In today's episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm, Roger Knecht and guest Matt Granados discuss how accounting firm owners can move beyond basic efficiency to reach true effectiveness. They explore how setting clear client expectations and implementing structured planning systems help reduce burnout and improve profitability.

00:00 Efficiency vs Effectiveness in Accounting 03:50 Managing Expectations and Client Satisfaction 07:13 Bridging Intention and Execution 12:24 Evolution of Leadership Styles 17:24 Creating Margin and Optimal Performance 23:29 Strategic Planning for Success 27:33 Combating Burnout Through Systems 33:49 Closing Insights and Resources

• Differentiate between efficiency (speed) and effectiveness (quality) to provide better client outcomes.

• Set clear, professional expectations with clients early in the onboarding process to manage workloads and maintain boundaries.

• Prioritize personal and organizational margin to ensure you are prepared for unexpected business or life challenges.

• Shift your leadership style from a "drill sergeant" to an "architect" to help your team perform optimally.

• "Efficient is based on speed. Effective is based on quality of the outcome." — Matt Granados

• "No one accidentally becomes fulfilled. I've seen people accidentally become rich. I've seen people accidentally become successful, but I've never seen someone be accidentally fulfilled." — Matt Granados

• "The most successful people I work with have a system and solution before they need it." — Matt Granados

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

This is a monthly group coaching call to help high performers level up to optimal performance. community.lifepulseinc.com

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this: Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses working more efficiently with Matt Granados

Thank you for listening to another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm. Today, Roger Knecht and Justin Lund discuss how founders can avoid common mistakes that lead to burnout and chaos. Justin shares his experience building and exiting multiple companies, highlighting the importance of strategic delegation and leveraging accounting insights to gain freedom and profitability in business. This episode is packed with practical advice for accounting professionals looking to scale their firms without sacrificing personal well-being.

00:00 Introduction to Justin Lund 01:29 Justin's Entrepreneurial Journey 07:11 Starting vs. Investing in Businesses 13:54 The Role of Accounting and Delegation 25:05 The Emotional Cost of Low-Value Tasks 31:07 The Tripod Method for Delegation 36:06 Warning Signs of Capacity Ceiling 48:51 Conclusion and Resources

• Delegate tasks strategically to free up your time and energy, focusing on high-value, revenue-generating activities.

• Utilize accounting insights and dashboards to manage businesses effectively from a high level, avoiding day-to-day operational entrapment.

• Document repetitive tasks using a "tripod method" to create playbooks and checklists for easy delegation and duplication.

• "Distraction is the silent killer of dreams." — Justin Lund

• "The more my business grew, literally the more time I had and the more resources I had to spend that time in better ways." — Justin Lund

• "Be slow to delegate what your jam is. Be fast to delegate what sucks the time and energy away from you." — Justin Lund

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this: Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses delegation with Justin Lund

In today's episode, Roger Knecht discusses the evolution of the accounting profession with Brittany Brown, focusing on the impact of AI, the importance of CAS, and changes needed in academic curriculum. They explore how firms can adapt to new technologies and client expectations, emphasizing practical application and efficiency for building a premier accounting firm.

00:00 Introduction & Guest Background 04:49 The Power of Niching in E-commerce 15:31 Transition to Academia: UVU QuickBooks Class 21:00 Passion Project to Full-Time Professor 31:14 Real-World Application in QuickBooks 37:07 Mastering the Mess: Reconciliation Challenges 41:27 QuickBooks Education & Intuit Partnership 45:04 AI in Accounting Curriculum 47:53 AI's Impact on the Accounting Profession 58:25 Early Adopters and Future of Accounting 01:06:05 Evolution of Accounting Roles & Education 01:17:28 Brittany's Approach to Life and Work

• "If you're going to niche, you should niche in an industry that has natural barriers to entry for other accountants because it's challenging." — Brittany Brown

• "Academia has typically prepared people to be tax accountants or audit accountants… but it has never really touched on preparing them to be industry accountants, which is kind of appalling to me because industry accounting represents probably 95% of accounting jobs out there." — Brittany Brown

• "What it does is anything that is time-consuming, repetitive, and mundane should be done with AI now. And so you can now take a team and do much more with them." — Brittany Brown

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this: Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.

Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm. Today, Roger Knecht and guest Rhamy Alejeal discuss the strategic importance of HR in accounting firms, focusing on how accounting professionals can leverage financial insights to optimize labor productivity and compensation strategies. Learn how to transform HR from an afterthought to a core component of business growth and talent retention.

00:00 Introduction to People Processes 03:42 Rethinking Labor Productivity 12:05 The Importance of HR Processes 20:38 Core Benefits vs. The 'Wow' Factor 26:08 Strategic Investment in Employee Benefits 32:20 Key HR Processes for Business Growth 39:59 Conclusion: Partnering for HR Success

• Quantify labor productivity by viewing payroll as an investment that generates returns, not just an expense, to better attract and retain talent.

• Evaluate compensation as a total package, including salaries, taxes, workers' comp, and benefits like sick leave and 401k matches, to measure overall investment against productivity.

• Prioritize top talent by designing HR processes that cater to exceptional employees, acknowledging their disproportionate contribution to organizational value.

• Implement structured HR processes for organizational design, job creation, recruiting, onboarding, performance management, and offboarding to enhance efficiency and reduce hiring-to-productivity time.

• Optimize benefits spending by allocating specific percentages to core, supplemental, and "wow factor" benefits to boost retention and recruitment, moving beyond average compensation.

• "A dollar in benefits spend is worth about $1.70 in salary." — Rhamy Alejeal

• "You don't rise to your goals, you fall to the level of your standards, right? Your processes." — Rhamy Alejeal

• "If you can see that your hiring process is shorter and your retention is longer, then you're actually achieving what you're hoping to achieve." — Roger Knecht

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers: Partner with People Processes: https://peopleprocesses.com/partnerprogram/

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this: Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses all aspects of HR with Rhamy Alejeal.

Welcome to another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm. In today's discussion, Roger Knecht and Linda Hunt of Some Solutions discuss how to confidently price accounting services, focusing on the Minimum Aligned Price formula and the emotional impact of money conversations. Learn to overcome self-doubt and set fair, sustainable pricing for your accounting firm.

In This Episode:

00:00 Introduction & Remote Accounting Journey 04:01 The Minimum Aligned Price Formula 07:03 Confidence in Pricing & Value 13:54 Mindset Shifts and Value-Based Selling 23:01 Nervous System & Money Conversations 32:23 Minimum Aligned Price & Consulting Rate 37:07 Conclusion & Resources

Key Takeaways:

• Calculate your Minimum Aligned Price to establish a baseline for your accounting services, considering desired salary, business expenses, and true billable hours.

• Understand the emotional aspects of pricing by recognizing how your nervous system reacts during money conversations and using grounding techniques.

• Practice stating your fees with confidence and clarity, focusing on the transformation you provide rather than just the tasks performed.

• Educate clients on the value of your services beyond basic bookkeeping, differentiating between transactional work and strategic financial operations.

• Realize that your expertise and experience as an accounting professional are valuable and should be compensated accordingly.

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Get access to free training for the Perfect Pricing Formula: https://tr.ee/PPF

And a FREE Chapter from her book: moneyconversmoneyconversation.netation.net

Finally understand what to charge — and why...

A free 15-minute training that helps service providers set prices that protect their time, support their business, and eliminate second-guessing.

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this: Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses the hidden cost of low prices with Linda Hunt.

Welcome back to the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast. In today's episode, host Roger Knecht and his guest Yogi Goel, cofounder of Maxima, discuss AI's transformative impact on accounting, moving from transactional tasks to strategic advisory roles. They share insights on leveraging AI as a specialized employee to boost efficiency, client delivery, and firm profitability. This episode offers a clear vision for accounting professionals to adopt AI effectively.

00:00 Yogi Gyal's Journey to Accounting 02:37 Why Start Maxima AI? 06:21 AI in Accounting: Real vs. Hype 09:25 AI as an Employee: An Analogy 14:17 The Evolving Accounting Firm with AI 19:32 Maintaining Client Trust with AI 23:36 AI's Impact on Accounting Workflow 26:54 AI Adoption: The Future of Firms 30:48 Maxima vs. Generic AI Platforms 36:17 Freedom, Gratitude, and Family Values 40:19 Closing Thoughts and Resources

• Learn why AI is a tool, not a replacement, for accounting professionals.

• Understand the specific accounting tasks where AI excels and where human judgment remains vital.

• Discover how AI can free up time for advisory services and deeper client engagement.

• Explore the benefits of specialized AI agents in accounting compared to general AI models.

• Prepare your firm for future growth and increased profitability through AI adoption.

• "Accounting was one thing which – as the language of business – allowed me to interpret and compare businesses across [different industries]." — Yogi Goel

• "AI is a tool which is out there to help humans be better, not dominate humans." — Yogi Goel

• "The one who adopts AI at the center, in a balanced way, will have better client delivery in terms of time and accuracy, and more revenue and better margins." — Yogi Goel

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

• Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Get a demo of Maxima here: https://www.maxima.ai/book-a-demo

Special Offers for our Podcast Listeners, CLICK HERE to take advantage of them today!

Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal.

Be sure to listen to our next episode and subscribe.

Also, let us know what you think of the podcast and please share any suggestions you may have. We look forward to your input: Podcast Feedback

For more information on how you can apply these principles to start and build your bookkeeping, accounting, & tax business, please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801-265-3777. And know that if it's about accounting, it's Universal.