In this special case study episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Rob Tokay to explore how implementing CFO advisory services transformed his business. Rob shares his journey from traditional accounting work to building a more profitable and impactful practice using the CFO model. You'll hear firsthand how Rob shifted his approach, attracted higher-value clients, and created a business that’s both scalable and fulfilling. If you’re an accountant or bookkeeper wondering...
Jun 10, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 31
On this episode of The CFO Project Podcast, Adam Lean and Jeff Prager dive into the key differences between launching a CFO advisory firm and starting a traditional accounting or bookkeeping business. While many professionals default to offering tax or bookkeeping services, they often overlook the more scalable and fulfilling opportunity of CFO advisory work. You'll discover why the skill sets, client relationships, and business models for advisory services offer greater long-term value—and how ...
Apr 15, 2025•29 min•Season 4Ep. 30
In this episode of the CFO Report, host Adam Lean sits down with Jeff Prager to reveal the three key reasons their CFO advisory firm achieved massive success. With years of experience guiding businesses toward financial clarity and profitability, Adam and Jeff break down the specific strategies that helped them stand out in a competitive market. Whether you're running an advisory firm or any business looking to scale, these insights will give you a framework for long-term success. Tune in as the...
Apr 01, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 29
Are you working long hours but still feel like you're not earning what you're worth? In this episode of the CFO Project Podcast, hosts Adam Lean and Jeff Prager reveal the eight key signs that accountants and bookkeepers are undervaluing their services. From being trapped in a pricing war to offering services that clients see as a necessary evil, we break down the common pitfalls that keep financial professionals stuck in a cycle of low earnings and high stress. If you're ready to break free fro...
Mar 25, 2025•26 min•Season 4Ep. 28
Overcoming imposter syndrome is key to becoming a confident and successful CFO advisor. In this episode of the CFO Project Podcast, we break down six practical ways to overcome self-doubt, understand your value, and take action. Whether you're an accountant, bookkeeper, or aspiring CFO, this discussion will help you shift your mindset and build confidence in your expertise. Join hosts Adam Lean and Jeff as they share insights on why imposter syndrome is common among high achievers, how to effect...
Mar 04, 2025•30 min•Season 4Ep. 27
In this episode of the CFO Project Podcast, we dive into the essential soft skills every CFO advisor needs to succeed. While technical expertise like forecasting and budgeting are crucial, soft skills like empathy, resourcefulness, and active listening are what truly set top advisors apart. Jeff Prager, co-founder of the CFO Project, joins the conversation to discuss how these skills help CFO advisors better understand their clients, build trust, and provide real value to small business owners. ...
Feb 18, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 26
In this insightful episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Lauren Baptiste, founder of Aquilo and former CPA, to tackle the critical issue of burnout in the accounting profession. Lauren shares her personal journey from experiencing severe burnout that led to hospitalization, to discovering how mindset shifts and self-awareness can transform our relationship with work. As a fellow accountant who's been in the trenches, she offers a unique perspective on why high-achievi...
Jan 21, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 25
In this eye-opening episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Sara Bryson of CFO Yeah to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing accounting professionals today: effectively communicating with clients. Sara shares powerful insights on how to translate complex financial concepts into language that business owners not only understand but are motivated to act upon. Through real-world examples and candid stories of both successes and failures, this episode reveals why spea...
Jan 14, 2025•24 min•Season 4Ep. 24
Join Adam Lean as he sits down with Pam Greb, founder of Cloud Nine Financial, to explore her journey from corporate America to building a thriving bookkeeping and CFO advisory practice. After a 20-year career spanning engineering, account management, and sales, Pam shares how she transformed her traditional bookkeeping services into a high-value advisory practice that makes a bigger impact while requiring less time with each client. Discover practical insights on how to successfully add CFO ser...
Jan 07, 2025•23 min•Season 4Ep. 23
In this eye-opening episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean welcomes price and profit coach Loren Fogelman to discuss how accounting professionals can break free from price-based competition. Loren shares powerful insights on the crucial difference between selling features versus benefits, explaining why most firms struggle by focusing on technical aspects like workflows and reports instead of communicating the transformative outcomes they deliver to clients. Learn how to transition f...
Nov 19, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 22
In this episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean is joined by Keila Hill-Trawick, Founder of Little Fish Accounting. They discuss the idea that you don't have to be a big firm to be successful in the accounting industry. Keila shares how she built her practice to serve the "little fish" - small businesses and sole proprietors - by offering a concierge-level experience regardless of the client's size. Keila emphasizes the importance of defining "enough" for your firm and not constantly ...
Nov 12, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Struggling to market your accounting or advisory firm effectively? In this episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Christian Jones, CEO of Tax Pro Marketer, to discuss the best marketing tactics for accounting and advisory practices. Christian shares insights on building genuine relationships with potential clients, creating a marketing funnel that converts, and leveraging online and offline strategies to attract your ideal customers. Whether you're a tax practitioner, ...
Oct 29, 2024•27 min•Season 4Ep. 20
In this enlightening episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Shelby Ashley, founder of Optimized Financial Solutions, to tackle the challenging topic of setting boundaries with demanding clients. Shelby shares her journey from corporate financial analyst to successful CFO advisor, and discusses how learning to say "no" transformed her business - leading her to sign three new clients in just one month after letting go of a problematic one. Join Adam and Shelby as they di...
Oct 22, 2024•21 min•Season 4Ep. 19
In this insightful episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Shahram Zarshenas, founder of Financial Cents, to discuss essential tips for running an efficient accounting practice. Shahram shares his journey from investment banking to creating a practice management tool specifically designed for accountants and bookkeepers. Learn how implementing the right systems can help you transition from being just an accountant to becoming a successful firm owner, capable of scaling ...
Oct 15, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Join host Adam Lean and special guest Michelle Weinstein, the "Pitch Queen" and founder of The Abundant Accountant, as they tackle one of the biggest challenges facing financial professionals: selling services without feeling like a salesperson. In this enlightening episode of The CFO Project Podcast, they dive deep into why accountants and bookkeepers often struggle with sales, debunking common misconceptions and fears about selling high-value services. Discover practical insights on transformi...
Oct 08, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 17
In this episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Tom Griffiths, a fellow CFO and founder of Synergy CFO Solutions, to discuss how accountants and finance professionals can effectively sell CFO advisory services. Tom shares insights on changing the mindset around sales, uncovering a prospect's true needs, and handling objections productively. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the prospect's goals and positioning the CFO services as a solution to their problems...
Oct 01, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Join host Adam Lean as he sits down with seasoned CFOs Dan May and Paul Weller to explore "The Day in the Life of a Full-Time CFO" on The CFO Project Podcast. In this insightful episode, Dan and Paul share their experiences and perspectives on the crucial role of trust, communication, and organization in their daily responsibilities. They discuss the challenges of translating complex financial data into actionable insights for various stakeholders and the importance of maintaining strong relatio...
Sep 24, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 15
In this insightful episode of The CFO Project Podcast, host Adam Lean sits down with Carina Thomas to explore the critical topic of "How to Be a Strategic CFO." Carina, an experienced financial professional, shares her journey from traditional accounting to becoming a strategic CFO, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond basic bookkeeping and tax preparation. She discusses how strategic CFOs use data-driven decision-making to help businesses grow, and explains why benchmarking against a co...
Sep 17, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 14
In this episode of "The CFO Project Podcast," host Adam Lean engages in an insightful conversation with Alicia Katz Pollock, founder and CEO of Royalwise Solutions, about the pros and cons of using QuickBooks for client work. Alicia, a seasoned QuickBooks trainer and host of the "Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast," shares her expertise on when QuickBooks is the right choice and when it might not be the best fit for your clients. Whether you’re a fan or a critic of QuickBooks, this episod...
Sep 10, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 13
In this episode of "The CFO Project Podcast," host Adam Lean sits down with David A. Perez to discuss the transformative journey from being a traditional tax preparer to becoming a high-value tax advisor. David shares his personal story of how he started in tax preparation and eventually transitioned into offering advisory services that significantly increased his earnings. This episode is a must-listen for accountants, CPAs, and bookkeepers who are looking to evolve their practice and provide m...
Sep 03, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 12
In this episode of "The CFO Project Podcast," Adam Lean is joined by Kelly Goode to discuss the compelling reasons behind her transition from corporate finance to becoming a CFO advisor. With nearly two decades of experience in various accounting and finance roles, Kelly shares her journey of seeking more autonomy, meaningful impact, and the desire to assist small business owners beyond traditional bookkeeping. The conversation delves into how small businesses often lack the financial expertise ...
Aug 20, 2024•21 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Ever feel like you're drowning in paperwork and working crazy hours? Nick Boscia's been there. In this eye-opening chat with Adam Lean on The CFO Project Podcast, Nick spills the beans on how he turned his dad's old-school accounting firm into a modern powerhouse. We're talking double the clients without doubling the workload. If you're an accountant, CPA, or bookkeeper dreaming of a life beyond spreadsheets, you'll want to tune in. Nick's got the lowdown on cool tech that'll make your life easi...
Aug 13, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 10
In this insightful episode of "Escaping The Accountant's Trap," host Adam Lean sits down with Dr. Ranelli Williams to discuss the art of offering advisory services to service-based businesses. Dr. Williams shares her expertise on why service-based business owners specifically seek CFO advisors and the unique challenges they face. This episode is packed with valuable insights for accountants, CPAs, and bookkeepers looking to expand their services and increase their income through CFO advisory rol...
Aug 06, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 9
In this episode of "Escaping The Accountant's Trap," host Adam Lean sits down with Jolyeane Kimble, an experienced finance expert, to discuss the ins and outs of becoming a successful CFO advisor. Jolyeane shares her journey from corporate finance to owning and selling multiple businesses, and how this experience shaped her approach to advisory services. She offers practical advice for accountants and bookkeepers looking to expand their services and make more money by helping small business owne...
Jul 30, 2024•25 min•Season 4Ep. 8
In this episode of "Escaping The Accountant's Trap," host Adam Lean interviews Geraldine Carter, an expert in helping accountants and CPAs boost their profitability without working more hours. Geraldine shares invaluable insights on how to offer advisory services and make more money as an accountant or bookkeeper. She emphasizes the importance of understanding value creation, effective pricing strategies, and efficient service delivery. This episode is packed with practical tips for solo CPAs lo...
Jul 23, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Struggling to find work-life balance as an accountant or bookkeeper? In this episode of the "Escaping The Accountant's Trap" podcast, host Adam Lean from The CFO Project interviews productivity expert Marcey Rader. She shares practical tips on how to prioritize tasks, batch work, and manage your calendar so you can offer advisory CFO services to clients without sacrificing quality or your wellbeing - especially during busy tax seasons. Marcey reveals the key to avoiding burnout by taking real br...
Jul 16, 2024•25 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Is pricing your advisory services a struggle? In this episode, Adam interviews Shahrooz Niknami from Aco Tech Group about how he prices and packages his CFO advisory services. Niknami shares his evolution from hourly billing nightmares to profitable fixed-fee pricing models. You'll learn why hourly rates often lead to client disputes and leave money on the table. Niknami reveals the ideal way to scope and price advisory projects so prospects say yes without sticker shock. The key is giving busin...
Jul 09, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Are you an accountant, CPA, or bookkeeper looking to make more money by offering advisory services? In this episode of Escaping The Accountant's Trap, Adam Lean interviews Katie Ferro, founder of the "Profits and Prosecco" movement. Katie shares her journey from corporate accounting to building a thriving bookkeeping and advisory business. You'll learn how she leverages technology like Xero to offer efficient, scalable bookkeeping that truly advises clients on profits. Katie also reveals the sec...
Jul 02, 2024•36 min•Season 4Ep. 7
What exactly does it mean to offer CFO advisory services to clients? Many accountants and bookkeepers hear they should provide advisory but aren't sure what that entails. In this episode, Adam and his guest demystify the CFO advisor role. You'll learn the key difference between bookkeeping, tax compliance, and true advisory work. Discover why business owners crave advice and answers they can't get from their bookkeeper or overtaxed CPA firm. The hosts break down what clients really want from a f...
Jun 25, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Are you wondering what motivates business owners to bring on a CFO or advisor for their company? This insightful episode of The CFO Project podcast dives into the key reasons entrepreneurs decide to hire fractional CFO services. Host Adam Lean picks the brain of an experienced CFO advisor who has recently won several new client engagements. You'll learn the common pain points and challenges that prompt owners to seek out financial guidance, from struggling to understand the numbers to feeling st...
Jun 18, 2024•20 min•Season 4Ep. 5
