Growing Your Firm | Strategies for Accountants, CPA's, Bookkeepers , and Tax Professionals

Cannabis is the #1 growing industry in America, and as such the demand for accounting professionals to help financially manage this type of business has skyrocketed. This is because there are a number of unique and complex accounting challenges that companies in this field must overcome in order to be successful. As such, very few accounting professionals are qualified to take on this type of work. My company, DOPE CFO, provides the education and tools for accountants and financial professionals to enter and succeed in the lucrative cannabis industry (https://www.dopecfo.com/in-the-press). Anyone who is an experienced CPA, CFO, Bookkeeper, Controller or tax professional will find that our “plug and play” solution will allow them to quickly build or grow a successful Cannabis Accounting Firm. I've also been appointed to the AICPA 2021 Cannabis Accounting Conference planning committee. I have provided executive leadership and business counsel to companies across many industries including retail, manufacturing, energy, medical/bio, high tech. Within the last 10 years alone: ►Founder of DOPE CFO, a nationally recognized firm with over 800 accounting firms in all 50 states. ► CFO to two high visibility Cannabis start-ups (both over 20 employees), Hifi Farms and Evio Labs (SGBYD). Also, currently serving cannabis in all verticals (farm, dispensary, retail, lab, processing), in several states ►As Contract CFO to a pharma Startup, I helped grow the company from a staff of 7 to over 50 employees, and exit to a global company for over $24 Million ► As CFO for an energy company, I directed responsibility and oversight of an exit to an S&P 500 company for over $120 Million ►As CFO for a private Startup, I assisted in private equity raise over $40 Million, growing the company from 4 to 200+ employees, and exit with 5 years to an S&P 500 company for $85 Million. ► I've worked as Contract CFO for 2 Oregon Angel Conference Winners and was an investor in two others ► I've assisted a public company as Contract CFO to enter Oregon with a strategy of launching 20 labs in the Pacific Northwest.

Some would consider Brannon, the head coach of accountants. He knows the key plays. The calls. The drills. But most of all, he knows how to help accountants win! For more than 20 years, Brannon has worked in the accounting field, with the last decade focused on assisting accountants in writing their next chapter in life by navigating how to buy and sell accounting firms successfully. He is also the creator of Accounting Practice Academy, an online course that is transforming accountants on how they run their practice. After graduating from the University of South Carolina’s prestigious Darla Moore School of Business, Brannon entered the accounting world with international giants Ernst & Young and Elliott, Davis & Company. The Greenwood, SC native, quickly realized his entrepreneur spirit and, in 1995, became a partner in a plumbing distribution business. A few years later, he dove into the manufacturing industry and then sold his interest to pursue his own business. Brannon started brokering accounting firms in 2003 with a vision to build the best possible accounting brokerage firm in North America and opened the doors of Poe Group Advisors shortly thereafter. Honing in on its unique and seamless way to pair buyers and sellers, Poe Group Advisors wasted no time going from start-up to an internationally sought-after brand. Brannon has built a team of specialists, with offices throughout the U.S. and Canada, dedicated to bringing the best terms to the table and ensuring a pleasant experience, making Poe Group Advisors the service leader in the accounting brokerage industry. With nearly two decades of successful accounting practice sales, Brannon and the entire team at Poe Group Advisors provide unmatched resources, insight and knowledge. Since Brannon founded Poe Group Advisors, together with his team, they have facilitated the sale and purchase of more than 400 accounting firms. Recognizing that he was sitting on a plethora of knowledge, Brannon published “Accountant’s Flight Plan” in 2010. Filled with practical, time-tested strategies, Brannon’s manuscript has become one of the most popular books on the market for accountants wanting to level up. In 2016, Brannon followed up his first book with “On Your Own!: How to Start Your Own CPA Firm”. Due to his thought-leadership, Brannon continues to be featured by the AICPA and CPA Canada, the world’s largest member associations representing the accounting profession. He has published numerous blogs, podcasts and articles. To learn more about Brannon, visit https://poegroupadvisors.com/about/our-team/

Jackie Meyer, CPA, CTC is President and Founder of Meyer Tax Consulting LLC, in Southlake, Texas. Her team works with executives on strategic tax planning. With her team working completely virtual across the state of Texas, the firm stays on the cutting edge of technology working closely with industry leaders on innovative products and offerings. Jackie began her career in finance while obtaining a BS in Finance at UT Arlington. After realizing a zeal for taxes, she began working at Deloitte Tax while pursuing a MSA at Southern Methodist University. Her passion to combine technology with unparalleled client service came to light at age 27 as one of the youngest female CPA firm owners. At the same time, Jackie became a best practice consultant at conferences and accounting firms across the nation. Wanting to harvest drive and opportunity for others, she works with local nonprofits to mentor those less fortunate in their education, career, and business ventures. Jackie also has two young children and and loving husband, Mark, with whom she attends Gateway church and explores other cultures and the world with. Specialties include concierge CPA services for family offices, entity planning and selection, IRS representation, Multi-State investments, TX Margin Tax, and Oil & Gas accounting. She has a passion for taxes and educating the public on their rights. Going green with latest technologies and a paperless office, our clients range from Dallas locals to international remote businesses. Request a complimentary consultation on our website meyertax.com, e-mailing office@meyertax.com, or calling 888-272-1258. Strengthsfinder 2.0 - Futuristic, Achiever, Learner, Input, and Focus My personality types are DISC D (Captain), Myers-Briggs INTJ, and Enneagram 8. I tend to work methodically, but aggressively towards goals with a strong preference for efficiency. I'm most energized by competition & winning, professional growth, and leading the group. See my full personality profile here: https://www.crystalknows.com/p/jackiemeyercpa

What is The Largo Group? In musical terms Largo means methodical. The vision for our company is to offer a methodical approach to accounting and tax services so that the business owner has the key information they need in real time. The Largo Group was founded by Anne Gannon, CPA in 2016. Anne has 15+ years experience and began her career as a CPA with a big-five accounting firm in Boston, MA where she quickly realized the only winner in the 'busy season' approach was the accounting firm. As the daughter of a life-long entrepreneur, Anne knew her dream was to make a difference in the accounting world. Anne started her quest to be different from scratch while at home with two small children and also teaching accounting at the collegiate level. To say those days were interesting would be an understatement! Working as an Instructor of Accounting teaching upper-level accounting and finance courses at Florida Atlantic University and Eastern Florida State College reinforced the fact that most business owners have never been given the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of accounting. And yet, in order to be successful, all business owners need to know accounting fundamentals. While teaching during the day, Anne began to experiment with how finances could be better explained to business owners. Starting with a handful of small business clients, she began to develop The Largo Group Signature Monthly report, and experimented with the key information these business owners needed to be successful. The Core Principles of The Largo Group Vision: Flat fee approach Financial Analysis Included Above-and-beyond customer service Education and Guidance In the last five years the Largo Group has continued to provide this innovative approach to businesses across the U.S. Eventhough our team has grown, Anne continues to push The Largo Group to provide the highest level of service and build long-term relationships with our clients. The Largo Group is truly The Evolution of Monthly Accounting, and we look forward to working with you on your accounting needs.

Aly & Andrew's All Aussie Accounting Adventures + CAANZ Acuity podcast host, 2021 Partner of the Year & Overall Excellence Awards + 2019 Women in Finance Small Business Adviser & Principal of the year awards + Top 50 Woman in Accounting & 2018 SA SMSF & Accounting Professional of the Year, Partner of the Year and Overall Excellence Awards and Founder of one of the Top 50 Cloud Accountants in Australia and winner of the 2021 Boutique Firm of the Year (<30 employees) + 2020 Accountants Daily Start Up Firm of the Year, All In Advisory, As a Fellow CA and tax agent, I draw on over 25 years of experience to deliver customised accounting, taxation, advisory, transactional and cloud solutions. I am a leader in the tourism industry and cloud revolution space helping to elevate businesses to the cloud and deliver automation to future proof businesses, delivering efficiencies and improving profitability. I am passionate about seeing businesses thrive and adapt in these times of rapid change. The ultimate success for me has come about by combining my love for my work with my passion for my family & I have built my life around this foundation.

Jackie Meyer, CPA, CTC is President and Founder of Meyer Tax Consulting LLC, in Southlake, Texas. Her team works with executives on strategic tax planning. With her team working completely virtual across the state of Texas, the firm stays on the cutting edge of technology working closely with industry leaders on innovative products and offerings. Jackie began her career in finance while obtaining a BS in Finance at UT Arlington. After realizing a zeal for taxes, she began working at Deloitte Tax while pursuing a MSA at Southern Methodist University. Her passion to combine technology with unparalleled client service came to light at age 27 as one of the youngest female CPA firm owners. At the same time, Jackie became a best practice consultant at conferences and accounting firms across the nation. Wanting to harvest drive and opportunity for others, she works with local nonprofits to mentor those less fortunate in their education, career, and business ventures. Jackie also has two young children and and loving husband, Mark, with whom she attends Gateway church and explores other cultures and the world with. Specialties include concierge CPA services for family offices, entity planning and selection, IRS representation, Multi-State investments, TX Margin Tax, and Oil & Gas accounting. She has a passion for taxes and educating the public on their rights. Going green with latest technologies and a paperless office, our clients range from Dallas locals to international remote businesses. Request a complimentary consultation on our website meyertax.com, e-mailing office@meyertax.com, or calling 888-272-1258. Strengthsfinder 2.0 - Futuristic, Achiever, Learner, Input, and Focus My personality types are DISC D (Captain), Myers-Briggs INTJ, and Enneagram 8. I tend to work methodically, but aggressively towards goals with a strong preference for efficiency. I'm most energized by competition & winning, professional growth, and leading the group. See my full personality profile here: https://www.crystalknows.com/p/jackiemeyercpa

Editor in Chief I read books for a living! Books that are poorly written and requires adept abilities to decipher and re-construct with clear intent, purpose, and direction for the desired audience. Is your book any good? Actively accepting books with the following: 1. Vehicles or shall I say transformers? Did you know that your vehicles transform to money makers or bottom-line breakers? 2. People (Human Capital/Employees) – “People Who Need People” like me to help them figure out why they are “The Luckiest People In The World” 3. E-Money (Credit Cards) given to employees to purchase supplies in the field 4. Physical Cash (Inventory) stored in vehicles and used in the field 5. Paid by project and/or contract You can find these books in section HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical Contracting, Pest Control, Landscaping, Cleaning, Transportation, Logistics, Hauling, Home Repair, Roofing, Gardening Also exploring Hash and Oil & Gas supplier books. Schedule your Free Consultation https://helpmeMBAS.as.me/Consultation

Hannah Stricker, Founder of Bookkeeping Solutions of Traverse City, knew she didn't want to work under the overlords forever. For 25 years, she toiled in major accounting firms and also a decade in the local sector. But, her destiny was CEO of her own accounting firm and she needed to make it happen. "It's a scary leap," she says and you can't blame her. Casting out to the unknown shouldn't be taken lightly. For two years she thought about making the jump. At her local firm, it was a 'cushy job' with benefits and a near 6-figure salary. She loved her colleagues, her clients, the work, her pay. All she was missing the sweet taste of entrepreneurship. Finally, in September 2017, she started her own firm. Before she left, she had 6 months of savings set aside. So, even if she didn't make a dime for 180 days, she'd be okay. Because after 4 months she would know if it would work. If it didn't, she had two months to try and find a new job. On top of that, she saved $12,000 for office supplies, software, a computer, basically everything she'd need for an office space. Her first few months were nerve-wracking. But, once she covered her mortgage and bills, she settled in. By her one year anniversary, she had done $70,000 in profit and paid herself a salary of $35,000 (giving her revenues over 6-figures). Her 5-year goal was to have profits of $150,000 with up to $60,000 in salary. However, due to some new clients, she may hit that by the end of her second year! The growth is impeccable and here's how she organized her services.

Anjali Jariwala, CPA and CFP®, is the founder of FIT Advisors - a financial planning firm serving physicians and business owners virtually across the US. Prior to launching her own firm, Anjali spent over 6 years working with Fortune 500 clients at a top 4 accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and 2 years with a large, prestigious financial planning firm serving high net worth individuals. During her career, she would often share financial advice with family and friends but began to realize that not only did most of them lack access to the best personal finance information but also their busy family lives meant they just didn’t have the time to pull it all together on their own. So, she decided she could make a bigger impact by starting her own firm. Anjali utilizes her expertise in tax and finance to empower her clients to discover and reach their life goals while building a stable financial future. Anjali hosts the Money Checkup podcast - a semi-monthly checkup that discusses the many facets of financial well-being. She was named one of Investment News Top 40 under 40 for 2019, Financial Advisor magazine’s Young Advisors To Watch for 2020, and Investopedia’s 100 Top Financial Advisors. Anjali has been featured in Bloomberg, US News and World Report, New York Times, USA Today, Business Insider, Investment News, and more.

Driven to solve painful problems with smart, passionate, and empathetic people || Jetpack Workflow is used by thousands of accountants in 18+ countries to help them better manage their client work and get their jobs done on time. At Jetpack Workflow, we strive to live out our values of: + Leave it better than you found it. + Default to Action + Stay on Target + Serve with Humility I have a background in (lean, cost-effective, measurable, value-driven) marketing, specifically for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups.