Eliminate Your Accounting Firm's Constraints

Every tax season, thousands of firm owners find themselves working 70 to 80 hours a week—just trying to stay afloat. I’ve been there.

You start a firm to create flexibility, build wealth, and serve others. But somewhere along the way, you become the bottleneck. You’re the decision-maker, problem-solver, quality-control expert, and firefighter. Meanwhile, your dream of building a sustainable, valuable business slips further away.

The irony? I used to advise clients on how to build transferable business value—while my own CPA firm relied heavily on me to function.

That was me. But that’s not my story anymore.

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Breaking the Bottleneck in My Own Accounting Firm

Early on at Dillon Business Advisors, every team member reported to me. Every deliverable passed through me. And our two-week turnaround standard pushed our team to log 10–12‑hour days, six days a week during tax season.

I realized I wasn’t leading a firm—I was running a job for myself.

“If you choose to stay the bottleneck, you haven’t built a team. You’ve hired helpers to get you through your day."

This setup may grow your revenue to $400K–$750K. But it won’t build a transferable, valuable business. It's essential to build an organizational structure with clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and growth pathways.

The Shift: Sustaining a 36‑Hour Workweek Year‑Round

Now, our team works just 36 hours per week, even during tax season.

How? We implemented our “team of three” structure—clear roles, shared client relationships, and no owner bottlenecks. The result: happier clients, empowered team members, and a founder who doesn’t carry the entire load.

Real Results: Acquisition in St. Louis

We recently acquired a firm in St. Louis—a textbook case of the classic bottleneck model. Thanks to our transformation at DBA, we’re applying the same principles:

• Avoid disruption by separating client-facing systems during tax season.

• Once tax season passes, implement the team structure to distribute responsibility and scale sustainably.

This accounting firm acquisition proved out the capacity and growth benefits of the Team of Three structure and our client service packages.

Creating Capacity When You're Overwhelmed

If you’re drowning in urgent client work, making changes feels impossible. We started by identifying what drained us the most. As Rachel put it on our podcast:

“Start with what’s frustrating. That’s where the cracks are.”

Some common capacity drains:

• DIY clients who only call when things fall apart

• “Break & fix” clients who expect instantaneous help

• Low-revenue, high-maintenance clients

• Meeting‑heavy clients consuming excessive owner time

We removed the need for client-owner meetings through video commentaries—cutting meetings by 85–90%.

Transitioning Non‑Ideal Clients Strategically

After we identified draining clients or service lines, we didn't ghosting them or "send them a letter". Instead we:

1. 1. Evaluated their revenue and relationships.

   2. Identified firms where they would be a better fit.

   3. Monetized the transition—even low-fee clients hold value.

   4. Reinvested proceeds in growth aligned with our vision.

This method helped us shed distractions while funding our ideal growth path.

Sometimes, It’s a Service Line—Not a Client

We exited our audit and review services in 2020. It only made up 5% of revenue but demanded a massive investment in time and compliance. That resource could be better used elsewhere.

We asked:

• Is the service aligned with our preferred tech stack?

• Does someone on our team love doing it?

• Or was it just there because “we’ve always done it”?

We ultimately exited and monetized our audit and review services.

From Exhaustion to Empowered Performance

We didn’t just work less—we worked better. By identifying capacity blockers, restructuring our team, transitioning thoughtfully, and pruning unnecessary services, we built:

• A firm that runs without me.

• A happier, more engaged team.

• A stronger, more valuable practice.

Your Path to Sustainable Growth Starts Now

If you’re feeling stuck and overwhelmed, know this: transformation is possible. It begins with recognizing where you’ve become the bottleneck—and being brave enough to change.

For accounting firm owners trapped in the cycle of exhaustion, the message is clear: sustainable capacity isn't just a dream; it's an achievable reality that starts with acknowledging where you've become the bottleneck and taking deliberate steps to distribute leadership, transition non-ideal relationships, and build systems that work without your constant involvement.

Ready to learn more about creating sustainable capacity in your firm? Listen to the full episode of "Who's Really the BOSS?" with Rachel and Marcus Dillon.