How are the Americans Doing it?2016 ICAS PRACTITIONERS’ CONFERENCE

Gabby Luoma, CPA, CGMA• Owner of GMLCPA, PLLC• Executive Committee member for AICPA Private Company

Practice Section (PCPS)• Committee member and contributor of the AICPA Firm In-

Motion Tool Kit• Been in practice since 2000• Married with 2 daughters• Cheer Mom• Expert in Next Generation CPA firms• Speaker on numerous practice management and

development topics including marketing, culture and virtual work environments for CPA’s

Jason Deshayes, CPA, CGMA• Partner with Butler and Company CPAs, PC• Member of AICPA Governing Council• Former Executive Committee member for

AICPA Private Company Practice Section (PCPS)

• Committee member and contributor of the AICPA Firm In-Motion Tool Kit

• 2010 AICPA Leadership Academy grad• Been in practice since 2003• Wife and two sons• Speaker on numerous practice management

and development topics

What we’re going to cover

Today’s Office (or Lack Thereof)

Hiring – Not Just Another Staff Accountant

Retirement – Thinking About It Now for the Future

Firm Culture – More Leading, Less Managing

Today’s Office (or Lack Thereof)

Today’s CPAs are not looking for big sweeping offices

Less space is needed as firms are going increasingly remote

Flexible “open” hours Closed during off peak times Half days during Fridays Selective weekend hours

Hiring – Not Just Another Staff Accountant

Traditional firms fill staff roles with fresh college grads; replace experienced roles as needed

Today’s firms are looking for team members with experience outside of public practice

Tax and audit are not the only two options (increased opportunity with CGMA)

Not all employees work locally

Retirement – Thinking About It Now for the Future

Retirement from public accounting used to mean the day you died at the desk (or when your partners got sick of you!)

Defining a retirement process early on in the firm’s lifespan

Sole proprietorships are developing practice continuity agreements early (when owners are in their 30s, 40s, not 60s)

Firm owners are looking at earl

Firm Culture – More Leading, Less Managing

Flattening of organizational charts Career lattices not ladders More flexibility in staffing (part time, remote, 2 for 1

replacements in key roles) ROWE (Results Only Work Environments) Service first, not hours Team collaboration vs. solo projects Not providing value and opportunity to staff means

they leave (this includes partners!)