Not all gyms or fitness centers are the same and neither are the CPAs who serve them. Take a deep dive into the fitness industry in this episode of Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck and listen to host Hugh Duffy talk to Eric Killian, founder of The Fitness CPA. In this episode, you’ll get an inside view of how Eric built out his niche, why he only works with clients virtually, his take on the power of content marketing, and some of the biggest challenges facing fitness businesses today. Join us!   Eric Killian, The Fitness CPA Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Website Eric is a second-generation CPA firm owner and the founder of The Fitness CPA. He has been a full-time firm owner since 2014. From 2014 to 2017 Eric was the CFO and a board member of a national fitness franchise which he helped to grow to 17 locations across five states. Prior to that Eric worked at a local CPA firm in Boulder, Colorado and a regional CPA firm in the Baltimore area. When taking a break from accounting you'll find Eric volunteering with the Colorado Mountain Club, working out with his personal trainer, swimming laps with his swim coach, and practicing yoga.   Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or feedback? Email us at podcast@buildyourfirm.com

039: The Fitness CPA with Eric Killian

Host Hugh Duffy takes you behind the scenes with successful accountants, CPAs, and industry elites in conversations about growing a more profitable business. The podcast is meant to inspire accountants to embrace marketing and leverage it to accomplish their goals and provide them with more control over their practice and life.

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Gary Shamis, Principal at Winding River Consulting, has had a lifelong career in accounting, growing his father’s accounting firm from $225,000 in revenues to approximately $100 million. He built the 37th largest independent accounting and consulting firm in the nation before combining SS&G;, Inc. with BDO USA, LLC in 2014. Tune in and hear Gary talk about why execution is harder than strategy, how developing niches can include both services and industries, and why scooping up talent when you find them is critical to success.  Gary S. Shamis, M.Acc, Principal Winding River Consulting Twitter Gary Shamis is Principal at Winding River Consulting. His innovation and leadership earned him honors such as E&Y; Entrepreneur of the Year; a Top Ten Managing Partner Elite (Accounting Today) where he was called the “very model of the modern managing partner, and this list is more or less unimaginable without him”; Most Admired Peer (INSIDE Public Accounting); more than a dozen appearances on the Most Influential list (Accounting Today); and numerous other industry accolades. He has served his profession within the ranks of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, including testifying before the Securities and Exchanges Commission on its behalf, and Ohio Society of CPAs. He has written and edited for industry journals and is the co-author of How to Manage Your Accounting Practice: Taking Your Firm from Chaos to Consensus (2009), Stratagem: Simple, Effective Strategic Planning for Your Business and Your Life (2013) and Building Blocks (2019). With more than two dozen nonprofits on his resume and even more awards on his shelves, Shamis has been at the helm of the boards of North Coast Community Homes, Inc., Hillel at Kent State, and the Cleveland Jewish News, to name a few. Master of Accountancy, The Ohio State University B.S. Biology, Tulane University    Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at podcast@amds.us  

069: Growing From $225K to $100M By Focusing on Execution with Gary Shamis

Join host Hugh Duffy as he has a conversation with Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group. Koltin is a nationally recognized speaker and industry analyst. He has appeared on numerous local and national media platforms, spreading his industry expertise. The two discuss various topics, focusing heavily on the future of the business. Which strategies will work long-term? Which ones are already being left behind? Join us!   Allan D. Koltin, CPA, CGMATwitter I LinkedIn I Website For twenty consecutive years, Allan has been named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession. In 2019, he was recognized as the “Third Most Influential” in the profession. Koltin was also voted one of the 10 Most Recommended Consultants for the sixteenth straight year in the “Annual Survey of Firms” conducted by INSIDE Public Accounting. For the past six years, Allan has also been named by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 25 Thought Leaders in the profession. In 2016 CPA Practice Advisor inducted Allan into the Accounting Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first to be inducted into the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame by the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). He has also been a recipient of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analyst’s Instructor of the Year Award and winner of the Journal of Accountancy Literacy Award. Previously he was recognized by the Illinois CPA Society with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service and commitment to the profession.   Koltin is the author-editor of three books for professional services firms: CPA Firm Merger Strategies That Work, CPAs That Sell and the AICPA’s Marketing a Consulting Niche. He serves or has served on the editorial advisory boards of CPA Practice Management Forum, the Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, Public Accounting Report and Law Firm Management. Allan attended both the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and received degrees in accounting and marketing. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Sharon, his three children, Jack, Brian and Julia, and his two dogs, Bucky and Cody. His hobbies include travel, chess, and all sports  Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at podcast@buildyourfirm.com

068: A conversation with Allan Koltin

Want to know about the craft beer and local wine and food industries? Then don't miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Corey Lord, Lord CPAs. The two discuss how he got started in this unique niche. What are some of the pressure points in those businesses? And what are some of his goals for the future?  Corey Lord, Lord CPAsTwitter I Facebook I  Website Corey is the CEO and a Client Ally at Lord CPAs. Corey took over Lord CPAs from his father in 2010 and has since transformed the firm from a traditional tax-focused firm to an advisory and consultancy firm for craft food and beverage businesses. Corey believes that business is not just a way to make a living, but also a way to express yourself creatively. For him, business is about the impact it creates in a community, as well as generating valuable profit for the stakeholders of the business. These values provide a platform in which he can lead his clients on a path to becoming mature businesses. Outside of work, Corey enjoys craft beer, watching movies with his family, or watching sports at the local brewery. Corey graduated from the University of Michigan. He is a licensed CPA in Michigan.  Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at podcast@buildyourfirm.com

067: Craft Beer and Local Food with Corey Lord

Want to know about the tax credit business in the film industry? Then don't miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Irene Waschler, Waschler CPA, LLC. The two discuss how she got started in this field. What are some of the challenges she faces? What marketing strategies have worked for her? Also, what does the future look like for Waschler CPA?  Irene Waschler, Waschler CPA, LLCTwitter I Website I Email Irene Wachsler is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in accounting and tax solutions for small businesses, self-employed individuals, nonprofits, and the film and entertainment industry. Irene is dedicated helping her clients keep their financial lives organized, use their numbers to make better financial decisions, and save money on taxes through proactive tax planning. She is also experienced in cryptocurrency taxation including tax preparation and problem resolution. Irene graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Lowell and has an M.B.A. from Babson College. Her affiliations include Massachusetts Society of CPAs, National Conference of CPA Practitioners, and Chair, Mass. Society of CPAs South Shore Breakfast Networking Forum.  Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at podcast@buildyourfirm.com

066: Look at the Film Industry Tax Credit Business with Irene Waschler

Would you leave a safe and comfortable controller position at a large company to start your own CPA firm? That’s what Luke Gheen, founder of Gheen & Co. in Colorado Springs, did – in his early 30s and without any public accounting experience. In this episode of Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck, Hugh Duffy talks with Luke about his decision to strike out on his own, the challenges he faced and how he landed many of his clients because of unsatisfactory service. “There is a such a need in the accounting industry,” he says. “A large majority of clients are coming from a place where they’ve been vastly ignored and marginalized.” Tune in to listen to Luke talk about how marketing played a role in building his firm from the very beginning, why change continues to be a constant driver in managing his practice and how he has created a business that allows him to live a life according to his own rules.   Luke Gheen, MBA, CPA, Certified Tax Coach LinkedIn  | Twitter  | Facebook  | Website Luke is a long-time resident of Colorado with extensive corporate finance and accounting experience. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado in 1999 and received his MBA from the University of Colorado in 2007. Luke started Gheen & Co., CPA in 2011 to help business owners simplify their accounting, save substantial money in tax, and grow their wealth long-term. Luke is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is an avid rower, enjoys reading, and regularly travels to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. He relishes spending time with his wife, three sons, daughter, and extended family.  Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or feedback? Email us at podcast@buildyourfirm.com

039: The Fitness CPA with Eric Killian

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