Episodes

  • Rewind : Yep, from Bartender to Tax & Accounting Specialist w/ Alyssa Lang

    Rewind : Yep, from Bartender to Tax & Accounting Specialist w/ Alyssa Lang
    Dec 13 2025

    Join us as we revisit this conversation from 2021!

    Listen as Alyssa shares her story along with the lessons learned to build a successful accounting business.

    Alyssa and Roger discuss the unforeseen challenges and the corresponding solutions to address each. From workflow, systems to client relations and everything in between.

    Consider this, finding someone to be front facing and interacting with clients in a way that meets our expectations and standards can be a hard, but they do exist. We can build a business that thrives without us working within it doing the day-to-day tasks.

    Sit back and enjoy the conversation in this next episode of "Building the Premier Accounting Firm".

    Your Host: Roger Knecht, president of Universal Accounting Center

    Guest Name: Alyssa Lang

    Alyssa, aka the Workflow Queen, teaches bookkeepers and accountants how to utilize tech and automation to create better workflows, systems, and processes. As a result, they can run their practices on autopilot, stress less and save time!

    After being in the accounting world for five years, Alyssa struggled with streamlining her practice. She felt frustrated and nervous and couldn't sleep at night not knowing where her client work would come from. She was overwhelmed by all the daily tasks, lost track of work and just couldn't keep up.

    Alyssa hit a wall and decided to make a change, so she started to automate her practice by creating workflows, systems, and processes. She was then able to run her practice and take on more clients, scale and provide excellent service in the process! These days Alyssa's a full-time educator. She's also an Asana Certified Pro and her courses and resources have helped hundreds of bookkeepers and accountants worldwide!

    Fun fact: Alyssa's a certified skydiver and is obsessed with great white sharks + is mildly OBSESSED with Deadpool!

    Sponsors:

    Universal Accounting Center

    • Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

    Offers:

    Click HERE to register for the Breakthrough for Bookkeepers & Accountants group coaching program that will begin its first cohort on November 1, 2021. This program is meant to help bookkeepers and accountants to scale bigger, hire better and breakthrough to the next level. We will be providing weekly coaching calls with myself and my team, there will be a program included, homework reviews, detailed assets to use to build next level systems and operations for their firm. The intention of this program is to help gear them to creating a firm that can run without them.

    Also learn more about the tech stack you should be using to effectively market your business to get the clients you deserve. Attend this information packed webinar which is the Turn-Key System to get tax and accounting clients. In it you will learn how to leverage your online presence to get new clients. There is a Turnkey Business Plan for accounting professionals to help you run a success Virtual Bookkeeping business.

    For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!

    Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal.

    Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.

    For more information on how you can apply these principles in your business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801.265.3777
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    46 mins
  • The Secret to Explaining Your Accounting Pricing w/ Laura Shepherd

    The Secret to Explaining Your Accounting Pricing w/ Laura Shepherd
    Dec 10 2025
    On this edition of Building the Premier Accounting Firm, Roger Knecht and Laura Shepherd, founder of Momentum BK, discuss pricing strategies for accounting firms, focusing on Shepherd's "Pricing with Purpose" philosophy. Learn how to categorize services, build confidence, and avoid common pricing pitfalls to grow your accounting business. In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to Pricing with Purpose 03:49 Categorizing Accounting Services for Pricing 08:42 Deep Dive into Service Categories 14:43 Mindset Shift for Accounting Professionals 19:05 Real-World Pricing Success Stories 24:38 The Importance of Confidence and Explanation 29:45 Entrepreneurial Journey and Gratitude 34:29 Future Goals and Elevating the Profession 38:40 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action 42:45 Podcast Conclusion and Resources Key Takeaways: Assess your services to define clear value for clients. Categorize offerings into task management, compliance, and advisory for transparent pricing. Adopt an entrepreneurial mindset to confidently set and explain your fees. Understand specific client needs and industry compliance for accurate pricing. Leverage clear communication to build client trust and increase revenue. Featured Quotes: "If I can't explain it, it doesn't exist." - Laura Shepherd "You're not a bookkeeper. You are an accounting entrepreneur who provides bookkeeping services." - Laura Shepherd "I want to create more opportunities to reach those people where they are." - Laura Shepherd Top 3 Highlights: Pricing with Purpose: Understand and articulate the value of your services to clients, moving beyond arbitrary fee setting. Service Buckets: Segment services into necessary, compliance-based, and advisory levels to offer clear, structured pricing. Entrepreneurial Mindset: Adopt the perspective of a business owner to manage profitability and confidently communicate your worth. Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth. Offers: With the purchase of the Pricing with Purpose Webinar & Workbook ($49.00) https://momentumbk.com/pricing And receive the bonus tool of "Pricing with Purpose Checklist". https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BPqND-4q8cHaY1_KE_5NptxwrWY8DL6r/view?usp=drive_link Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable. These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services you should offer as you run your business. help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve. In addition to becoming an author, see what you can do to follow the Turnkey Business plan for accounting professionals. After more than 40 years we've identified the best practices of successful accountants and this is a presentation we are happy to share. Check it out and see what you can do to be in business for yourself but not by yourself with Universal Accounting Center. It's here you can become a: Professional Bookkeeper, PB Professional Tax Preparer, PTP Profit & Growth Expert, PGE Next, join a group of like-minded professionals ...
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    46 mins
  • This Week on BPAF : Laura Shepherd

    This Week on BPAF : Laura Shepherd
    Dec 8 2025

    Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses pricing with purpose with Laura Shepherd.
    Show more Show less
    1 min
  • Helping Business Owners Go From A Job To A Lifestyle w/ Ken Mann

    Helping Business Owners Go From A Job To A Lifestyle w/ Ken Mann
    Sep 15 2021
    There are 3 key elements when explaining accounting services so that business owners can understand the value of the work we do, and Ken helps us understand why we need to emphasize each of them in our marketing.

    As Ken and Roger speak, we are also reminded that this is a personal business. Even more important than the accounting skills we use to take care of our clients it's the relationships we build that are equally important.

    Consider this, Ken shares an interesting perspective, think of tax like this: "Taxes I like the report card on the test you took last year." So with that in mind, how do you work with your clients to help them score the best they can year after year.

    Listen in and enjoy this next episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm.

    Your Host: Roger Knecht, president of Universal Accounting Center

    Guest Name: Ken Mann

    ​Ken Mann, along with his wife Gina Mann, EA, CFP®, own Freedom Financial Solutions LLC. Ken is a Profit & Growth Expert, helping his clients to increase their profits, reduce their taxes, so they can have money in the bank when they need it. Ken and Gina specialize in small business 100% accounting and IRS/NYS tax problem representation. Ken is an Intuit Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor in both the desktop and online versions. Ken does private QuickBooks training, company setup, and specializes in catch-up and cleanup projects.

    Sponsors:

    Universal Accounting Center

    • Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

    Offers:

    In the episode we heard Ken share they have been leveraging Facebook to grow the business and get clients. It's intentional and deliberate. Just this last year, 40%+ have come from Facebook alone.

    Learn more how you can use social media to get the tax and accounting clients you deserve. Understand how an effective accounting tech stack can help you automate the process and manage the leads you receive through the nurture process to become paying clients.

    Attend this Strategic Webinar TODAY!

    This is just part of the journey of becoming an Accountrepreneur. Ken was great at sharing his journey from tax specialist to becoming a bookkeeping and QuickBooks Specialist. See how this also applies to your journey as you build the premier accounting business in your area.

    Also, join the community of accounting professionals within Facebook in this closed group, the Accounting & Bookkeeping Tips group.

    For Additional FREE Resources for accounting professionals check out this collection HERE!

    Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal.

    Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.

    For more information on how you can apply these principles in your business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com or call us at 801.265.3777
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • Why Most Accountants Fail to Scale (And How to Fix It) w/ Lahari Neelapareddy

    Why Most Accountants Fail to Scale (And How to Fix It) w/ Lahari Neelapareddy
    Dec 3 2025
    In this episode of Building the Premier Accounting firm, host Roger Knecht discusses building a premier accounting firm with guest Lahari Neelapareddy, founder of Tax Hero and LN Accounting Advisors. They cover Lahari's journey from public accounting to specializing in e-commerce and consumer packaged goods, emphasizing the value of niche marketing and advisory services over traditional compliance work. Lahari shares insights on sustainable growth, avoiding burnout, and the importance of continuous learning for accounting professionals. In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Spotlight 01:43 From CPA to Entrepreneur 03:13 Starting an Accounting Firm 07:14 Small Business Accounting Challenges 08:52 Evolving Service Offerings and Specialization 12:33 Niche Marketing and Tax Hero 17:32 CFO and Advisory Services 20:24 Defining CFO Advisory Value 26:15 Client Relationships and Pricing 29:58 Lessons Learned: Sustainability Over Growth 33:23 Closing Thoughts and Resources Key Takeaways: Specialize in a niche industry to enhance marketing and scalability, as Lahari did with e-commerce and CPG brands. Prioritize value-added services like CFO and advisory over compliance work to increase client retention and pricing. Define clear service packages and scope of work to manage client expectations and minimize scope creep. Focus on sustainable growth, emphasizing efficiency and maintaining passion to avoid burnout, rather than solely chasing rapid revenue. Continuously Learn through podcasts, mastermind groups, and peer interactions to stay updated and avoid reinventing processes. Featured Quotes: "I didn't think I would start an accounting firm. Because when I thought of people that owned accounting firm, I only thought tax, right? Like people that are CPAs that do tax returns at their desk. And the image is like very boring is the image that most people get, right?" - Lahari Neelapareddy. "I wanted to add value to my clients. I think that was always there. And the second thing was like, I wanted like a good work culture that I think is maybe still lacking in big four and the public accounting world, but definitely was lacking in the time that I was there." - Lahari Neelapareddy. "Sustainability over growth sometimes, right? Because growth will come automatically, but you need to make sure that you don't lose that passion and that you're sustaining it." - Lahari Neelapareddy. Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth. Offers: I'd love to offer two resources to your audience. First, a free discovery call—whether you're an e-commerce business wanting to simplify sales tax or an accountant interested in partnering with us, you can book a time with me at https://taxhero.net/contact/#demo Second, you can download our up-to-date Economic Nexus Chart, a quick guide to understanding sales tax nexus across the US, at https://taxhero.net/blog/economic-nexus/#download For more information related to Lahari consider the following: TaxHero: https://taxhero.net/, and LN Accounting: https://www.lnaccountingadvisor.com/ Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable. These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services you should offer as you run your business. help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You ...
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    45 mins
  • This Week on BPAF : Lahari Neelapareddy

    This Week on BPAF : Lahari Neelapareddy
    Dec 1 2025

    Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses starting businesses with Lahari Neelapareddy
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    Less than 1 minute
  • Diversify for Profit: Get More Money Out of Your Business w/ Steve Selengut

    Diversify for Profit: Get More Money Out of Your Business w/ Steve Selengut
    Nov 26 2025
    Welcome to another episode of the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast. Today Roger Knecht and Steve Selengut discuss the core differences between finance and accounting, and how to build income independence. Learn about the four key financial risk minimizers and the importance of an abundance mindset in investing to achieve financial freedom from Roger and Steve. In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to the Show and Guest 01:20 Finance vs. Accounting and Diversification 04:49 Path to Income Independence 07:25 Defining Income Independence and Mindset 09:05 Scarcity vs. Abundance Mindset 13:38 Diversifying Beyond Business and Selling Practices 19:20 Four Financial Risk Minimizers 24:29 Pre-tax vs. Post-tax Retirement Decisions 27:03 How Much to Invest & Importance of Early Start 31:39 Department Store Analogy for Investing 35:31 Accounting Professionals & Client Wealth Building 40:02 Guiding Lights and Life Changes from Investing 42:39 Mindset as Key Takeaway & Closing Thoughts 49:53 Universal Accounting Resources and Invitation Key Takeaways: Distinguish between finance (asset growth, income production) and accounting (tax optimization for money and processes). Diversify investments outside of your primary business to create multiple income streams for retirement. Adopt an income-focused mindset, prioritizing dependable cash flow over market value fluctuations. Implement the four financial risk minimizers: quality security selection, broad diversification, consistent income production, and timely profit taking. Consider Roth accounts for younger individuals and match employer 401k contributions, investing additional savings into a personal income-focused portfolio. Featured Quotes: "Income independence is the point in time where it doesn't matter to you whether the stock market is going up and down or interest rates are trending upward or downward." — Steve Selengut "My focus is not so much on the value of the stuff, but the income that it produces." — Steve Selengut "More income, really. There's an expression right on the COVID of the book, Retirement Money Secrets. It says, Market Income fuels the yacht. You got to get there." — Steve Selengut Conclusion: Thank you for joining us for another episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more information on how you can establish your own accounting firm and take control of your time and income, call 435-344-2060 or schedule an appointment to connect with Roger's team here. Sponsors: Universal Accounting Center Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth. Offers: To learn more about Steve and what we discussed today feel free to check out his website: https://theincomecoach.net/ Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable. These are a must-have addition to every accountant's library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today: "Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant's guide to QUICK turnarounds" – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses. "in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable" – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles. "Your Strategic Accountant" - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services (CAS - Client Accounting Services) you should offer as you run your business. Help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions. "Your Profit & Growth Expert" - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve. Follow the Turnkey Business plan for accounting professionals. This is the proven process to start and build the premier accounting firm in your area. After more than 40 years we've identified the best practices of successful accountants and this is a presentation we are happy to share. Also learn the best practices to automate and nurture your ...
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    54 mins
  • This Week on BPAF : Steve Selengut

    This Week on BPAF : Steve Selengut
    Nov 24 2025

    Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses getting more money out of your business with Steve Selengut.
    Show more Show less
    1 min