CPA Firm Consulting: Celebrating 20 Years!

This week Rosenberg Associates celebrates 20 years of consulting with firms across North America.  We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the clients and CPA industry friends who have helped us enjoy a great first 20 years!

Starting out with zero clients was a humbling experience, but working with nearly 1,000 firms has confirmed that the ideals and approach below resonate with CPA firms.

Results orientation.  I deliver results that the client can implement the moment I leave town: No abstract theories; no BS.

Writing useful reports.  Every project concludes with a comprehensive, promptly delivered written report.

It’s not about ME. “Egocentric” and “good consultants” are opposites that don’t attract.  I want to listen.  Clients ALWAYS have important things to say and I want them to be part of the solution.

Made myself “famous.”  Not like a rock star or Chicago Cubs shortstop.  Through channels like publishing –  speaking –  blogging –  I’ve become sufficiently well-known that more and more CPA firms recognize my name.  This gets the phone to ring.  What’s not to love?

Built on my strengths and passion.  I LOVE writing.  If I weren’t a CPA firm consultant, I’d write novels.  The next best thing: writing articles (over 200 published), newsletters, blogs and monographs that teach.

If you build it, they will come. Do what’s “right” for clients and don’t worry about fees.  When I do this, a funny thing happens: the money comes.

Roundtables.  Talk about exponential value: I have three groups in hometown Chicago, each with 20+ members.  We’ve been together 20 years. New consulting projects continually come from member firms.  The keys to success: it’s about sharing practical ideas the members take back to their offices.  It’s about satisfying their natural craving to learn how other firms just like them, deal with their firm’s “issue of the day.”

Become the “answer man.”  As my reputation has grown, something cool happened.  Firms (both those I know and those I have never met) continually email me with questions and I respond –  gratis.  I’ve done over a thousand e-mail consults in 20 years.  It feels good and guess what – it leads to business.

MAP surveys.  I’m a huge fan of benchmarking.  In my early years, I used the Missouri and Texas surveys, but they outlived their usefulness. So, I started my own – The Rosenberg Survey – now in its 16^th year.  It’s exceeded expectations beyond my wildest dreams!

Be prepared.  I’m a big believer in this Boy Scout oath.  No winging it from Rosenberg.

Know what I don’t know.  I helped form a consortium of a dozen fellow CPA firm consultants.  I formed a national email roundtable group of 100 savvy MPs.  The collective wisdom of these groups has been an enormous resource.

Humor.   I always try to keep my sense of humor.  I’m professional about it and never use it in inappropriate circumstances. As Mark Twain said:  “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing.”