CPA Trendlines

A deep dive into the SHiFT framework. By Jackie Meyer Success is often defined in dollar signs and business metrics, but as a seasoned advisor you know that true wealth extends far beyond the financial statement. After all, what’s the point of a seven-figure firm if your health is in shambles, your relationships are strained, or you have no time to enjoy life?

Firms must build new pathways that develop reviewers, judgment and client-facing skills. Sponsored by Radical Pricing by the Radical CPA, Jody Padar | See Today’s Special Offer Accounting ARC With Donny Shimamoto, Liz Mason, and Byron Patrick Center for Accounting Transformation Artificial intelligence may not eliminate the entry-level tax professional. But it is dismantling the job that many firms still use to train one.

The same services that deepen client relationships can create new risks unless firms establish clear procedures and accountability. Akalp By Nellie Akalp Nellie Akalp is the CEO of CorpNet.com, which handles business formation, tax registration and ongoing government compliance filings nationwide, selling many of those services through accountants and other professional advisers.

The question firm leaders often ask is simple: Where did the capacity go? By William Englehaupt Accounting firms rarely struggle because they lack plans, tools, or capable professionals. Most engagements begin with detailed project plans and clear milestones. Yet despite all of that structure, work still arrives late, review pressure spikes at the end, and teams feel chronically overextended. MORE Productivity The answer usually isn’t visible on the plan.

Check your motivation, then create your strategy. By Marc Rosenberg CPA Firm Mergers: Your Complete Guide Why do firms merge? Whether you’re looking to acquire a smaller firm, merge upward into a larger one or join forces with an equal, answering this basic question honestly and objectively is key to laying the groundwork for a successful merger. In the chart below, the main reasons that firms seek mergers are listed.

Waiting until people want to quit is no way to manage burnout. Sponsored by True Advisor: The Definitive Success Guide for Client Advisory Services by Hitendra Patil The Disruptors With Liz Farr For CPA Trendlines Young accountants still want to become leaders. They just don’t want to work the way many of today’s leaders do. A 2026 KPMG intern survey cited by burnout coach Lynette Oss Connell finds 92% of interns aspire to reach the C-suite or another senior executive role.

Sustainable growth comes from cultivating trust over time—not collecting contacts, memorizing sales scripts or forcing professionals into uncomfortable networking routines. This is a preview.

Quitting Is No Way to Manage Burnout | The Disruptors September 2, 2026 Burnout Is Not a Personal Failure.

But CBIZ Was Already Looking for a Way Out When Grant Thornton Called The board rejected $47, $52 and $54.30 a share — and asked for $56 — before a June 8 “best and final” $55. CBIZ was looking for a way out of its predicament months before Grant Thornton called, and longer still before an activist investor wrote to tell the board what to do. In the end, CBIZ took $55 per share from Grant Thornton, but only after rejecting three lower offers from the firm.

CBIZ Grows 52%. Then Growth Stalls, Stock Falls, GT Moves In. CEOs Peko, Grisko, Bunn By CPA Trendlines Research Marcum made CBIZ bigger almost overnight. It also quadrupled the debt, more than tripled interest expense, and left executives figuring their best option was Grant Thornton’s $5-billion buyout offer.