Who's Really the BOSS?

Tax Season Doesn't Have to Control Your Firm

Tax season doesn't have to mean overtime, blackout dates, and pizza-party morale boosts. Marcus and Rachel walk through the operational decisions and team structures that keep DBA running at 36 hours a week year-round. From Flex Fridays and unlimited PTO to ditching 1099 prep for annual-only clients, rethinking which client relationships to keep, and using video commentary and text messaging to meet clients where they are.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (02:23) - Life Update: Moving to Fort Worth (12:20) - Tax Season Norms and Firm Practices (27:31) - Flexible Work Hours and PTO Policies (29:16) - Transition to Unlimited PTO (32:20) - Team Collaboration and PTO Planning (36:08) - Client Services and Team Structure (46:43) - Refinement and Client Evaluation (49:47) - Tax Advisory Plan (TAP) (56:20) - Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

Behind the Scenes of Two Accounting Firm Acquisitions in One Year

Marcus and Rachel sit down with Amy McCarty to unpack the reality of DBA's two 2025 acquisitions—from pre-close team meetings and tech stack migrations to payment processor transitions and the decision to space deals 90 days apart. They share specific timelines, technology consolidation wins and challenges. This is the acquisition conversation focused on what happens after everyone stops congratulating you.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome (00:47) - Amy Background and Role (02:36) - Discussing Recent Acquisitions (04:20) - Growth and Team Expansion (07:15) - Pre-Acquisition Planning (13:56) - Onboarding and Integration (30:01) - Introduction to the 2025 Tech Stack (30:36) - Building the Azure Environment (31:28) - First Acquisition: Technology Integration (34:24) - Second Acquisition: Technology Integration (38:37) - Managing Legacy Systems (47:40) - Payment Systems and Client Invoicing (51:48) - Engagement Letters and Standardization (54:14) - Conclusion and Future Plans

Beyond the Bottom Line: Creating Measurable Impact

Rachel and Marcus unveil the DBA Impact Fund, a donor-advised fund through National Christian Foundation that channels 1% of every revenue dollar toward charitable causes. They share how they chose Living Water International as their primary charity partner, including plans to purchase and install water wells with the team in 2027, and explain their unique approach to employee giving through $1,000 birthday gifts to charities of each team member's choice.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Introduction and New Year Greetings (01:00) - Defining Positive Impact (02:09) - Reflecting on 2025 and Setting 2026 Goals (06:35) - Creating the DBA Impact Fund (08:59) - Implementing the DBA Impact Fund (16:01) - Choosing Living Water International (19:19) - Mission Trip Experiences (25:23) - Reflecting on Past Experiences (25:55) - Living Water Mission Trips (26:58) - Roles and Responsibilities on Trips (27:42) - Engaging with Local Communities (28:21) - Fun and Games with Children (29:29) - DBA Impact Fund Introduction (31:47) - Celebrating Birthdays and Anniversaries (35:36) - Measuring Impact and Sharing Stories (37:05) - Supporting Team Members (39:28) - Creating a Culture of Gratitude (42:00) - Setting Up Impact Channels (44:24) - Conclusion and Future Goals

Five KPIs Every Accounting Firm Should Be Tracking

Marcus and Rachel break down the five essential KPIs that drive firm value, using real data from over 200 accounting firms. They reveal how the average firm in their network decreased owner production hours by 12% while growing revenue by 10%, and share the exact backwards mapping framework they use to identify which levers to pull for improvement. Marcus also walks through DBA's 2024 price increase strategy that netted a 4% revenue gain despite losing $12,000 in monthly recurring clients.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Introduction and Life Updates (06:28) - Transition to Business Discussion (07:32) - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Overview (12:36) - Gross Revenue Insights (17:15) - Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) (23:11) - Revenue per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) (27:17) - Earnings Before Owner Compensation (EBOC) (28:28) - Understanding EBOC and Valuation (29:47) - Profitability Trends and Analysis (30:48) - EBOC and Market Attractiveness (33:03) - Owner Production Hours and Efficiency (37:25) - Leveraging KPIs for Business Improvement (38:27) - Real-Life Examples of Business Levers (39:45) - Price Increases: Strategy and Impact (49:56) - Backward Mapping for KPI Improvement (53:34) - Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Planning Team Retreats That Actually Drive Results

Rachel and Marcus break down their year-end team retreat planning process, from the leadership framework they used to set 2026 goals to the logistics of bringing 25+ remote team members together. They share what they celebrate with their team, why financial transparency has built trust, and how they structure two days to focus on relationships rather than technical content. After doubling revenue through two acquisitions and organic growth, they explain why their 2026 focus shifts from "growth, not comfort" to "lead change, create impact."SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss (00:58) - Team Retreat Overview (04:15) - Leadership Planning Framework (13:08) - Retreat Logistics and Preparation (22:45) - Additional Retreat Activitiesy (32:09) - Spouses and Team Bonding (34:40) - Cost-Effective Team Events (35:31) - Leadership Team Goals and Transparency (38:39) - Retreats and Team Structure (39:54) - Team Changes and Vision Alignment (41:52) - Future Direction and Goals (53:44) - Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead