"CPA is the easiest business you can own"... looking to swap notes with Searchers.

December 13, 2025

by a professional-accounting from Santa Clara University in San Francisco, CA, USA

I read Buy Then Build years ago, but instead of buying then, I built my own firm. To be honest, having a CPA practice is about the easiest business you can own. It's predictable, low-risk, and the margins are safe. But I’ve still got the bug to do what you guys are doing—buying a messy service business and building real enterprise value. My plan is to eventually jump the fence and buy something myself. For now, I want to help you guys execute so I can learn from your wins (and your scars) for my own purchase down the road. I’m in "Learn & Swap" mode: I’m happy to trade my background (Tax, Cleanup, Systems) for your deal-making war stories. My Question for the Owner-Operators here: Coming from the "safe" world of accounting, I want to know: What was the biggest operational "shock" you felt in the first 6-12 months after closing? (P.S. If you're currently stuck on a tax or systems issue, feel free to drop it below or DM me. I'm happy to nerd out on it for the love of the game/no charge.)

Reply by an intermediary
from Harvard University in Los Angeles, CA, USA

^redacted‌--having done a few deals in the accounting space I can tell you that things do not always go smoothly. Number one issue is the willingness of the seller to assist in transitioning the clients to the new owner. This is especially important because you need client sign-off for the handover of files. Number two is the inconsistent quality of the work performed by the retiring owner. If the work was not up to the par, the new owner will have to fix the past errors which leads to number three. Number three is the previous owner may have undercharged clients either because of rates or insufficient work so the client will be shocked by the cost and complexity of the work required to fix past errors or sub-par deliverables.

Reply by a searcher
from Hult International Business School in Wien, Österreich

Why don't you expand in the accounting field and buy other firms?

+1 more reply.

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