🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down a real accounting firm doing over $400K in revenue while the owner works about 30 hours a week most of the year and takes eight weeks off. I walk through the firm’s revenue mix, team structure, seasonal workflow, pricing model, billing approach, tech stack, and why the owner is still the main bottleneck. Then I explain the six most common owner bottlenecks in accounting firms, from review and knowledge transfer to structure, delegation, escalation, and pricing.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag
📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Missive: https://missiveapp.com/jason
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Cloud Accounting Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - A $400K calm firm
01:31 - Firm snapshot + revenue mix
05:36 - Seasonal workflow + vacation
08:51 - Three-tier pricing model
16:10 - Upfront billing strategy
20:21 - Marketing + tech stack
22:53 - Main pain: owner bottleneck
26:50 - The Dirty Dozen + events
30:23 - Six bottleneck causes
34:50 - Knowledge bottleneck
37:50 - Structural bottleneck
40:17 - Meddling bottleneck
43:02 - Escalation bottleneck
48:24 - Pricing bottleneck
54:55 - Community + referral network

CTA 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

Here’s that Delphi app we discussed in Nerd corner https://www.delphi.ai/
And a link to my own Delphi assistant https://www.delphi.ai/jasonstaats/chat

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down how AI agents are changing the way accounting firms should think about their tech stack. We’re in the middle of tech selection season, but AI is moving so fast that traditional buying decisions don’t really make sense anymore. I walk through eight major shifts, from why you shouldn’t lock into long term software contracts. I also explain how switching tools is getting easier, why audit logs suddenly matter, and how AI is changing hiring and outsourcing decisions.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Missive: https://missiveapp.com/jason
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Cloud Accounting Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - AI agents are changing tech decisions
02:11 - Why 2026 is the year of AI agents
03:13 - How software buying is changing
11:16 - Why audit logs matter now
15:33 - All-in-one vs best-of-breed
19:53 - AI changes hiring and outsourcing
24:04 - Client agents and firm agents
26:37 - Nerd Corner: client-facing AI assistants
35:05 - Building proprietary AI context
40:30 - Knowledge automation is coming
41:40 - Mailbag begins
42:10 - Double vs Financial Sense
44:17 - Sending 12-month proposals now
47:06 - Three-tier pricing mistake
49:29 - Perplexity’s personal computer AI
55:14 - Building AI models vs using wrappers
01:01:44 - Marketing a newly acquired firm

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

Here’s that Delphi app we discussed in Nerd corner https://www.delphi.ai/
And a link to my own Delphi assistant https://www.delphi.ai/jasonstaats/chat

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down how AI agents are changing the way accounting firms should think about their tech stack. We’re in the middle of tech selection season, but AI is moving so fast that traditional buying decisions don’t really make sense anymore. I walk through eight major shifts, from why you shouldn’t lock into long term software contracts. I also explain how switching tools is getting easier, why audit logs suddenly matter, and how AI is changing hiring and outsourcing decisions.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Missive: https://missiveapp.com/jason
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Cloud Accounting Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - AI agents are changing tech decisions
02:11 - Why 2026 is the year of AI agents
03:13 - How software buying is changing
11:16 - Why audit logs matter now
15:33 - All-in-one vs best-of-breed
19:53 - AI changes hiring and outsourcing
24:04 - Client agents and firm agents
26:37 - Nerd Corner: client-facing AI assistants
35:05 - Building proprietary AI context
40:30 - Knowledge automation is coming
41:40 - Mailbag begins
42:10 - Double vs Financial Sense
44:17 - Sending 12-month proposals now
47:06 - Three-tier pricing mistake
49:29 - Perplexity’s personal computer AI
55:14 - Building AI models vs using wrappers
01:01:44 - Marketing a newly acquired firm

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down why hiring feels impossible for accounting firms and why that’s usually not true. I walk through the nine most common hiring bottlenecks I’m seeing across firms right now, from first hire paralysis and offshore vs onshore decisions to training challenges and being the bottleneck as an owner. I also share why most firms aren’t doing enough to attract talent, and how small changes in positioning, pricing, and structure can unlock hiring. Then I cover AI updates from OpenAI and Claude, plus answer questions on tools, hiring strategy, and whether simple tax firms are at risk.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Missive: https://missiveapp.com/jason
Cloud Accounting Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 Why hiring feels impossible

01:28 The Dirty Dozen: hiring data

08:17 First hire paralysis

12:04 Onshore vs offshore hiring

18:46 What kind of admin should you hire?

23:32 Why great hires aren’t finding you

27:30 Capacity, pricing, and hiring

32:08 Succession and client transition

38:22 The owner is the bottleneck

40:16 The lighthouse strategy for hiring

42:26 Mailbag

43:08 OpenAI vs Claude

59:02 Double vs Aider

01:04:23 Will AI kill simple tax firms?

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I share a simple framework for deciding whether to keep hiring or intentionally contract, centered on tightening your client revenue band, narrowing your services so they are easier to systematize, and building distribution so you can specialize. I apply it to a real bookkeeping firm that feels overstaffed and stuck on pricing, and I close with mailbag answers on buying a book of business, letting go of legacy clients, charging for consults, finding first clients, and positioning a niche before you have ideal case studies.

🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag
📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down how I transitioned from running a 40-person firm to helping other accounting firms, and why there’s a massive opportunity right now for accountants to step into education, AI, and advisory roles. I share a practical framework for starting, including how to stay independent, build an audience, and structure your value ladder. Then I walk through a teardown of a $50M accounting firm, highlighting pricing, tech stack, and org structure issues. We close with a mailbag covering acquisitions, scaling CFO services, proposals, client pruning, delegation, and tools.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Missive: https://missiveapp.com/jason

// Chapters:
00:00 - Why accountants should help accountants
02:00 - From firm owner to educator
09:30 - Building an accounting education business
15:40 - Email lists, niche, and positioning
22:00 - $50M firm teardown (pricing, tech, structure)
36:00 - Org structure beyond partner model
41:30 - Mailbag: scaling, clients, and pricing
57:00 - Tools and final takeaways

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down how accounting firms should actually think about communication, from whether phones still matter to how to structure client expectations and response times. I walk through why most firms get overwhelmed by making the wrong people too accessible, and how to design a communication system that protects focus while still delivering a high-touch client experience. I dig into what happens when someone replaces their CPA with an AI agent, what that signals about where things are heading, and how firms should respond. I also cover how to prepare your systems for AI, what actually makes software “agent-ready,” and how AI may or may not change when you should start your own firm.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

☎️ VOIP Phone Options:
Dialpad https://www.dialpad.com/
Quo https://www.quo.com/
Allo https://www.withallo.com/
Nextiva https://nextiva.com/
Ooma https://www.ooma.com/

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Canopy: getcanopy.com/jason Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - Why communication breaks firms
03:20 - Who should talk to clients
07:30 - Designing a scalable communication system
16:00 - Why accessibility is the real problem
20:30 - What happens when AI replaces your CPA
25:00 - AI agents vs assistants
30:40 - Why APIs matter more than tools
37:20 - Sponsor break
41:20 - Where current systems fail
46:30 - Where AI is actually going
49:40 - Closing thoughts

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down why review is still the biggest bottleneck in most accounting firms and how to actually fix it. I walk through five practical ways to reduce the load, including separating detail vs technical review, using difficulty levels, and systematizing work so you rely less on scarce senior talent. Then I shift into AI, covering leaked Co-Work features, what’s coming next with agents, and how to think about security, email, and automation without getting ahead of what’s actually safe to deploy.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Canopy: g[etcanopy.com/jason](http://getcanopy.com/jason) Schedule a demo to see for yourself, and receive a $75 gift card after your demo
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - Why review is the biggest bottleneck
02:30 - How firms structure review today
04:50 - How to fix review (structure + delegation)
07:20 - Using difficulty levels to scale
11:00 - Systemizing review so it scales
15:00 - Hiring vs restructuring review teams
18:45 - What’s actually happening with AI agents
25:00 - AI agents vs assistants explained
31:30 - AI risks and security reality check
33:00 - Practice management + system gaps
41:20 - Where current tools break down
46:30 - Where AI is actually going (agents vs tools)

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down real data from 700+ accounting firms on how they’re actually choosing and switching practice management systems, and what most firms get wrong in that process. I share key lessons around sales demos, implementation mistakes, and why peer insights matter more than vendor promises. Then I zoom out to how AI could reshape compliance and what that means for the future role of accounting firms. We close with a mailbag on niching, pricing confidence, side hustles, and how to think about your firm as you grow.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps

📌 If you’ve never used my PM recommendation tool: https://www.jasononfirms.com/pmrec
💿 Grab my IRS hold music here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oyQ8y9-3WkGk3FggMQiADvVO1aY40P4S?usp=drive_link

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

// Chapters:
00:00 - Choosing practice management the wrong way
02:30 - What data from 700+ firms actually shows
06:30 - How to evaluate and pick the right tool
09:00 - Why implementation matters more than the software
11:30 - Where general tools break for accounting firms
14:30 - Community and peer insights vs vendor messaging
20:30 - AI and the future of compliance work
28:30 - How AI changes the role of accountants
40:30 - How to choose a niche that actually works
44:30 - Outgrowing your clients as your firm scales
48:30 - Side hustle vs committing to a firm

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/
📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter

☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!
📧 Email me! [email protected]

In this episode, I break down how to actually set a minimum price in your firm without anchoring your entire client base to it. I share mistakes I made running my own firm, why minimums should be internal not external, and how focusing on higher value clients drives better margins and growth. I also walk through recent updates to my app recommendations and answer questions on AI, niching, and building a better firm.

🎤 I’m going live! Grab your tickets here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/events
🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag

📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps
📌 Check out our practice management system recommendations here: https://www.jasononfirms.com/pm-rec-1

💰 Today's Sponsors
TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason
Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/
Verito: https://verito.com/
Makershub: https://makershub.com/get-started?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=jasonstaats
Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 
Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users.
Cloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidates

🖥️ All apps I mentioned in the episode:
1. Delphi AI - https://www.delphi.ai/
2. Claude Cowork - https://claude.com/product/cowork
3. OpenClaw - https://openclaw.ai/
4. Double (formerly Keeper) - https://doublehq.com/
5. AutoAccru - https://www.autoaccru.com/
6. ScopeKeeper - https://scopekeeper.com/
7. TaxDome - https://taxdome.com/
8. Socket - https://www.usesocket.com/
9. Translucent - https://www.translucent.io/
10. Filed - https://www.filed.com/
11. Luminary - https://www.withluminary.com/
11. Karbon - https://karbonhq.com/
11. Canopy - https://www.getcanopy.com/
11. Financial Cents - https://financial-cents.com/
11. Truss - https://gettruss.io/
11. Hazel - https://hazel.ai/
12. BlueJ - https://www.bluej.com/
13. Marble - https://marble.ai/
14. TaxFigure - https://taxfigure.com/
15. Accrual - https://accrual.com/
16. SegStream - https://www.segstream.com/ 

// Chapters:
00:00 - Minimum pricing and common mistakes
02:00 - My firm background and pricing challenges
06:00 - Price increases and why clients don’t leave
11:00 - Why minimum pricing backfires
14:00 - Identity, growth, and saying no to clients
18:00 - Offshore hiring and leverage
23:00 - How to position pricing and A clients
27:00 - Profit math and better clients
31:00 - Why minimums should stay internal
33:00 - App recommendations and updates
41:00 - Practice management tools and selection
44:00 - New apps and AI tools overview
52:00 - Mailbag and listener questions
57:00 - AI assistants for client use
01:01:00 - Niching and specialization strategy
01:06:00 - Coaching vs community vs content
01:08:00 - Local AI vs cloud AI
01:11:00 - Future of accounting ledgers

🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!
X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa