The Nexus Point Podcast

Wealth firms circling accounting practices often underestimate how differently a CPA firm runs. Before you acquire, partner, or build tax capacity internally, get clear on pricing, billing friction, incentives, talent, and where tax compliance is headed.

For RIA and wealth leaders evaluating CPA integration, Geoff Bruskin and Rich Romero break down the misconceptions that stall deals and partnerships, and what to solve before you go to market.

In this episode:

• Why “find me CPA referrals,” “send clients to a CPA,” and “buy a firm to fix integration” all hit the same wall
• The talent and succession gap behind “Who’s going to do the work?”
• Why there’s no turnkey path for wealth firms into accounting
• Pricing spectrum: hourly, flat, subscription, and value-based billing
• Frictionless AUM billing vs high-friction CPA collection
• How compensation and incentives differ between advisors and senior tax talent
• Tax compliance heading toward full automation this decade, and why the consigliere still matters
• When to build integrated capacity now vs when a sub-3-year exit means you shouldn’t

Listen to The Nexus Point Podcast from White Tiger Connections.More: https://whitetigerconnections.com/podcast/

Is AI closing the accounting talent gap, or just reshaping what it looks like? Geoff and Rich dig into why the answer isn't as simple as "AI replaces jobs."

In this episode:

• Why AI is narrowing the talent crisis, but only for the people already firing on all cylinders
• Where offshore talent still fits, and where AI is starting to close that gap too
• Why AI in 2026 can massively augment a workflow but can't yet run one end to end
• The rise of the "consigliere": the client-facing advisor role AI can't replace, and why firms need one now more than ever
• What separates firms that will thrive in the next five years from those that won't (hint: it's not the tech)
• How to actually recruit and retain 9 and 10 out of 10 talent, remote or not

If you're thinking about your firm's talent strategy, succession plan, or where AI actually fits into your workflow, this one's for you.

Reach out anytime at whitetigerconnections.com. We're also on YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X.

Every accounting firm M&A deal is really two conversations happening at once. One is about the numbers: valuation, deal structure, earn-outs, integration. The other is about the person: retirement timing, identity, legacy, what life looks like after the signature dries.

In this episode, Geoff and Rich break down how these two tracks align, where they collide, and why losing sync between them is the most common reason deals that should close don't. They cover:

• Why the strongest deals have "magic in the room" from the very first conversation
• What separates buyers who feel robotic from those who close
• How to read a seller who says they're ready, then pulls back (and why that's normal)
• Why valuation timelines are usually a 3 to 5 year process, not a 1 to 2 year one
• What the best buyers do differently to stand out in a crowded market

Whether you're weighing an exit in the next year or the next five, this conversation will help you think through both sides of the table.

Want to go deeper? Check out our free guides: the CPA Hiring Playbook, How RIAs Are Bringing Tax In-House, and the CPA M&A Playbook.

Reach out anytime at whitetigerconnections.com.

Why Firm Owners Hesitate to Work With a Recruiter (And What Changes When They Don't)

Everyone assumes recruiters just forward resumes. In this episode, we sit down with our Recruiting Manager, Bryce Hollingsworth, to pull back the curtain on what actually happens behind the scenes, from candidate vetting to outbound outreach to closing the deal without anyone getting blindsided.

We talk through the real hesitations firm owners have before working with a recruiter, why trying to hire in-house often stalls out, and what a good recruiter is doing behind the scenes that a job posting never will. Bryce breaks down how outbound targeting reaches passive candidates who aren't even looking, how relationship management keeps candidates engaged through a long process, and how a 12-month guarantee protects firms when things don't go as planned.

If you've ever wondered whether a recruiter is worth the spend, or you're a candidate curious what actually happens after you hit "apply," this one's for you.

Timestamps:
00:00 Recruiters Aren't Resume Pushers
01:06 Why Firms Hesitate
05:36 What Great Recruiters Do
10:32 Outbound Versus Job Posts
13:58 Candidate Relationship Management
17:38 Closing Offers and Counteroffers
23:18 Transparency on Comp and Fit
27:39 Wrap Up and How to Reach Us

Grab our free guides on hiring, tax advisory, and M&A in the description below.

Learn more at whitetigerconnections.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

#NexusPoint

Most tax firms are running the same playbook they ran five years ago. Same bottlenecks, same manual work, the same brutal March and April that leaves the team exhausted. But AI is changing what's possible inside tax practices right now, from document collection to first pass return prep.In this episode, Geoff Bruskin breaks down what automation actually looks like inside a tax firm in 2026. We cover where AI is already making a real difference, where the hype outpaces the reality, how to handle staff resistance and data security concerns, and why this has become a valuation conversation, not just a productivity one.Geoff walks through the full tax workflow step by step: document collection, prep, review, and e-filing. He explains why the administrative bookends of the process (organizer and binder collection on the front end, billing and e-filing on the back end) are the most AI-ready parts of the supply chain today, and why full return prep automation is still a few years out for anything beyond a basic 1040.We also get into the real reason most firms struggle to adopt new technology: it's rarely about whether the right tools exist. It's about change management, staff buy-in, and firms getting burned by past software promises that didn't deliver.Timestamps:00:00 Tax Firms Stuck00:35 Meet Geoff Bruskin00:53 Typical Tax Workflow06:15 AI Impact Areas10:34 Adoption Reality Check18:41 Resistance And Risk22:12 Staff Buy In26:23 AI And Valuation30:31 Wrap Up And Next StepsLearn more about White Tiger Connections at whitetigerconnections.com

Coordination failures between CPA firms, RIAs, and law firms are quietly costing wealth management clients hundreds of millions of dollars.

In this episode of The Nexus Point, Geoff Bruskin and Rich Romero break down the multifamily office thesis, why the CPA relationship is the biggest coordination failure point today, and what it actually takes to build an integrated tax, wealth, and estate solution the right way.

Topics covered:

• Why coordination failure between CPA, financial services, and legal professionals costs clients real money at every wealth level
• A real example showing how $400 million in tax savings can be left on the table across a single RIA's client base
• Why the CPA relationship is the weakest link in the three legged stool of professional services
• What a family office architect actually is and why it may need to be a fractional role
• Why joint ventures between RIAs and CPA firms almost always fail
• Why building an integrated service in-house is usually smarter than trying to acquire one
• Why M&A in this space is exceptionally difficult and requires focus most buyers underestimate
• How value based billing can unlock tens of millions in new revenue from coordinated tax and wealth services
• Why the earliest adopters of this platform thesis will have the strongest market position five years from now

Whether you are a CPA firm, an RIA, a law firm, or a private equity group evaluating a platform thesis in professional services, this episode gives you a clear framework for thinking through build versus buy and what coordination actually requires.

Hosted by Rich Romero and Geoff Bruskin, Managing Partner of White Tiger Connections.

Connect with Geoff Bruskin: [email protected]
White Tiger Connections: whitetigerconnections.com

00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction
01:15 Where Coordination Failure Actually Happens
05:00 Why the CPA Relationship Is the Weakest Link
09:00 A Real Example: $400 Million in Missed Tax Savings
13:00 Offensive vs Defensive Value of Coordinated Services
16:30 What a Family Office Architect Actually Does
21:00 Why Joint Ventures Between RIAs and CPA Firms Fail
25:00 Build vs Buy: Why M&A in This Space Is So Hard
30:00 Value Based Billing and the Revenue Opportunity
34:00 Why Early Adopters Will Win the Next Five Years
37:30 Wrap Up and How to Reach White Tiger Connections

Private equity gets all the headlines in accounting firm M&A. But there is an entire category of buyers quietly closing deals that most people never hear about.

In this episode of The Nexus Point, Geoff Bruskin and Rich Romero break down what it actually takes to be a successful scrappy buyer in the CPA firm acquisition market, from defining what "scrappy" really means to the deal structures that make first time acquisitions possible.

Topics covered:

• What defines a scrappy buyer in public accounting M&A and how it differs from traditional private equity
• Why private equity does not require $100 million and can mean a CPA working with a handful of outside investors
• Why only about 1 in 10 people who say they want to buy an accounting firm actually close their first deal
• Why the most competitive buyers are chasing firms with over $1 million in adjusted EBITDA, and where the real volume opportunity actually is
• How deal structure, seller financing, and rolled equity can make an otherwise unattainable acquisition possible
• Why the more involved a seller stays in daily operations, the lower the cash at closing will be
• What separates buyers who eventually close a deal from the ones who spend years circling the market
• Why operational appetite, especially around recruiting and standardizing procedures, matters more than capital
• Why pressure testing your acquisition thesis with a specialist advisor is critical before you make an offer

Whether you are a first time buyer, a corporate executive exploring public accounting as a platform, or an advisor helping clients think through their acquisition strategy, this episode gives you an honest look at what it actually takes to compete and win in this market.

Hosted by Rich Romero and Geoff Bruskin, Managing Partner of White Tiger Connections.

Connect with Geoff Bruskin: [email protected]
White Tiger Connections: whitetigerconnections.com

There is no standard playbook for accounting firm acquisitions anymore. Every deal, every seller, and every buyer profile looks different.

In this episode of The Nexus Point, Geoff Bruskin and Rich Romero break down what actually separates successful buyers from the ones who talk a big game but never close a deal, and why being honest about where you fit in the market matters more than having capital or a thesis.

Topics covered:

• Why a standard playbook no longer works in CPA firm and accounting firm acquisitions
• How buyer profiles have shifted from private equity to wealth management firms, law firms, tech platforms, and first time buyers
• The red and yellow flags that signal inflated seller expectations
• Why the more involved a seller is in day to day operations, the less cash they can expect at closing
• Real deal structure examples ranging from 90 to 100 percent cash at closing down to 10 to 15 percent
• Why sellers should start conversations three to seven years before retirement, not at the finish line
• What separates a tier one buyer from a tier two buyer, and why there is no shame in being tier two
• Why 85 to 90 percent of transacting accounting firms are overlooked by buyers chasing only the most attractive deals
• How creativity, flexibility, and operational appetite matter more than deep pockets in today's market

Whether you are a CPA firm owner considering an exit, a first time buyer trying to figure out where you fit, or an advisor helping clients navigate accounting firm M&A, this episode gives you an honest look at what actually works right now.

Hosted by Rich Romero and Geoff Bruskin, Managing Partner of White Tiger Connections.

Connect with Geoff Bruskin: [email protected]
White Tiger Connections: whitetigerconnections.com

More RIAs are choosing to build an integrated tax function from scratch instead of buying a CPA firm or relying on a joint venture.

In this episode of The Nexus Point, Bryce Hollingsworth, Recruiting Manager at White Tiger Connections, breaks down exactly what it takes to hire the right tax manager or senior tax manager to build that function internally, and why this hire is unlike any other in public accounting.

Topics covered:

• Why RIAs are shifting away from CPA firm acquisitions and joint ventures toward building tax functions internally
• What technical experience and entrepreneurial traits actually matter for this kind of hire
• Why cultural alignment and communication style are critical for fully remote placements
• What RIAs consistently get wrong when defining this role and how to write a job description that attracts the right candidate
• Real compensation ranges for tax managers and senior tax managers in this kind of integrated role
• Why total compensation structure, not just base salary, is where firms can get creative
• A real placement story of a burnt out tax senior manager who found the right fit inside an RIA
• Why timing and seasonality matter more than most firm owners realize when starting this kind of search

Whether you are an RIA owner considering building an internal tax function, a CPA professional exploring a different kind of career path, or a wealth management firm trying to figure out where to even start, this episode gives you a practical roadmap.

Hosted by Rich Romero with Bryce Hollingsworth, Recruiting Manager at White Tiger Connections.

Connect with White Tiger Connections: whitetigerconnections.com

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Working with family sounds like the dream. It also comes with a layer of complexity that no other business relationship has.

In this episode of The Nexus Point, Geoff Bruskin and Rich Romero talk through the emotional and operational realities of family owned CPA firms and accounting practices, from succession planning to generational conflict to the moments when love and business pull in different directions.

Topics covered:

• The top emotional and operational challenges Geoff has seen in family owned accounting and CPA firms
• Why success in a family business often creates its own kind of complexity
• How to communicate honestly with family members who work for or with you
• Why some business partnerships function like family, even without blood relation
• How generational tension shows up when one generation wants to modernize and the other wants stability
• How to stay neutral when advising a family business through conflict
• A real succession planning case study involving a father, a son, and a deliberately structured discount
• Why family business transitions require a different kind of negotiating dynamic than traditional M&A or succession planning