Art of Accounting: 500th column

My 500th column probably has no importance to anyone except me and possibly Michael Cohn of Accounting Today who edits them and was the person who made the decision to post this series. The only significance to me is that it makes me thankful to have been able to come up with the ideas for the columns and to still feel the well is not running dry. However, like many milestones, it is a time of reflection, so here is mine.

Reviewing the vast content, it appears that I’ve covered a lot of ground with practice management. So much so that I’ve gotten material for some books, many other articles, and quite a few webinars. I also ended up teaching a graduate seminar with many columns as the basis for the class lectures. 

To identify specific areas of interest, I seem to have become an advocate and voice for small firms, for strengthening the role of women in public accounting and outreach for more Black people joining the profession. I was an early adopter of the role of CPAs in sustainability accounting and that movement. I have been presenting CPE programs (way over 150 presentations) on tax practice management since 1980, and many of the columns add to that body of knowledge. 

I am particularly concerned about and have written many columns with suggested solutions about the never-ending lack of quality in tax preparation and what I consider inadequate training and review procedures, the untenable tax or busy season hours forced upon staff, the lack of advocacy within firms about the advantages of tax season for staff and the firm for growth, and providing added services to clients and effective, workable ways to reduce tax season workload compression (that have all been done successfully by me). Heartwarming is the feedback and thanks I get from many practitioners who adopted some of my procedures, but I believe many more can benefit with serious attempts to make positive changes. Other areas I’ve written about concern managing the practice on a daily basis but with a strategic eye on the long-term viability, growth and profitability of the practice, staff recruitment, retention and growth, niche development, effective pricing, and delivering high value positive client experiences.

My column started as an autobiographical look at my career and successes (why would I write about my failures) with takeaways that could be easily implemented. I’ve written quite a lot and a current goal is to write an autobiography of my experiences in public accounting by the end of next year. Wish me luck! The first three years of this series were published in a book titled “Call Me Before You Do Anything” by CPA Trendlines and included 156 columns all with great (i.e., they worked for me) practice management tips as well as my experiences in learning and creating them. That book is a veritable handbook on practice and niche growth and not as autobiographical as I would have wanted it.

One of the ways I get ideas to write about is by talking to practitioners, with some from all over the world. These calls with practice management questions cover real situations. Most of the calls I get now can be answered by my sending copies of previous columns, articles or speech and webinar handouts. Those that are new or raise complicated issues are discussed with the caller and, where I think others could benefit, I write it up in a column here.

One example just occurred recently where I met someone at the AICPA ENGAGE Conference and she contacted me later seeking assistance on how to better utilize staff during the summer when they were much less busy. After some discussions I ended up writing two columns that were posted on June 19 and 26. I did those right away since the topic was very timely. However, I have an “inventory” of ideas for future columns that I draw against when the situations become more common. I take a plethora of notes whenever I speak with anyone, making it easier to write the columns. I am usually never at a loss of words, but sometimes I fret over the topic, wanting to make the column as universal and helpful as possible.

I gauge the interest level of a topic by the emails I get and the views on the postings on LinkedIn. Some topics I might particularly like do not draw much interest and some that I write because of a couple of calls end up with very high readership. Those I try to follow up with more columns. Some I hit it on the head, but the readership determines the “good” ones.

I am grateful I have been able to write 500 columns and appreciate the support from the editors of Accounting Today and the high interest by readers. I also need the feedback from readers, and their calls for assistance provide me with content and the comfort that I am filling a need serving colleagues. Thank you for your interest and reading my columns, and I look forward to my next 500 columns.

All the best,

Ed

Do not hesitate to contact me at emendlowitz@withum.com with your practice management questions or about engagements you might not be able to perform.