Earmark Team

Finders, Minders, and Grinders: Unlocking Your Accounting Firm’s Potential

Earmark Team · January 27, 2025 ·

Every accounting professional knows the dilemma: you’re expected to handle complex client relationships, ensure top-notch technical work, and juggle operational tasks—all at once. This all-in-one approach often leads to burnout, stunted growth, and high turnover.

Enter the “Finders, Minders, and Grinders” framework, a well-known model in professional services.

During a recent webinar, Mark Ferris of Panalitix explained how aligning each person’s natural personality with the right role can transform your practice. Instead of forcing everyone to “do it all,” you identify and empower:

Finders (relationship builders who generate new business),
Minders (managers who oversee processes and teams),
Grinders (technical experts who dive into the detailed work).

By putting people where they naturally excel, you reduce inefficiency, nurture talent, and build a more resilient firm. Below, we’ll explore how to apply this framework to create an environment where team members thrive, clients receive the best service possible, and your business can scale sustainably.

Why Matching Personalities and Roles Matters

When people consistently act against their natural inclinations, they burn out quickly. “If we act contrary to our natural inclination—our personality—it takes quite a lot of effort,” Mark Ferris explains. “That is tiring, and it’s not something we can keep up forever.”

Many traditional accounting practices mistakenly assume everyone can (and should) wear multiple hats equally well—reviewing hundreds of returns, leading team meetings, chasing new clients, and more. While some staffers can manage briefly, over time, misalignment in roles leads to errors, missed deadlines, and unhappy team members.

Skills vs. Personality: It’s crucial to separate learned skills (e.g., mastering new accounting software) from the deeper personality traits (e.g., being comfortable with negotiation or thriving in a structured environment). People can gain new technical skills, but asking a naturally reserved, detail-oriented accountant to spend most of their time selling may not succeed in the long run.

The Three Roles: A Balanced Trio

Successfully running an accounting firm means tapping into three core roles, each with distinct personality traits that maximize productivity and satisfaction.

Grinders

Focus on technical tasks like preparing returns, bookkeeping, complex compliance, or advisory projects.
Excel with structure and detailed rules, working methodically to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Often patient, diligent, and prefer minimal distractions when completing high-stakes work.

Minders

Oversee operations, manage workflow, and coach the team.
Share some qualities with Grinders—organized and detail-oriented—but also display strong people-management skills, diplomacy, and warmth.
Handle scheduling, capacity planning, and progress checks, ensuring that deadlines, quality standards, and budgets are met.

Finders

Excel at building relationships—both with current clients (for retention and upselling) and potential clients (for growth).
Socially confident, comfortable with change, and willing to engage in negotiations or tackle conflict head-on.
Key drivers of new business, strategic partnerships, and revenue expansion.

When these three roles blend smoothly, an accounting practice functions like a well-oiled machine: technical work is done right and on time, the team runs efficiently, and new business opportunities consistently flow in.

Putting the Framework into Practice: A Real-World Example

Mark Ferris illustrates how to structure an accounting firm around these roles, ensuring each group can handle about $1 million in annual fees before you replicate the model.

Production Team (Grinders)

Bookkeepers, accountants, or tax specialists focus on client work.
Supported by a Production Manager (Minder), who handles capacity planning, scheduling, and quality control.
A Senior Client Manager (Finder) focuses on nurturing client relationships, resolving issues, and spotting upsell opportunities.

Clear Role Distinctions

Administrative staff (e.g., office manager, client service coordinator) handles day-to-day tasks like data collection, engagement letters, or invoicing.
Each Production Team is shielded from distractions, so Grinders can do technical work, Minders can improve processes, and Finders can build strong client relationships.

Career Path Alignment

Team members see exactly how they could progress: a skilled Grinder with strong interpersonal skills might train to become a Finder; a Grinder who loves organizing and leading might transition into a Minder role.
Owners can also step into the role that suits them best—whether that’s business development (Finder) or operational leadership (Minder)—and delegate the rest.

With this structure, hitting $1 million in fees signals the formation of a second production group with its own Finder, Minder, and Grinders. This model avoids an unwieldy top-heavy partnership structure and instead grows in self-sufficient, scalable “pods.” As Mark notes, clearly showing these pathways and roles is critical for recruitment and retention—two huge pain points for many firms.

Taking a Business-Minded Approach

A crucial takeaway is to run your practice like a business:

Track Productivity: Understand how much of your Grinders’ time is billable, and ensure Minders have enough oversight bandwidth. Finders may have less billable work but drive overall firm revenue and strategic direction.
Measure Results: Regularly review profitability at the production-team level. Look for ways to optimize workflow, rebalance roles, or adjust pricing.
Plan for Growth: Once a team reaches capacity, replicate the structure. No need to weigh down the firm with too many partners at the top.

Self-Reflection for Leaders and Owners

Even if you’ve been “doing it all” for decades, it pays to pause and consider which responsibilities bring you the most satisfaction. You might discover you prefer Finder tasks—nurturing client relationships—while leaving day-to-day management to a dedicated Minder. Or maybe you truly enjoy the technical depth of the work (Grinder) but feel forced into too many sales meetings.

Realigning your own role can be transformational: you get to focus on what you do best, and you build a leadership team that covers every dimension of the business.

Additional Resources to Guide Your Transformation

Panalitix LearningHub: Mark Ferris’s organization offers a wide range of tools, templates, and short courses to help you implement the Finders, Minders, Grinders structure. You’ll find interview questions to hire the right personality type, training modules on capacity planning, and resources on workflow optimization.
Coaching & Mentoring: For firms wanting deeper guidance, Panalitix provides group coaching, one-on-one sessions, and specialized projects.
Free Webinar Replays: You can watch recordings (like the one linked above) for more detailed discussions of productivity tracking, org-chart design, and incentivizing your team.

The Path to a More Resilient Firm

Adopting the “Finders, Minders, and Grinders” model is about more than a neat organizational chart—it’s a mindset shift toward placing people where their talents shine. The result? More engaged employees, a better client experience, and an accounting practice that can grow without sacrificing service quality.

Whether you’re a solo practitioner looking to hire your first employee or a mid-sized firm aiming to double revenue, the framework helps you avoid the burnout trap and keeps your team energized. In an industry where talent is scarce and client expectations keep rising, this approach could be your edge.

Ready to dive deeper? Watch Mark Ferris’s full webinar replay to gain practical tips on structuring your teams, setting productivity targets, and charting clear career paths. Embrace this powerful framework, and set your accounting firm on a path to enduring success.

Maximizing Tax Savings with Defined Benefit and Cash Balance Plans

Earmark Team · January 27, 2025 ·

What if you could help your high-income business owner clients convert a $500,000+ tax liability into retirement wealth—while maintaining complete IRS compliance? That’s the power of defined benefit and cash balance plans, a strategy that many CPAs overlook but that can transform your clients’ financial futures.

In a recent webinar, David Podell of Business Benefits Consultants shared how strategically designed defined benefit plans can provide CPAs with a powerful tax optimization tool.

Identifying Ideal Clients

According to Podell, the best candidates for these plans are high-income business owners who:

Have consistent, significant profits
Are comfortable with their current income
Run companies with fewer than 50 employees
Have stable employee bases
Are currently overpaying in taxes
Have underoptimized retirement planning

With these criteria in mind, let’s see how these plans have delivered results for real businesses.

Real-World Success Stories

Podell illustrated how defined benefit and cash balance plans can help business owners significantly lower their tax liabilities while enhancing their retirement savings.

Case Study 1: Law Firm Achieves $874,000 Contribution

A small law firm with two partners experienced an unexpected surge in income after winning a significant case that awarded them a substantial fee—much larger than their typical annual earnings. Facing a hefty tax bill, they sought a strategy to minimize their tax liability while making the most of this financial windfall.

They consulted with Podell to explore their options. By implementing a customized defined benefit plan, they were able to contribute $874,000 toward their retirement, with $814,000 being deductible. Remarkably, 96% of this contribution was allocated directly to the two partners.

The plan was meticulously tailored to account for the partners’ differing ages and financial situations:

Partner A was older and closer to retirement, making it advantageous for him to maximize his retirement contributions.
Partner B was younger, with student loans and young children, and preferred to contribute a smaller amount.

“This was very specific and customized in the design,” explains Podell. “We adjusted the plan to reflect the age difference and individual needs of each partner. By doing so, we turned a potentially large tax burden into a significant retirement asset for them.”

The result was a win-win:

Immediate Tax Savings: The firm significantly reduced its taxable income for the year, saving hundreds of thousands in taxes.
Retirement Growth: The partners boosted their retirement savings without disrupting cash flow or day-to-day operations.

Case Study 2: Solo Attorney Maximizes 1099 Income

A solo attorney was earning a substantial W-2 salary from his primary employer while also generating significant 1099 income through consulting work. Faced with a hefty tax bill on his consulting earnings, he sought a strategy to mitigate his tax burden and enhance his retirement savings.

He approached Podell with a straightforward question: “What if I can put away all the 1099 money? How would this work?”

By implementing a customized defined benefit plan, the attorney contributed $105,000 entirely for his own benefit. This strategic move not only provided a significant tax deduction but also allowed him to convert his side income into a substantial retirement asset.

Case Study 3: Family Business Secures Nearly $1 Million Deduction

A family-owned enterprise, involving multiple entities and several family members, faced a significant tax burden due to high profitability. The business had a complex ownership structure, including two primary owners, a minority owner, and other family members employed within the company.

Seeking a solution to minimize taxes while benefiting the entire family, they consulted with David Podell. By designing a highly customized defined benefit plan, they were able to make a $948,000 deductible contribution, with 86% of the benefits allocated directly to the owners and participating family members.

Key aspects of the customized plan included:

Inclusive Design: The plan incorporated not just the main owners but also the minority owner and other family members, maximizing benefits across the family.
Age and Role Considerations: Adjustments were made based on the ages and roles of each family member to optimize retirement contributions where they were most needed.
Multiple Entities Coordination: The plan seamlessly integrated various business entities under the family’s control, ensuring compliance and optimal benefit distribution.

“We tried to maximize the family as best as possible, determining ages and everything else,” explains Podell. “We really created this in a way that was very customized.”

The outcomes were substantial:

Significant Tax Reduction: The nearly $1 million contribution substantially lowered the company’s taxable income, providing immediate tax savings.
Enhanced Retirement Benefits: Family members received considerable boosts to their retirement savings, strengthening their financial futures.
Unified Financial Strategy: The plan aligned the family’s financial interests, promoting cohesion and shared goals within the business.

This case exemplifies how defined benefit plans can be tailored to accommodate complex family businesses while turning substantial tax liabilities into valuable retirement assets.

Strengths: Flexibility and Customization

The success of these case studies stems largely from the inherent flexibility of defined benefit and cash balance plans. “Every single plan design is different,” notes Podell. “That is not the world of the 401(k); that is not the world of a SIMPLE or a SEP plan.”

Key considerations for implementing these plans include:

Plan Design Variations: Options like floor offset, new comparability, and cash balance designs can drastically affect outcomes.
Flexibility in Contributions: Plans can be adjusted annually to match business performance, with options to freeze or reduce contributions in lean years.
Coordination with Existing Plans: These strategies can often be layered on top of existing 401(k) plans without disruption.

While traditional plans may cap out at basic 401(k) limits, defined benefit plans can support pension balances up to $3.1 million per person, with annual tax savings often exceeding $100,000. For CPAs looking to deliver measurable value to clients, these numbers represent a compelling opportunity.

The impact of proper plan design cannot be overstated. Consider a young real estate investor who received three different plan proposals:

1. First design: Offered a $100,000 contribution—not insignificant, but far from optimal.

2. Second design: Increased the contribution to $140,000 through a cash balance approach with a 401(k) component.

3. Third design: Incorporating pre-funding and ancillary benefits, achieved a remarkable $216,000 contribution—more than double the initial proposal.

This dramatic range demonstrates why sophisticated plan design is crucial for maximizing client outcomes.

A Strategic Combination: Defined Benefit + Roth 401(k)

Beyond plan design, there’s another powerful strategy available to enhance the overall tax benefits.

While many business owners avoid Roth 401(k)s due to losing the tax deduction, pairing them with defined benefit plans creates powerful tax diversification.

When you’re already getting a $200,000+ deduction from your defined benefit plan, you can afford to make Roth contributions without the immediate tax benefit. This creates tax-free growth potential while controlling when and how taxes are paid—ideally during retirement when income levels and tax brackets may be lower.

Key Technical Considerations

While defined benefit plans offer powerful tax advantages, several important technical factors must be considered during implementation and ongoing management:

Plans should typically remain open 3-5 years minimum to minimize audit risk
For S-Corps, W-2 income levels are crucial for plan funding
Plans can work with multiple entities and control groups
Plans can be coordinated with existing 401(k)s without disruption

Given these technical complexities, successful implementation requires a coordinated effort among key professionals.

Implementing Success: The Team Approach

A successful defined benefit plan requires coordination among several professionals:

Tax advisor/CPA
Financial advisor
Record keeper
TPA/Actuary
Plan consultant

Consider working with a consultant who can quarterback this process, bringing together the necessary expertise while simplifying implementation for you and your clients.

By mastering this coordinated approach and becoming fluent in these sophisticated strategies, you can transform your practice and your client relationships.

Elevate Your Practice Through Strategic Planning

By mastering these advanced tax strategies, you can:

Deepen Client Relationships: Offering sophisticated planning sets you apart and fosters loyalty.
Attract High-Income Clients: Demonstrating expertise in significant tax-saving strategies can attract referrals.
Transform Your Role: Move from being a tax preparer to a strategic advisor who provides substantial, measurable value.

“Advice requires guiding your clients toward strategies that can improve their outcomes,” emphasizes Podell.

Ready to Transform Tax Outcomes?

Ready to explore defined benefit plans for your clients? Start by:

Reviewing your client list for those with $100,000+ in potentially pensionable income
Identifying business owners currently paying more in taxes than they’d like
Considering clients with existing retirement plans that might benefit from optimization
Reaching out to a qualified consultant to explore specific client situations

The difference between an ordinary retirement plan and an optimized defined benefit strategy can mean hundreds of thousands in tax savings for your clients—and a transformed advisory relationship for your practice.

Watch the full webinar to explore how you can implement these plans and transform your practice.

Uncover the Strategy That Turns Extended Leave into an Innovation Opportunity

Earmark Team · January 26, 2025 ·

When two team members announce overlapping maternity leaves, many firms would anticipate a major disruption. But when that scenario played out at Dillon Business Advisors, something remarkable happened: team efficiency improved, profitability rose, and the firm discovered innovative ways to serve its clients.

In a recent episode of the Who’s Really the Boss podcast, Lezlie Reeves, Fractional CFO at Dillon Business Advisors, discussed with hosts Rachel and Marcus Dillon how the firm transformed what could have been a significant operational challenge into a catalyst for growth. With a team of 15 employees serving numerous clients, extended employee leaves often spell strained client relationships and overwhelmed staff—issues many CPA firm owners know all too well.

Yet through methodical documentation, systematic training, and strategic role delegation, Dillon Business Advisors didn’t just maintain their service levels—they raised them. Their experience offers valuable lessons for any firm looking to build more resilient teams and sustainable growth.

Building the Foundation: Systematic Documentation

Before team members announced their leaves, Dillon Business Advisors had already laid the essential groundwork. They recognized a common issue in accounting firms: too much vital knowledge residing in employees’ heads.

“Many of our CSMs do such a great job, but a lot of things would live in their head,” explains Lezlie. “If they needed to be out or someone left unexpectedly, they were not covered.”

Their solution was straightforward: using Excel templates and Vimeo recordings, the team documented every client’s comprehensive workflow—from daily tasks and weekly responsibilities to monthly financial preparation and client contact details. Rather than creating more administrative burdens, they integrated documentation into normal processes: recording videos during actual client work and updating Excel templates in real-time.

The team had previously solved for password management by implementing Practice Protect, ensuring secure access to client systems wouldn’t become a bottleneck during employee absences and exits.

This foundation of systematic documentation paid off when employees announced their leaves. Instead of scrambling to capture processes and procedures, the firm focused on strategic preparation and training. It’s a powerful reminder that the best time to document critical workflows is before you need them.

Methodical Training: The Key to Seamless Transitions

With documentation in place, Dillon Business Advisors turned their attention to training team members over six to eight months.

The training began with basic daily tasks before progressing to specific client work. To avoid overwhelming both the trainers and the trainee, they introduced five clients at a time. This paced approach allowed the CSM Assistants to gain confidence with one cluster of clients before moving on.

“If you’ve ever trained someone, you know it is exhausting to train while you’re working,” Lezlie says.

To address this, the firm distributed training responsibilities across multiple team members instead of burdening a single trainer with 40 hours of instruction. Each group of clients followed a three-month progression:

1. Month One: The CSM Assistant shadowed the CSM.

2. Month Two: The CSM Assistant handled the work with the CSM shadowing.

3. Month Three: The CSM Assistant worked independently with support available.

By the time employees went on leave, their replacements were fully prepared and confident—a stark contrast to common last-minute handovers.

From Disruption to Opportunity: Strategic Role Distribution and Unexpected Benefits

Rather than assigning all responsibilities to controllers, Dillon Business Advisors strategically divided tasks. The CSM Assistant handled bank feeds, reconciliations, journal entries, and financial preparation, while controllers managed client communication, tax filings, and payroll. This balance prevented any team member from becoming overloaded and ensured critical deadlines were met.

An unexpected bonus soon emerged.

“One added benefit we’ve had is with the client service manager assistant and the controller stepping in on different tasks—they’re just putting a different set of eyes on things,” Lezlie notes. “They can reevaluate, maybe trying new ways of doing things.”

These fresh perspectives resulted in process improvements across multiple clients. Team efficiency grew, and rather than seeing a dip in profits during the leave periods, the firm saw an increase in profitability. When the team members returned from leave, they even requested to continue assistant support because it had enhanced their ability to serve clients effectively.

What began as a workaround for extended leave transformed into a sustainable model for growth, enabling the firm to create capacity without hiring more full-time CSMs. This led to more efficient workflows and improved profitability overall.

Turning Challenge into Opportunity

What started as leave preparation became a catalyst for enduring change at Dillon Business Advisors. Through systematic documentation, methodical training, and strategic role delegation, they not only maintained client service—but improved it.

By viewing extended leave not as an unavoidable disruption but as an opportunity for growth, accounting firms can build more resilient teams, streamline workflows, and create new paths for expansion.

Want to learn more about how Dillon Business Advisors transformed their approach to employee leave management? Listen to the full episode of the Who’s Really the Boss podcast for deeper insights and practical tips you can implement in your firm.

Rachel and Marcus Dillon, CPA, own a Texas-based, remote client accounting and advisory services firm, Dillon Business Advisors, with a team of 15 professionals. Their latest organization, Collective by DBA, supports and guides accounting firm owners and leaders with firm resources, education, and operational strategy through community, groups, and one-on-one advisory.

Why Top CPAs Embrace Strategic Productivity Over Time Management

Earmark Team · January 26, 2025 ·

Every accounting professional has the same 24 hours each day, yet some feel perpetually behind while others run efficient, profitable practices—and still have time to enjoy life. According to Mark Ferris of Panalitix, the difference often lies in how purposefully you structure your organization, communicate with teams and clients, and focus on high-value work.

In a recent webinar, Mark shares that moving beyond old-school time management toward “strategic productivity” involves three steps: (1) establishing effective organizational systems, (2) improving communication, and (3) refining individual mindset.

1. Establishing Effective Organizational Systems

Mark explains that “business is a team sport,” and even sole practitioners must consider how clients and contractors interact with their workflows. He emphasizes the importance of delegation and role clarity as the bedrock of effective time management. You can determine which tasks genuinely demand your expertise by identifying your workload in categories—administration, operations, production (basic vs. complex), management, client relationships, business development, and leadership.

He notes that using an organizational chart and job descriptions “prevents you from doing tasks that don’t require your specialized knowledge,” freeing up time to deliver advisory work or focus on firm growth. Mark also points out that routine procedures (such as client onboarding, payroll, and tax preparation) are best systematized via checklists. These checklists “ensure consistency and make delegation easier,” which allows key leaders to dedicate more attention to top-level strategy and client relationships.

According to Mark, strong key performance indicators (KPIs) bring structure and accountability to a practice. “Whether you track turnaround times, gross margin, client satisfaction, or productivity hours,” he says, “everyone should know how success is measured.”

He further highlights the importance of a consistent meeting cadence. In Mark’s view, “a daily huddle of 10–15 minutes can drastically reduce confusion,” because participants share top priorities, key metrics, and obstacles. He also recommends scheduling weekly or monthly meetings around production planning, marketing, or strategy and documenting actions so that discussions move the firm forward.

2. Improving Communication

“Email isn’t going away,” Mark emphasizes, “so we need smarter systems so it doesn’t run our lives.” One of his core recommendations is batching your inbox—setting specific times each day to tackle emails. He adds that if you open an email, “respond, delegate, or archive it immediately” rather than letting it linger.

To further prevent inbox overload, Mark recommends sharing documents in a central repository instead of sending attachments back and forth. He also highlights the value of a speed culture and response policies, noting that “slow response often undermines a client’s trust.” Setting a standard turnaround time (such as 24 hours for routine inquiries) and prioritizing A-list clients keeps projects on track and clients happy.

Mark advocates designating meeting-free zones each week to make headway on complex projects. “A day without meetings gives you uninterrupted time to focus,” he explains, “and it’s amazing how much more you can accomplish when you’re not constantly switching tasks.”

3. Refining Individual Mindset

Mark challenges practitioners to avoid the trap of filling newly freed-up time with more tasks. “What’s the point of being more productive,” he asks, “if we just keep piling on work until we burn out?” Instead, he advises using calendar blocking and setting deadlines to combat Parkinson’s Law—“work expands to fill the time available.” When you define strict time frames for tasks, you’re less likely to waste energy.

He highlights the value of chronotypes, referencing Daniel Pink’s research, and encourages CPAs to schedule complex tasks when their energy naturally peaks. This goes hand in hand with deep work concepts (from Cal Newport), where one to three hours of distraction-free concentration “dramatically boost both output and quality.”

Pointing to the idea of slow productivity, Mark urges professionals not to equate constant rushing with true progress. “By focusing on quality over quantity,” he notes, “you actually achieve more while protecting yourself from burnout.” He shares several stress-busting tips—like walking breaks, breathing exercises, or simply looking away from screens periodically.

The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) also applies. Mark observes that “20% of your clients may be consuming 80% of your time,” despite not contributing meaningful revenue. He recommends offloading or restructuring those relationships so you can invest energy in A-list clients who value your services and are open to additional services or advisory work.

Bringing It All Together

According to Mark, practicing “strategic productivity” means joining organizational structure, communication mastery, and a focused personal mindset. Whether your goal is to take on higher-level advisory, grow your firm, or simply have more control over your schedule, implementing these strategies can help you work smarter instead of harder.

He suggests picking one or two techniques—such as instituting a daily huddle or revamping your inbox routine—and taking immediate action. Mark stresses the importance of documenting and sharing any new policies, checklists, or workflows so that “everyone is on the same page, and no one reverts to old habits.”

Mark also recommends exploring further resources, including short courses, events, and learning materials offered by Panalitix, which provide deeper dives into email management, leadership development, and operational process improvements.
To learn more about Mark’s approach and see these strategies in action, watch the full webinar, where he provides step-by-step advice for applying each concept. Get ready to discover how small, purposeful changes can free your time, delight your clients, and bring greater satisfaction to your accounting practice.

Why a Smaller Client Base Helped This Firm Accelerate Revenue

Earmark Team · January 22, 2025 ·

What if growing your accounting firm meant intentionally serving fewer clients? While this strategy may sound counterintuitive, one firm discovered a leaner client roster was the secret to success: they grew from $2 million to $3 million in revenue while reducing their client base from 2,400 clients to just over 100.

In a recent episode of the Who’s Really the BOSS? podcast, Rachel and Marcus Dillon shared how their firm achieved this transformation over the past seven years. Instead of endlessly pursuing higher client volumes and ever-expanding tech stacks, they prioritized building a scalable infrastructure and preserving a strong culture—an approach that might turn traditional assumptions about firm growth upside down.

Rethinking Growth: Less Can Be More

2017, Dillon Business Advisors brought in an average of $2M annually in revenue from 2,400 tax clients—what many would view as a thriving practice. But despite its profitability, this high-volume model came with challenges. Tax work accounted for 80% of revenue, leading to heavy accounts receivable cycles and intense tax seasons that strained the team and its infrastructure.

In a bold and seemingly paradoxical move, the firm began strategically exiting large blocks of clients.

“We exited blocks of clients that equated to more than $1 million of revenue,” Marcus explains. “And that growth from $2 million to $3 million while exiting clients was very hard.”

This shift required restructuring leadership, implementing new processes, and thoroughly rethinking client service. Along the way, the Dillons solidified the philosophy that true, lasting growth depends on establishing a solid base first—before taking on new business.

Today, the firm supports about 100 monthly clients and 10 to 15 family groups, generating $3M in revenue, with 75% arriving through monthly recurring revenue. This deliberate, high-value approach replaced the burn-and-churn cycle of their previous volume-focused model.

Building a Scalable Foundation

Armed with lessons from their challenging transition, the Dillons focused on building infrastructure through two main channels: technology consolidation and process refinement.

Streamlining Technology

Instead of adding more applications, the firm focused on maximizing its core technology stack.

“Your client base and where you’re at revenue-wise should drive the processes and the technology you use, not the opposite way around,” says Marcus.

While the average accounting firm might rely on 30 different apps, Dillon Business Advisors consolidated. Rather than deploying specialized reporting tools, they maximized features in their existing software. They also merged communication platforms, moving their phone system to Zoom to unify it with their video conferencing solution.

Perfecting Processes Before Automating

Dillon Business Advisors applied the same philosophy to refining operational processes, especially for onboarding new clients. The firm adopted a “team of three” model—assigning a client service manager, controller, and CFO to guide each client’s onboarding. Before adding automation, they made sure the manual process ran smoothly.

“We had to look at the process and figure out exactly what we needed to solve for,” explains Rachel. “And then we chose the technology to put in that place.”

As a result, the team now completes a full client onboarding—including bookkeeping setup, tax review and proforma, and initial financial reporting—in just two to three weeks, all without sacrificing service quality for existing clients.

Cultivating Culture for Sustainable Growth

Alongside technology and process refinement, the Dillons knew preserving firm culture was vital for sustainable expansion. They introduced two key strategies: creating development paths for existing staff and adopting a culture-first approach to acquisitions.

Developing Internal Leadership

In mid-2024, Dillon Business Advisors launched a Subject Matter Expert (SME) program, enabling employees to grow their leadership skills without changing roles. SMEs receive extra compensation for staying up-to-date on industry changes and mentoring team members in specific areas like payroll, tax, or QuickBooks Online.

“They don’t have to move to a different role within the firm,” Rachel says, “And they don’t have to look outside the firm to work on their leadership development.”

This initiative helped the firm retain top talent while cultivating deep in-house expertise.

Culture-First Acquisitions

Their cultural focus also shapes the firm’s acquisition strategy. Rather than scooping up just any practice, the Dillons specifically target sub-$1 million firms with teams of five or fewer. Cultural alignment, not potential revenue, drives their decisions.

“We definitely want to maintain everything we’ve built at DBA and not dissolve into another brand or another culture,” Marcus adds.

Applying these selective criteria ensures each new addition strengthens rather than dilutes the firm’s carefully nurtured culture.

Conclusion: Build First, Then Grow

Dillon Business Advisors’ evolution from a sprawling 2,400-client roster to a specialized firm illustrates that growth isn’t just about scaling up in size. By consolidating technology, refining processes, and investing in culture, they’ve built a more profitable and resilient business model that runs on monthly recurring revenue rather than seasonal peaks.

For firm owners looking to grow more sustainably, the Dillons recommend building the foundation first. Then, when your people, processes, and technology are in place, growth can happen without the chaos that often accompanies rapid expansion.

For deeper insights into these strategies, listen to the full episode of the Who’s Really the BOSS? podcast. The Dillons share practical, real-world guidance for any firm owner on a growth journey.