Chase Birky, founder of Dark Horse CPAs, discusses their innovative platform that empowers CPAs and small businesses. He shares his personal journey, the importance of community and family support, and the challenges of building a business. They also touch on the emotional toll of being a CPA and the benefits of joining supportive communities in the accounting profession.

Jason Blumer, an expert in strategic calendar planning and productivity, shares valuable insights on maximizing productivity and achieving work-life balance. Topics covered include containering and strategic calendar work blocking, managing time between team and leadership meetings, organizing content creation sessions, and utilizing efficient tools like Todoist and Twist. Jason emphasizes the importance of saying 'yes' to strategic goals while saying 'no' to distractions, and the significance of pre-planning your calendar for effective time management.

Did y'all know that rhythms define and contain your commitments and that a rhythmic calendar will align your team for success? Jason Blumer is solo on the newest episode of Thrivecast to discuss the role of strategic, pre-planned calendars in forming intentional and fulfilling work. A pre-blocked calendar prevents time wastage on trivial tasks and keeps you focused on the important goals—contributing to your overall success. Jason further unpacks the significance of attention as a precious resource. He'll discuss how misuse of attention can spiral into chaos and how you, as an entrepreneur, can preserve it best. Owning a firm often feels like a rollercoaster ride, and it's imperative to build your own structure and order using tools like calendar-blocking. Listen to learn about implementing the methodology of strategic work calendar-blocking, which Jason and his partner, Julie, use in their businesses and coach others on. This powerful tool involves blocking out your calendar an entire year in advance, and how this simple action can drastically augment your strategic planning and execution. Remember, while entrepreneurship empowers you to carve your own future, it's not about succumbing to your emotional whims. Jason dives into the dangers of an "unintentional future" and how pre-planned calendar can help you stay on track. Listen to the full episode for a sneak peak of part 2 where Jason will be focusing on the practical aspects of strategic calendar work blocking. Stay tuned for more insights!

Jason Staats, founder of Realize and podcast host of Jason Daily, joins the podcast to discuss AI in accounting. They talk about job displacement, the evolving role of entrepreneurs, and the impact of AI on specialized tasks. They also discuss the power of video, rapid pace of change in the software industry, rise of AI-first companies, and the future of conversational software. Jason Staats shares his tips for dominating social media and finding work-life balance. It's a fascinating and informative conversation.

In this episode of Thrivecast, expert Brannon Poe discusses the challenges buyers face when sellers decide not to sell and offers insights on gathering crucial information. They explore the strategies employed by progressive firms, retirement and succession planning, and the changing game for future generations. The importance of accountants specializing in margin analysis, cost structure, and pricing services is also highlighted.

Get ready to uncover valuable insights and practical tips on how to effectively reach your firm's target audience, create a strong online presence, and build a successful brand with Thrivecast guest, Karen Reyburn. Join Karen and Jason as they explore the importance of understanding your audience's needs and tailoring your marketing efforts accordingly. They'll dive into how to address the issues and problems your audience faces, ensuring your brand connects and resonates with them on a deeper level. But that's not all! Karen shares the secrets of creating a captivating website that reflects your firm's unique approach and way of doing things. Learn why it's more beneficial to focus on explaining your methodology or approach rather than overwhelming your audience with multiple services pages. Discover why quick wins may not always be the key to success and why investing time and effort for at least two to three years is necessary for long-term results. And brace yourselves, as Karen and Jason take a detour into the world of whiskey, exploring the art of distillation, the magic of aging, and the joy of savoring good whiskey slowly. You might ask how they do it, but Karen and Jason draw parallels between the time and effort required to create a successful brand and the process of whiskey-making. Listen as Karen shares her expertise in marketing strategies and her involvement in the exciting upcoming Deeper Weekend conference. Don't miss out on valuable insights and actionable advice—grab your headphones and get ready for a jam-packed episode of The Thrivecast! Let's dive into the world of marketing, branding, and a little bit of whiskey. It's going to be a wild ride!

On this episode of The Thrivecast, we dive into the growth paths. Acquire. Sell. Merge. Scale. We have assembled a dynamic panel of over 20 nationally known experts with diverse experience in expanding their firms. They will share their stories, including their mistakes, lessons learned, and things they wish they had considered during the process. This year’s Deeper Weekend conference in Greenville, South Carolina, will address the challenges faced by the accounting profession and guide participants through disruptive transitions in a healthy way. During the conference, attendees can expect interactive sessions followed by panel discussions and Q&A providing valuable insights from industry experts actively engaged in acquisitions, selling, merging, and scaling. We also explore traditional ways of acquiring a firm, the importance of due diligence, and the crucial role of messaging during the acquisition process. Merging a company is discussed as an alternate form of selling, requiring careful cultural integration and brand identity alignment. We also dive into the nuances of scaling, including the gradual nature of growth and the potential need for funding. In addition to the main sessions and panel discussions, Deeper Weekend offers daily roundtables where participants will be divided into smaller groups to have more intimate and guided learning experiences to directly apply to their firms and journeys. The conference is carefully designed with a thematic approach to provide consistency and depth throughout the event. Jason has curated questions to extract impactful content from the expert panelists. Join us on this episode as we explore the complexities and strategies behind acquiring, selling, merging, and scaling in the business world. Don’t miss out on the practical sessions, high-level strategic information, and mind-blowing insights from our panelists. Tune in and get ready to deepen your knowledge and make informed decisions.

Nellie Akalp is the CEO of CorpNet, a business filing service that streamlines compliance across multiple states. CorpNet isn't Nellie's first business venture, though. Fresh out of law school, Nellie and her husband began working on an online business at the beginning of the internet boom that was similar to CorpNet but under the B2C umbrella. Their first business saw so much success that they were able to sell it to a publicly traded company and retire early. Nellie and her husband decided they weren't done being entrepreneurs, so they got back into the game—with a fresh twist. And that's just the beginning. Listen to Nellie share her tips for entrepreneurial success on the newest episode of the Thrivecast.

Scott Scarano might not fit the typical accountant mold, and that's just how he likes it. Scott's career got off to a rocky start—he started his own firm after finding his footing, but he quickly realized that he missed flexing his creativity. He wanted to exercise both the analytical and creative sides of his brain to live out his authentic self. Listen to Scott's story and hear how industry leaders—including Jason—inspired him to turn his "pipe dream ideas" into a reality on this episode of Thrivecast.

Randy Crabtree is the co-founder of Tri-Merit, a niche tax service that serves tax preparers. But, Randy's professional career has been a wild ride, and he's learned a lot from his experiences. He shares his predictions on the future of the accounting profession and provides some tips on how you can apply them to your firm. Elevate your firm with Jason and Randy on the newest episode of Thrivecast today!