Future Firm Inc.

Future Firm provides free content, coaching, education, and community to busy, modern accountants who want to run a firm that allows them to earn more and work less.

For free content, head to: https://futurefirm.co/

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To quickly systematize your firm so that you're earning more and working less, head here: https://futurefirmaccelerate.com/

Founder

Botkeeper

Strategic Advisor

Xen Accounting

*Acquired by the Equiom Group on Nov. 1, 2018*

Xen Accounting is a 100% online professional accounting firm whose purpose is to provide easy, automated & paperless online accounting services to small businesses across Canada. Customers receive an all-inclusive plan that combines accounting services, cloud accounting apps and fast support from a team of tech-savvy accounting professionals.

Since 2013, Xen Accounting has been seen as a thought leader in the accounting space in Canada. Featured continuously in the press, selected to be on Intuit’s Accountant Council in 2015 and becoming the first accounting firm in Canada to accept bitcoins as payment, Xen Accounting is constantly looking to break the mold of what an accounting firm would look like in the digital age.

For more information, please check out www.xenaccounting.com or our Twitter handle @XenAccounting.

Founder & CEO

Techvibes.com

Writer

Minogue Medical Inc.

Assistant Controller

Reinblatt & Co. LLP

Senior Accountant

I scaled and sold a 7-figure accounting firm in 5 years. Now, through my Future Firm newsletter, I'm giving 9,500+ firm owners the tactics, templates, and frameworks I used to do it.

When I sold my firm, our financial statements had to be audited by a Big 4 firm. And the customer experience I received was... not great. 
 
Here were the 4 big problems I noticed (and how you can avoid them with your own clients): 
 
1️⃣ Remote meetings were not permitted (kind of). 
 
I wanted our initial meeting to be remote. But the auditing firm insisted we meet in-person at my office. 
 
Solution: If your client prefers remote meetings, and there's no real reason to meet in-person -- have the meeting remote. 
 
2️⃣ They didn't review the documentation I shared with them. 
 
Prior to our (in-person) meeting, the firm requested some extensive documentation from me. 
 
I submitted it the same day. 
 
On the day of our meeting, I noticed the auditor was asking questions I had already provided the answer to within that documentation. 
 
I asked if she reviewed it. 
 
She hadn't. 
 
Solution: Take time to prepare for your client meetings. Don't make them repeat the same work twice. 
 
3️⃣ One of the auditors was late for our in-person meeting, and then... 
 
He called in. 
 
... to a meeting that they were initially adamant about having in-person. 
 
Solution: Show up on-time. Seems simple, but whether it's in-person or remote... 
 
The 10 minutes your client spends waiting on you to show up is 10 minutes they'll be thinking about all the other more productive things they could be doing.  
 
Not a great customer experience. 
 
4️⃣ Non-stop email requests 
 
I got countless email requests from countless different people -- all via email. 
 
It was a mess. 
 
Solution: Use a collaborative tool to gather the info you need. It centralizes everything and provides a much smoother customer experience. 
 
Ultimately, we finished the audit. The acquiring firm was happy with everything. And I sold my firm. 
 
... but the experience wasn't exactly pleasant. 🙂 
 
#accountingandaccountants

Ryan Lazanis, CPA

I give firm owners tactics & templates to work less + increase revenue at the same time

What impact does customer experience have on business success?

Learn more about the Big 4 auditing firms

How can remote meetings enhance client interactions?

Working doesn't always look like working. 
 
Last week, I solved one of our big challenges at Future Firm while on an afternoon run. 
 
Don't be afraid to step away from the computer. It's not going anywhere.

There are a lot of bad accounting firm websites out there. 
 
(Hopefully yours isn't one of them 😉) 
 
Here's one major difference between "bad" firm websites and good ones: 
 
Bad websites focus on the company. 
 
"We have been in business for 23 years. We were founded by John Doe. Blah blah blah." 
 
The misconception is that potential clients want to hear about your firm. 
 
... they don't. 
 
Instead, they want to hear how you can help THEM. 
 
Which is why good firm websites focus on the client. 
 
Here's an example from a firm I reference often, Iconac: 
 
"We’ll take care of business so you can leave your mark. Get a pain-free accounting and tax solution tailored specifically for the entertainment industry." 
 
Yes, there's a mention of the firm & the services they provide... 
 
But it is quickly and directly tied to the benefit for the client: 
 
"... so you can leave your mark..." 
 
"pain-free... specifically for the entertainment industry." 
 
It's counterintuitive -- but your client should be the focus of your website, not your firm. 
 
#marketing #accountingandaccountants

Fun fact: 
 
My father was an entrepreneur. 
 
He owned a print shop. And he was one of the hardest working people I've ever known. 
 
It's at least a little ironic that his son has started two 100% paperless businesses. Lol.

How does entrepreneurship impact business success?

What are the benefits of running paperless businesses?

What role do print shops play in the business industry?

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Wanna know the biggest difference between: 
 
The most productive firm owners I know vs. The least productive firm owners I know? 
 
Here it is: 
 
The most productive firm owners go into each day with a plan. 
 
They know the biggest 1-3 tasks they have to tackle. 
 
The least productive firm owners I know go into each day hoping for the best. 
 
They believe it's their job to put out fires. So that's what they do. 
 
At the end of the day, most (but not all) of the fires are out... 
 
But if you ask them what they've actually accomplished... 
 
They'll struggle to give an answer. 
 
Your job is to move the firm forward. Not put out fires. 
 
Go into each day with a plan -- not just hope. 
 
#accountingandaccountants

I used to struggle a LOT with delegation (and still do sometimes).  
 
But as the CEO of a small team, I've improved a lot over the past 5 years. 
 
Here's one of the biggest changes I've made: 
 
I am continuously coaching our team. 
 
Instead of simply doing the work and moving it off my plate as quickly as possible... 
 
I take extra time to record a Loom video coaching the team members involved about: 
 
✅ How I approach the task 
✅ Why I approach it this way 
✅ The specific steps necessary to complete the task appropriately 
 
Yes, this DOES take longer (in the short-term) than simply doing the work myself. 
 
But in the long-term... 
 
It both removes work from my plate AND upskills our team in the process. 
 
Delegation isn't a switch you can flip on and off. It's process. 
 
And that process takes time. 
 
Be patient. Think long-term. 
 
#leadership #management #productivity

The 1st step to a better work-life balance isn't increasing your prices. 
 
It's not standardizing your services, either. 
 
It's actually much simpler (yet somehow harder too): 
 
Calendar block 30 minutes every day to work ON your firm, not in it. 
 
It's very simple. Yet very few people actually do it. 
 
Why?  
 
Because when you're overworked, the last thing you want to do is add 30 more minutes of work to your plate. 
 
But this is the only way I know of to actually get off the hamster wheel. 
 
30 minutes per day may not seem like much, but it compounds quickly. 
 
3.5 hours per week 
 
14 hours per month 
 
Let's say it takes 30 minutes to record a Loom video and turn it into an SOP using ChatGPT. 
 
After just a few months, you'll be surprised at how different your firm looks. 
 
#accountingandaccountants #productivity #delegation

A lot of firm owners are afraid of "putting their foot down" with clients. 
 
They fear that, if they do, the client will get mad and leave. 
 
Sometimes that happens. But often, it doesn't. That's because... 
 
If you've been providing a high-value service for clients, and they genuinely need it... 
 
They're likely more afraid of losing you than you are them (even if they don't realize it). 
 
And while they may not love the idea of paying more, they'll do it... 
 
They'll value the service more... 
 
And the relationship will improve.

Offshoring is such a massive trend right now that everyone is taking advantage. 
 
While you might already know that my entire 10+ team is offshore... 
 
I bet you didn't know that businesses such as fast-food chains in NYC are hiring virtual cashiers and offshoring the work to the Philippines!

What impact does offshoring have on businesses?

The #1 quality I look for in new team members is not skill. 
 
It’s humility. 
 
And there’s 1 interview question you can ask to test for it: 
 
"Tell about a time when you made a major mistake." 
 
Some may think this is an overplayed question. But there’s one distinction that many get wrong when asking it:  
 
You must know, before you ask, what a good / bad answer looks like. 
 
For me: 
 
A “pass” on this question is someone who takes complete blame for something they screwed up on. 
 
A “fail” is someone who passes the blame and looks for excuses. 
 
This is my go-to, do-or-die interview question. What’s yours? 
 
#accountingandaccountants #leadership

Future Firm is a media company. We produce lots of content. 
 
But some days... 
 
Producing content is the task I dread the most. Why? 
 
Because it's difficult. 
 
It's the reason you see YouTubers burn out. 
 
The constant demand to create something fresh and new and exciting and helpful and entertaining can be tough to manage. 
 
In fact... 
 
I'm still working out how to do that. 
 
And yet... 
 
I show up every week and create content for firm owners. 
 
Not because I'm a "content machine" (I'm not.) 
 
But because I know WHY this company exists: 
 
We're creating the resources I wished I'd had back when I was a firm owner. So other people don't have to go through the stressful, expensive, and time-consuming process I went through to build a scalable firm. 
 
The lesson? 
 
If you're finding it difficult to show up each day, develop your "Why Statement."  
 
Why are you doing the work you're doing? 
 
When you find an answer that lights you up, it makes things a lot easier. 
 
Not easy, but easiER ;)

What impact does a strong 'Why Statement' have on content creation?

What are the signs of burnout in content creators?

Here’s my #1 tip for your website: 
 
Do. 
 
Not. 
 
Write. 
 
Copy. 
 
For. 
 
Your. 
 
Website. 
 
Yourself. 
 
Most of the websites I see written by firm owners are straight-up terrible. 
 
They're wordy, filled with jargon, and do nothing to advance the sale. 
 
Your website should generate interest in what you do and serve as a tool to convert web visitors into leads who book a call with you. 
 
If you have no experience with writing persuasive copy, then save your time and outsource website copywriting to an expert. 
 
It'll cost you money, but you'll see more quality leads from it as a result. 
 
What do you think? 
 
Ever worked with a copywriter before? 
 
#accountingandaccountants #marketing

What impact do quality leads have on business growth?

How can a copywriter enhance website content?

Why is outsourcing website copywriting recommended?

When you document your processes, you can delegate & complete work much more easily. 
 
Here's the 4-step process to streamline and document all processes in your firm: 
 
1️⃣ Write down a list of all recurring tasks in your firm 
 
2️⃣ Prioritize improving the tasks in order of importance 
 
3️⃣ Document the task step-by-step next time the task is completed 
 
 
 
But here's the most important step... 
 
 
 
4️⃣ Outsource process documentation 
 
Firm owners hate working on process improvement (nor do they have the time). 
 
It's a very important part of your business, but yet it rarely gets done. 
 
Hire a COO, VA, or fractional COO... 
 
Get some help when it comes to process improvement in your firm. 
 
Don't do it yourself. 
 
#accountingandaccountants #leadership #management

Why is outsourcing process documentation crucial for firms?

How can a COO help streamline processes in a firm?

How does prioritizing tasks aid in process improvement?

Every year in early Spring, our family picks a Saturday morning and eats breakfast at a cabane à sucre (known in English as a “sugar shack”). 
 
If you've never heard of a sugar shack before, I'll explain: 
 
It’s where they tap raw maple syrup from trees (which is actually quite thin and watery)... 
 
Boil it down... 
 
And turn it into the golden goodness you pour on pancakes. 
 
Having breakfast at a cabane à sucre during Spring is a big event in Canada. 
 
And Spring is really the only time of year where you can do something like this. 
 
It's similar to running a firm. 
 
There are certain times where you have to put your head down and churn away at client files... 
 
And other times when you actually have the bandwidth to make improvements at the business level. 
 
Since many are at the end of tax season (or already finished), they're looking ahead to a time of year where they can actually make improvements in their firm. 
 
If that's you... 
 
You may want to check out my program, Future Firm Accelerate, where I provide a 6-step system to build an "autopilot" firm that can run without you. 
 
(Link in comments) 
 
P.S. The picture is maple syrup taffy :)

Getting a new client is great. 
 
But keeping an existing one is even better. 
 
Here are 5 concurrent strategies you can run to reduce client churn: 
 
1️⃣ Onboard clients smoothly 
 
If you screw up your client onboarding, it will leave a bad taste in their mouth, and they'll probably leave you at some point. 
 
2️⃣ Create a value-add monthly newsletter 
 
An email newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with your clients on a more scalable basis. 
 
The trick is that your emails should contain value, rather than just talking about yourself. 
 
3️⃣ Regularly communicate client wins 
 
Sales doesn't stop after your client is on-board. Sharing testimonials and case studies with your client base regularly shows that your firm is doing great things. 
 
4️⃣ Check-in frequently 
 
99% of firms don't proactively reach out to see how things are going with their clients. 
 
Check in regularly to create a closer relationship. 
 
5️⃣ Re-engage clients annually 
 
Make sure their needs are being addressed and upsell where appropriate. 
 
#accountingandaccountants #marketing

Worst interview question you've ever been asked?

Here's mine (from maybe 20 years ago)...

Interviewer: Do you like chocolate?

Me: Yes.

Interviewer: Why?

Me: Ummm... because it tastes good?

Needless to say, I didn't get the job. Maybe I didn't answer that question properly? 😁

One of our most successful marketing channels at Future Firm is our partnerships. 
 
Yet this is a marketing channel many people overlook. 
 
And it's understandable: 
 
Partnerships are built on relationships. They take time. 
 
They are not a "quick win" tactic. 
 
But the results can be huge. 
 
Most of our partnerships at Future Firm involve content creation -- which we get paid for. 
 
And we typically gain hundreds of subscribers from our partners' audiences. 
 
In return, we help them develop authority in the market... 
 
And they gain hundreds of subscribers from our audience. 
 
You can do something similar with your firm: 
 
Find organizations that would benefit from your expertise… 
 
And offer to create some form of content for them to share your expertise with their audience. 
 
This could be a webinar, Q&A call, podcast appearance, blog post, etc. 
 
They’ll get to help their audience with a complex topic… 
 
And you’ll get access to that audience while positioning yourself as an expert who can solve their problems. 
 
… and ideally, pitching your services a little bit too ;) 
 
If you’re patient and approach them correctly… 
 
Partnerships can be huge wins, with long-lasting payoffs on each side. 
 
#accountingandaccountants #marketing

How important are partnerships in marketing?

What do I need to know about content creation?

Going on vacation this summer? 
 
Use your vacation as an opportunity to identify and fix the parts of your firm that couldn't operate without you. 
 
Here's how in 3 steps: 
 
1️⃣ Write a list of everything that required you 
 
When you come back from vacation, note down everything that required an action from you while you were away. 
 
Ex: 
 
👉 Your team needed a 2FA code from a specific app 
👉 Your client needed you to send a specific report 
👉 Etc. 
 
2️⃣ Prioritize the items in Step 1 
 
Based on your findings in Step 1, prioritize the items in Step 1 for which would have the biggest impact on your business (and your time) if you didn't have to handle them. 
 
3️⃣ Implement a process or fix 
 
Some items will be simple fixes. 
 
Example: If you're the one that has to provide a 2FA code for a specific app, changing user permissions can take a few seconds. 
 
Other items will require a process for your team to take over. 
 
Tomorrow, I’ll share a 4-step process you can use to document and streamline every process in your firm. 
 
#accountingandaccountants

Why is documenting processes essential for a firm?

How can team processes streamline firm operations?

What is the significance of a 2FA code in security?

Every now and then, it's good to ask yourself: 
 
"Am I building the kind of business that's serving the lifestyle I want?" 
 
If not... 
 
And if it's been years of the "same thing"... 
 
It's time to make some changes. 
 
How? 
 
All it takes is 6 steps.

Open article: The Firm Freedom System [6 Steps] - Future Firm by futurefirm.co • 1 min read

The Firm Freedom System [6 Steps] - Future Firm

The quest to clone myself continues... 
 
This is a screenshot from an AI chatbot I trained on the material in Future Firm Accelerate. 
 
Lots of room for improvement. But not a bad first iteration.

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