I was inspired to write this open letter to you, the technology vendors that serve our accounting profession, after attending AICPA Engage and seeing the sheer number and quality of ambitious, well-funded technology ventures that are now coming into our space.
Our profession truly seems to have gone from famine to feast in an accelerated timeframe, driven in part by the influx of private equity and venture capital into the accounting tech space. VCs are now eyeing services businesses — yes, services! — as the next big growth frontier. (I never thought I’d say ‘services is sexy in Silicon Valley’… but here we are.) I am so thrilled to have you accelerate innovation, but this new abundance also requires a very different game plan to win.
When my cofounders and I started Aiwyn over five years ago, the landscape was very different back then. I segment startups into “Pre-PE” vs. “Post-PE” because most of you, the “Post-PE” startups, have never experienced what it was like (I’ll resist the urge to tell the classic “back in my day” tale about trudging uphill both ways in the snow to go to school — but just know, the landscape truly was very different back then.).
So how do you win in today’s landscape?
I use the TV show Survivor as a construct for you to strategize and execute upon a winning plan. (I contemplated using Hunger Games as an example, but that seems a little too close to home in the potential figurative deaths of startups).
If you’ve ever watched the show Survivor, you know that winning isn’t just about brute strength—it’s about adaptability, strategy and knowing when to play nice. The same goes for the accounting tech space. In a landscape full of rapid disruption, here’s how to avoid getting voted off the island.
1. Be excellent at your craft
Just like winning immunity challenges on Survivor, great products and execution matter. That means:
- Building best-in-class solutions that solve real-world firm problems, not just buzzword-laden demos;
- Creating a go-to-market machine that understands the complexities of the CPA firm buyer persona and avoids treating the profession like a generic B2B vertical:
- Delivering a world-class customer experience, from thoughtful and seamless implementation to responsive customer support and meaningful iteration on feedback.
Excellence today means more than just functionality—it means speed-to-value, seamless experiences, and products tailored for the needs of accountants. It is no joke to earn the trust of CPA firms (my team at Aiwyn learned this through the School of Hard Knocks) — your core offering should work so well and your team so trusted that you become indispensable.
2. Form strategic “alliances” or integrations
In our “Let a Thousand Flowers Mode” era, the market for accounting technology is fragmented. Even the “No. 1 tool” in a category isn’t good enough on its own anymore. So stop playing a zero-sum game. Instead:
- Keep your friends close and your frenemies closer. Recognize that your arch-nemesis today might be your acquirer, partner or co-selling ally tomorrow.
- Prioritize deep integrations with vendors who align on customer impact, not just press release value.
- Focus on startups with strong founder DNA, shared long-term vision, and a similar ideal client profile. These are the allies that will scale with you and thrive to leave the others behind.
In this game, the right integrated, bundled offering wins — point solutions lose. Don’t be a lone wolf.
3. Play the long game: Navigate AI disruption and market dynamics with conviction and fluidity
The biggest winners in accounting tech aren’t going to just shipping features. They’re shaping how firms evolve—and they do so with a strategy that is both dexterous and opinionated enough to survive this dynamic market.
We’re still in the early innings of private equity and venture capital entering the profession, alongside the AI disruption that is reshaping every business model. The implications are massive. You need to know where the puck is going, but be humble enough to admit when your hypothesis is wrong and the puck is skating elsewhere. This entails:
- Understanding firm business model shifts, from compliance to tech-enabled advisory, from billable hours to outcome-based pricing;
- Anticipating regulatory implications and the impact of AI agent deployment on talent, engagement metrics and revenue models.
- Becoming a strategic thought partner. That means publishing, advising and educating — not just selling. CPA firms remember who helped them see the future, not just who gave them a demo.
Final words of advice
Firms are evolving quickly, with rising expectations around technology partnerships, user experience and long-term strategy. Vendors that succeed will not only deliver technical excellence—they’ll inspire trust, evolve alongside the profession, and lead with clarity even when the path shifts so that the tribe wants to follow you all the way to the final.
Build with conviction, adapt with humility, and remember: in a landscape defined by alliances and disruption, the right strategy makes all the difference.
Best of luck to you in: Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.
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