includes understanding the client's needs, creating curiosity, discovery, proposal, and closing the sale. The conversation covers the importance of sales coaching and training to overcome misconceptions around sales and improve communication, providing valuable insights and strategies for accountants looking to improve their sales skills.
July 2023
If you're ready to take your agency's forecasting and resource planning to the next level, don’t miss the episode with Tom O'Neil, founder of Parallax, an agency that offers resourcing and forecasting tools that aim to maximize revenue capacity. Jamie Nau interviews Tom as he explains the importance of involving the right people in forecasting and resource planning and emphasizes how this includes both leadership and front-line employees. Get the scoop on how to teach employees to think like operators and make better decisions for your business.
July 2023
Mike Mellinger, founder of Meilinger CPA, joins the show and shares with Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale his journey in building his own CPA practice, the importance of client retention, and the value of strategic coaching in growing a business. The conversation highlights the importance of building relationships, defining services, and having a sales mindset to grow a successful CPA practice. Mellinger emphasizes the importance of caring for clients and believing in one's ability to help them.
July 2023
Joey Kinney and Jody Grunden interview Tammy Bjelland, founder and CEO of Workplaceless, to discuss the most important lessons for managers to improve engagement with their hybrid team. Tammy emphasizes the importance of intentionality and transparency, as well as the need to shift values to offer workplace flexibility. She also explains the importance of asynchronous communication and offers tips for managers to develop their skills through training, coaching, and mentorship.
July 2023
Are you curious about the ins and outs of the cannabis industry and how your firm can offer services? In this episode, Tom Wadelton and Jody Grunden interview one of their own, Guillermo Rodriguez, Virtual CFO and Cannabis Industry Expert for Summit Virtual CFO by Anders. Together, they take a deep dive into the world of cannabis. From the unique challenges faced by the industry to the importance of vertical integration, Guillermo shares valuable insights that can be applied to any niche and why he chose the cannabis industry to focus on and offer Virtual CFO Services.
June 2023
This episode features Greg Cleary, founder of Pinnacle Business Guides, a company that provides coaching and guidance to businesses. Greg shares with Jody and Jamie his entrepreneurial journey and how he became a sales coach for various companies. He emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the marketplace and knowing when to make a move to stay relevant. Greg also talks about his approach to focusing on the client rather than the tool. The episode also touches on the challenges and fears that entrepreneurs and salespeople face and how to overcome them.
June 2023
Are you looking for ways to improve performance and deliver value to your clients? Tom and Adam welcome back Ron Baker, founder of the VeraSage Institute, for the second episode in this two-part series. Ron discusses how after-action review, a tool for learning and improving, can be applied in a variety of contexts, from sales calls to client delivery. Ron emphasizes the importance of mastering the after-action review internally before implementing it externally with clients and the importance of guiding clients toward their desired future, rather than just providing day-to-day services.
June 2023
Most businesses have a process to handle expenses incurred by their employees. These expenses can range from fees associated with a business trip (e.g., flight tickets, lodging) to fringe benefits (e.g., reimbursed costs for purchasing home office equipment). Establishing controls for this spending is necessary to properly track each transaction and ensure that the business banking information remains secure. Controls are especially essential today, in an era where data breaches seem commonplace and proper cybersecurity protocols are paramount.
If you are a business owner, or a member of the leadership team, you need the agility to permit your employees to spend money on behalf of the business while also maintaining established security practices. However, doing so is difficult if you have outdated or inefficient processes and controls, as different issues and challenges will appear. If you are currently operating in a virtual environment or are looking to in the future, the complexities around setting controls will grow.
May 2023
In an era where virtual and hybrid work environments are more common than ever, the technology CPA firms use is a crucial component of their success. With that in mind, selecting and implementing technology that suits your firm can help streamline processes and improve your operations.
Most CPA firms stick to the programs within the Microsoft Office software suite and rarely stray away from them to search for other innovative solutions. However, at Summit, we actively search for platforms that have the potential to help us deliver services to our clients more efficiently. Below are a few suggestions on what to consider as you search for the appropriate applications to make your firm more efficient and how to use those applications effectively.
May 2023
When running a business, sometimes you’ll hear a knee-jerk idea–you know, the kind that makes you say, “Impossible. No way we could ever do that.” That’s what a lot of people say when they hear about the movement to reduce the typical workweek from five eight-hour days to four, for a total of 32 working hours. But ever since the pandemic, the four-day workweek has been growing in popularity. Now–like remote work–it’s not a crazy idea but something that companies are adopting to great success.
April 2023
The type of relationship you have with your clients can mean the difference between maintaining long-term, lucrative contracts or having a revolving door of one-time customers. At Summit CPA Group, A Division of Anders CPAs + Advisors, we serve as financial consultants, which means we are constantly engaging with our clients. Therefore, fostering long-lasting and positive working relationships is our goal, which has translated into significant financial success. Having a good working relationship with our clients means we have a much easier time providing services and ensuring they achieve their financial goals.
April 2023
As entrepreneurs, we work so hard to get to that accomplishment. So much of our focus goes to painting the big picture and, at the same time, living that day-to-day.
I know there are a lot of people out there, like me, who hit a high point in the first half of their life and are now wondering: What do we have to look forward to? Is there something out there for me as exciting as that? Or is it downhill from here?
What happens when we reach our goal, a goal we may have pursued for decades? And, what happens if we don’t know how to answer that question?
April 2023
When you’re trying to grow your business, or even solve a management issue, there are a few serious ways you can go about it. If you’re a DIY kind of leader, you can read a book (and there are some great ones out there). Or if you’re looking for outside expertise, you can hire a consultant (and there are some great ones out there).
But both those approaches have limitations.
April 2023
Parkinson’s law is the idea that work takes as long as the time you are given to finish it. This law, which is rather more a theory, was first published in The Economist in 1955 by C. Northcote Parkinson. In this article titled “Parkinson’s Law,” Parkinson stated, “It is a commonplace observation that work expands as to fill the time available for its completion.”1 In other words, if you're only going to work for an hour, then the project you’ve been tasked with will fill that hour. But if you give yourself all day, the project will likely take all day. One reason why this might occur is our human tendency to procrastinate. Another possibility is how we often find ways to complicate a task, therefore taking up more time. Let’s learn more about how Parkinson’s law works and the impact it has on business.
March 2023
There’s no way around the work of onboarding, so I just approached it with curiosity, knowing that Jamie Nau, Summit’s Director of VCFO, Adam Hale, Co-founder of Summit and Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and my other Summit colleagues had my back. Whether you’re new to the VCFO landscape or thinking about joining a firm of VCFOs, here’s how to survive your first 100 days in the position.
Don’t worry. If you’re not an introvert, I’ve got some helpful tips for you, too! Continue reading to learn more.
March 2023
In this guide to networking for introverted accountants, I’m going to cover networking best practices and the best networking methods. It’s important for accountants to be authentic and have great listening skills, as well as, to know what networking methods will get them the best results. I will explain my best kept networking secrets in this blog post.
Don’t worry. If you’re not an introvert, I’ve got some helpful tips for you, too! Continue reading to learn more.
March 2023
Many accountants begin their career by landing a junior-level position that requires long hours staring at spreadsheets. Some accountants will be satisfied with that as the “end-all, be-all,” but not you. You’re here because you want to learn how to become a CFO, or even better, how to become a VCFO, or Virtual Chief Financial Officer.
The path toward becoming a VCFO is straightforward but not everyone’s journey will be the same. Still, there are similar strategies everyone will need to consider to level-up from junior level positions to VCFO.
March 2023
Implementing change in your business can be hard — and we should know, as we’re in the accounting profession. When you’re jazzed about an idea but feel like you’re constantly getting shut down, how far should you push? How do you get your team on board with it? I don’t believe in change for the sake of making change, but you should always be looking ahead at what’s coming down the pipeline — even small changes that could lead to something bigger.
As one of the co-founders of Summit virtual CFO firm, over the past 20 years I’ve developed a few key insights about how the change process should flow. As Summit has grown in revenue and employees, here’s what I’ve learned along the way.
March 2023
We all have a caveman inside of us–and not just those of us who like to grunt and eat giant hocks of meat. All of us.
During the caveman days, that internal protection system was the only thing between us and the saber-toothed tiger that might have been hiding in the bushes. When it comes to tigers, better safe than sorry–so our caveman brain is programmed to act, not analyze. It floods the body with chemicals that cause the fight-flight-or-freeze response at the first sign of danger.
The problem is, today we don’t have many tigers hanging out, but our caveman brain is still part of us, and it’s looking for something to do: so it tells us stories about all the threats out there.
March 2023
DeFi, blockchain, decentralized, crypto, bitcoin. These are just a few crypto-related terms you may have heard tossed around recently. The term "crypto" in cryptocurrency stands for cryptography, which is the study of secure information and encryption. Maybe this is why cryptocurrency seems a bit "cryptic" to most of us accountants.
February 2023
Content is a subject that many firm owners run from. Often, they are worried they don’t have the capacity within their team, and firm owners have no idea how to create content that resonates with their target audience in the first place. Our approach to content is very simple and adopting some of our strategies will help you create a strategy that works for you and your team.
So, whether you are looking to upgrade your current content strategy or looking to begin one in 2023, you’ve come to the right place. This blog post will help you create a strategy that aligns with your sales goals and is simple in nature.
February 2023
Building trust isn’t only for your customer-facing teammates. It’s also an important task for your marketing team to implement in branding strategies. Of course, other staff members will be a part of these strategies but marketing needs to include trust and authority building in their plans.
This blog post is designed to help you determine the marketing strategies that can be used to build trust and authority and ultimately build connection with your target audience. Keep reading to find out the methods we’ve used to do that with our own target audiences!
February 2023
A development plan will help you create steps to take on your journey to achieve that “next”. It will aid you in discovering the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your desired result. So, let’s not make this intro too long and dive into how you can step into your future starting now using a development plan.
February 2023
The accounting industry is digging deeper into financial analysis and planning or FP&A. Although this strategy has long been important for accountants, in more recent years, firms have begun placing far more emphasis on the financial forecasting aspect. However, many accountants and firms are running into a huge, but expected, software roadblock. Accurate and actionable financial forecasting is incredibly complex. While legacy accounting tools (specifically, Excel and Quickbooks) may still have a role to play in FP&A, their limitations ultimately lead to frustration and inefficiencies when forecasting.
February 2023
If the partners at your law firm feel like they don’t have a handle on cash flow, they’re not alone. This is a problem that many business owners face, not just at law firms, but in other industries as well. That’s why law firms are turning to CPA firms or hiring CFOs. The problem is that not all CPA firms are built the same.
A traditional accountant looks to the past. They generate financial statements and present metrics that happened in the last period. They paint a historical picture that informs what has happened recently but doesn’t help partners to understand where the firm is headed in the future. This type of historical data doesn’t help law firms make strategic decisions or plan for business initiatives.
February 2023
When our firm started to grow, we learned early on that our team needed a project manager. Currently, we have four full-time project managers, and our team could not run as efficiently without them. Early on, we didn't think about or know that we needed a project manager. Managing the project and relationship seemed like a natural and expected part of a partner, manager or virtual CFO role. It wasn't until we started to accelerate our growth that we found that an accountant, or anyone directly involved in the work, was probably not the right person to keep things on track.
January 2023
As a VCFO at Summit CPA Group, I take a slightly different approach to recession-proofing. Rather than plan for a recession, I help my clients “future-proof” their businesses. This tactic places the focus on defining a solid plan for future goals rather than the impending shock of a recession. After all, recessions have bred many innovations for an uncountable number of businesses.
With that being said, I have three tips to help your clients future-proof their businesses regardless if they are worried over an impending recession or not. Let’s dive in!
January 2023
LinkedIn can be vexing for CPA firm owners. It seems like social platforms receive updates every other day and with these updates come algorithm changes. Trying to define a strategy that serves your firm while appeasing the LinkedIn algorithm can seem like a hard game of chess. It doesn’t have to be.
January 2023
Tis the season for … stress. I get it; people are burnt out. They’re even quietly quitting. Whatever the specific issue, there’s an underlying problem–a lack of motivation. But what if it’s not that people don’t want to work? What if their job is just offering them the wrong kind of motivation?
January 2023
When you’re selling a business, you’re selling potential. To establish an intangible like a revenue stream, you need more than a rosy forecast. If a buyer finds a single dent in its credibility, you could scare them off or end up with a lower offer.
January 2023
My partner, Adam Hale, and I began our journey in 2002 as a traditional CPA firm based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We had a goal to change the way people think about accounting — I wanted to change the way accountants worked with clients and the value offered to them. I also wanted to create a sustainable, family-friendly work environment for accountants who were used to working 60–80 hours per week, especially during tax season.
December 2022
When we went from a brick-and-mortar firm to a remote team, it was decided that intentionally maintaining our culture was important. Summit CPA Group had a great culture that the team had worked hard to build and retaining that culture would be essential for the growth of the firm. Our culture was a very anti-suit, approachable type environment, and we wanted to keep that momentum going!
In this blog post, I hope to walk you through the steps we have taken to preserve and amplify our culture while maintaining a remote team. Let’s dive in.
December 2022
If you’re having a problem with quiet quitting, you’re not going to cure it with a wellness seminar. You’re going to want to start with an examination of your workplace culture to see how you’re supporting employee wellness 360 degrees, from their daily schedule to their long-term career growth to the way they are managed by their team leaders.
Here’s what that might look like.
December 2022
If you’re creating an annual plan for 2023 with your clients, you’re probably well underway. For some clients, this might be one meeting, and, for others, it could be a series.
Whether it takes one meeting or a series, your goal should be to re-strategize with each client for the next three to five years, not just the next 12 months. Really hone in on evaluating what the current year to date looks like for them and then realign on big-picture goals by acting as the facilitator. As you move through the process, here are three things that you should be doing right now.
November 2022
Over the next two years, the security executives polled by Thought Lab see a rise in attacks from social engineering and ransomware as nation-states and cybercriminals grow more sophisticated. The main causes of these attacks will come from misconfigurations, human error, poor maintenance, and unknown assets.”1 Making sure your firm is on top of cybersecurity best practices should be of the utmost importance to your team. Below we have tips to guide you on beefing up your cybersecurity strategy.
November 2022
In this blog post, we are going to dive into how we maintain transparency with our clients, employees, and processes. If you’ve been struggling with incorporating transparency into your business, this blog post is for you. Keep reading to find out how we did it.
November 2022
The best way to help your clients through economic difficulty is through future-proofing their businesses. Fear feeds hasty decisions. Through having a future-proofing plan already in place, your clients will be able to make easy, rational decisions for their businesses. What is the first step for future-proofing a business? Having a solid, dynamic forecast. In this LinkedIn article, we will explore how you can help your client create a dynamic forecast.
November 2022
As CPAs, we are all looking for ways that we might help our clients through a potential recession. Prepping for one and determining how you might help your clients through one is always a good idea. The best offense is a good defense as they say!
As a VCFO at Summit CPA Group, I take a slightly different approach to recession-proofing. Rather than plan for a recession, I help my clients “future-proof” their businesses.
October 2022
After all, a recession is not only a place for problems but also a time for innovation. That’s why many businesses end up making money during a recession rather than losing it.
While that may not be the case for all of your clients, you can still send them down a path for future success. In this article, I will teach you the basics of creating an action plan for your clients and how you can be their trusted advisor through these turbulent times.
October 2022
Embrace it or hide from it, change is a fact of business life. The question is: How do you help your team navigate change in a way that doesn’t make them overly anxious as you try to manage expectations? Your goal is to steward your business and employees through change in a way that leads to growth and professional exploration.
September 2022
Our accounting team started asking whether there was an easier way to review financial statements. Ultimately, we wanted to make it easier and faster to review the many transactions and records involved in the review process. Finding a solution that could do just that seemed unlikely, but we were on a mission to find one. To find out how Autoreview has streamlined the review process for our back-office team, keep reading.
September 2022
When it comes to digital marketing, CPA firms and accountants can have email campaigns and websites with SEO, yes. But for those who want an extra advantage, it's time to harness the advantages of social media. More specifically, TikTok.
August 2022
I don’t think there’s a single business owner who hasn’t yet heard of the “Great Resignation” or an industry that hasn’t been affected by it. After enjoying the benefits of working from home during the pandemic, many employees are choosing to resign rather than go back to work in an office environment.
August 2022
When is the best time to fix the roof? Before the rain, right? Well, the same is true of your business.
Your business needs a CFO before the figurative rain. And where do you look to check for rain? A forecast. That is exactly what a Virtual CFO (VCFO) provides to your business. Using advisory services and a forecast, they make sure your business can weather any storm.
August 2022
For service providers, client onboarding is a crucial time. It’s one of the first opportunities your company has to begin building a good relationship with your client. At Summit CPA Group, we have created an onboarding program that lasts several weeks and contains specific action steps that we can customize to address our clients’ needs better. Establishing a streamlined onboarding program makes the entire process less painful for both the client and our team, thereby strengthening the bond we share with our clients.
August 2022
Customer experience has become a hot topic lately. As extensive research has been conducted, many conclusions have pointed to the impact employee experience has on the experiences your customers have. We all know that the better experience your customers have, the more customer loyalty your brand has. It’s more expensive to try and attract new customers than it is to retain current ones. For that reason, taking customer experience seriously may have a large impact on your bottom line.
July 2022
Often, your ideal clients don’t know that your solution or services exist. In fact, your ideal clients may not yet have a name for the problem they are experiencing and that you could solve for them. That is where a defined marketing plan comes into play. Through strategic and purposeful marketing, your ideal clients will come to find and recognize you as the VCFO solution provider for their pain points. One medium that should be included in your firm’s marketing plan is video marketing.
July 2022
Technical jargon. We’ve all heard of it. Every industry has it, and, to an extent, it has its place. For example, it’s easier to use technical language and acronyms when talking to a colleague. However, you’re probably not riddling off accounting lingo at a dinner party. And guess what? Your clients don’t want to hear it either.
July 2022
Few accounting firms actively market their services to their target clientele and, as a result forgo the opportunity to increase their bottom line. It's a fact that firms operating within the accounting industry spend less than 1% of their revenue dollars on marketing efforts. However, at Summit CPA Group, a division of Anders CPAs + Advisors, we've learned that investing in effective marketing strategies can lead to landing larger clients who bring in more revenue. That’s why we typically invest 7% of our revenue in marketing initiatives.
July 2022
Customer experience (also known as CX) is becoming increasingly important. Now more than ever, customers have a range of companies to compare, and they are often choosing the company that offers the best customer experience. Even if a service costs more, clients are willing to pay for more value and better experience. That’s why it is important for every business to pay attention to how CX could be improved even if your customer experience ratings are already high.
June 2022
Creating a content marketing strategy can quickly feel overwhelming. There are many types of content that you can produce including email, social media, blog posts, white papers, videos, and much more. As a business owner, you know that creating a valuable, educational, and impactful content plan places you directly in front of your audience if executed well. This pressure to get it right and be in front of your ideal clients is substantial.
June 2022
In a society where everyone posts their highlight reels on social media, it can be hard to get to truly know someone. You only see them on the surface—their good days and the things they want to brag about. Rarely does anyone post their lows or their daily grind. The same is true when you work with clients remotely; it can be hard to get to know them on a personal level. You don’t get to shake their hand, and you only make eye contact through a computer screen. It’s also hard to read body language remotely.
June 2022
As professionals, we use a lot of technical terms; however, it’s important to relate to your audience and current and potential clients in a way that builds goodwill and trust—and not get hung up on the technical language. Doing so in these three areas—public speaking, sales meetings, and enriching client relationships—helps build a solid foundation for growing your business.
May 2022
If you're a business owner looking to grow your firm's client portfolio and bottom line, successfully positioning yourself as a thought leader in your field is an effective way to achieve your goals.
Many business leaders often shy away from thought leadership because a significant component of it involves sharing new ideas and notes on your success with competitors.
May 2022
When it comes to increasing your sales leads, social media marketing is not a new concept. Many professional companies like CPAs, Realtors, or Law Firms are active on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and of course LinkedIn. But there is a newer platform that should be considered for increasing your leads: TikTok.
June 2023
In this part 1 of 2, hosts Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale welcome Ron Baker, founder of the VeraSage Institute and author of seven best-selling books, including “Time's Up!: The Subscription Business Model for Professional Firms,” to discuss the benefits of subscription-based business models. Ron argues that subscription models are superior to value pricing because they monetize the deeper and most significant aspect of the profession, which is the relationship with clients. They also discuss is the importance of after-action reviews, effective communication and collaboration in a virtual environment, and tracking time spent with customers. They emphasize the importance of investing time and attention into creating value for customers.
May 2023
In this episode Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale sit down with one of their own, Joey Kinney, a Virtual CFO at Summit, to discuss the importance of onboarding for accounting firms. Joey explains how an onboarding specialist helps to set the foundation for successful client relationships. Collectively, they emphasize the need to tailor the onboarding plan to each client's unique needs and the importance of setting expectations during the onboarding process.
May 2023
Tom and Adam welcome Jesse Rubenfeld, founder of FinOptimal, to the show to discuss how automation can maximize efficiency in the accounting industry. FinOptimal provides clients with an automated solution to their accounting needs, offering integrations with APIs and software. Jesse works with CFO-services firms and other CPA firms that want to focus on advisory services. He believes that by building the right hardware and software, accountants can take their focus off of the data entry and instead focus on strategic advice.
May 2023
Katina Peters, managing partner of Peters, Johnson, Staley and Company, joins Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale to discuss making the shift from traditional accounting services to offering more advisory-focused, virtual CFO services. Katina details the challenges and the “learn as you go” method she and her partners experienced during their decision to move up the value chain and provide more advisory services to their clients.
April 2023
Dan Rutherford, Virtual CFO with Summit CPA Group, A Division of Anders CPAs + Advisors, discusses his experience in the transportation and logistics industry and how he is helping Summit expand its expertise with his new role as the firm’s Transportation + Logistics Industry Expert. In this episode, Dan sits down with Tom Wadelton and Jody Grunden to discuss the need within the industry for a Virtual CFO, covering topics such as company-owned assets, giving drivers access to cash, significant capital investments (trucks and trailers), and securing large loans from banks.
April 2023
John C. Scott, Partner + Tax for Anders CPAs + Advisors, has been with Anders since 1992, and now he’s trying on a new hat: Summit Virtual CFO Service by Anders. With his extensive experience working closely with the law industry, he joins Tom Wadelton and Jody Grunden in today’s episode to talk about his experience with Virtual CFO services, and how he helps lawyers to better manage their finances. John shares his expertise on accounting services for lawyers and how CPA firms can best serve them. He also discusses the challenges of operating within the legal industry and provides tips on how to work with lawyers and law firms effectively.
March 2023
In this special edition, our host and Summit’s Director + VCFO, Jamie Nau, Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Paul Rhea, Director + Strategic Growth at Anders CPAs + Advisors, debrief a hot topic issue about banking activity in the news, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). They discuss the importance for businesses to remember the value of safety and diversification and the importance of diversifying funds and understanding the risk versus return.
March 2023
Matthew Banker, a founder and visionary of Benchmark Growth, a marketing agency for accounting firms, joins Adam and Tom to discuss five common marketing mistakes that CPA firms make: not knowing their customer or what they sell, sending good traffic to a bad website, working with the wrong marketing partner, thinking of marketing as an expense rather than an investment, and not having a clear message. Matthew also explains the importance of having a niche when it comes to marketing.
March 2023
As the Co-founder of Cadencia, Owner of Sherwood Tax and Accounting, and Founder of Breakaway Bookkeeping and Advising, Kristen Keats is on a mission to bring joy to the accounting industry. From nearshore outsourcing to taxes and franchising, Kristen talks with Tom and Jody about how her businesses are helping spread joy throughout the industry.
February 2023
With more than 25 years of experience in the HR field, John Baldino, President of Humareso, is well versed in the people problems and workforce trends that business owners face. John sat down with Adam and Tom to discuss organizational and leadership development, coaching and training, industry trends, and how business owners can lead their teams during these unprecedented times.
February 2023
Has your ability to scale your firm plateaued? Or maybe you’re done building, ready to exit, and looking for a buyer. Whether your need a fresh perspective or an exit plan, this podcast is for you. Brannon Poe, CPA, and author of Accountant’s Flight Plan, gives advice for running your firm like you're ready to sell it and working with a broker when you’re ready to find a buyer.
January 2023
Do you need to get things done? The Getting Things Done® methodology has been implemented worldwide by more than 2 million people! In this special episode, our host, Tom Wadelton, Virtual CFO at Summit, teams up with the host of Summit’s Virtual CPA Success Show and Director of Virtual CFO, Jamie Nau, to interview one of the best-selling authors and productivity coaches of our time and creator of GTD®, David Allen. If you need help getting 2023 off to a productive start, this podcast is for you!
January 2023
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Jake Grimm, Summit's Director of Technology, discuss the benefits of Divvy with Zac Heinz, Divvy's Director of Channel Sales, and how this all-in-one expense management solution uses simple controls to empower spending for business owners.
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, chat with Hannah Hood, one of Summit’s Senior Accountants, about her top three ways to build client relationships. Discover these three tips to help you grow deeper in your relationships with clients.
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss PlanGuru with Christian Wielage, CEO of PlanGuru, and his company’s quest to help businesses and their advisors make successful business decisions.
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss pre-IPO and financial planning with Aaron Rubin, Partner at Werba Rubin Papier Wealth Management. Aaron specializes in financial, estate, and tax planning.
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Summit Virtual CFO, Iralma Pozo, discuss three tips you can take to prevent burnout, which focus on self-awareness, self-care, and communicating and setting boundaries. If you need to implement any of these in your life, then this podcast is for you!
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss the annual planning process, why your clients need an annual plan, the best time to create a plan, and how you can develop a customized plan for each client.
March 2022
In this episode, our host and Summit’s Virtual CFO, Tom Wadelton, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, talk with Pragadish Kalaivanan, Marketing Operations Specialist at Toucan Toco, to discuss how Toucan Toco uses guided analytics to help businesses develop reports and see trends through data storytelling.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO sits down Josh Jeans, Summit’s People Operations Strategist, and Chris Williams, former VP of HR at Microsoft and current leadership advisor, podcaster, and author, to discuss current HR trends in the marketplace, such as “quiet quitting,” and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting, sits down with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Jake Grimm, Summit CPA's Director of Technology, to discuss financial tools for remote and distributed companies. If you are a business owner of a fully distributed company, this episode is for you! Jamie, Adam, and Jake discuss must-have tools to implement in your remote business to help it run efficiently and grow to the next level.
March 2022
It's adding value to other people. And one thing I've figured out is people notice people who notice them. Simple little things like giving someone else a shout-out or sharing their post or saying, "Hey, I saw you the other day. That was great." It's bringing that sense of community into everything you do." - Monica Parkin
March 2022
How many times have you heard the cliché "change is inevitable"? Probably more than you can ever count, though quite overused it is a truth we cannot deny. A lot of things are changing around the world, within our organizations, and even in our personal lives, that's why learning how to deal with change is an important skill everyone should have. In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Douglas Ferguson, President of Voltage Control. Voltage Control is a change agency that assists businesses in igniting, accelerating, and strengthening innovation. Douglas talks about managing change in an organization and shares his experience working with businesses that we all can learn from so we can thrive in a constantly changing environment.
March 2022
In today's episode, Jamie Nau, our host, and Director of Accounting, sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Blake Oliver the Founder & CEO of Earmark CPE. Blake Oliver specializes in accounting technology and was recognized twice by CPA Practice Advisor's “40 Under 40” list and Accounting Today’s “Top 100 Most Influential People” list. He will talk about what Earmark CPE is, who it's for, and what they envision the future of CPE to be.
March 2022
In today's episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Director of Accounting, sits down with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Bo Davis, Co-founder and CEO of MarginEdge to talk about what the restaurant industry looks like today. He will also deep dive into the revolutionary solution they built that has helped restaurant businesses to streamline data and automate insights—influencing decision-makers in the industry by saving costs and increasing efficiency.
March 2022
In today's episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Director of Accounting, sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Serena Shoup, Founder of Ambitious Bookkeeper to talk about a topic many people find interesting - organizational culture. But before they dive deeper, Serena talks about how she started, her vision, and her experience as an owner, and tying that to how culture has played an essential role in driving her company's success.
March 2022
In today's episode, Jamie Nau our host and Director of Accounting sits with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Alyssa Colf our Senior Accountant to talk about a tool called Autoreview and how this has helped improve our Financial Reviews with clients. She will share her first impression of this tool, the features, the value it has brought to the team, and how we use it internally to improve our processes and provide better service to our clients.
April 2020
The step-by-step blueprint for going virtual in these tough and tumultuous times.
March 2022
If you're ever wondering what working as a Virtual CFO looks like, in this special episode, Jamie Nau our host and Director of Accounting sits with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Greg Wallis our Virtual CFO to talk about all that and more. They will discuss the impact of culture, professional experience, technology, and onboarding in Greg's first 100 days as a Virtual CFO. Greg will also share tips on surviving in the role and share his personal experience about how the role has enabled him to develop better relationships with his clients and see the difference his role can make in his clients' business.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau our host and Director of Accounting joins Randy Crabtree the co-founder, and partner of Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals together with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders for a quick speed dating session with tax credits and incentives. They will go through six different credits and incentives that CPA firm owners and accountants should know about to help their clients save tax money.
March 2022
In this special episode, Jamie Nau our host and Director of Accounting interviews Jody Grunden our CEO and co-founder now Partner at Anders CPA + Advisors, and Dave Hartley Partner and Director + Advisory Services at Anders to discuss what the future looks like for Summit CPA, and the Accounting industry in general. They will talk about the recent Summit and Anders merger what changes have we made and are still doing, how we championed change within our teams, and how this will pave the way for innovation and bring more value to our clients.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting, and Adam Hale, our COO and Co-founder, sit down with Vision Board Media's Founder & Owner, Donna Serdula, to talk about LinkedIn as a networking platform for professionals, its benefits for your personal brand and for your business. She will provide relevant tips and tricks you can follow to grow your account and to find success in this social media space.
March 2022
Have you heard the news? Last April 1, 2022, Summit CPA has officially joined Anders CPA + Advisors (Anders) with a vision to achieve their highest potential together. Anders is a Top 100 St. Louis-based CPA and advisory firm that has delivered full-service accounting, tax, audit and advisory services to growth-oriented companies, organizations and individuals for more than 55 years. In this special episode, Jamie Nau our Director of Accounting and host interviews Jody Grunden our CEO and co-founder and Robert Minkler Jr. Anders CPA + Advisors' Managing Partner to talk more about the merger and how it came to fruition.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO and Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder sits down with The Accidental Accountant®, Peter Margaritis to talk about how communicating effectively with clients is an integral part to maintain good relationships with clients. He will give us tips and tricks from years of experience so that we can communicate better with our clients in Plain English.
March 2022
In the first quarter of 2020, we published an episode and talked all about client onboarding. We wondered what has changed at Summit CPA since? And thought why not circle back on this topic to discover the lessons we've learned. Today, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO; Adam Hale, our COO and Co-founder; Lydia Rapp, our Project Manager takes a step back to look at how far we've come in terms of onboarding clients and deep dive into the fundamentals of having a reliable process in place.
May 2022
Recessions are a part of the economic cycle, which means they’re inevitable. Fortunately, they typically last only 11 to 12 months. However, a recession can cause significant harm to a business that is unprepared for one. As the economy contracts, unemployment rates increase, profit margins weaken, and credit is harder to get. Service-based companies feel the effects of a recession through their client base. These businesses typically experience a delay in payment from clients, fewer new clients requesting their services, and fewer long-term clients renewing their contracts.
April 2022
Client onboarding is an integral part of building long-lasting relationships with clients as a service provider. For this reason, at Summit CPA, we continuously strive to make our client onboarding program as efficient and effective as possible.
June 2023
Have you ever wondered how a business coach could help your business? Pinnacle Business Guide Peter Van Nest joins Joey and Jody to share his expertise on the five pillars of Pinnacle’s philosophy for achieving business success. Peter stresses the importance of building relationships and working together to solve problems. The conversation also outlines the importance of finding the right fit between a Pinnacle guide and a client, and how trust and communication are key to a successful partnership.
June 2023
In this episode, Jody and Joey interview Dan White, author of the Soft Skills Book, which focuses on the importance of soft skills in business success. They discuss the importance of leadership and communication skills in building successful teams. Dan emphasizes the power of listening skills and the GROW framework, which involves asking questions about goals and actions to help individuals and teams solve problems and achieve their objectives.
June 2023
Jody and Jamie chat with Natalie Eckdahl, Founder of BizChix, to discuss the three pillars of building an enduring business: enjoyable, profitable, and sustainable. They emphasize the importance of enjoying your work, rating clients and team members, and taking action to improve low-performing team members. They also discuss the pillars of profitability and sustainability, stressing the importance of maintaining a sustainable pace in the company and understanding the financial aspects of the business.
May 2023
JP Holecka, CEO and Founder of Power Shifter Digital, joins Joey Kinney and Jody Grunden to discuss generative AI and its potential effects on employment and agency operations. The conversation highlights the potential for AI to both disrupt and enhance the agency industry. They emphasize the importance of harnessing AI for good and using it responsibly.
May 2023
Tommy Nolan, Founder and Managing Partner of Vidionix, joins today’s show with Joey and Jody to discuss the future of meetings and events in a post-pandemic world. They discuss challenges and opportunities of remote and hybrid work, the cost savings and benefits of virtual events, and the importance of maintaining company culture in a remote or hybrid workplace. Collectively, they agree that the future of meetings and events is likely to be a mix of virtual and in-person options, with companies finding the right balance for their needs. What do you think?
May 2023
Today’s guest, Ernesto Tagwerker, is the founder of OmbuLabs, a software boutique that helps enterprises build and scale products designed for growth. Together with hosts Jody and Joey, they discuss the concept of productizing a service and what that can mean for an agency’s growth and scalability.
May 2023
Jeff Bartsch, founder of Story Greenlight, joins Jamie and Jody to discuss storytelling and how it can help agencies level up. With his experience working for various companies, such as ABC and NBC, he believes that ordinary messages can be elevated into something extraordinary and explains how that same approach can be used in business. Listen to find out how you can use strategic storytelling to cultivate a relationship with potential clients.
May 2023
What kind of leader are you? Today’s guest, Robert Jordan, Founder and CEO of Interim Executives, discusses his recent book (co-authored by Olivia Wagner), Right Leader, Right Time, which is based on research of leadership styles of exceptional leaders. Jamie Nau and Joey Kinney take a deep drive into the book with Robert to learn the goal and research behind the book and what Robert identifies as four distinct leadership styles, which he labeled as fixer, artist, builder, and strategist. Listen to find out which style describes you!
April 2023
Russel Dubree, serial entrepreneur and Growth and Culture Advisor at Performance Faction, sits down with Jamie Nau and Jody Grunden to discuss challenges of agency ownership. From starting his first agency and nearly shutting its doors, Russell shares some of his experiences and lessons learned, as well as what makes agencies unique: low barrier to entry, the lack of a unified framework, and the difficulty in finding and keeping talent.
April 2023
Jamie and Joey welcome Sharon Toerek, founder of Legal + Creative, an intellectual property lawyer who helps marketers and agencies with brand protection and trademark issues. Sharon highlights legal matters that service-based businesses should be aware of and discusses three ways in which her firm helps agencies: developing and protecting intellectual property, negotiating contracts, and staying compliant with marketing regulations.
March 2023
JD Graffam understands the peaks and valleys of agency life. From bootstrapping his first agency, making tough personnel decisions, and learning best practices as a business owner, JD gives Jody and Jamie an honest account of his experience and how reading Jody’s book, "Digital Dollars and Cents," helped him apply financial metrics to his business. While his agency portfolio is extensive, he is currently the owner of Simple Focus, an agency he founded in 2009.
March 2023
In this special edition, our host and Summit’s Director + VCFO, Jamie Nau, Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Paul Rhea, Director + Strategic Growth at Anders CPAs + Advisors, debrief a hot topic issue about banking activity in the news, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). They discuss the importance for businesses to remember the value of safety and diversification and the importance of diversifying funds and understanding the risk versus return.
March 2023
As a founding member of HGTV and Co-owner of Navigate the Journey, Traci Barrett is a powerhouse businesswoman. Her work led to her recently released book, 'What if There's More?', which is about optimizing business and personal growth. In this episode, Jody and Jamie discuss with Traci what compelled her to write her book, her experience throughout the process, and the challenges she faced. Spoiler alert: Traci’s hope is that the book will help others at a career crossroads, whether they're wanting to change careers, fall back in love with their current job, or even start their own company. If you’re wondering ‘what if there’s more?’ this podcast is for you.
February 2023
With more than 25 years of experience in the HR field, John Baldino, President of Humareso, is well versed in the people problems and workforce trends that business owners face. John sat down with Adam and Tom to discuss organizational and leadership development, coaching and training, industry trends, and how business owners can lead their teams during these unprecedented times.
January 2023
After a career as an agency owner, Steve Guberman, knows all too well the challenges that digital agency owners face. After selling his agency, Steve founded Agency Outsight, becoming a coach for agency owners who need help navigating the agency landscape and growing their business to that next level. In this episode, Steve chats with Jamie Nau and Jody Grunden about today’s challenges in the industry and why it’s important to have a coach to walk the journey with you.
January 2023
Ag·ile (aj´Əl) adj. – quick and easy of movement Are you a leader within your business or do you manage a leadership team? In today’s marketplace of in-person, remote, and hybrid business, the ability to be agile within a leadership position is more important than ever. But what does it mean to be an agile leader? In this episode, Chuck Mollor, author of The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift?, explains how leaders need to navigate rapidly changing business paradigms, while cultivating dynamic teams that get results.
January 2023
Do you need to get things done? The Getting Things Done® methodology has been implemented worldwide by more than 2 million people! In this special episode, our host, Jamie Nau, Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, teams up with the host of Summit’s Modern CPA Success Show, Tom Wadelton, Virtual CFO at Summit, to interview one of the best-selling authors and productivity coaches of our time and creator of GTD®, David Allen. If you need help getting 2023 off to a productive start, this podcast is for you!
January 2023
In this episode, our host, Jamie Nau, Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss hiring strategies with Jamie Van Cuyk, owner and lead strategist of Growing Your Team. They take a deep dive in hiring strategies and how small business owners can level up their hiring process.
December 2022
In this episode, our host, Jamie Nau, Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss time tracking and project management data to improve agency profitability with Marcel Petitpas, CEO and Founder of Parakeeto.
December 2022
In this episode, our host, Jamie Nau, Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss the 4-day work week with Morgan Witham, CEO of COLAB, and how she implemented it with her team and is finding success.
November 2022
In this episode, our host, Jamie Nau, Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, discuss Caveman Brain® with Dr. Jean Oursler, The Results Queen®. Dr Jean is the creator of Caveman Brain Business Growth System, which helps business owners with new business development.
November 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, talk with Ian Robinson, Founder and President of Enliven, a software company that builds custom software platforms to unlock sustainable growth for business. If you’re a business owner in need of updating or customizing your company’s software, this episode is for you.
October 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, sit down with Sandy Gerber, Communication Strategist and author of Emotional Magnetism. They discuss what emotional magnetism is and how it can help develop stronger relationships in all areas of life.
October 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, catch up with Tom Barrett, Certified Scaling Up Coach, Certified Pinnacle Business Guide, and former Certified EOS Implementer, to discuss his transition from EOS to Pinnacle and how he’s using this new model to help businesses thrive.
September 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO sits down Josh Jeans, Summit’s People Operations Strategist, and Chris Williams, former VP of HR at Microsoft and current leadership advisor, podcaster, and author, to discuss current HR trends in the marketplace, such as “quiet quitting,” and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 2022
"I think any good controller of any company is going to tell you that you need to have some eyes on cash flow. And we all know how hard that is to do manually and how much work it takes. So, if you're doing that manually, you should look at the cash flow tool because it'll save you a ton of time. And the accuracy is a lot better than trying to plug in numbers and 'fat finger' in an extra nine or something that makes you think you're going to be out of money in a month. So that's a really important tool." - Jamie Nau
September 2022
Are you an introvert who has trouble networking and marketing your brand or business? In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO sits down with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Monica Parkin, author of "Overcoming Awkward, an Introvert's Guide to Networking, Marketing and Sales. " She is an International Speaker, the host of the "Juggling without Balls" podcast and Director of Community Engagement for Invis Pacific View Mortgages. Overcoming Awkward, is written to free introverts from the crippling social constraints that come with launching and growing their businesses and careers.
August 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Virtual CFO, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, sit down with Vision Board Media's Founder & Owner, Donna Serdula, to talk about LinkedIn as a networking platform for professionals, its benefits for your personal brand and for your business. She will provide relevant tips and tricks you can follow to grow your account and to find success in this social media space.
August 2022
In the first quarter of 2020, we published an episode and talked all about client onboarding. We wondered what has changed at Summit CPA since and thought why not circle back on this topic to discover the lessons we've learned. Today, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO; Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors; Lydia Rapp, our Project Manager takes a step back to look at how far we've come in terms of onboarding clients and deep dive into the fundamentals of having a reliable process in place.
July 2022
How many times have you heard the cliché "change is inevitable"? Probably more than you can ever count, though quite overused it is a truth we cannot deny. A lot of things are changing around the world, within our organizations, and even in our personal lives, that's why learning how to deal with change is an important skill everyone should have. In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Douglas Ferguson, President of Voltage Control. Voltage Control is a change agency that assists businesses in igniting, accelerating, and strengthening innovation. Douglas talks about managing change in an organization and shares his experience working with businesses that we all can learn from so we can thrive in a constantly changing environment.
June 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, and Danielle Hendricks, Account Executive at Pixo to talk about what Pixo does, her experience coming from the business development industry moving to the tech industry, why communication, intrapersonal, and networking skills are helpful and transferrable to any industry. She will also share about Pixo's process of selling creative services and successful people practices.
June 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors our Virtual CFO, and James Enney to talk about the critical indicators that will tell you that your company needs a Virtual CFO. They will also touch on dynamic forecasting, the value that a Virtual CFO can bring to a business, and important things a business owner should know before they hire a Virtual CFO.
June 2022
An important skill business owners should have is foresight. As the owner, it is vital for you to always be on the lookout for external and internal forces that can impact your business. Being up to speed with the current trends in your industry is important to guide you in planning and decision-making, this will help you pivot quickly if necessary. In this episode, Jamie Nau, this show's host, and Summit CPA's Director for Accounting sits down with Jody Grunden, Partner at Anders, and Carl Smith, Owner of the Bureau of Digital to talk give us more insight into the latest trends for digital agencies, challenges they face, and what business owners should do to overcome all these.
May 2022
In this special episode, Jamie Nau our host and Director of Accounting interviews Jody Grunden our CEO and co-founder now Partner at Anders CPA + Advisors, and Dave Hartley Partner and Director + Advisory Services at Anders to discuss what the future looks like for Summit CPA, and the Accounting industry in general. They will talk about the recent Summit and Anders merger what changes have we made and are still doing, how we championed change within our teams, and how this will pave the way for innovation and bring more value to our clients.
May 2022
As the whole team checks in at Nashville today for Summit's All-Team Retreat, let's talk more about retreats! In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO, and Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder is back with Lillian Hocevar our Travel Advisor to talk about how the travel industry has changed since 2020 and what impact it has to team retreats. We also compare the retreats we had planned from Wyoming in 2020 to Las Vegas in 2021 up to this year's Nashville retreat and discuss how everything was planned and organized for everyone to have a great experience.
April 2022
Have you heard the news? Last April 1, 2022, Summit CPA has officially joined Anders CPA + Advisors (Anders) with a vision to achieve their highest potential together. Anders is a Top 100 St. Louis-based CPA and advisory firm that has delivered full-service accounting, tax, audit and advisory services to growth-oriented companies, organizations and individuals for more than 55 years. In this special episode, Jamie Nau our Director of Accounting and host interviews Jody Grunden our CEO and co-founder and Robert Minkler Jr. Anders CPA + Advisors' Managing Partner to talk more about the merger and how it came to fruition.
March 2022
In this episode, Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder sits down with our virtual CFO, Ashley Vaughn to talk about her experience attending the Bureau of Digital Owner's Camp and Owner's Summit. Jody and Ashley discusses the benefits and key takeaways from attending these events and how it can help us provide a better service to our clients.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO and Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder sits down with The Accidental Accountant®, Peter Margaritis to talk about how communicating effectively with clients is an integral part to maintain good relationships with clients. He will give us tips and tricks from years of experience so that we can communicate better with our clients in plain english.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO; Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder; Greg Wallis, our Virtual CFO discusses how important it is to run your business like you are ready to sell. They discuss different scenarios, tips and things you need to consider to run your business operations smoothly.
March 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO sits down with our COO and Co-founder, Adam Hale and the President of Precision Business Strategies, Larry D. West III to talk about a new platform called Clubhouse. We also talk about how Larry was able to narrow down on a niche and how understanding his audience helped in growing brand awareness and becoming a thought leader in this untapped social media platform.
March 2022
In this episode, Tom Wadelton, our host and Summit CPA Group's virtual CFO along with Dave Danic, our Director of Tax; sit down with Randy Crabtree, co-founder and partner of Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals to talk about Employee Retention Credit (ERC). As a specialist in this area, Randy shares the nitty gritty of this credit and how your business can qualify.
March 2022
Stephen Pope, Founder of SGP Labs, joins us again to discuss best practices around marketing your firm. He’ll show you how to develop a simple marketing strategy to help you attract the clients you want to work with. You’ll learn how to capture the attention of your target audience and build trust with them using video, online marketing and social media. He’ll also cover how to repurpose your content so you can be more efficient with your time and efforts.
February 2022
At Summit CPA, we’re a proponent of creating and implementing effective marketing strategies to increase your client count and, ultimately, your bottom line. Our recommendation comes from firsthand experience, as we have seen a substantial amount of success in intentionally marketing specific services to a niche audience. With that said, marketing is a key component to attracting your target clientele to your firm, but developing an efficient and effective process to convert the leads you receive is just as important.
February 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO; Jody Grunden, our CEO and Co-founder; Courtney DeRonde, Managing Partner and Director of Business Development of TDT CPAs and Advisors, a boutique advisory and accounting firm for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. They help overwhelmed, successful leaders understand and maximize financial information so they can achieve better results and move their organization to the next level. TDT is awarded as a Forbes 2021 Best Accounting Firm. Today, we will discuss the similarities and differences of TDT CPAs and Advisors and Summit CPA Group. We will highlight the different strategies the firms use in helping their clients achieve success.
February 2022
Employees who are new to the work-from-home lifestyle may currently be dealing with some challenging aspects of the transition. Meanwhile, there are probably many company leaders who are unsure as to whether having their staff work remotely will help or hurt their business Having a distributed working model define our business operations means that all of our employees work from home, and we interact with our clients virtually.
February 2022
In this special episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO does a throwback to 2021 to discover the best performing podcasts from last year that will give us and idea of how 2022 will look like for us in this show. Sharing how we will use this information to navigate the upcoming podcasts that interest you. Also, in case you missed these top 10 episodes it's a chance for you to tune in and get yourself in the know.
February 2022
AuditMiner is an online B2B SaaS tool that streamlines the employee benefit plan audit. In today's episode, Kim Moore, Summit CPA's Director of Auditing will be our host together with Karen Hill, Summit CPA Group's 401(k) Senior Auditor to interview our guest Kelly Mann, Co-Founder of AuditMiner to discuss how this tool benefits CPA firms conducting 401(k) audits.
February 2022
In the first quarter of 2020, we published an episode and talked all about client onboarding. We wondered what has changed at Summit CPA since? And thought why not circle back on this topic to discover the lessons we've learned. Today, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO; Adam Hale, our COO and Co-founder; Lydia Rapp, our Project Manager takes a step back to look at how far we've come in terms of onboarding clients and deep dive into the fundamentals of having a reliable process in place.
February 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO sits down with our COO and Co-founder, Adam Hale and our People Operations Strategist, Josh Jeans to talk about a one of our core values - curiosity. We will discuss about the importance of curiosity in developing a team of constant learners and how it can impact hiring, employee productivity, and day-to-day operations.
February 2022
The Great Resignation has greatly impacted the hiring environment and presented employers with new challenges in 2022. Join Josh Jeans, People Operations Strategist at Summit CPA Group, in this webinar to learn how to handle these challenges. As we face what is now an “employee market” where potential employees have the advantage, Josh will explain why accounting firms must expand beyond the traditional ways of recruiting and why your interview process should include “soft recruiting”. You’ll learn how to round out the skill set of your team by hiring for culture and competence, seeking out critical thinkers, and the generational considerations to make when evaluating candidates.
January 2022
In this episode, we sit down with our host Tom Wadelton and Summit CPA Group's virtual CFO, our Director of Tax, Dave Danic, Jennifer Bolton and Maggie Crowley, Senior Tax Manager Consultant and Senior R&D Tax Credit Consultant respectively from Leyton to discuss about R&D Tax Credit and how Summit CPA Group partnered and with Leyton to assist and help serve our clients better in this aspect.
January 2022
Andrew Tucker from Practice Executive, one our Virtual CFO Playbook Course participants started his Virtual CFO practice from scratch and grew his clientele using the Summit CPA framework. In this episode, we sit down with our host and Director for Accounting/Virtual CFO, Jamie Nau and our CEO and Co-founder, Jody Grunden to discuss how he started, how we utilized his learnings and what challenges he faced and what helped him achieve his goals in a very short span of time.
January 2022
In this episode, we sit down with our virtual CFO and host Tom Wadelton and Dave Danic, our Director of Tax to discuss about the BackDoor Roth IRA. Discussing what it is all about, how it can help companies and their tax filing, and carefully outlining the implications when utilized.
January 2022
We've discussed SAS 136 very briefly in the past, but this audit season we share what this would mean for 401(k) plan sponsors and auditors. In this episode, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO, Jamie Nau together with Kim Moore Summit CPA's Director of Auditing and 401(k) Senior Auditor, Karen Hill revisit and dive deeper into the new Statement on Audit Standards 136.
January 2022
In this special episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO does a throwback to 2021 to discover the best performing podcasts from last year that will give us and idea of how 2022 will look like for us in this show. Sharing how we will use this information to navigate the upcoming podcasts that interest you. Also, in case you missed these top 10 episodes it's a chance for you to tune in and get yourself in the know.
January 2022
Throughout the pandemic, employers have seen a sharp rise in employees leaving their positions. Therefore, it’s imperative that you, as a business leader, learn how to navigate these changes by updating your approach to hiring and retention to ensure that you attract and keep employees who will help you achieve your business goals.
January 2022
In this episode, Jamie Nau, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO sits down with our COO and Co-founder, Adam Hale and our People Operations Strategist, Josh Jeans to talk about a one of our core values - curiosity. We will discuss about the importance of curiosity in developing a team of constant learners and how it can impact hiring, employee productivity, and day-to-day operations.
January 2022
Want to shift your accounting practice away from compliance work and into advisory services? In this webinar, you will learn what it means to be an advisor, what profit-focused accounting means, and how to successfully deliver it to clients as a Virtual CFO. We will walk through how to get started with Virtual CFO service offerings and how to actually deliver the services. You will discover the strategies and techniques necessary to scale your firm and make it more profitable.
January 2022
Retirement planning can be a stress-inducing mystery for both plan participants and sponsors. For plan sponsors, a well-designed 401(k) plan can serve as an excellent incentive to both attract and retain top talent for the long term. Regardless of which side of the 401(k) plan you’re on (sponsor or individual participant), you can fine-tune your approach with a better understanding of how a 401(k) plan functions and the best way to maximize your retirement planning through the performance of your 401(k) plan account.
December 2021
Coming from different conferences around the state our host and Director of Accounting, Jamie Nau together with our founders, Jody Grunden and Adam Hale bring about a hot topic that's been making a lot of buzz in the industry. In this episode, they share what they learned and from experience and give sound advice for remote first companies. Highlighting three important foundations that make Summit CPA Group a successful remote workplace — People, Processes, and Tools.
December 2021
With "The Great Resignation" becoming a popular term in mainstream media, Summit CPA Group continues to find ways and initiatives to combat this global phenomenon. In our search, we stumbled upon the Managing Partner of Accord Group Belguim, Co-founder of Valpeo and Author of the book "Disruption@Work", Fabiaan Van Vrekhem, to talk about Organization Reinvention.
In this episode, we define Organization Reinvention and discuss what it takes to reinvent your company and how understanding this concept can help your company with hiring and people management.
December 2021
In this special holiday episode, our host and Summit CPA's Director of Accounting/Virtual CFO, Jamie Nau together with Kim Moore Summit CPA's Director of Auditing and 401(k) Senior Auditor, Karen Hill are coming just in time for the holidays - (whichever one you celebrate) with twelve (12) gifts for you! They give the popular "12 Days of Christmas" a creative spin by giving you twelve (12) things you should think about and prepare for your 401(k) plan going into 2022.
December 2021
As the work environment continues to evolve rapidly, it’s essential that you keep up with the times if you wish to cultivate and maintain a successful business bolstered by a top-notch staff. So how you can adapt? Here are 4 ways you can start building a successful flexible and engaged workplace.
December 2021
Coming from different conferences around the state our host and Director of Accounting, Jamie Nau together with our founders, Jody Grunden and Adam Hale bring about a hot topic that's been making a lot of buzz in the industry. In this episode, they share what they learned and from experience and give sound advice for remote first companies. Highlighting three important foundations that make Summit CPA Group a successful remote workplace — People, Processes, and Tools.
December 2021
Have you heard or read about the recently passed and proposed tax bills? In this podcast, we sit down with our host Tom Wadelton and Dave Danic, our Director of Tax to discuss about the new Infrastructure Law and the Build Back Better bill (BBB). Diving deeper into the facets it may impact taxes from the perspective of business owners and individuals.
December 2021
In this webinar, Lydia Rapp, Account and Project Manager at Summit CPA Group, will provide tools to build or refine an existing new client onboarding process. We’ll cover how to effectively educate your client and your team on critical information quickly, integrate communications, set and maintain project and relationship expectations, and how to adapt without scope creep.
November 2021
Today, we sit down with Jake Grimm, our Director for Technology and Martin Zych, CEO & Co-founder of Jirav to discover how cloud-based forecasting solutions like Jirav can help maximize your potential as a firm. Jirav's ultimate goal is to help companies realize their growth through solutions made accessible to companies of all sizes.
November 2021
With "The Great Resignation" becoming a popular term in mainstream media, Summit CPA Group continues to find ways and initiatives to combat this global phenomenon. In our search, we stumbled upon the Managing Partner of Accord Group Belguim, Co-founder of Valpeo and Author of the book "Disruption@Work", Fabiaan Van Vrekhem, to talk about Organization Reinvention.
In this episode, we define Organization Reinvention and discuss what it takes to reinvent your company and how understanding this concept can help your company with hiring and people management.
November 2021
A sequel to "The Great Resignation". We will be diving deeper into this global phenomenon, and sharing experiences and management strategies to help your firm retain talent. In this episode with Jody Grunden, Zach Montroy, our People, Team and Organizational Strategist and Josh Jeans our People Operations Strategist, we will address this phenomenon and discuss more about the employee retention and rewards.
November 2021
An effective, aligned team can make or break a business. Most of the time, business owners recognize this truth and understand the importance of a group of people coming together to work toward a common goal. What separates the average business owner from an extraordinary one is simple: a leadership team that values the importance of building community and culture around the company’s core vision will level up sooner than one that doesn’t.
November 2021
What is the global phenomenon called "The Great Resignation"? What is happening in the current labor force that is affecting companies in various industries? In this episode with Jody Grunden and our People Operations Strategist, Josh Jeans we will address this phenomenon and lay out practical steps a company can consider to take this employee retention and hiring challenge head-on.
November 2021
If you are the named plan trustee(s) or plan administrator(s) for your company’s 401(k) plan, you are a fiduciary to the plan and, therefore, responsible for anything that happens to it. Here are steps you can take as a plan fiduciary to avoid security breaches that can result in the theft of plan assets.
November 2021
What is the global phenomenon called "The Great Resignation"? What is happening in the current labor force that is affecting companies in various industries? In this episode with Jody Grunden and our People Operations Strategist, Josh Jeans we will address this phenomenon and lay out practical steps a company can consider to take this employee retention and hiring challenge head-on.
November 2021
Now more than ever, client accounting services (CAS) firms can play a strategic role in their clients’ business. While many firms look to scale their practices to provide higher value advisory services such as controllership and CFO services, many factors including a clear roadmap, productization, lack of time, resources, skill set, and technology preclude them from doing so. In this webinar, we discuss practical steps on how to launch a successful financial planning and analysis service within your CAS practice using Gartner’s Financial Analytics Maturity Model (descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics) as a framework for moving up the advisory value chain.
November 2021
Jacob Oberlander, founder of Oberlander & Co. invested in his business by taking our online course, The Virtual CFO Playbook: How to Land $60K/year Clients and Provide a Killer Client Experience. Read about the lessons Jacob learned that have shaped his approach to offering advisory services to potential and current clients.
November 2021
Octavia Conner, founder of Say Yes to Profits invested in her business by taking our online course, The Virtual CFO Playbook: How to Land $60K/year Clients and Provide a Killer Client Experience. Read about the lessons Octavia learned during her time taking the course that continue to be instrumental to her firm’s success.
October 2021
Last week Summit CPA Group spent a great time together in Las Vegas for their All Team Retreat experience, and now it seems just about right to discuss an important item that many CPAs and CPA firm owners ask..."Can I deduct this?". In this podcast, we sit down with our host Tom Wadelton and Dave Danic, our Director of Tax to discuss about meals and entertainment deductions.
October 2021
Instead of charging by the hour or by project, why not charge based on value? In this episode we sit down with Adam Hale, Jody Grunden and Geraldine Carter, founder of She Thinks Big Coaching to discuss how CPA firms and CPAs can use their existing skills and expertise to provide valuable services at a premium rate and how this approach will help them earn more money while building their brand and business.
October 2021
Today, we sit down with Jake Grimm, our Director for Technology and Martin Zych, CEO & Co-founder of Jirav to discover how cloud-based forecasting solutions like Jirav can help maximize your potential as a firm. Jirav's ultimate goal is to help companies realize their growth through solutions made accessible to companies of all sizes.
October 2021
Think TikTok is just for teenagers and all about dancing? Think again. Professionals (even accountants) are using TikTok to increase their leads and grow their businesses. In this panel-style you will lear about the benefits of TikTok as a legitimate marketing platform for your firm, how to find your own style and plan out your video content, and gain an understanding of tactical strategies for growing your following on TikTok and, ultimately, your business leads.
October 2021
In this episode, Jamie Nau sits down with Kimberly Moore to talk about a timely issue since it is close to the time for open enrollment and annual enrollment for employees. We will share strategies old and new that can influence your employees enroll into your 401(k) Plan while highlighting the importance of communication in bridging the gap between the company and its employees to discuss about 401(k) Plans.
October 2021
In this episode we sit down with Adam Hale, Jody Grunden and Geraldine Carter, founder of She Thinks Big Coaching to learn about the intriguing story behind Geraldine's discovery and to deep dive into how changing your mindset, using simple solutions and implement these new strategies can help your firm scale.
October 2021
As more companies transition to a permanent remote work model, many accounting business leaders and employees wonder what they can do to make their work from home experience positive and productive. As your team begins working from home on a full-time basis, here are a few helpful suggestions regarding selecting and using technology that will enhance your remote work experience.
September 2021
A sequel to "The Great Resignation". We will be diving deeper into this global phenomenon, and sharing experiences and management strategies to help your firm retain talent. In this episode with Jody Grunden, Zach Montroy, our People, Team and Organizational Strategist and Josh Jeans our People Operations Strategist, we will address this phenomenon and discuss more about the employee retention and rewards.
September 2021
In this episode we are sitting down with Jody Grunden and Carl Smith, owner of the Bureau of Digital to talk about a constantly growing and evolving trend in building your audience - community management. Digging deeper into how the Bureau of Digital started their community, what you need to know if you're interested to build, grow, and manage a highly engaged community.
September 2021
Production metrics are an excellent way to look at the overall operations of your creative agency. They can help you identify where there’s room for improvement. These metrics also help you pinpoint exactly where you should be looking within your operations so that you can identify and execute solutions accordingly. By consistently evaluating your operations through these metrics, you can also track your progress as your agency and ensure that you remain on track toward achieving your goals.
September 2021
What is the global phenomenon called "The Great Resignation"? What is happening in the current labor force that is affecting companies in various industries? In this episode with Jody Grunden and our People Operations Strategist, Josh Jeans we will address this phenomenon and lay out practical steps a company can consider to take this employee retention and hiring challenge head-on.
September 2021
As the world continues to adapt to life during a global pandemic, many businesses have shifted to offering products and services online. Virtual CFO services thread together client accounting, advisory work, and virtual engagement. It contains an advisory component that allows you to provide the client with advice that they can use to remain sustainable and grow their business.While offering Virtual CFO services is a decision that will ultimately reap a CPA firm’s business, we must recognize the hesitancy around pulling the trigger.
September 2021
Are you spending money in marketing but aren't seeing the results you are expecting? In this episode we sit down with Adam Hale and Stephen Pope, CEO/Founder of SGPLabs to talk about content creation, video marketing and new marketing channel that work.
September 2021
It is no secret that employees are happier and more productive when they are in control of their schedules. Some people work better early in the morning; some later in the day. People with school-aged children might need to run out in the afternoon to pick up the kids from school. Some people like to work out in the middle of the workday. All of these things are important for employees to be fully present when they are working.
September 2021
Unlike any other audit, 401(k) Plan audits are their own unique specialization that are very technical, and the rules that govern them are always changing. As a 401(k) Plan Administrator you need to make sure you're staying compliant with the current regulations and that you get the value of what you pay for according to your business needs.
September 2021
Have you ever felt out of your element when it comes to marketing your firm? Are you unsure where to focus your marketing efforts? Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this webinar Kelly Schuknecht, Director of Marketing at Summit CPA Group, teaches you how to develop a simple marketing plan with practical actionable steps any accountant can take to market their firm to success.
September 2021
Instead of charging by the hour or by project, why not charge based on value? In this episode we sit down with Summit's founders Adam Hale and Jody Grunden, and Geraldine Carter, founder of She Thinks Big Coaching to discuss how digital agencies can use their existing skills and expertise to provide valuable services for small businesses at a premium rate and how this approach will help them earn more money while building their brand and business.
September 2021
As a service-based company, meetings are an integral part of doing business. This fact is especially true when you consider that the client has all the answers that you, the service provider, needs to move forward with your work. Throughout the years at Summit CPA, we have tried many different approaches to client meetings and have narrowed down a few ways in which to prepare for them adequately. Here are a few best practices to keep mind when preparing for your next client meeting.
August 2021
Are you a thought leader? Or do you aspire to be one in your chosen field, but don't know where to start? In this episode we sit down with Adam Hale and Bill Sherman, COO and Thought Leadership Practice Lead of Thought Leadership Leverage to talk about how thought leadership gives an organization a competitive advantage and the important steps you need to take to become one.
August 2021
Since the launch of Summit CPA in 2002, we have experimented with different billing models to help generate sustainable sources of income. We eventually landed on developing recurring revenue streams to increase our firm’s financial stability. Here are a few reasons why you should consider creating or investing more in the development of recurring revenue streams as you continue to grow your business.
August 2021
There are many ways to bill clients. But predictability is the key to developing and maintaining recurring revenue streams. As long as your clients know when they're going to be charged and how much they'll end up paying, you can develop a billing method that generates income and won't adversely affect your client retention rate. Businesses can take advantage of the recurring revenue model in many ways.
August 2021
Are you a thought leader? Or do you aspire to be one in your chosen field, but don't know where to start? In this episode we sit down with Adam Hale and Bill Sherman, COO and Thought Leadership Practice Lead of Thought Leadership Leverage to talk about how thought leadership gives an organization a competitive advantage and the important steps you need to take to become one.
August 2021
In part 2, we are recording live from Las Vegas at the CFO Retreat. In this episode we deep dive about the importance of team retreats, costs and benefits, and why you should start organizing team retreats for your company as well.
August 2021
Knowing the right questions to ask can make a really big difference for you when you are looking for a 401(k) Audit service provider. In this episode, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore and Karen Hill to discuss all you need to know and consider when selecting your 401(k) provider.
August 2021
In this episode we are sitting down with Jody Grunden and Carl Smith, owner of the Bureau of Digital to talk about a constantly growing and evolving trend in building your audience - community management. Digging deeper into how the Bureau of Digital started their community, what you need to know if you're interested to build, grow, and manage a highly engaged community.
August 2021
Improving your utilization and average bill rates begins with effective forecasting. Therefore, you should consistently review any differences between your initial forecast and your current rates, then make modifications based on your findings. We also recommend keeping in mind that evaluating these rates should be an educational experience, as they will provide you with a deeper understanding of how your team is currently functioning. These insights can help you make the necessary changes that will allow your business to run more efficiently, thereby increasing your profitability.
July 2021
If there's one thing everybody looks forward to in a remote company, it's definitely the company retreat. An event where everyone is able to enjoy, hang out and talk about work, life, and random things in-person and not through virtual meeting rooms. These events are important for our company's culture and we know how such can ultimately contribute to a high-performing virtual team. In this episode, we sit down with Jody Grunden, Zach Montroy, and Lillian Hocevar our team members who made such an unforgettable company retreat possible.
July 2021
Production metrics are an excellent way to look at the overall operations of your creative agency. They can help you identify where there’s room for improvement. These metrics also help you pinpoint exactly where you should be looking within your operations so that you can identify and execute solutions accordingly. By consistently evaluating your operations through these metrics, you can also track your progress as your agency and ensure that you remain on track toward achieving your goals.
June 2022
Since 2002, Summit CPA Group has changed the way people think about the accounting industry. Through Virtual CFO services like cash flow management, business tax planning, and financial forecasting, we help our clients maximize profits, minimize taxes, increase cash flow, and build business and personal wealth. Our Virtual CFO services are far different than traditional CPA services. At Summit CPA, we act as a consultant, coach, and advisor to each of our clients using profit-focused accounting techniques. Often, when we onboard a new client, they have never had a forecast or cash flow management strategy. Summit CPA helps them see where they could be in 1, 2, or 3 years and break down their sizeable goals into small steps. We provide business owners with a path, so they can achieve their goals. With a technology-backed offering and a remote-first team, we have experience in a variety of industries throughout North America. To learn more about us, visit http://www.summitcpa.net
July 2021
Live from our VCFO retreat in Las Vegas, we sit down with Jody Grunden, Adam Hale, Zach Montroy, and Lillian Hocevar our team members who make our unforgettable company retreats possible.
July 2021
The SECURE Act, which was just passed in December 2019 and is now law, has some great benefits for companies that are looking to become 401(k) plan providers. More specifically, the law seeks to help out smaller companies that could not offer 401(k) plans to eligible participants due to the costs associated with being a plan provider.
One of the provisions in the Act addresses this issue by allowing companies to come together to share the cost burden of providing 401(k) plans to eligible employees. Read to learn more about the ways in which you can become a part of a shared 401(k) plan.
July 2021
Today, we sit down with Adam Hale and Andrew Hunzicker, Founder and partner of Dope CFO. He is a Subject Matter Expert for the AICPA on Cannabis Accounting. In this episode, we sit down to learn more about the Cannabis Industry, what we need to know and understanding the opportunity available for CPA Firms.
July 2021
If there's one thing everybody looks forward to in a remote company, it's definitely the company retreat. An event where everyone is able to enjoy, hang out and talk about work, life, and random things in-person, not through virtual meeting rooms. These events are important for our company's culture and we know how such can ultimately contribute to a high-performing virtual team. In this episode, we sit down with Jody Grunden, Zach Montroy, and Lillian Hocevar our team members who made such an unforgettable company retreat possible.
July 2021
We're taking a little breather from the heavy topics such as cyber security and legal implications. In this episode we are sitting down with our Director of Auditing Kim Moore, and with Chasity Price and Lauren Van Wyngarden, 401K Audit team members, to talk about their experience working and interning at Summit CPA Group.
July 2021
In light of the pandemic, cash flow is at the forefront of many business owners' minds. Fortunately, companies that elect to hire a firm to manage their cash flow often find that they experience better cash flow visibility and, therefore, have less anxiety around their company's financial health. As a distributed accounting firm, we believe the following steps can help grow your CPA firm by bringing on clients looking for cash flow management services specifically:
July 2021
In today’s episode we are joined by our CEO and Co-founder, Jody Grunden and our Director of Tax, Dave Danic to talk about the tax lessons we learned this season. Although, there is always something to learn every tax season, this year was especially impactful. We will be having an in-depth discussion about challenges the team faced internally and solutions that helped overcome them.
June 2021
We are joined by Jody Grunden and one of our clients, Tiffany Farriss of Palantir. Today we will talk about the challenges Palantir has faced and diving deep into this to understand how they reshaped the company by recognizing their problem and creating solutions to address it. In line with that, Tiffany shares how having a virtual CFO has impacted the growth of her business.
June 2021
As technology continues to evolve, businesses should make cyber security a priority. Our tools and processes become smarter as technology improves but so does the attempts of hackers. This poses a big threat to the sensitive information that businesses currently have in their possession. Today, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore for a deep dive about cyber security, and the ways in which 401k plan administrators can protect their clients from cyber threats.
June 2021
In today’s episode we are again joined by Jody Grunden and David Jenyns, author of SYSTEMology to continue our discussion about processes and systems and its importance in the success and growth of a business. Here in Part 2 we will have a deep dive about how his book helps business owners create time, reduce errors, and scale profits.
June 2021
The key to executing a successful sales and marketing process includes identifying who your target customer is. By identifying your desired clientele, you’re then able to create an effective marketing strategy. While these steps may seem very “Marketing 101”, at Summit CPA, we’ve come to fully realize the value in taking the sales and marketing process a step further by identifying our niche as a firm. This step means that we cater to companies operating within a specific industry.
June 2021
We are joined by Jody Grunden and Dev Basu of Powered by Search to talk about important steps a company needs to take to develop a growth marketing strategy. Diving deep into the fastest way to quickly grow your business through marketing strategies focusing on your audience and pricing.
June 2021
During a team retreat, you have the opportunity to build and strengthen interpersonal relationships, which ultimately bolsters your working relationships and facilitates company growth. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions on how to plan and host the next retreat for your staff that is both productive and memorable.
May 2021
In today’s episode we are joined by Jody Grunden and David Jenyns, author of SYSTEMology to discuss why processes and systems play an important role in the success and growth of a business. We will learn more about what David does and how his book helps business owners create time, reduce errors, and scale profits.
May 2021
The 2020 recession was difficult for everyone. We lament the tragic loss of life and loss of livelihoods created by the global pandemic. You and your business have survived up to this point. Although we’re heading into 2021 with some glimmer of a better economy, we’re not out of the woods quite yet. Analyze your financial operation and shore up any weak spots to reduce your risks.
May 2021
We are joined by Jody Grunden and one of our clients, Tiffany Farriss of Palantir. Today we will talk about the challenges Palantir has faced and diving deep into this to understand how they reshaped the company by recognizing their problem and creating solutions to address it. In line with that, Tiffany shares how having a virtual CFO has impacted the growth of her business.
May 2021
Establishing and maintaining an effective remote working strategy requires just that: strategy. If you go in blind, expect to have trouble. Conversely, if you create a plan for your technology and working environments, you’ll start wondering why you didn’t adopt remote work sooner.
May 2021
At Summit CPA, we’ve found Jetpack Workflow to be an incredible workflow software resource when it comes to documenting the process for the marketing team within our Virtual CFO Firm. For us, Jetpack Workflow has helped tremendously in keeping our marketing team aligned and working seamlessly together.
May 2021
Today, we sit down with Adam Hale and Octavia Conner, Founder and Virtual CFO at Say Yes To Profits to get to know her and her business better. Talking about what inspired her and what changes she made to build and scale her business.
May 2021
The Secure Act was passed in 2019, and while we discussed about this a year ago to enlighten our listeners about its impact to their businesses there is a revised version that is expected to pass this year a lot are talking about this to gain clarity of its implications. Today, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore to talk about the Secure Act 2.0 and the key provisions that 401k Plan Administrators need to know about this legislation.
May 2021
How you approach your onboarding process can make or break your relationship with a client. If the process goes well, chances are your working relationship will continue to be a positive experience. However, if it does not, you could set yourself for issues down the road. At Summit CPA, we have spent the past few years fine-tuning our onboarding process for new clients. In an effort to share some of the insights we have acquired over the years through trial and error, here are the ways in which you can adjust your approach to your onboarding process to make it as effective and successful as possible.
April 2021
In this webinar, we’re going to break down how to think through, plan and execute a strategic video marketing plan for your firm. We’ll start by talking through how to leverage your time, money and effort to get the best result. Including how to select what type of video you might produce. How to record it, some basic equipment to purchase, how to produce it, and then making sure people ACTUALLY see it. We need potential clients to walk away with those “aha” moments, and saying, “WOW, I’m glad I saw this,” so that they share it with their network!
April 2021
In today’s episode we are again joined by Jody Grunden and David Jenyns, author of SYSTEMology to continue our discussion about processes and systems and its importance in the success and growth of a business. Here in Part 2 we will have a deep dive about how his book helps business owners create time, reduce errors, and scale profits.
April 2021
Today, we are joined by Adam Hale and Frank Cottle, Founder and CEO of Alliance Virtual Offices to talk about how CPA firms could build a workplace that is flexible, engaged and successful in the new normal landscape.
April 2021
Overhead expenses can seem like a series of very indistinct line items on your financial statement as they often include indirect costs associated with your business’s operations. These expenses can range from software subscriptions and postage, to lease payments and utility fees. Because these costs can easily hide in plain sight amongst more substantial expenses, such as employee salaries, it’s important to identify what expenses should be factored into your overhead.
April 2021
In today’s episode we are joined by Jody Grunden and David Jenyns, author of SYSTEMology to discuss why processes and systems play an important role in the success and growth of a business. We will learn more about what David does and how his book helps business owners create time, reduce errors, and scale profits.
April 2020
Today, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore to talk about record keepers and third party administrators. This episode gives light to one of the most common questions we get from our clients — "What should I consider when I plan to hire/switch service providers?", we will take a deep dive in to this and discuss all you need to know and consider as a 401k Plan administrator.
April 2021
Consistently evaluating your onboarding process is essential if you’re interested in setting up new employees for success. This fact is why, at Summit CPA, we invest time and energy into continuously developing an onboarding process that puts our new employees in the best possible position to succeed at our firm. Read more to learn about the three steps we use in our onboarding processes that you can put into place to improve your onboarding process today.
April 2021
Today, we are joined by Jacob Oberlander, Owner and Principal of Oberlander & Co. and Tom Wadelton CFO and Controller of Summit CPA Group to talk about how the VCFO Playbook Course helped them grow and scale their VCFO services. Sharing important takeaways, the process in which Oberlander & Co. has applied them, and the impact it has made to their business.
March 2021
Hiring a reliable, adept team is crucial to the success of a firm, which is why establishing an equally robust hiring process is imperative. Your hiring process significantly impacts the type of talent you attract to your organization, as well as the time and resources it takes to hire a candidate. With that said, the effort you put into the hiring process should be strategic.
March 2021
We are joined by Jody Grunden and Tom Beck, Executive Director of SoDA today talk about the current state of the industry. Amidst these unprecedented times businesses continue to thrive while some take it day by day to survive. Let's take a deep dive into the industry insights from SoDa and take advantage of this knowledge to create strategies that will work for your business.
March 2021
There’s almost no getting around one of the biggest truths in business: You need money to make money. Sure, you’ll hear plenty of inspirational stories about tech companies starting in garages. But once you dig through the details, there’s almost always capital coming from somewhere. Most small businesses struggle to grow without an infusion of capital. Until you start generating high revenue that you can use to scale, your capital will likely need to come from small-business loans.
March 2021
David Cristello of Jetpack Workflow joins the team from Summit CPA Group to discuss how you can create a scalable, profitable 7 & 8 figure accounting firm using Jetpack Workflow. Gain a better understanding of how to standardize your processes so you can have confidence that nothing will slip through the cracks. Learn how to delegate and easily keep track of deadlines so you can see how your team is doing without getting lost in the weeds.
March 2021
Summit CPA Group uses CashFlowTool to provide weekly and monthly cash flow management and forecasting support for small businesses across the US. Hear from our CEO and Co-founder Jody Grunden, on why Summit CPA Group needed an automatic solution and selected CashFlowTool.
March 2021
Today, we are joined by Jake Grimm, Director of Technology and Jody Grunden to talk about choosing vendors and suppliers. Choosing partners to help you run your business is fundamental to the success of your company. How do you know which vendor would be the best fit for your company? Well, in this episode we will talk about the search, filtering and the elimination process that guided us in choosing them to help us at Summit CPA Group and also we will be sharing those we currently work with, who rightfully received our stamp of approval.
March 2021
Today, we sit down with Adam Hale and David Bergstein, the Chief Innovation Officer of Bergstein CPA. He is an author, blogger, speaker, educator, and advisor to CPA Firms who is dedicated in helping accounting firms grow their Client Accounting & Advisory Services practices. He calls himself "A Millennial Trapped in a Baby Boomer's Body" in this episode we will understand why so and also, why he passionately believes moving to the cloud and adapting quickly to technological changes are important for accounting professionals and CPA firms.
March 2020
This topic may not sound as fun as our other episodes but this one is relevant and important for you and your company - lawsuits. Lawsuits are a lot of work, they take time, cost you money and are a lot of stress. Today, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore to talk about lawsuits as it relates to the 401k plan. This episode will help you as a 401k plan sponsor to avoid lawsuits, and tell you where to look, and what to watch out for.
March 2021
We are joined by Adam Hale, and Pete Potsos, Strategic Account Manager & Client Accounting Services Strategic Advisor at Bill.com to talk about how businesses use Bill.com to simplify payments and how its features have impacted our processes and how it has made a positive change in our workflow at Summit CPA Group. Gone are the days when you had to look at two or more places to get things done. Bill.com enables you to pay, get paid, and manage your payments process from one place.
March 2021
A profit-sharing plan is a group incentive plan that includes all employees in an organization. It focuses on overall business unit profit (or a similar bottom-line financial goal). Profit-sharing is one of the most effective ways of motivating employees to work to the full extent of their capabilities and achieve more significant results. One of the main reasons profit-sharing plans are essential is that they bring in a sense of ownership across all department levels within a company. This is why we recommend all of our clients have one in place.
March 2021
We are joined by Adam Hale, and Pete Potsos, Strategic Account Manager & Client Accounting Services Strategic Advisor at Bill.com to talk about how businesses use Bill.com to simplify payments and how its features have impacted our processes and how it has made a positive change in our workflow at Summit CPA Group. Gone are the days when you had to look at two or more places to get things done. Bill.com enables you to pay, get paid, and manage your payments process from one place.
February 2020
Choosing vendors to help you run your business is fundamental to the success of your company. But how do you know which vendor would be the best fit for your company? In this episode we are joined by Summit CPA Group's Director of Technology, Jake Grimm and CEO Jody Grunden, to talk about choosing the right vendors and suppliers for your business. Listen in as Jake and Jody talk about the search, the filtering and the elimination process that guided Summit CPA Group in choosing the right vendors for our firm. We also share more about the partners we currently work with that rightfully received our stamp of approval.
February 2021
As an accounting firm that works with digital marketing agencies, we are well aware of the different factors and actions that can contribute to these agencies reducing the amount of taxes they owe. Whether the client is a cash basis taxpayer who is paying on the revenue they’ve received or an accrual basis taxpayer who is paying on the revenue they’ve earned, there are several ways they can go about lowering the amount of taxes owed.
February 2021
How confident are you in the financial health of your company? Having a solid understanding of your finances can make a huge difference for small business owners. While your business grows, there are a few metrics you need to understand and review on a regular basis.
February 2021
In today’s episode we are joined by Kelly Schuknecht, Director of Marketing and Stephen Pope, founder of SGP Labs to discuss the importance of incorporating videos in your marketing strategy. He talks about how videos can help you grow and scale your business and help you reach your target audience better.
February 2021
The Modern CPA Success Show (Episode 34): “One of the partners there was sharing that their firm no longer has an overdraft thanks to using our payment plans” - Bruce Coombes Today, we are sitting down with Bruce Coombes and Richard Formoe from QuickFee to explain how you can use their products to get paid faster. QuickFee provides quick and hassle-free payment options for your clients to help you can increase sales, build better client relationships, and improve cash flow.
February 2020
In today’s episode we are joined by Kelly Schuknecht, Director of Marketing and Stephen Pope, founder of SGP Labs to discuss the importance of incorporating videos in your marketing strategy. He talks about how videos can help you grow and scale your business and help you reach your target audience better.
February 2021
A lot of business owners wonder how much cash they should have on hand at any given time. While how much cash you should keep on hand will vary based on several factors but there is a general amount that most businesses should shoot for. There are several factors that might sway our recommendations for cash on hand one way or the other.
February 2021
How streamlined is your sales process? Are you spending hours or even days putting together proposals and not closing deals? In this webinar, PandaDoc’s William Hadeler will be joining the Summit CPA team to discuss the sales process. You’ll learn how a simple automation tool can help save you time, improve your professional presence, and close more deals. Learn all about PandaDoc’s robust features, and hear from the team at Summit CPA Group about their first-hand experience with this tool and the impact it has had on the company’s sales.
February 2020
Today, we are sitting down with Bruce Coombes and Richard Formoe from QuickFee to explain how you can use their products to get paid faster. QuickFee provides quick and hassle-free payment options for your clients to help you can increase sales, build better client relationships, and improve cash flow.
January 2021
While we understand that hiring a Virtual CFO firm may not be right for every business, if it does fit your business’s needs, it can often cost less and provide more expertise than a traditional in-house accounting department. As an experienced Virtual CFO firm, we know how to help weigh the pros and cons of this decision. The following are three things to considering when deciding to hire an in-house CFO, or Virtual CFO firm:
January 2021
A growing selection of user-friendly data visualization tools that can improve the quality of your data storytelling, as well as dramatically boost the effectiveness and serviceability of those stories have emerged. Recently we sat down with Justin Hatch, CEO of Reach Reporting, and discussed some of the best ways CPA firms can up their CFO game with data visualization tools.
January 2021
It's very easy to dive into delivering services and solutions to clients while overlooking the fact that your vision and work process may not align with your client's needs and expectations. Therefore, establishing expectations before delving into deliverables and projects is a great way to ensure your firm begins a new business relationship on the right foot. Discussed below are a few ways in which you can share your expectations with new clients during the onboarding process to help make your budding working relationship a positive experience for everyone involved.
January 2021
We often talk about forecasting through the lens of a service-based business (i.e., digital agencies) because this happens to be the model we work with the most. The revenue of these companies is recurring and allows us to easily look into their future based on their current load and what’s in their pipeline. For project-based companies, there are a couple of driving factors that need to be considered.
January 2021
Do you hate networking and outbound sales? Want to generate inbound leads with people reaching out to work with you? Leverage your knowledge and expertise to drive business growth through thought leadership and content marketing. We will walk you through how to stand out and build a trusted brand. You will discover the strategy and techniques necessary to efficiently distribute content that creates awareness, expands your reach online, and generates demand for your services.
January 2021
In this episode we are joined by Rick Telberg from CPA Trendlines to talk about the shift towards virtual CFO services. The VCFO space is getting bigger, especially with the increase in online teams in 2020. This is such an interesting time, because businesses are required to change to adapt to the current landscape, and accountants are no exception to this. Listen to learn about the future of the CPA space and the virtual CFO. The finer details of this episode:
January 2021
As shifts in work flexibility and remote work options across professions being to deploy, accountants are starting to take notice of the need to obtain a fulfilling work-life balance. While it continues to be encouraging to see signs of accounting firms offering a range of work/life balance solutions for employees, there are ways that you can you address the healthy relationship between your professional and personal life on your own.
December 2020
One of the key changes the company we selected made to our hiring process was the incorporation of assessments that help determine a candidate’s soft skills. The various tests introduced to our hiring process and how they’ve contributed to our company’s success at hiring qualified candidates who work well with our current staff members and our clients are discussed below.
December 2020
We are joined by Jody and Adam to talk to one of our clients. Casey Cobb of Ricochet Group has an amazing backstory, and Summit CPA was able to help Casey Cobb manage his business through incredibly challenging times. We talk about Casey’s story, how he found the blue ocean strategy in growing his business, and the value we were able to bring him with our virtual CFO services.
December 2020
Want to shift your accounting practice away from compliance work and into advisory services? In this recorded webinar, you will learn what it means to be an advisor, what profit-focused accounting means, and how to successfully deliver it to clients as a Virtual CFO. We will walk through how to get started with Virtual CFO service offerings and how to actually deliver the services. You will discover the strategies and techniques necessary to scale your firm and make it more profitable.
December 2020
We are joined by Jody and Adam to talk to one of our clients. Casey Cobb of Ricochet Group has an amazing backstory, and Summit CPA was able to help Casey Cobb manage his business through incredibly challenging times. We talk about Casey’s story, how he found the blue ocean strategy in growing his business, and the value we were able to bring him with our virtual CFO services.
December 2020
A virtual audit offers distinct advantages over a traditional audit, including reducing the physical burden on office space, more easily distributing the audit workload, and making it possible to complete your audit from anywhere. Director of Auditing, Kim Moore discusses the 4 Key Differences Between a Traditional and Virtual 401(k) Audit.
December 2020
Want to shift your accounting practice away from compliance work and into advisory services? In this recorded webinar, you will learn what it means to be an advisor, what profit-focused accounting means, and how to successfully deliver it to clients as a Virtual CFO. We will walk through how to get started with Virtual CFO service offerings and how to actually deliver the services. You will discover the strategies and techniques necessary to scale your firm and make it more profitable.
December 2020
This is our third time bringing in Tom Barrett, who has been working with Summit CPA for years. We are talking about meetings today. Our meetings at Summit CPA have changed and evolved over the years. Anyone who has been involved with a company would know just how difficult it is to have effective meetings. As a CFO, our job is to run good meetings and advise our clients to do the same. Listen to this episode to learn what your company can do to structure strong and effective meetings.
November 2020
Strong leadership is at the core of any successful business. That much is known by many business owners and entrepreneurs. But when it comes to implementing an efficient system capable of growing your business, there are several key things to consider. Here are five things to keep in mind when it comes to taking your business to the next level with the help of a Virtual CFO:
November 2020
Today, we are joined by Zach Montroy of Navigate the Journey and Lillian Hocevar of Traveluxe Official to talk about company retreats. We reflect on Summit CPA’s recent retreat, what we got out of it, and lessons we learned that will help you organize your next company retreat.
November 2020
Are you a CPA wanting to strike out on your own and start a virtual CPA firm like Summit CPA Group? Maybe you’re working for someone else and you’re ready to take a leap into the world of entrepreneurship. Or maybe you’ve already got your own independent accounting business going on and you’re considering taking it to the next level by providing services virtually. If you want to start your own CPA firm, particularly a Virtual CPA firm or a Virtual CFO firm like Summit CPA Group here three tips for you.
November 2020
Discover the power of forecasting for helping your clients increase their profits and make better decisions. Forecasting is an extremely valuable service that Virtual CFOs can provide for their clients. It helps business owners make better decisions for their business and increase their profits. In this webinar, you’ll learn why forecasting should be the cornerstone of your delivery, how to build the forecast, and how to present the forecast to clients. We’ll also cover our recommended forecasting tools.
October 2020
Today, we are joined by Zach Montroy of Navigate the Journey and Lillian Hocevar of Traveluxe Official to talk about company retreats. We reflect on Summit CPA’s recent retreat, what we got out of it, and lessons we learned that will help you organize your next company retreat.
November 2020
We are joined by Jody Grunden and Dave Danic by special request. One of the most common questions we get from our clients is the R&D tax credits. This credit exists to incentivize American companies to create USA jobs. In this episode, we are talking about what that means and what you need to do in order to qualify for it.
November 2020
In this episode, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore and David Ramirez from For Us All. We talk about current trends related to 401k plans during COVID-19 and the economic decline and things you can do in your business to respond within your 401k plan. We also talk about advice for employees and what you can do as an employer to support your employees on their 401k plan.
October 2020
We decided to bring back Tom Barrett from Navitage the Journey. We are joined by Adam Hale to talk about employees. In this episode, we move beyond the basic job description to talk about the essence of the roles that your employees will be filling. Getting the right people into your company, and having them in the right roles is a cornerstone to running a successful business. Listen for Tom’s insight and tips on organization charts, hiring, and aligning your people with your company’s core values.
October 2020
Your most important asset is your people. The place where you are investing most is your people. Are you stewarding your best investment well? To build a high-performance accounting team, you need to be intentional in the hiring, training, and performance process. In this recorded webinar, CPAs will learn how to be strategic with hiring, recruiting for soft skills in addition to technical skills, and achieving an engaged team culture.
October 2020
We decided to bring back Tom Barrett from Navitage the Journey. We are joined by Adam Hale to talk about employees. In this episode, we move beyond the basic job description to talk about the essence of the roles that your employees will be filling. Getting the right people into your company, and having them in the right roles is a cornerstone to running a successful business. Listen for Tom’s insight and tips on organization charts, hiring, and aligning your people with your company’s core values.
October 2020
In this episode, Jamie Nau and Jody Grunden sit down with one of our clients, Greg Bear from Bear Group. Greg has seen some major growth, and we think it’s important for you to hear about it. Bear Group is a successful web design company, and we will be discussing their process of hiring a CFO and how it helped them to uplevel their business.
October 2020
Forecasting is one of the cardinal rules of finance. Without it, even the strongest company can be ill-prepared for the future. Sure, it’s impossible to accurately predict what will happen in the next day, week, month or year. The team at Summit CPA uses a three step process for any dynamic forecast.
October 2020
In this episode, Jamie Nau and Jody Grunden sit down to chat with one of our clients, Greg Bear from Bear Group. Greg has seen some major growth, and we think it’s important for you to hear about it. Bear Group is a successful web design company, and we will be discussing their process of hiring a CFO and how it helped them to uplevel their business.
October 2020
Every CPA firm reaches a point where it needs to find creative ways to change for the times. In today’s market, productive growth often means adopting new technologies that enhance not only the efficiency of your work but the very character of your business. Your CPA firm may not need to dive right into untested technological waters. But technology can help you expand your services by making it much easier to work remotely with your clients and your team, automate essential tasks and enhance digital security for all stakeholders.
October 2020
Today, we are joined by Dan Kaelus. He hosts a podcast called Small Business Matters, and he is the CEO of two companies. We are going to talk about different lending options for small businesses. We always talk about banking relationships with our clients and we stress the importance of having a relationship with your bank. Today we talk about how you can create a lending relationship to help your business grow.
October 2020
As a virtual accounting firm operating under a distributed model since 2013, we, at Summit CPA, have experienced the transition from conducting business in a physical office environment to having our team entirely remote in a virtual office setting. With that said, we have some advice for business leaders regarding the steps they should consider taking if they would like to offer their employees the option of working from home indefinitely. Fortunately, these steps are simple and easy to execute.
October 2020
In this episode, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore, the Summit CPA audit director, to talk about fines and penalties that are associated with 401k plans. We get a lot of questions about this topic at Summit CPA, and it’s extremely important information to have, especially as we get close to the 5500 deadline. Listen to learn about how you can ensure your business is following all of the rules and regulations with its 401k plan.
September 2020
We know a lot of companies are moving to a distributed model, so we wanted to give some more insight to how the Summit CPA team works remotely. Today, we are talking to two of our employees, Angie Douglas and Mikala Paige, who have unique remote working situations. Listen to learn about how our Summit CPA team lives the remote lifestyle, and tips for anyone who wants to live this lifestyle themselves.
September 2020
We know a lot of companies are moving to a distributed model, so we wanted to give some more insight to how the Summit CPA team works remotely. Today, we are talking to two of our employees, Angie Douglas and Mikala Paige, who have unique remote working situations. Listen to learn about how our Summit CPA team lives the remote lifestyle, and tips for anyone who wants to live this lifestyle themselves.
September 2020
Today, we are sitting down with Michael Frost from Heritage to talk about integrating a family practice into your VCFO firm, and how those two things can work together. Heritage Family Offices is a law firm, wealth management firm, CPA firm, and insurance company all under one roof. In this episode, we are discussing how family offices work behind the scenes and how you can integrate CFO services into this business model.
September 2020
In this episode, Jamie Nau sits down with Kim Moore, the Summit CPA audit director, to talk about auto-enrollment. Auto-enrollment is when you require your employees to enter the 401k plan once they meet certain requirements. They don’t have to do anything in order to be enrolled. It happens automatically unless they take steps to decline enrollment. Listen to learn about how and why you would implement this into your company’s 401k plan.
September 2020
Today, we are sitting down with Tom Barrett from Navigate the Journey to talk about the EOS system, and how you can use it to achieve the vision for your business. EOS is a complete set of simple concepts and practical tools that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses. In this episode, we are discussing what EOS can do for your organization and how you can implement it into your business.
September 2020
How to Manage a 35-person Remote Team Without Client Work Falling Through the Cracks (interview with Jamie Nau) / How do you maintain the quality levels that got you where you are and keep all of your clients happy? On this week’s Growing Your Firm podcast, we’re speaking with Jamie Nau. He’s the virtual CFO and director of accounting at Summit CPA Group. In this interview, we’re going to break down how he handles a 30-person remote team. Take a listen and see if you agree with his management style.
August 2020
Today, we are sitting down with Tom Barrett from Navigate the Journey to talk about the EOS system and how you can use it to achieve the vision for your business. EOS is a complete set of simple concepts and practical tools that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs get what they want from their businesses. In this episode, we are discussing what EOS can do for your organization and how you can implement it into your business.
August 2020
There is a lot that goes into running a business, and small businesses can benefit greatly from delegating their extra admin tasks. But it can be difficult to let go of some of the work, so today we are sitting down with Emily Morgan of Delegate Solutions. We have been working with this company for a couple of years, and it has made a huge difference to have someone take care of our admin tasks. Delegate Solutions focuses on helping entrepreneurs create more time and leverage in their day, so that is what we are talking about on the show today.
August 2020
In this recorded webinar, CPAs will learn how to deliver profit focused accounting (cash, production metrics, financial metrics, and pipeline metrics), and what to cover in weekly and/or monthly client meetings.
August 2020
There is a lot that goes into running a business, and small businesses can benefit greatly from delegating their extra admin tasks. But it can be difficult to let go of some of the work, so today we are sitting down with Emily Morgan of Delegate Solutions. We have been working with this company for a couple of years, and it has made a huge difference to have someone take care of our admin tasks. Delegate Solutions focuses on helping entrepreneurs create more time and leverage in their day, so that is what we are talking about on the show today.
August 2020
As we’ve grown over the years, working through unsuccessful sales tactics has led us to bigger and better ideas. We’ve learned several ways in which to sell our services successfully. CEO Jody Grunden, offers a few sales tips that Summit CPA Group believes can bolster your sales, whether you’re operating a brick and mortar or a remote CPA firm.
August 2020
Your team can successfully foster a work environment that lends itself to creative thought, innovation, and, ultimately, larger profit margins, when they achieve the right balance. At Summit CPA, we know this to be true. We’ve been operating as a completely virtual firm for several years while maintaining a high performance team that works together to deliver services that aid client growth.
August 2020
We are starting a new trend on the podcast, where we sit down with some of our clients to talk about their experiences with CFOs and their business knowledge. Today, we are sitting down with Matt Westgate, CEO, and co-founder of Lullabot. Matt was one of our first CFO clients, so we are going to talk about his experience. We also speak about his experience working with a distributed team in his business.
August 2020
While working to standardize your firm's operations, focusing on standardizing your meetings can be particularly beneficial. At our firm, we’ve found that standardizing our meetings has been an effective way of bolstering client engagement and improving staff efficiency when it comes to client work. Summit CPA Group's CEO Jody Grunden, shares a few tips to take into consideration as you craft procedures that will guide your planning and execution of productive client meetings.
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