The document outlines the evolving practices and challenges faced by CPA firms, highlighting trends in remote work, hiring experienced team members, and the need for structured retirement planning. It emphasizes the shift toward flexible office environments, a collaborative firm culture, and the importance of creating career opportunities to retain talent. The insights are presented by experts in practice management and development at the 2016 ICAS Practitioners' Conference.

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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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!)