“Being efficient got me more work, not more money. So I left.” 

Big 4 Transparency
By Dominic Piscopo, CPA
For CPA Trendlines

When Mike Maksymiw, executive director of the Aprio Firm Alliance, walked away from a $500,000-a-year partner role without another job lined up, he wasn’t chasing a title - he was chasing alignment. 

In this episode of the Big 4 Transparency, host Dominic Piscopo welcomes Maksymiw back for his second appearance, digging into Aprio’s recent acquisition of the PS+ Alliance, the firm’s private equity playbook, and the deeply personal journey that led Maksymiw to where he is now.

Aprio’s acquisition of the PS+ Alliance (previously part of RSM) adds team members and roughly 60 new firms to its already expansive alliance network, now approaching 100 firms across North America. Maksymiw says the merger wasn’t just about headcount. “It broadens how we can go find answers… different success stories, different failure stories,” he explains, emphasizing the shared learning opportunities between large and small firms in the network.

But what’s a fast-scaling PE-backed firm like Aprio doing supporting local, independent practices?