CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

James Donovan
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success, the ultimate podcast for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firm owners who are eager to land more high-paying clients and elevate their businesses to new heights. Hosted by James Donovan from Nine Two Media, we specialize in helping financial professionals achieve their goals through innovative and effective marketing strategies. In each episode, we dive deep into the world of finance and marketing, interviewing industry leaders who share their insider secrets and success stories. You'll gain access to unique marketing tactics specifically designed for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firms, covering everything from lead generation and client acquisition to branding and digital presence. Whether you're looking to refine your marketing approach or seeking inspiration from top financial experts, CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success is your go-to resource for actionable insights and proven strategies. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind thriving financial practices and help you unlock the full potential of your business. Tune in and transform the way you attract and retain clients, one episode at a time.

  1. This Accountant Built His Own Payroll Software, Because No One Else Would - With Brian Clare

    JAN 15

    This Accountant Built His Own Payroll Software, Because No One Else Would - With Brian Clare

    Most accountants talk about innovation. Brian Clare actually builds it. From killing time tracking to launching his own payroll software for Canadian accountants, Brian isn't just running a firm, he’s engineering the next wave of how firms work. In this episode: Why hourly billing is killing your marginsHow turning down the wrong clients changed everythingThe cost of hiring late and why he hired ops before he needed toBehind the scenes of building a brand-new payroll tool from scratchHow he manages two companies without burning out🔍 Whether you’re stuck in legacy pricing or flirting with product dev, this is a masterclass in firm design, ops delegation, and bold decisions. 📍 Learn more: https://www.xyblueprint.com 📱 Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briangclare/ Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    32 min
  2. Miss This Window and You'll Regret It: Why He's Buying Firms in 2026 - With Nik Watson

    JAN 8

    Miss This Window and You'll Regret It: Why He's Buying Firms in 2026 - With Nik Watson

    What if you could own a thriving accounting firm without a CPA, EA, or even industry experience? Nik Watson did just that at 23 years old. After four failed startups and zero accounting background, he landed his first acquisition using a personalized pitch deck and the grit most people avoid. In this episode, Nik shares:  • Why value-based pricing and 3-tier offers aren’t optional in 2025  • The exact tools and AI stack he’s using to stay lean  • The mistake most buyers make that kills the deal  • His transition from marketing agency to tax firm owner This episode is for anyone who’s looking at M&A, firm expansion, or just done billing by the hour. 🔗 Connect with Nik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nik-watson/ 🎧 Listen now. You'll walk away with ideas you can actually apply. Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    34 min
  3. I Almost Shut It All Down in July. Here’s Why I Didn’t.

    JAN 1

    I Almost Shut It All Down in July. Here’s Why I Didn’t.

    2025 nearly broke me. Clients dropped. Revenue cratered. My dream car? Totaled by a dump truck, with no one inside. At our lowest, we were bleeding over $12,000/month. But we didn’t quit. And by November, we closed 10 new clients in a month and had our first $15K cash day. In this special New Year’s edition, I walk through the real story behind the posts: the burnouts, breakthroughs, and the shift that brought us back. What I cover: The exact moment I considered shutting it all downWhy discounting for quick cash nearly wrecked usThe “Mexico Meltdown” that set off the chaosThe daily habits that pulled me out3 muscles I had to build to survive the yearIf you're in a tough season… listen to this. You're not behind. You're not broken. You're being forged. 👉 Subscribe, share, and message me if this hits. Let’s make 2026 the comeback year, together. Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    28 min
  4. You’re Losing Clients in Every Meeting and Don’t Know It - With Jordan Vickery

    12/25/2025

    You’re Losing Clients in Every Meeting and Don’t Know It - With Jordan Vickery

    Most firms treat meetings like a checkbox. Talk. Wrap. Move on. But what if the way you run and follow up on meetings is quietly costing you hours each week and revenue you don’t realize you’re losing? Jordan Vickery, co-founder of Vinyl, joins the show to reveal how firms are reclaiming 30-40 minutes per meeting, identifying hidden sales opportunities, and coaching their teams using nothing but meeting transcripts. If you’ve ever felt buried in post-call admin, or suspect your team is missing the mark in QBRs and sales convos… this episode might change the way you work. What you’ll learn: • How to turn every client call into marketing and sales data • The “silent killer” in advisory meetings and how to catch it • Why most post-call workflows are broken • How top firms are automating 90% of their follow-up 🔗 Learn more: usevinyl.com 💬 Connect with Jordan: LinkedIn Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    34 min
  5. The Anti-Hourly Firm Model That Clients Actually Prefer - With Dylan Fabbi

    12/18/2025

    The Anti-Hourly Firm Model That Clients Actually Prefer - With Dylan Fabbi

    Hourly billing isn’t just outdated, it’s blocking your growth. In this episode, Dylan from Fabbi breaks down how his firm ditched time-based pricing, scaled past 500 clients, and became the go-to financial team for business owners who want more than just “books and taxes.” You’ll learn: Why hourly billing kills service quality and client retentionThe tech + team system that allows his firm to run 200+ WhatsApp support threadsHow Fabbi replaced Facebook ad flops with a smarter, higher-converting client funnelReal-world tax strategies saving clients $25K+ annuallyThe mindset shift that helped Dylan stop doing “cheap accounting” and build a scalable, premium service firm🔗 Connect with Dylan: 📍LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moshe-fabbi-11013a162/ 🌐 Website: https://www.fabbi.co/ Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    37 min
  6. The Business Model You’re Using Is Outdated (Here's How to Fix It) - with Michael Ly

    12/11/2025

    The Business Model You’re Using Is Outdated (Here's How to Fix It) - with Michael Ly

    Still billing by the hour and afraid to raise prices? That’s exactly why you’re stuck. Michael Ly, founder of Reconciled, joins CFO Chronicles to dismantle outdated firm models and share the mindset shifts that helped him scale a nationally recognized cloud accounting firm. From team turnover to pricing psychology, Michael opens up about the real work it takes to grow and why value-based pricing isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the future. In this episode: ✅ Why hourly billing traps you in low-value work ✅ How to confidently raise prices (even for legacy clients) ✅ The 90-day review process Michael uses to grow recurring revenue ✅ The most overlooked threat to firm culture during rapid growth ✅ What AI won’t replace and how to double down on it If you’re tired of being underpaid and overworked, this episode will shift your perspective and give you the steps to fix it. 📍 Connect with Michael Ly 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelly Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    37 min
  7. Why So Many Accountants Are Broke by December, Even the Good Ones - With Tony Proctor

    12/04/2025

    Why So Many Accountants Are Broke by December, Even the Good Ones - With Tony Proctor

    Why are so many firm owners flat broke in Q4, even after six-figure tax seasons? Tony Proctor’s been running a firm for 20 years, and he’s seen it all: tax pros who bleed cash every December, clients who push for fraud, and practitioners who won’t raise prices because they’re scared to lose “friend” clients. In this episode: Why Proctor fired a paying client (and what it cost him)What he really thinks about Profit First (it’s not what you expect)The cash flow trap that keeps firms broke after tax seasonHow to stop being the “best-kept secret” in your cityThe biggest marketing lie most accountants still believeIf you’ve ever said, “We make good money but I don’t know where it all goes,” this one’s a must-listen. 📍 Connect with Tony Proctor Website: https://www.proctortaxprep.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyproctor/Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    38 min
  8. You Don’t Need More Leads, You Need Better Conversations- With Kwame Agyei

    11/27/2025

    You Don’t Need More Leads, You Need Better Conversations- With Kwame Agyei

    Most accounting firms are burning cash on cold leads and broken outreach funnels, but what if that’s not your real growth problem? In this episode, I sit down with Kwame Agyei, founder of Appoynt, to reveal what actually scales firm growth: community, relationships, and real conversations. Kwame´s built a global team across Africa and shares how showing up in person has done more for growth than any automation ever could. We talk about: Why cold outreach flopped (and what to do instead)The underrated power of in-person networkingHow US firms can tap top-tier talent from Ghana (and why it works)The mindset shift from operator to builderWhy your first hire overseas is more about culture fit than costThis isn’t about theory, it’s what’s working now for firms trying to scale lean and smart. Connect with Kwame on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwame-agyei-b3ab1333/ Learn more about Appoynt: https://www.appoynt.co.uk/ Send us a text Don’t miss out! Subscribe, rate, and review CFO Chronicles to help others discover these insights. Ready to transform your growth strategy? Connect with me on LinkedIn, and book your strategy call at accountingleadsnow.com to position yourself as the advisor clients truly need. Ready to turn your firm into a lead-generating, profit-driving machine? We help Bookkeepers, Accountants & Fractional CFOs generate consistent local leads, book perfect-fit appointments, and close premium clients, without cold outreach or ad guesswork. Let’s map out your growth plan together → Book your free strategy call

    40 min
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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success, the ultimate podcast for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firm owners who are eager to land more high-paying clients and elevate their businesses to new heights. Hosted by James Donovan from Nine Two Media, we specialize in helping financial professionals achieve their goals through innovative and effective marketing strategies. In each episode, we dive deep into the world of finance and marketing, interviewing industry leaders who share their insider secrets and success stories. You'll gain access to unique marketing tactics specifically designed for Fractional CFOs and Accounting Firms, covering everything from lead generation and client acquisition to branding and digital presence. Whether you're looking to refine your marketing approach or seeking inspiration from top financial experts, CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success is your go-to resource for actionable insights and proven strategies. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind thriving financial practices and help you unlock the full potential of your business. Tune in and transform the way you attract and retain clients, one episode at a time.

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