The accounting industry is changing — fast. Emerging tech, shifting client expectations, and new service models are reshaping how firms operate and scale. To stay ahead, accountants must think beyond the numbers and reimagine how they deliver value.
In our Greater than the Sum interview series, financial experts, accountants, and bookkeepers Tal Schwartz, Jami Monte, Omar Visram, and Ryan Lazanis shared their playbooks for managing clients, scaling your firm, and staying sane in the process.
We’ve summarized the top takeaways that every accounting and bookkeeping firm should act on now.
1. Bookkeeping needs a rebrand
Bookkeeping is often viewed as tedious admin work. But Jami Monte, founder of Chill Books, says accountants can change that narrative. “We need to remind people that doing this makes you feel good,” she said. “Knowing your numbers makes you feel good. Capturing all your write-offs makes you feel real good at tax time.”
So how do you rebrand bookkeeping?
- Educate, don’t just execute. Jami recommends taking an “educational approach” with clients: “It doesn’t mean you have to teach. It can just be explaining what we’re doing and why.”
- Focus on the wins. Position bookkeeping as a way to gain clarity and confidence — not just as a compliance task.
- Sell it as something people want. As Jami puts it, “Who wants to pay for something they need? I want to pay for something I want — and I want to know why I want it.”
Reframing the service leads to better engagement and longer-term value from your clients.
Watch or listen to the episode.
2. Integration is the ultimate unlock
Managing multiple systems across clients — and training staff on each —creates friction, inefficiency, and burnout. “We had inconsistent processes client to client,” said Omar Visram, co-founder of Enkel. “Approval processes were different. That was leading to inefficiency on our side, and also not the best result for our clients.”
Ryan Lazanis, founder of Future Firm, echoed this advice. “Use one platform for everything," he said. "Know it cold. Train your team. Invest heavily in that training and make sure everyone’s an expert on that tool.”
The fewer tools you use — and the more they integrate — the faster you can onboard, execute, and scale.
Watch or listen to the episode.
3. Standardize approvals and workflows early
Especially in nonprofits and growing businesses, fragmented processes can create compliance headaches and slow down operations. “There’s usually approval from the person making the expenditure, then board-level approval,” Omar explained. “Governance exists for a reason, but it makes the payment process more complex.”
Without a consistent system, that can quickly break down. “I was speaking to an accountant friend,” Omar recalled. “He said, ‘We drive checks around town.’ I thought, there has to be a better way.”
By implementing automated approval workflows and consolidating their tech stack, Omar’s team not only saved time but improved consistency across clients — and made onboarding new team members faster.
Watch or listen to the episode.
4. Financial forecasting doesn’t need to be fancy
Many small businesses avoid forecasting out of fear or overwhelm. But Jami Monte says it doesn’t have to be complicated. “I’m talking like napkin math,” she said. “How much money’s in the account? What’s coming in this week? What’s going out? And what’s left?”
This simple weekly habit is a game-changer — for clients and their accountants. “If you’re experiencing cash flow issues, you want to be looking at this weekly,” she advised. “Then monthly. Then six months out. That way you can say, ‘In four months, we’re going to have a cash flow issue. What can we do today to prepare for that?’”
For accountants, this changes the dynamic. Instead of reacting to problems, you’re empowering clients to make better decisions—and creating more strategic, forward-looking relationships.
Watch or listen to the episode.
5. Pricing isn’t math — it’s psychology
Accountants are trained to calculate, not sell. But Ryan Lazanis says that mindset is holding firms back. “There’s no formula for a very good price,” he said. “It’s about understanding the person — getting into their head, understanding what makes them tick, and where you’re driving value.”
To make pricing easier (especially for introverts), Ryan recommends three-tiered pricing:
- Gold, silver, and bronze packages
- Offer defined outcomes — not hours
- Restrict unlimited support to higher tiers
“You can be more conservative on the bronze, but don’t give it all away,” Ryan said. “Let clients self-select—and make sure the packages make sense.”
This strategy guards your time, protects your margins, and lets you serve a broader range of clients without overextending yourself.
Watch or listen to the episode.
