Business Strategy for CPA's

Geraldine Carter
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Dec 10, 2025 • 41min

376 “The Hours Were Killing Me”: What Finally Had to Change, with Suzanne Green, CPA

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7What if scaling back didn’t have to mean awkwardness or guilt?In this episode, Suzanne talks about how she reduced her hours, increased prices, and let go of not-fitting clients in a way that still felt kind — kind enough that she’d be perfectly happy to bump into past clients at the post office. If you’re craving fewer hours but want to handle the transition with warmth and respect, this conversation shows exactly how that can look.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/376…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Dec 3, 2025 • 33min

375 Boundaries: The Quiet System Behind Every Calm Firm, with Natalie Hunt

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Struggling to hold business boundaries without risking relationships?Here’s the thing: boundaries aren’t barriers; they’re operating instructions that make your firm calmer, more profitable, and easier to run.In this episode, Peak Freedom’s mindset coach Natalie Hunt helps unpack what gets in the way – people-pleasing, guilt, and the urge to control reactions – and replaces it with better beliefs, rules you choose, and scripts.Learn to stop rescuing late clients, end after-hours emailing, protect time, and feel in the driver’s seat.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/375…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide:7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Nov 26, 2025 • 39min

374 [WIP Series] From Hourly to Packages with Lori Yearwood, CPA

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Stuck in hourly billing and chaos? The smarter path to growth might be saying no more – turning away work, raising prices, and standardizing before you scale. In this episode, Lori Yearwood, CPA, shares how she let go of clients, dropped hourly, and built packages with add-ons, gaining a day-plus each week to work on the business while revenue climbed.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/374…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Lori’s website:https://www.zealaccountingsolutions.com/…Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Nov 19, 2025 • 8min

373 Where Are Your Optimum Prices Hiding?

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Ever wonder why finding “the right price” never seems to work?Because you’re probably looking in the wrong place. This episode explains why your computer can’t know your optimum price, why a little courage matters more than a calculator, and how testing real prices with real humans leads to better profit and saner hours.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/373…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Nov 12, 2025 • 45min

372 [WIP Series] 1/3 Fewer Clients, 2x-3x the Prices, and Sundays Off, with Jan Schaffner, EA

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Ever wonder what it really feels like to let go of a third of your clients?It’s not spreadsheets and strategy.In this episode, Jan Schaffner, EA, shares how hard it was to release clients she genuinely cared about—and the fear that no one would stay or pay more.But when she finally did it, the reaction surprised her: the clients who valued her most were the ones who stayed.This episode is an honest look at what it takes to make space for better work, a calmer firm, and—finally—Sundays off in tax season.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/372…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…Connect with Jan:https://www.schaffnertaxsolutions.com/…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Nov 5, 2025 • 12min

371 How to Handle Client Referrals Without Burning Bridges

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Ever get a referral email from a great client and think, “Ugh… now what?” You want to honor the relationship, but you’re dreading another 45-minute discovery call that goes nowhere. In this episode, I share a simple, transparent system that saves everyone’s time — yours, your client’s, and the prospect’s. You’ll learn how to filter early, protect every relationship in the chain, and stay in control of your calendar without burning your energy or goodwill.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/371…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Oct 29, 2025 • 30min

370 From Launch to Autopilot: A 3-Year Journey with Matt Chiappetta, CPA

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Ever wonder what really happens between “starting from scratch” and “running on autopilot”?Most success stories skip the messy middle. Over three years, Matt Chiappetta went from zero clients to a $250K solo firm working 25 hours a week. Hear the real story: the things that didn’t pan out, the fixes, the mindset shifts, and what actually matters at each stage. It’s the rare, unvarnished look at what a sustainable, calm practice really takes to build.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/370…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…Matt’s website:https://www.mattchia.cpa/…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Oct 22, 2025 • 12min

369 Your Marketplace Is Malleable; You’re the One Who Shapes It

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Think you’re stuck with the clients you’ve got?You’re not. This episode shows how your marketplace isn’t fixed—it’s something you can shape. Through three simple examples, you’ll see how pricing, network, and positioning all affect who shows up at your door, and how to move your firm toward clients you actually want to work with.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/369…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Oct 15, 2025 • 13min

368 Outworking Exhaustion: The Rest You’ve Been Denying Yourself

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Do you keep telling yourself you’ll rest when the work is done?That time never comes. Rest isn’t what you do after the work — it’s what makes the work go well.This episode breaks down eight kinds of rest accountants need, how to get them, and why your firm runs better when you stop running on fumes.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/368…Want Pricing Essentials?If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, it’s not because of the work – it’s how you’ve priced the work. Too many accountants are stuck in undercharging, overdelivering, and people-pleasing cycles. Break the pattern with my short PDF guide: 7 Pricing Essentials »It’s free and you can read it in 5 minutes.I want to help you get your prices up without losing loyal clients.  …Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7
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Oct 8, 2025 • 19min

367 Strategy-Based Pricing & the October Pivot

Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7Tired of hearing “value-based pricing” and still not sure how to price without working 80–hour weeks?In this episode, I cut through the hype and show you how to pick the right pricing tool for the problem you actually have.I walk through the October Pivot, share a simple one-price, two-payment option you can deploy fast, and how to batch-test prices to find your price ceiling.Fewer clients, saner workflow, same revenue – on purpose.…Link to full shownotes: https://www.businessstrategyforcpas.com/367…If you feel trapped by your own accounting firm, I can help you stop the chaos and end the long hours without losing revenue or hiring. Join 3000+ other CPAs who get my single-tip daily emails..Subscribe here: geraldinecarter.com/subscribe.Readers say they love it because they’re short and on point.…Want client interviews?310 From Exhausted to Having Her Life Back: Wendy Norman, CPA304 From 55 Down to 15 Hours; Same Take-Home Pay with Melissa Downs, EA293 What it Takes to Work 15 Hours per Week with Erica Goode, CPAComplete list:geraldinecarter.com/client-interview-episodes…FOUR ways I help overworked CPAs go down to 40 hours without losing revenue or hiring:THE EMAIL COURSE – Freegeraldinecarter.com/stop-working-weekendsStop Working Weekends will teach you how to reduce your hours without giving up revenue. THE BOOK – $9.99geraldinecarter.com/bookDown to 40 Hours – A Roadmap for CPAs to End Overworking Without Losing RevenuePEAK FREEDOM COMMUNITY – $197/mogeraldinecarter.com/peak-freedomFor solo and small accounting firm owners who want to rise above the insanity of hustle-cultureDOWN TO 40 HOURS ACCELERATOR – $995/mogeraldinecarter.com/40For the overworked CPA at multiple six figures of revenue who is ready to stop working weekends, wants to implement overdue changes, and doesn’t want to do it alone. You’ll make progress faster and with more confidence. … Get your FREE 7 Pricing Essentials for CPAs and EAs here:https://geraldinecarter.com/7

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