Jason On Firms Podcast

Jason Staats
  • 4.7 (64)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED DAILY

I'm Jason Staats, and on this podcast we talk through practical tips to run more profitable, calm accounting firms

  1. 1D AGO

    592 His One Employee Accounting Firm Made $224k Last Year [How he built a profitable tax accounting firm]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I sit down with Logan Graff to break down what actually happened inside his firm over the last year after he shared his annual financials publicly. We talk about why revenue went down, why profit mostly held steady, and how splitting his focus across multiple businesses affected growth inside the accounting firm itself. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 📹 Check out Logan’s video here! https://youtu.be/VfkQZngRuKQ?si=rVMIVsbWVURK82hr💻 Follow him on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/logangraf/📌 Here’s his community https://countercommunity.co/🎤 And the live event he’s cohosting in May https://www.launch-your-firm.com/  💰 Today's SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidatesVerito: https://verito.com/Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ usersMakersHub: https://makershub.ai/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason // Chapters:00:00 Intro00:53 Meet Logan Graff01:50 Revenue down, profit steady04:00 Why the firm contracted05:40 Selling bookkeeping vs tax12:04 How Logan prices clients now17:58 Pricing growth over time20:02 Why new firm owners get stuck23:48 Niche plans and 2026 goals25:00 Reading, systems, and tax scheduling36:01 Hiring a manager creatively37:01 Launch Your Firm event 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    38 min

  2. 2D AGO

    591 First Impressions: OpenClaw for Accounting Firms [Exactly how and when this will impact firms]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I break down why I think we’ve been focusing on the wrong AI agent and why OpenClaw might be the clearest model yet for how AI actually gets deployed inside accounting firms. I walk through what makes it different from tools like Claude Cowork, especially how it operates across an entire team and acts as shared infrastructure rather than just a personal assistant. I also do a website roast for a construction-focused firm, covering how to improve messaging, calls to action, and lead magnets. I close with a mailbag on desk setups, including practical takes on monitors, keyboards, and workspace decisions. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidatesVerito: https://verito.com/Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ usersMakersHub: https://makershub.ai/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason // Chapters:00:00 — AI agents overview02:10 — Agents vs assistants04:15 — Firm-level AI infrastructure06:00 — System access and control08:30 — Security limitations today12:10 — Trust and client data16:36 — Hiring and staffing trends24:00 — OpenClaw breakdown27:20 — Website messaging critique28:10 — Calls to action issues30:00 — Simplifying conversions32:00 — Lead flow improvements35:00 — Tax workflow tools36:00 — Practice management evolution45:30 — Website roast51:01 — Accounts payable automation52:08 — Offshore hiring models1:01:05 — Live workshops announcement1:03:19 — Desk setup discussion 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 5m

  3. MAR 10

    590 The 7 Things Your DESK Needs: An Accountant’s Guide [The most important workspace decision for accountants]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I share my thoughts on building a better desk setup for accountants and why small changes to your workspace can have a big impact on productivity. Then I break down a $2.1M accounting firm where the owner clears about $600K a year and walk through what they’re doing well, where they’re stuck, and how they could improve their operations. Finally we get into the mailbag, covering topics like buying accounting firms, building trust with referral partners, security boundaries with AI tools like Claude, whether AI threatens accounting careers, handling client resistance to new tech, and how to think about pricing and value in your firm. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidatesSoraban: https://www.soraban.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ usersVerito: https://verito.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.ai/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/jason // Chapters:00:00 Desk setup ideas for accountants01:00 Seven things every desk should have11:00 Optimizing the under-desk workspace20:15 Firm Roast introduction21:00 $2.1M firm breakdown and client mix24:00 Team structure and financials25:30 Pricing strategy and service mix26:00 Marketing approach and LinkedIn discussion28:00 Technology stack and workflow tools29:30 Accounting team challenges and hiring issues32:00 Owner background and firm growth33:30 Transitioning away from client work35:00 How to submit your firm for a roast38:30 Mailbag: buying accounting firms45:00 Cash flow and deal structure for acquisitions46:40 Building referral relationships with other firms48:00 AI security and using Claude with financials50:20 Future of accounting careers and AI55:20 Pricing ethics and charging more for services58:50 OpenAI, government work, and AI ethics01:00:20 Getting clients to adopt new tech tools01:04:00 TurboTax pricing debate and perception of value01:07:00 Expanding your professional network and mindset 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 10m

  4. MAR 6

    589 Coaching 14 Accounting Firms in 59 Minutes! [AI, Pricing, Hiring, Marketing and More]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I share a supercut of Q&A from two live events we hosted in San Francisco and Los Angeles with accounting firm owners. We dig into real questions from the room covering marketing, AI adoption inside firms, pricing strategy, three tier proposals, managing client boundaries, and how to actually implement changes without blowing up your firm. I also talk through practical approaches to rolling out AI internally, raising prices on legacy clients, structuring advisory tiers, and where automation actually matters versus where people waste time chasing tech. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidatesSoraban: https://www.soraban.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ usersVerito: https://verito.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.ai/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/ // Chapters:00:00 Live event Q&A introduction00:55 Marketing strategies for accounting firms06:20 Client facing AI tools and GPT assistants07:20 Capturing advisory knowledge with meeting transcripts13:10 Encouraging AI adoption across firm teams17:50 Raising prices on low paying legacy clients22:10 Clients receiving premium service at low prices27:50 Structuring three tier proposals31:00 What to include on invoices34:40 Renewal pricing strategy and client conversations39:30 Pricing models for high volume tax returns44:30 Automation tools vs ChatGPT use cases46:10 Document organization and file naming automation47:40 Managing tech fatigue in firms49:00 How AI may impact tax preparation work53:00 Work life balance and building a sustainable firm 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    59 min

  5. MAR 5

    588 The 11 Biggest Risks of Using AI Agents [And how to mitigate them]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I break down what AI agents actually mean for accounting firms today and the real security risks behind the hype, including the risks highlighted by Palo Alto Networks and why weaker AI models may be the biggest overlooked issue. I also review the latest companies in the AICPA startup accelerator and share quick reactions on which ones actually matter for firms. I answer mailbag questions on pricing faster financial statement delivery, Intuit’s new AI announcement, LinkedIn visibility, and what AI can realistically automate in bookkeeping and tax work. 📄 The excellent article from paloalto networks https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/why-moltbot-may-signal-ai-crisis/ 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsCloud Accountant Staffing: https://portal.cloudaccountantstaffing.com/candidatesSoraban: https://www.soraban.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ usersVerito: https://verito.com/MakersHub: https://makershub.ai/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/ // Chapters:00:00 Introduction to AI Agents in Accounting01:15 Why AI Is Dominating the Conversation02:15 AI Agent Security Risks07:10 Top AI Agent Risks Explained19:31 Example of AI Agent Autonomy24:01 AI Model Security and Risk Management28:20 How Firms Should Approach AI Safely30:31 AICPA Startup Accelerator Overview33:00 Startup Accelerator Companies Review43:04 Mailbag Introduction43:30 Pricing Faster Financial Statement Delivery52:59 Intuit Intelligence Announcement56:54 AI and the Future of Tax Work1:07:06 Building Visibility on LinkedIn1:08:22 Perplexity Computer AI Agent1:09:05 AI Automation From Bank Statements to Tax Returns1:12:06 AI Anxiety in the Accounting Profession 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 20m

  6. MAR 2

    587 The Best Accounting Firm Workflows for DEADLINES [How bookkeeping and tax firms solve for bottlenecks]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I break down how accounting firms can better manage busy season bottlenecks and client expectations during peak work periods. I walk through how bookkeeping and tax firms typically evolve their workflow systems over time and why proactive communication with clients can prevent status-check chaos. I also roast cleanup bookkeeping as a business model, explain why it is often the worst work to take on, and share better ways to scope and price it. The episode wraps with a mailbag covering firm growth breakpoints, niching into small solopreneurs, hiring trial day tests, and practical video production tips. 📄 Here’s a link to some of those example docs https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bVm4_PMNm7aE6l7HC1WZqyB4Ti2jEdXZ?usp=sharing 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsSoraban: https://www.soraban.com/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 2m

  7. FEB 26

    586 First Impressions: Claude Cowork for Accounting Firms [Is this the most powerful AI agent for accountants?]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968!📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I break down what AI agents actually mean for accounting firms after hands on testing with Claude Cowork and OpenClaw, including real bookkeeping and tax experiments that changed my perspective. I cover what is possible today, where the security boundaries still are, and why the pace of change matters. Then I run through a Niche of the Week on high end custom jewelry designers and close with a mailbag on AI use cases, pricing tiers, starting a firm, and managing career decisions in an AI driven world. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's SponsorsSoraban: https://www.soraban.com/TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/Verito: https://verito.com/Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social!X https://twitter.com/jasononfirmsLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 24m

  8. FEB 23

    585 The Magic 3:1 Ratio in Accounting Firms [Avoid this type of growth at all costs]

    🚀 Get smarter faster by learning with other firm owners: https://www.rlz.io/ 📩 Want a simple way to keep up with accounting firm and AI? I break it down every week in my newsletter: https://www.jasononfirms.com/newsletter ☎️ Leave me a voicemail at (1)516-980-4968! 📧 Email me! jason@jasononfirms.com In this episode, I share a simple framework for deciding whether to keep hiring or intentionally contract, centered on tightening your client revenue band, narrowing your services so they are easier to systematize, and building distribution so you can specialize. I apply it to a real bookkeeping firm that feels overstaffed and stuck on pricing, and I close with mailbag answers on buying a book of business, letting go of legacy clients, charging for consults, finding first clients, and positioning a niche before you have ideal case studies. 🎤 I’m going live! We’ll announce new dates and cities. Stay tuned for the presale 🔥 Here’s that Roast-My-Firm intake form: https://airtable.com/appZ7dtNz3oaTWWZT/shrybn5166E9t12ag 📚 A curated list of the apps I actually use and recommend: https://www.jasononfirms.com/apps 💰 Today's Sponsors Soraban: https://www.soraban.com/ TeamUp: https://www.hireteamup.com/ Verito: https://verito.com/ Financial Cents: https://hubs.li/Q03mLr_x0 Use code Jason10 to receive 10% off the Team or Scale annual plan for firms with 2+ users 🗣️ Continue the discussion on social! X https://twitter.com/jasononfirms LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@jasoncpa

    1h 10m
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4.7
out of 5
64 Ratings

About

I'm Jason Staats, and on this podcast we talk through practical tips to run more profitable, calm accounting firms

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Staats
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    592
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mesa Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Jason On Firms Podcast

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