SFP #84: How to cut busy season hours in half (almost)

Johanna Sweaney Salt, CPA, CGMA, used to work 100 hours a week during busy season. As the founder and managing partner of Gray, Salt & Associates, LLP, she believed it was her responsibility to put in the time needed to make her small firm a success.

Today, Joanna remains a full-time partner at the firm, but her son, Dalton Sweaney, CPA, is now the managing partner. His desire a few years ago to spend more time with his young children prompted him to ask his mother if they could make some changes to make busy season less crazy.

She said yes, starting a multiyear journey that has freed Dalton up for more dinners with his family and has cut her busy season hours almost in half. What changes did they make and how have they kept the firm running profitably? Find out from both Johanna and Dalton in this episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast, produced by the AICPA’s Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) in partnership with the Journal of Accountancy podcast.

Things you will learn in this podcast:

·       How a new software application increased capacity by reducing time spent in meetings

·       How another new application made the engagement process pay off instantly

·       How a hard minimum helped to maximize profits

·       When, how and why the firm fires clients.