The Wall Street Journal published an article on October 6th, 2023, titled, “Why No One is Going into Accounting. Pay has stagnated in a profession once seen as a sure thing while other fields are more lucrative; pretty much a death sentence for my dreams.”
The title of the article is a bit dramatic for my CPA (inactive) sensibilities yet many of the themes ring true. A profession plagued by a big commitment (time and money) to education (150-hour rule), long hours, at times tedious work, lower pay than other fields and a country mile to make it to the potential pot of gold (partnership). These forces have had a deleterious impact on the accountants leaving the field and the pipeline of accountants.
From the article:
- according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, That has led to even greater workloads for existing accountants, and more than 300,000 have left the profession between 2019 and 2022.
- those studying accounting have decreased.
- The number of accounting majors fell by about 30% since 2018 said Prabhudev Konana, the dean of the University of Maryland’s business school.
In conclusion, the article suggests AI will have to pick up the slack. We believe this is part of the solution yet any solution that doesn’t address the accounting firm business model and how it impacts incoming and existing accountants is going to fall far short of a solution.
Let me explain.
History doesn’t repeat itself. Humans do.
Another tax filing season has passed and too many firms hoping the post covid world would be kinder and gentler has not quite lived up to the hype. Too many firms are working too much, asking their teams to work too much for the wrong clients and roughing it through the Fall deadlines.
I presented to the Partner forum in Walnut Creek California for the California Society of CPAs on November 6, 2014, a presentation titled, “Succession and Staffing. What’s the real problem.”
My first slide had an image of a bottle of tabasco sauce and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. My argument was that the profession didn’t have a succession or staffing problem, it had a business model problem. That is, if we focused on fixing the business model of accounting firms, we would move the needle on solving the succession and staffing problems we faced. Metaphorically, if we eased up on the tabasco, we would need less Pepto.
The accounting firm business model has been problematic for decades. I know first-hand as a CPA (inactive), I experienced public accounting in the trenches first with KPMG in San Francisco then a large local firm in San Francisco. The experience was not a pleasant one.
I graduated near the top of my class at UCSB and went straight to work for KPMG. I left the freedom of studying when I want, where I want, dressed how I want, to wearing a suit with a timesheet never too far from my hand. I was confused as the incentive I was taught in school was that capitalism was to create as much value or output with as little effort or resources as possible. It’s called profit. The accounting firm business model didn’t reflect my understanding of capitalism. Working 2300 or 2500 hours was worn like a badge of honor. Vacation blacked out during busy season and the way to get ahead was to work more. Yuk. My peers who didn’t enter public accounting worked less and made more. Needless to say, I left public accounting for a better life. Further, I have a very successful group of peers from UCSB who also studied accounting and none of them found success in public accounting. Kinda sad.
The old business model was about being all things to all people, driving realization and utilization were the primary metrics. Keep people busy, leverage was in people and even if summer work meant low rates and tedious work pick it up. The profession asked smart people to do tedious work, working long hours, making less money than their peers and with any luck you might make partner in 8-10 years.
To that end and unfortunately, I’m not surprised by the mess the profession is in. I have serious concerns that the State Societies, a pillar for local firms, might not make it.
One slide I presented in Walnut Creek was titled, “Renew firm of today” arguing the metrics we ought to be measuring are: What are the top 3 things we are doing to make the firm #1 client, what are the top 3 things we are doing to NOT make the firm the #1 client, measuring team member satisfaction, monthly recurring revenue (yes, subscription model in 2014), # of A clients, B clients and C clients and a value review with clients.
The gist being you need to focus on having a healthy firm, with the right clients, creating the right value for them on a recurring basis. These are the steps towards transforming your business model so you can work 40 hours or less all year round, with the right clients. This model will facilitate the ability for the team to work 40 hours or less with the right clients focused on value creation. This will drive pipeline and retention of accountants. It will also enable firm owners to goal seek for driving profits up and hours down.
Many firms have made progress, and the AICPA/States are all too aware they have a real problem on their hands. I argue if the business model of accounting firms don’t change the other initiatives will be short term fixes. Address the tabasco issue.
As another tax season looms, we encourage you to embrace our 5 shifts:
Shift #1: Identifying Your Business Model Issues - Tier 1 vs Tier 2
Identify your business model issues by understanding which issues take priority (tier 1) over others (tier 2) and implement a proven plan of action to transform your firm and your life.
Shift #2: Pareto for Profit™
Increase your profits and solve your time problem, by tapping into our proprietary Pareto for Profit™ approach to stop the insanity, identify key leverage points and recruit and retain the right team.
Shift #3: Making The Firm Your #1 Client
Reclaim control in your firm. Become a trusted advisor, not a service provider by dictating the terms of your client relationships.
Shift #4: Command Premium Client Pricing
Develop a premium pricing strategy by leading with advisory services and serving the right clients.
Shift #5: Taking Action
Invest and actively engage in a proven framework to transform your firm and your life.
About Renew Group
Shannon Vincent and Colin Dunn created Renew Group to create a better model and better lives for accounting firms. Our Firm Transformation Framework is the blueprint to a better model and a better life. Through education and training, templates, tools, and resources, coaching and community, our framework delivers life-changing results.
To learn more about transforming your firm, subscribe to Renewsletter. We offer practical tips to transform your accounting firm with Less Hours, More Profit, and Better Clients.
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