Scaling an Accounting Firm with AI and Advisory Services with Dan Gertrudes

Scaling a firm requires more than technical expertise. It calls for clear systems, strong leadership, and the ability to adapt as the market changes.

Dan Gertrudes, CEO of GrowthLab, has spent the last decade shaping an outsourced finance and accounting firm that emphasizes strategy alongside service. From acquiring a traditional bookkeeping practice to building an advisory-driven model, he has focused on standardization, innovation, and the future role of AI in the industry. 

Dan shares how to move from bookkeeping into advisory, why standardization fuels growth, and what AI means for the economics of running a firm.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to build a scalable outsourced finance and accounting firm
• Why standardization protects margins and creates efficiency
• How advisory services strengthen client relationships
• What AI adoption means for the future of firm growth

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Dan Gertrudes

(02:53) Early lessons from launching an accounting firm

(04:18) Why the vision was uniting finance under one umbrella

(06:53) Moving from corporate structure to cloud-based flexibility

(09:39) Building GrowthLab beyond bookkeeping into advisory services

(13:52) Standardization as the key to firm efficiency and scale

(17:00) Why saying no strengthens long-term client relationships

(20:37) The role of AI in reshaping firm economics

(26:12) Industry adoption challenges and opportunities with new tech

(32:42) Changing personal economics for firm owners and teams

(38:53) Leading with compassion during AI-driven transformation