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Building a Successful International Tax Practice: Lessons from Japan

Blake Oliver · January 28, 2025 ·

Nearing his 30th birthday, California CPA and former English teacher Eric Azevedo found himself at a career crossroads. Having spent years in rural Japan teaching English, he longed for a profession with greater stability and higher earning potential. Rather than pursuing law school as he once planned—or even a career in software—Eric ultimately chose accounting. Little did he know that studying at California community colleges for the CPA Exam would pave the way for a thriving international tax practice serving American expatriates across Japan.

In a recent interview on the Earmark Podcast, Eric opened up about his unique journey from philosophy major to accounting professional, revealing the practical realities of working in a different culture and navigating complex dual-tax systems.

From Santa Monica College to Tokyo: A Career-Changer’s Leap

Eric’s decision to become a CPA began when he returned to California after several years in Japan. Enrolling at Santa Monica College and Irvine Valley College, he completed the accounting courses required to sit for the CPA Exam—often taking advantage of online classes to balance work and study. Within about four years of taking his very first accounting class, Eric earned his license.

Opportunity knocked almost immediately: a single Skype interview led to a job offer at a Tokyo-based firm. Eric moved back to Japan on short notice, eager to gain experience in both U.S. and Japanese tax systems.

Bridging Two Tax Systems—And Two Cultures

Once in Tokyo, Eric encountered very different tax structures.

The United States is one of only two countries in the world—alongside Eritrea—with a citizenship-based tax system. Americans living in Japan must still file U.S. tax returns, including complex forms like 5471 (for owners of foreign companies) and FBAR (for foreign bank accounts over $10,000). Meanwhile, most Japanese rarely file returns at all—employers handle year-end payroll adjustments.

Understanding these differences—and guiding clients through them—is now Eric’s specialty.

Cultivating Cultural Fluency

Eric says that in Japan, communication styles tend to be less direct. Understanding when and how to speak up can determine whether a meeting proceeds smoothly or grinds to a halt.

Audits tend to be less adversarial. Eric says, “If you push too hard, you risk prolonging the process. It’s about staying polite and finding a solution.” This contrasts with the more confrontational style some CPAs experience in U.S. audits.

“I’m basically the only American in the office,” Eric says. “We have staff from Korea, China, the Philippines—all with a focus on serving foreign residents. It’s important to adapt culturally to make clients comfortable.” (Since our interview, Eric’s firm has added another US accountant to the team.)

Regarding the work culture, Eric’s firm’s founder intentionally avoided “salaryman” traditions of endless overtime and obligatory after-work gatherings, making the environment more appealing to foreign hires.

Life in Rural Japan: Remote Work, Bullet Trains, and Big Windows

After eight years in Tokyo, Eric relocated to the countryside. He now works as a contract employee for his old firm while also handling his own U.S. tax clients. Living among forests and mountains, he’s built a home office full of natural light—complete with high-speed internet that makes remote work seamless.

Commute: Eric travels to Tokyo twice a month, taking a 70-minute ride on the bullet train.
Daily Routine: A self-described “not super early riser,” Eric starts his workday around 9 or 10 a.m., relying on video calls and remote access to firm software.
Nature & Wildlife: Bears and wild boars roam nearby—quite a change from Eric’s Tokyo apartment.
Cultural Hobbies: Weekends are reserved for hobbies and relaxation; onsens (hot springs) are among Eric’s favorite escapes.

Fees, Growth, and Training the Next Generation

Eric’s firm charges fixed fees aligned with client revenue, reflecting typical local practice. For his U.S. expat services, he charges per form but keeps fees moderate—aware that many expats must file only because of America’s unique rules.

Word of mouth has fueled steady growth. He’s now training a colleague—a Chinese national finishing her U.S. CPA credentials—to handle returns for more straightforward clients. This arrangement frees Eric for higher-complexity cases while positioning the practice for further expansion.

“I don’t advertise,” Eric explains. “Clients tend to find me through referrals. My challenge is managing time and figuring out how to scale.”

Advice for Prospective Expat CPAs

For aspiring accountants who are interested in working abroad, Eric’s journey serves as a valuable guide:

Focus on Fundamentals First: Attaining a U.S. CPA license can be done flexibly through community college coursework and exam prep—even if you’re overseas.
Leverage Your Language Skills: Fluency in the local language is invaluable. Eric’s Japanese helped him land work in Tokyo more easily.
Adapt to Local Norms: Understand that professional etiquette, social expectations, and communication styles vary greatly. Listen first, then speak.
Stay Open to Opportunity: Eric’s entire career launched from one Skype call and a willingness to move back to Japan on short notice.

Making the Most of Japan: Travel Tips

Whether you plan to work in Japan or just visit, Eric recommends:

Tokyo: An endless array of districts, restaurants, and cultural sites.
Historic Towns: Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture offers a glimpse into samurai-era architecture.
Onsen Retreats: For a restorative experience, explore hot spring destinations off the beaten path.
Autumn Visits: Fall foliage in rural Japan rivals any scenic backdrop, and cooler weather makes the onsen even more inviting.

Conclusion: Merging Cultures, Mastering Tax

Eric Azevedo’s journey proves that building a successful international tax practice requires more than technical knowledge. Cultural competence, flexible communication, and a willingness to adapt to new ways of doing business are critical. In navigating both U.S. expat tax complexities and Japan’s distinct work culture, Eric shows how melding two worlds can create a uniquely rewarding career path.

To hear Eric’s full story listen to his interview on the Earmark Podcast.

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.

The Future of Financial Reporting Is Already Here – And It’s Automated

Blake Oliver · January 27, 2025 ·

If you’re like most accountants, you spend countless hours updating spreadsheets, reconciling data between systems, and generating financial statements. Month-end close often involves manual data entry, copying and pasting, and time-consuming validation checks. However, recent advancements in automation tools mean those days may be numbered.

During a recent Earmark Expo webinar, G-Accon showcased how its Google Sheets add-on integrates seamlessly with cloud accounting platforms like QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks, and Sage. The demo highlighted a new era of accounting workflows—one in which real-time synchronization, automated data processing, and detailed reporting can dramatically reduce manual effort and give accountants more time for higher-value advisory work.

Below are the biggest insights from the live demonstration—and how they could reshape your month-end process.

Automated Reporting & Dynamic Templates

One of the standout features is how G-Accon handles financial reporting without storing any data on its own servers. Each time you refresh a report, G-Accon reaches directly into your accounting platform to pull in current numbers. By relying on live data, accountants always see the most up-to-date figures.

But the real magic lies in the template-based system. Rather than manually reconfiguring date ranges or reapplying custom formulas each time, you can define a structure once and let G-Accon handle the rest. Need to show net profit margin or custom KPIs on the P&L? No problem. Create the formula once, and it stays anchored even when new rows (like newly created accounts) appear.

“You don’t have to open each and every template,” explained G-Accon Chief Operating Officer Yelena Tretyakova. “You come here, change your formula in one place, and it updates everywhere.”

This means you can manage multiple sets of financial statements—like P&Ls, balance sheets, and cash flow statements—in a fraction of the time. Dynamic date ranges, color-coded negatives, and company logos can be baked right into your templates, giving clients professional-looking reports with zero repetitive effort.

Bulk Data Upload & Validation

Another common pain point is manual transaction entry. Whether you’re reclassifying expenses, correcting chart-of-accounts mappings, or posting large journal entries, uploading changes line by line is error-prone and labor-intensive.

G-Accon tackles this by allowing bulk uploads from Google Sheets to be directly uploaded to QuickBooks or other platforms. With one click, you can push thousands of lines—bills, invoices, journal entries, time activities—while G-Accon enforces validation rules. If the system detects an unbalanced journal entry, for instance, it flags the row and prevents erroneous data from ever reaching your GL.

You can also automate modifications in bulk. For example, if multiple transactions need a new class or department code, simply download them to a sheet, change the class code, and push them back. Each row’s status is tracked in real-time so you can see exactly which transactions were posted successfully.

“If you have errors because your debits and credits don’t balance, you’ll see that directly from QuickBooks,” Yelena noted. “You can go back, fix the row, and re-upload.”

Multi-Entity Consolidation & Intercompany Eliminations

For firms managing multiple clients—or businesses with multiple subsidiaries—the ability to consolidate is critical. G-Accon supports multi-entity consolidation by pulling data from all connected organizations, unifying it in Google Sheets, and even converting foreign currency amounts where needed.

Crucially, it also supports intercompany eliminations and grouping of accounts. If entities use different account names or numbering conventions, G-Accon lets you create elimination rules and group accounts under a shared heading (e.g., “Operating Expenses”). You can then generate consolidated P&Ls, balance sheets, and cash flow statements that neatly combine or exclude specific line items across multiple organizations.

“If you create new account codes in your chart of accounts, G-Accon picks that up automatically,” Yelena explained. “For multi-entity consolidation, you can map or group different accounts and then eliminate intercompany transactions.”

This streamlined approach removes a huge source of manual reconciliation and ensures you always have an accurate, real-time view of your organization as a whole.

Pre-Built KPI Dashboards

G-Accon also comes bundled with a set of pre-built KPI dashboards. With just a few clicks, you can stand up a visual snapshot of a company’s financial health, showing revenue, expenses, margins, and more. The underlying data is continuously refreshed from QuickBooks or other accounting systems, so these dashboards always display the latest numbers.

Best of all, these templates are fully customizable. You can add or edit charts, incorporate industry-specific metrics, or layer in additional Google Sheets formulas. Because everything lives in Sheets, you have the flexibility to adapt each dashboard to perfectly match client needs.

Workflow Automation & Detailed Logs

While automated reporting and bulk data uploads are huge time-savers, the workflow automation component ties it all together:

Scheduling: Set daily or hourly refresh intervals for reports.
Alerts: Configure custom triggers (e.g., email stakeholders if monthly expenses surpass $10,000).
Report Distribution: Automatically email dashboards or PDF statements to management or clients.
Backups: Generate snapshot backups of your Google Sheets file to preserve historical data.
Webhooks: If you want to connect with other applications or processes, G-Accon supports inbound/outbound hooks.

What’s more, G-Accon provides a detailed operations log showing every automated action taken. This means you can skip the frantic spreadsheet checks—simply look for “Success” or “Error” in the log to verify your tasks completed correctly.

“If you have 200 different reports, you’re not going to check each tab,” said Yelena. “You come here and see all actions in the log file.”

Real-World Use Cases & Pricing

Accountants use G-Accon for a wide variety of tasks, from month-end close to budgeting and forecasting. Franchise owners leverage multi-entity consolidation to handle dozens of stores; nonprofits integrate with QuickBooks to create advanced dashboards for board members; and businesses that run large volumes of transactions can bulk upload journal entries for year-end cleanups.

All features are included at every plan level. Pricing scales based on how many companies (entities) and users you need, so smaller firms can start affordably and expand without losing any functionality as they grow.

Move Beyond Manual Processes

Interested in exploring these automation capabilities further? Watch the entire Earmark Expo for a deep dive into G-Accon. You’ll see how easily you can move past traditional spreadsheet drudgery and deliver truly value-added advisory services to your clients.

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.