$50K to $1.1M: Building a Firm with Your Spouse

James and Cindy Buss join Rachel and Marcus to share their 20-year journey building Buss CPA in Hartford, South Dakota, from surviving the 2008 recession to transforming their business model around fixed-fee engagements. The conversation covers their transition from hourly billing to monthly recurring revenue, navigating price increases, building a committee-based client acceptance process, and what it's really like when the operations manager gives her retirement notice years in advance. Both couples offer candid insights about communication, community support, and why treating clients well matters more than perfect execution.

Learn More About Buss CPA
https://busscpa.us/

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

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• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (00:38) - Meet James and Cindy Buss
• (02:55) - James Introduces the Firm
• (06:50) - Cindy Shares Personal Life
• (19:41) - Cindy's Retirement Plans
• (23:21) - Evolution of the Firm
• (30:16) - Budgeting and Fee Structures
• (31:47) - Impact of Economic Downturns
• (33:25) - Goals and Initiatives
• (44:22) - Onboarding Fees and Client Management
• (49:35) - The Importance of Community and Peer Networks
• (59:31) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts