I honestly don’t recall the last time I wrote a book review, if ever. This is testament to why I felt compelled to share my thoughts on the recently published ‘Scale With Purpose,’ The Service Entrepreneur’s Guide to Intentional Growth, composed by Jason M. Blumer, CPA, and Ian Vacin.
It is great to see so many helpful books on the market about leadership, pricing, balancing out life and work, and having the kind of firm you want. Heck, it’s easy to get lost in them if you are truly in search of inspiration and ideas well outside of your own current circle.
But the best examples of practical, useful advice often come from real-world examples and not just personal life and professional experiences but a collection of them. This is exactly what is on display in ‘Scale With Purpose.’
Now, in their own right, Blumer and Vacin could have written this, or something similar, entirely on their own based on their own research and experiences and have it be a hit. What these two have done, and continue to do from their respective seats, has been invaluable.
Through their respective trainings, Vacin’s research, the regular flow of useful content coming from Karbon, and the impact of Blumer’s THRIVEal network and professional retreats on others have moved mountains for those struggling in this profession. But what they’ve done in Scale by collecting the true experiences from firm leaders who shared their own journeys, successes, failures, tactics, and techniques is nothing short of invaluable. I would go so far as to say the best way to offer successful examples of untested (in their own firm) methods, be it tech adoption, pricing, service additions, hiring and retention, training, or anything that could ultimately change a firm for the better, would be through the lens of other firm leaders not unlike themselves.
In short, accountants tell the most convincing stories to other accountants. And when it comes to growth — a topic that is as subjective as it is diverse and sometimes fraught with traps — you need to hear from your colleagues. This is where Scale succeeds.
Because the book takes a truly realistic approach to what growth is and is not, you will indeed find something that speaks to you as a firm leader. Overall, this is one of the more real playbooks and accurate accounts of leadership and culture challenges, capacity and planning issues, executing on plans, and highlighting your firm value every day.
It’s often been said growth is a journey, and following those who have been on it, and in many cases still are, will hopefully give you the inspiration and direction you need to get in touch with why you are running an accounting business. Maybe you will even learn to love it again, if you don’t already.