The accounting profession is facing extraordinary levels of disruption, but in the chaos, firm leaders still see plenty of opportunities.
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When asked to identify the biggest upsides they see facing the accounting profession, senior executives from Accounting Today‘s 2026 Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders homed in on advisory and technology. Paradoxically, the other opportunities they identified are derived from some of the
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“Firms that choose to transform themselves have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvent, elevate and accelerate the career path in public accounting,” said David Wurtzbacher, founder and CEO of Virginia-based Ascend. “The result can be happier people and better client outcomes and experience.”
Amid this period of economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and changing regulation and tax laws, firms must remain agile and optimistic. Adapting to change is paramount.
“This environment rewards firms that think long-term, embrace change, and are willing to invest ahead of the curve,” said John Mackel, CEO of Texas-based Weaver.
‘Adding tangible value’
Firm leaders overwhelmingly identified advisory and consulting services as the greatest opportunity for their firms. This is driven both by the implementation of technology that allows teams to focus on high-priority projects and relationship-building, and by clients’ increasingly complex needs.
“Client needs are moving faster than our profession has historically been used to,” said Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors in Illinois. “Clients are more global; the risks they face are more complex; and the technology they rely on is advancing at a pace that’s hard to keep up with.”
Firms that have already dug deep into advisory, like Georgia-based Bennett Thrasher, where advisory makes up 25-30% of its business, say that this area is growing faster than traditional audit or compliance.
Bennett Thrasher CEO and managing partner Jeff Call commented, “Services such as transaction advisory, forensic accounting, business valuation, technology consulting and outsourced accounting are in particularly high demand as clients seek solutions that add tangible value and support strategic decision-making.”
It’s an opportunity to help clients connect the dots, and who better than advisors who understand these businesses holistically?
“Clients are looking for partners who can simplify complexity, not add to it,” said Avani Desai, CEO at Florida-based Schellman. “For us, that means consolidating and coordinating audits where possible to reduce client burden, improve efficiency, and create a more integrated experience while maintaining independence and rigor.”
And it’s not just the Top 100 Firms who are focusing on advisory — regional firms are looking to go all in, too.
“The biggest opportunity for accounting firms is to continue the shift from compliance-focused work to higher-value advisory services. Firms that can effectively leverage technology, including AI, while deepening existing client relationships are well positioned to deliver more strategic value,” said DeShayne Hoag, managing shareholder at Casey Peterson in South Dakota.
Investing in talent
None of this is possible without investing in the best talent to service clients. However, recruiting and retaining talent is a challenge in itself.
With insufficient numbers of students studying accounting in college, fewer still go on to become CPAs, and even fewer stay long enough to make partner. The profession as a whole is making nationwide efforts to make accounting more appealing and accessible to young professionals, but firms must still compete with both other accounting firms as well as other financial services providers and the technology sector. Compounding the issue is the fact that the number of firm partners who are ready to retire exceeds the number of graduates entering the field.
“Mentorship and learning-by-doing that have defined the profession for generations become even more meaningful in times of great change,” said Tom Watson, CEO of Forvis Mazars. “Yes, it is important to invest in new technology and new ways to structure our workforce. But only the organizations that make equivalent investments in their people and cultures will meet this moment.”
And Kristine Latchaw, director of operations at Michigan-based Maner Costerisan, says there’s an opportunity in “hiring non-CPAs for work that doesn’t require a CPA and having career paths for their success.”
The post-consolidation landscape
The massive wave of consolidation that continues to sweep across the profession was frequently cited as an opportunity by firm leaders — though not always in the same way. Many noted how the entrance of private equity into the profession has fueled firms’ geographic expansion through mergers and acquisitions, but many firms see this as a double-edged sword.
“Our industry’s environment is one fraught with consolidation and the emergence of private equity investors,” said Travis Horton, partner at Tennessee-based HHM CPAs. “With these extreme cultural changes, it is quite possible that firms will begin to lose good employees, good partners, and even good clients.”
Meanwhile, other firms have spotted a great opportunity to differentiate themselves, reaping benefits without having to sign up with private equity.
“As an independent firm, we believe there is great opportunity to focus on growing and developing our staff by continuing to invest in them, and by providing an incredible level of customer service to our clients,” said James Ellis, chief operating officer at Katz, Sapper & Miller in Indiana, which is structured as employee stock ownership plan. “While growth is important, we are not going to neglect our people or clients for the sake of growth. We will double down on people development and client service. We feel that through technology, we have an opportunity to become more efficient in our work while also using technology and data to enhance our top line.”
Regional firms in particular see the upside. As large, national firms acquire smaller firms, the middle market is hollowed out, clearing the playing field for those that are left.
“Filling the sweet spot between large, national firms, and small, local firms and leaning into our culture have been the drivers to our recent growth, and we feel it will continue to deliver opportunities as more and more firms are acquired or become wrapped up in private equity activities,” said Ben Ripple, managing partner at Bernard Robinson & Co. in North Carolina.
“I believe our biggest opportunity as a $20 million-plus employee-owned firm is just that,” added Jeremy Vokt, managing partner at Nebraska-based Bland & Associates. “We believe a firm our size is positioned well to serve clients that might feel ‘lost’ in the merger activity going on. … I believe this opportunity exists for all firms our size that want to remain independent.”
Meanwhile, Ohio-based Regional Leader Brixey & Meyer is taking a unique approach: “One of the most successful strategies we implemented was to start a PE firm,” said its CEO Doug Meyer. “Many accounting firms do wealth management. I would challenge firms to consider starting their own PE firm.”
Staying special
Firm leaders emphasized the importance of differentiating themselves, in terms of specialized services, niche markets and firm culture.
“Firms that move beyond traditional tax and audit into areas such as government accounting, regulatory compliance, and outsourced financial management can command higher margins, build stickier client relationships, and create more defensible, long-term growth,” said Kateryna Kudrenko, CEO of Georgia-based CKH Group.
“Particularly in the state and local government and nonprofit areas, we see a lot of need for advisory services,” added Jill Shaw, managing partner at Arizona-based Heinfeld, Meech & Co. “Personnel are stretched thin, and accounting firms can help to fill gaps and ensure critical processes are not compromised. There appears to be more of a need for fractional CFO work, and accounting firms are well poised to offer these types of services.”
Meanwhile, other firms see an opportunity in preserving a unique culture, especially when scaling.
“A collaborative spirit, mentorship, and shared values can easily fracture as firms add people and offices,” said Tim Brackney, CEO of Springline Advisory in Texas. “But if they can institutionalize what makes them special by defining deliberate practices, staying disciplined about cultural fit in hiring, and investing in leadership at every level, they will have something many large competitors have lost: the agility of a small firm with the resources of a national player. In our industry, where talent and relationships are everything, culture is our competitive advantage.”
Amplifying, not replacing
Finally, firm leaders pointed to rapidly developing technologies, like automation and artificial intelligence, as a huge opportunity.
“The biggest opportunity for accounting firms is to break out of the cycle of commoditization by using technology, particularly AI, both as an efficiency and to fundamentally redefine where and how value is created,” said Chris Carlberg, chief strategy officer at California-based Armanino. “If all you continue to do is offer the same services that are completed 100% manually, there is a high chance that you will either be priced out by competitors who can offer the same, if not better, results at a lower price, or much faster thanks to AI.”
However, firm leaders are adamant that technology, like AI, should amplify, not replace, the professional expertise of humans.
“The firms that succeed will be those that make intentional choices: investing in AI with purpose, developing talent with imagination, and staying anchored in client service and trust,” said Paul Bailey, chief growth officer of CLA. “The future of accounting isn’t about choosing between technology and people, it’s about bringing them together to create enduring value for clients, communities, and the profession itself.”
KPMG CEO Tim Walsh summed it up: “As AI reshapes business and society, firms that can be bold, fast and responsible all at once — moving decisively, learning quickly and helping clients navigate uncertainty with clarity — will gain a significant edge. The firms that win will be those that embrace technology-driven disruption and operate as unified, multidisciplinary teams to help clients solve their biggest challenges. In the age of AI, our personal relationships may matter more than ever and the firms that invest in building their client relationships and understanding their organizations will be best positioned to help clients navigate today’s volatile environment.”
Ultimately, the profession is changing rapidly, but those firms that innovate and adapt in step are those that will succeed.
“There is a tremendous opportunity to build a more inclusive and agile profession — one that reflects the global economy and is prepared to meet the challenges of the future,” said Brian Becker, managing partner and CEO of Illinois-based RSM US. “By investing in talent and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, firms can ensure their continued relevance and success.”
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