What growth takes

This week's newsletter is packed tighter than a first-year auditor's calendar. We dive into what high-growth firms actually spend on marketing (spoiler: more than you), red flags that scream "bad accountant alert" and clever hacks to boost your focus without another cup of coffee.

Plus, a business coach is here to help you ditch cookie-cutter leadership and lead like a human. Oh, and Harvard has thoughts on whether you're really CEO material or just very busy. 

Keep scrolling; it's a good one.

Busy season blues. Alex Wu shares Big 4 first-year survival tips on TikTok, and venting in the group chat is a must.

From audit to edibles. How one CPA found growth in green.

Booze, booths & BS. Can real connection cut through the noise at big accounting conferences?

529 fiction. No, there's not a $19K contribution cap.

By Janet Berry-Johnson | for Net Gains

No more cookie-cutter leadership

Jodi Krymuza, business coach, speaker and founder of Authentically Yours Development, isn't here for generic business advice, and neither are we. As a mentor to purpose-driven professionals, she helps business leaders and entrepreneurs trade burnout for alignment by leading with authenticity. 

In a conversation with The Net Gains, Krymuza shares what it means to build a business rooted in your values, how solo practitioners can claim their role as leaders and why a "values & energy audit" might be the best tool you're not using.

You help business owners lead with authenticity. What does that look like in a profession like accounting, where people tend to “play it safe” or prioritize being technically correct over being human?

Authenticity isn’t about ditching professionalism; it’s about showing up as you. In accounting, it means bringing personality to your client experience, communicating in your own voice and working in a way that aligns with your energy and values. You can be both technically excellent and human, and clients will connect with that.

Many accountants and bookkeepers struggle to see themselves as leaders, especially if they’re solo practitioners. How can they step into that role confidently?

Leadership isn’t just about managing people; it’s about owning your vision, your process and your presence. Solo practitioners lead their client relationships, their boundaries and their brand. Confidence comes from claiming your role as a guide, making decisions with clarity and showing up intentionally.

What are some signs a professional is out of alignment in their business, and what can they do to course-correct?

If you’re dreading work, second-guessing everything or feeling drained 24/7, you’re likely out of alignment. Start by doing a quick values & energy audit. What feels good? What doesn’t? Then adjust, whether that’s refining offers, setting boundaries or saying no to that one soul-sucking client. Small shifts create major change.

You emphasize values-based growth. How can professionals use their core values to make decisions about which clients to serve, what services to offer or how to market themselves?

Your values are your filter. They help you choose clients who get you, offer services that feel aligned and market in a way that feels authentic. When you lead with your values—trust, collaboration, simplicity, whatever they are—you attract people who want to work your way, not the cookie-cutter way.

Double down on marketing

Turns out, accountants who grow faster spend faster (on marketing, that is). According to a new study from the Association for Accounting Marketing and Hinge Research Institute, high-growth firms allocated 2.1% of their revenue to marketing—more than twice the amount of their slower-growing peers. These firms also put more emphasis on face time, with nearly 30% of their marketing budgets going toward conferences and events. Digital isn't dead, but in-person still packs a punch.

Why this matters: If you want your firm to grow like the top 25%, it might be time to treat marketing as a growth lever, not a luxury. (The Accountant Online)

Red flag alert

 Capture Accounting doesn't pull punches in this spicy YouTube short, calling out accountant behavior that can tank a business. Among the biggest offenders? Only showing up at tax time, ghosting clients, giving vague answers, pushing shady tax schemes and fumbling through a niche without knowing the industry. It's a rapid-fire rundown of what not to do.

Why this matters: Whether you're the one hiring or being hired, these red flags are reputation wreckers. Staying proactive, communicative and industry-savvy is how you stay in business. (Capture Accounting)

44%

Rate of audit and finance execs who say IT access controls and security are the biggest challenge areas in their control environments. (Protiviti)

• Clever hacks to boost your brainpower at work
• IRS may tighten rules for tax-exempt hospitals
• EY outlines real steps for LGBT+ inclusion, not rainbow fluff
• Finance teams are drowning in disconnected platforms
• CFOs are maintaining (or bringing back) defined benefit plans

Are you leading or managing?

Harvard researchers just dropped a truth bomb on leadership titles: many companies think they've hired a CEO, but what they've really got is a glorified operations manager. The difference? A CEO should be setting vision, driving growth and making bold decisions, while a manager focuses on processes, efficiency and minimizing risk.

Both roles are important, but confusing the two stalls progress and leads to missed opportunities. The study suggests companies often reward "safe" behavior over strategic thinking, and it's costing them innovation (and probably a lot of money).

Why this matters: This one hits close to home. Many firm owners call themselves CEOs, but if you're spending 90% of your time buried in client work or putting out internal fires, you're actually managing, not leading. (Harvard Business School)

The Net Gains is your one-stop shop for fresh, FREE accounting insights. You can reach the newsletter team at thenetgains@mynewsletter.co. We enjoy hearing from you.

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The Net Gains is curated and written by Janet Berry-Johnson and edited by Bianca Prieto.