The New Faces of Accounting

Source: Accounting Today

This article, by Gale Crosley, is the first in a series featuring CPAs who are the face of “the New Accounting.” According to Crosley, these innovators may well effect significant and lasting changes in the accounting industry.

Crosley explains that there is a trend of CPAs who are approaching their practices much differently than their predecessors. The new CPAs of the New Accounting have – not surprisingly – new perspectives.

New CPAs: 

• See themselves as entrepreneurs and consultants, rather than as accounting practitioners.
• Depend heavily on technology, which enables them to serve clients globally.
• Embrace casual work attire.
• Bring innovation to their work.
• Are open to new business models and value-based pricing.
• Depend on experience and market understanding more than on formal specialty training.
• Have experienced the traditional firm and believe they can do it better.
• Are dedicated to discerning and delivering what clients really want.
• Are willing to work together.
• Do not have an allegiance to traditional methods they perceive to be ineffective. 

One of the new breed of CPAs is Jason Blumer, who operates his own virtual firm from his home in South Carolina. Blumer's team of six is focused on accounting, tax, payroll and business consulting for digital design firms.

Blumer's firm embraces ideas such as:

• Work, creativity, and fun go together.
• Developing new services is a priority.
• Value-based pricing.
• Monthly bank drafts rather than paper invoices.
• Choosing clients whose business needs as well as beliefs and values will make them a good match for the firm.
• Finding the value the firm can bring to clients and delivering it.

Blumer is the founder of Thriveal.com, a community that encourages an innovative, creative, fun, experimental approach to accounting.

For the complete article, read “Meet the Innovators: A new breed of CPA demands to be noticed.”

From Accounting Today, August 1, 2014, www.accountingtoday.com.