We can tell a lot about a CPA firm by what happens in the weeks after April 15.
Some owners take a breath and move on. Back to client work, playing catch up, living in the gap of what needs to be done. At Renew we call this the Summer doldrums.
The firms that grow — the ones that build real CPA firm strategic planning into their rhythm — don’t wait for a retreat or an annual review. They use the weeks right after busy season, while the pain is still fresh, to make a list of the things they need to fix and a plan of when to fix them.
Some key questions. Focused ones.
That’s the work. But it’s the difference between an accounting firm growth strategy and just hoping things get better. We are too often the frog in the boiling water.
When we sit down with a firm owner after tax season, the first thing we do is run a Pareto for Profit analysis. It’s almost always the same story: a small number of clients are generating real profitability, while a large number are consuming capacity without paying for it. Tax season makes this visible. The data doesn’t lie.
Another good exercise: What are the top 3 things that are Making the Firm the #1 Client — and what are the top 3 things that are NOT making the Firm the #1 Client?
The best firm owners we know block time in May. Not for client work. For their own firm. They look at the numbers. They have the hard conversations.
At Renew, we say your firm is your #1 Client. A healthier firm creates value for the right clients. That means it gets the first meeting, the first analysis, the first strategic conversation.
You can always make more money. You can’t make more time.
👉🏼 Take our Tax Season Assessment
Just 10 minutes to see where your firm is losing time, margin, and momentum. Before the Summer doldrums set in.
Your answers contribute anonymously to the 2026 Benchmark Report, and you’ll receive The Pricing Playbook + The 2025 Benchmark Report upon submission.
