Stop Selling Hours: Build a Valuable Accounting Firm with Ben Towne

Kenny interviews Ben Towne, host of the Max Value Podcast and a business valuation expert who owns Towne Advisory and Assure Advisors, about why billable hours don’t equal value and how firms can focus on results clients care about. Ben explains shifting fear into manageable risk by taking small steps, sharing how he moved from outsourcing to building an India-based support firm. He describes valuation as a discovery process that depersonalizes the business to assess inputs, cash flow outputs, and uncertainty, and says businesses of any size can benefit from valuation thinking even without a full formal report. Common overlooked value drivers include clean books, transferability, repeatability, dependence on key individuals, SOPs, and revenue concentration. They discuss AI creating uncertainty but enabling “more with more,” and the ongoing importance of trusted human relationships. Ben encourages listeners to trust themselves and consider entrepreneurship sooner.

00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro

01:07 Beyond Billable Hours

03:34 Small Steps Beat Fear

06:02 Valuation As Discovery

08:39 Advising Clients With Valuation

12:38 Hidden Value Killers

14:52 Build A Sellable Firm

16:43 AI And The Profession

21:00 Human Trust Still Wins

23:18 Connect With Ben

24:17 Trust Yourself Closing

In this episode, Jonathan Stark—author of Hourly Billing is Nuts and host of Ditching Hourly—shares how a 2005 realization while managing a dev shop led him to reject hourly billing and pursue value-based fees. He explains how fixed or value-based pricing aligns incentives with clients, reduces micromanagement, and can dramatically improve income and quality of life. Jonathan discusses why optimizing employee utilization can be the wrong goal, proposing outcome-based incentives that reward efficiency and accurate estimating. He also addresses the fear professionals have of fixed pricing, how firms can transition without risking the whole business via a side offering or a skunkworks team, and why soloists can grow without hiring by charging more and building authority. He recommends starting with his free course at valuepricingbootcamp.com.

00:00 Meet Jonathan Stark

00:46 The Hourly Billing Epiphany

03:37 Discovering Value Pricing

05:45 Hiring for Outcomes

10:15 Contractor Risk and Fear

14:21 When to Quit Hourly

15:52 How Firms Can Transition

19:58 Resources and Bootcamp

21:33 Growing Without Hiring

25:04 Final Soloist Advice

Are you spending so much time working *in* your business that you no longer have space to work *on* it?

In this episode of Growth Amplifiers, host Kenny Harper sits down with Will Hill, founder of Will Hill Consults and one of Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, to talk about how CPA firms and accounting professionals can adapt, grow, and create more meaningful impact in a rapidly changing market.

Will shares practical insight on navigating AI and technology changes, avoiding analysis paralysis, choosing the right tools for your firm, and building scalable processes without losing the human connection that clients value most.

This conversation explores why firm owners need to stop waiting for the “perfect” solution, how niching can actually create more opportunity, and why creating space for strategic thinking may be one of the most important growth moves you can make.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why working only in the business can keep firms stuck

• How AI is changing the accounting and advisory landscape

• Why waiting too long to adopt technology can put firms behind

• How to choose tools based on your purpose and fundamentals

• Why niching helps firms create repeatable, scalable services

• How to separate true client nuance from process inefficiency

• Why better client conversations create new advisory opportunities

• The importance of creating space to think, connect, and grow

Connect with Will Hill:

Website: willhillconsults.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: Search “Will Hill”

If this episode gave you a new idea or helped you think differently about your business, share your biggest takeaway in the comments.

Remember: new actions create new results.

#GrowthAmplifiers #KennyHarper #WillHill #AccountingFirms #CPAFirms #AccountingTechnology #AIinAccounting #FirmGrowth #BusinessStrategy #AdvisoryServices #Leadership #ProcessImprovement #BusinessGrowth

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Host Kenny welcomes executive coach, author, speaker, and leadership consultant Rachel Burr to discuss the myths of personal transformation and her book, “Butterfly Goo: The Down and Dirty Truth of Transformation.” Burr explains how social-media “highlight reels” can make change seem magical and unattainable, and uses the butterfly metaphor to show that real transformation requires entering the uncomfortable “goo” phase—dissolving old patterns and rebuilding from core “building blocks.” She emphasizes that people don’t find their path, they build it, and that hitting struggle doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. The conversation covers acting before feeling confident, treating emotions as data, silencing inner “gremlins,” setting goals while holding them lightly, and leading authentically rather than copying cookie-cutter models. Burr also describes the book’s optional “playground” exercises and shares where to find her work.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:03 Why Transformation Feels Like a Myth

03:16 Butterfly Goo Explained

06:22 Where People Get Stuck

08:06 Act First Then Feel

12:00 Goals Values and Authentic Paths

15:04 Coaching Leaders to Be Themselves

17:39 Playground Exercises in the Book

19:35 Origin Story of Butterfly Goo

22:39 Where to Find the Book

23:33 Final Takeaways and Closing

Host Kenny Harper welcomes Bill Blankschaen, founder of StoryBuilders and author of "Your Story Advantage," to discuss how coaches, consultants, and advisors can differentiate in the market by crafting and sharing a compelling brand story.

Bill shares his transition from running a private school to studying the art and science of messaging, leading to a published book and a company that helps leaders create brand-defining storytelling.

They address myths such as “I don’t have a story,” explaining the “normalcy trap” and that being one step ahead is enough to help others, and “who reads books,” emphasizing books as authority builders and message multipliers. They also caution against relying on AI to generate a book without original thought, stressing collaboration, alignment of values, and creating a cornerstone asset you can be proud of.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:38 Meet Bill Blankschaen

01:23 Bills Origin Story

03:31 Breakthrough Starts With Story

04:49 Myth I Have No Story

05:56 Normalcy Trap Explained

07:39 Myth Nobody Reads Books

09:08 Books as Message Multipliers

10:11 AI Writing Books Caution

13:07 Get the Book and Resources

15:06 Books as Marketing Assets

16:18 Collaborate and Take Action

19:06 Closing and Final Encouragement

Kenny Harper interviews Jack Tompkins of Pineapple Consulting about tracking the right business metrics and turning data into decision-driving insights through customized dashboards.

Jack shares the origin of his company name, his mission helping business owners with thousands of dashboards, and how dashboards should start with clear goals and strategy rather than dumping in every possible metric. He explains common mistakes like over-tracking, outlines his process of identifying core KPIs and mapping data sources, and notes typical build timelines of about four to six weeks.

Jack discusses pricing ranges, white-labeled dashboard partnerships that scale across many clients, and ways advisors can get client buy-in through samples. He also offers a simple starting approach using existing software dashboards or spreadsheets, and emphasizes prioritization and step-by-step execution for entrepreneurs.

00:00 Why Tracking Matters

00:28 Meet Dashboard Expert Jack

01:45 Pineapple Consulting Origin

03:16 From Dashboards to Decisions

05:22 Stop Tracking Everything

07:38 Goals First Dashboard Method

09:37 Build Timeline and Workflow

10:31 Pricing and ROI Breakdown

12:38 White Label Dashboard Scaling

17:11 DIY Starting Point Metrics

19:09 Where to Find Jack

20:04 Entrepreneur Prioritization Lesson

21:18 Final Call to Action

Kenny Harper interviews Brenda Cannon about reducing tax-season chaos by scheduling tax prep and controlling workload instead of accepting documents anytime.

Cannon explains how her firm previously promised 2–3 week turnarounds without knowing capacity, leading to bottlenecks like 105 clients submitting documents on March 15, and how the pandemic highlighted the lack of workload control. Inspired by a podcast, she implemented a scheduling system using Calendly, Make, and Airtable, then co-developed the SchedulEase software to better track client scheduling, automate reminders, and support flexible calendars by preparer or client type.

She emphasizes proactive client communication about extensions, using tax projections when needed, improving efficiency, reducing status checks and errors, and using scheduling for capacity planning, client fit, and better work-life balance.

00:00 Why Scheduling Matters

01:12 Meet Brenda Cannon

03:26 From Chaos to Control

05:11 Building SchedulEase

06:34 Client Buy In

08:42 Rolling It Out

15:22 Handling Extensions

15:48 Community and Setup

22:28 Capacity and Team

24:51 Lessons and Wrap Up

Strategic Tax Planning & CPA Partnerships with Shauna “Tax Goddess” Wekherlien | Growth Amplifiers

On Growth Amplifiers, host Rashana interviews Shauna, the “Tax Goddess,” a top-ranked US tax strategist and founder of Tax Goddess Business Services (2004), about proactive, legal tax strategy and how CPAs can better serve clients through strategic partnerships. Shauna shares her path from astrophysics to tax, compares tax planning to chess, and explains why specializing beats trying to do everything. She outlines key triggers that signal clients need deeper strategy (e.g., bringing Wall Street Journal articles or outside investment pitches), stresses aligning “aggression levels” between CPA, client, and strategist, and recommends including the CPA in strategy calls to build trust and protect relationships. They discuss referral partnerships, “inspect what you expect,” and a practical AI step using Google NotebookLM to match tax strategies to client situations. Shauna directs viewers to taxgoddess.com.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:04 Origin of Tax Goddess

02:47 Why Partnerships Matter

04:28 Client Triggers to Refer

08:13 Matching Risk and Trust

11:53 Specialize to Grow

14:24 Referral Systems That Work

16:50 AI for Future Focus

18:16 Connect and Closing

How a CPA Built a 7-Figure Firm and Helped Clients Save $15M+ in Taxes | Michael Uadiale on Strategic Tax Planning

Host Manny Torres interviews Michael Uadiale , a CPA and tax advisor with over 25 years of experience who founded a seven-figure firm and has helped clients collectively save over $15 million in taxes. Michael shares how moving to the U.S., earning a high-paying Silicon Valley job, and receiving a six-figure tax bill with no real planning from a hired CPA pushed him into tax advisory. He explains that tax outcomes can be shaped legally, ethically, and morally by using the tax code strategically, and describes challenges building his firm, including skeptical clients and CPAs resistant to planning. Michael emphasizes investing heavily in ongoing education due to constant law changes, hiring team members who value learning, and “changing your facts” through restructuring to fit the tax code. He cites mentor Tom Wheelwright, author of Tax-Free Wealth and Robert Kiyosaki’s CPA, and urges advisors to act as client advocates by planning ahead rather than delivering surprise tax bills. Contact: [email protected].

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:44 Name Pronunciation and Warmup

01:21 Origin Story Becoming a Tax Advisor

04:53 Early Client and Team Resistance

08:12 Investing in Mastery and Strategy

11:39 Mentors and Tax Free Wealth

13:02 Advisory Mindset Put Clients First

15:36 How to Connect and Final Takeaways

Unlocking Financial Success: Dancing with Numbers Featuring Tricia Taitt

In this insightful episode of Growth Amplifiers, we welcome Tricia Tate, a seasoned fractional CFO, CEO of FinCo, and bestselling author of 'Dancing with Numbers.' Tricia shares her unique approach to financial management, emphasizing the importance of taking actionable steps to achieve desired business results.

Drawing parallels between dance and finance, she discusses how improving one's financial health can lead to substantial business growth. Tricia also delves into the benefits and limitations of using AI in financial consulting, urging entrepreneurs to focus on quality expertise.

Tune in to gain valuable insights on how to strengthen your financial core and set your business up for lasting success.

00:00 Introduction and Common Misconceptions

01:01 Guest Introduction: Tricia Taitt

02:03 Understanding Fractional CFO Services

04:43 The Intersection of Dance and Finance

08:27 The Role of AI in Business

13:55 Dancing with Numbers: Book Insights

21:09 Connecting with Tricia Taitt

23:36 Final Thoughts and Takeaways