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."

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: 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
• (32:31) - Spouses and Team Bonding
• (35:02) - Cost-Effective Team Events
• (35:53) - Leadership Team Goals and Transparency
• (39:01) - Retreats and Team Structure
• (40:16) - Team Changes and Vision Alignment
• (42:14) - Future Direction and Goals
• (54:06) - Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

Nick Liguori shares how he transformed his New Hampshire accounting firm into a med spa specialist, growing to seven employees and approaching $1 million in revenue within five years. He discusses the strategic decision to niche down despite losing legacy clients, implementing Team of Three for better delegation and scalability, and cutting client onboarding time from 60 days to 30 days. Nick also reveals his pricing evolution from $200/month packages to $2,000+ premium services, plus how industry specific conferences can generate better ROI than traditional marketing.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:03) - Nick's Background and Firm Overview
• (01:49) - Best Advice Ever Received
• (04:06) - Finding a Niche in the Med Spa Industry
• (09:42) - Marketing Strategies for Med Spa Clients
• (15:47) - Service Tiers and Team Structure
• (24:47) - The Role of Keeper in Streamlining Processes
• (28:41) - Future Goals and Revenue Targets
• (30:29) - Reducing Client Onboarding Time
• (35:43) - Reflections on Starting a Firm
• (37:02) - Pricing Evolution and Onboarding Fees
• (40:20) - Benefits of Working with Collective by DBA

Marcus and Rachel recap Gather 2025, their fall event that brought 105 firm owners, leaders, and team members together in Grapevine, Texas. They walk through the four Ps framework for change management (purpose, picture, plan, and part) and share highlights from sessions on KPIs, firm valuation, AI agents, and collaborative problem-solving.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:45) - Event Details and Attendees
• (04:05) - Feedback and Highlights
• (09:10) - Upcoming Events
• (10:57) - Opening Session Insights
• (18:22) - Change Management Framework
• (23:14) - The Four Ps of Leading Through Change
• (24:53) - Importance of Defining Roles in Change
• (25:50) - Reflecting on Past Change Management
• (27:46) - Challenges for Leaders in Communicating Change
• (28:49) - Personal and Team Leadership in Change
• (29:36) - Event Recap: Setting the Stage for Success
• (32:48) - Diving into KPIs and Firm Performance
• (35:40) - Case Studies and Mastermind Groups
• (40:38) - Firm Challenges and Collaborative Solutions
• (44:24) - Innovative Use of AI and Technology
• (49:27) - Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (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

Fletcher Wimbush from Discovered.AI joins the show to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing CPA firms today: finding and hiring quality talent. Fletcher shares his proven interviewing techniques, including the career performance history interview, strategic reference checking, and assessment tools that help predict candidate success. Learn why integrity trumps experience, how to compress your hiring timeline to just five days, and why becoming an "employer of choice" requires more than just offering remote work options.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (00:53) - Fletcher's Background and Experience
• (02:38) - Best Hiring Advice
• (03:26) - Defining Integrity in Business
• (05:08) - Challenges in Talent Acquisition
• (06:29) - Techniques for Assessing Integrity
• (13:41) - Current Hiring Landscape
• (17:06) - Becoming an Employer of Choice
• (19:18) - Remote vs. In-Office Work
• (26:06) - Effective Interviewing Techniques
• (29:26) - Candidate Selection and Structured Interviews
• (31:57) - Key Interview Questions
• (36:04) - Reference Checks and Integrity
• (41:54) - Efficient Interview Process
• (48:39) - Final Thoughts and Resources

Rachel and Marcus reveal how they use organizational charts as a strategic tool for firm growth at Dillon Business Advisors. They walk through their process of identifying bottlenecks, defining roles before hiring, and evolving from a chaotic "spider web" structure to their streamlined team-of-three model. Learn how mapping out future roles, including their new tax advisory service line and CSM assistant positions, helps them scale intentionally while maintaining client service quality and avoiding the trap of reactive hiring.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Introduction and Recap
• (01:26) - Strategic Growth and Acquisition
• (04:09) - Defining Roles and Responsibilities
• (06:29) - Identifying Bottlenecks and Capacity
• (10:56) - Additional Metrics
• (16:42) - Roles and Responsibilities
• (19:55) - Utilizing Part-Time and Remote Team Members
• (28:24) - Expanding Tax Advisory Services
• (37:04) - The Value of Clear Team Structure

Tim Abbott shares his journey from merging his small practice into MJ Vanden Brook in 2012 to becoming the third-generation owner of the 50-year-old firm. He discusses two major acquisitions, including modernizing operations from clipboards to cloud technology, and reveals why keeping previous owners around for 2-3 years led to high client retention rates.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Introduction and Welcoming Tim Abbott
• (01:08) - Tim Abbott's Background and Firm Overview
• (02:50) - Team Structure and Work Environment
• (04:12) - Personal Life and Family
• (05:22) - Best Advice Received
• (06:48) - Journey to Business Ownership
• (08:13) - First Acquisition and Modernization Efforts
• (11:34) - Second Acquisition and Transition Challenges
• (18:49) - Client Transition and Relationship Management
• (20:49) - Lessons from Recent Acquisitions
• (22:15) - Challenges with Referral Sources
• (24:31) - Surprises Post-Acquisition
• (28:55) - Evaluating Buy vs. Build
• (33:51) - Current Goals and Initiatives
• (41:48) - Importance of Peer Relationships
• (45:53) - Looking Ahead: Future Plans
• (48:05) - Conclusion and Contact Information

Rachel and Marcus share their approach to "improvement season" - the strategic summer months between tax deadlines when most accounting firms slow down. They break down their four-part framework of recharge, review, refocus, and refine, revealing how they used this time to tackle everything from cybersecurity upgrades to team candor training after completing a firm acquisition. The duo candidly grade their own performance while discussing the challenges of maintaining momentum when team members are taking well-deserved vacations.

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

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (00:55) - Family Updates
• (03:01) - Accounting Firm's Busy Season
• (03:44) - Improvement Season Concept
• (07:51) - Recharge: Rest and Relaxation Strategies
• (15:54) - Review: Analyzing Feedback and Performance
• (22:49) - Refocus: Aligning with Mission and Vision
• (24:56) - Refine: Setting Goals and Execution Plans
• (30:09) - Technology and Security Enhancements
• (36:29) - Soft Skills and Team Dynamics
• (40:41) - Client Alignment and Service Models
• (45:00) - Growth Strategies and Future Planning
• (51:12) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts