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November 22, 2011 

Building a Practice for the Future

Tax and accounting professionals who start their own firms from scratch face benefits and significant challenges. On the pro side, they have the opportunity to build the firm as they wish, from internal practices to staffing and management styles. Of course, there can be significant startup costs, and the firm starts with a client roster…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

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November 21, 2011 

How 2012 Can be the Year of the Entrepreneur

In coaching and speaking, I often have to convince tax and accounting firm owners that they are entrepreneurs. They are creators of new things and value-adders. They make the world a better place for their customers, their families and themselves. This is a high calling, and if it is embraced, it can change lives. Tax...…

Jason Blumer

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November 21, 2011 

Keep the Gift-Giving Going

Part 2 of Isaac's Annual Holiday Gift Guide. In our annual December Gift Guide, I wrote about a couple of dozen cool-to-quirky gadgets for business and personal use. There are always many more that I don’t get the chance to cover, whether because of space or time or other factors, so I’ve decided to share…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

 Three Ways to Cut Financial Stress

November 21, 2011 

Three Ways to Cut Financial Stress

Are your finances keeping you up at night? Here are a few tips and tricks to break free and relax. 1. Ease off the budgeting The Logic: Money (or its lack) is the nation’s most common source of stress, reports the American Psychological Association. Making a detailed budget — a widely advised fix — only...…

Kate Ashford

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November 18, 2011 

Chunkification, Zero Entry and Lego Mastery

While we all cherish the most trusted advisor status that accountants have earned, this status must be continually re-earned with clients. Ask yourself whether your clients want you to serve them or lead them to better success. I believe your clients desperately want you to lead them — and if you don’t, they may turn...…

Doug Sleeter

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November 17, 2011 

The ‘Certifiable’ Public Accountant

8399 Jason Blumer knows that some people think he’s a little different than the typical accountant, or at least the stereotype of an almost middle-aged one. Those “some people” include the tax manager at his practice, his staff and some of his clients… even his wife. Maybe it’s the crazy eye glasses. Perhaps the jeans...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

 The Evolution of Write-Up Continues

November 16, 2011 

The Evolution of Write-Up Continues

Alongside professional tax preparation, write-up has long been a cornerstone client service for many full-service accounting firms, providing monthly, quarterly and annual engagements that equate to a fiscal checkup for client businesses. The core elements of account reconciliation, fixing improperly posted transactions and preparation of financial statements are critical to these entities truly knowing their…

 What’s your Horsepower?

November 16, 2011 

What’s your Horsepower?

It’s interesting that that hottest electric car on the market, the Tesla Roadster, touts its 288 horsepower engine. It is an oxymoron in some respects when you think of the imagery. The thing is that you don’t think of 288 horses. Rather, you think of speed. So why is this unit of measurement from 1702...…

 Ten Steps to Tax Document Automation

November 16, 2011 

Ten Steps to Tax Document Automation

When I was approached by the editorial staff at CPAPA to write an article on tax document automation, I immediately accepted the assignment. It wasn’t until I began to write this that I realized all of the different opportunities that exist for today’s tax practitioner to automate their tax documents. To help organize the discussion,...…