The Real Costs of Growth: What CPA Firm Leaders Aren’t Saying About M&A and Private Equity
Because while the headlines might read “Record-Breaking Deal Size” or “Strategic Growth Through Consolidation,” what I keep hearing from CEOs, Managing Partners, and executive teams is something very different.
It’s fatigue. It’s frustration. It’s a quiet sense of, “What the hell happened to the firm I helped build?”
Let me be candid.
I’m not against M&A or private equity. In fact, for the right firm, with the right leadership, it can be a powerful catalyst for scale, new services, or succession planning.
But if you’re a CPA firm leader, you already know:
Growth comes with a price. And sometimes, that price is culture. Or leadership confidence. Or clarity of direction. Or trust.
Over the past 18 months, I’ve sat across from firm leaders who say things like:
🟥 “This doesn’t feel like our firm anymore.”
🟥 “My partners are divided — half energized, half checked out.”
🟥 “I’m supposed to lead, but no one told me how to lead through this kind of change.”
🟥 “Our top people are quietly looking elsewhere.”
If any of that resonates, you’re not alone.
These are the growing pains no one talks about.
What starts as a strategic deal often turns into:
A culture fracture – where values get lost in the fine print.
Leadership drift – as you try to balance PE demands with partner expectations.
Talent erosion – your best people walk because no one has cast a compelling vision post-deal.
Strategic confusion – because what made sense when you were independent doesn’t quite fit the new structure.
Loss of autonomy – decisions take longer, and you feel less in control.
Client concern – the brand’s changed, the experience has shifted, and trust needs to be rebuilt.
If any of this is happening in your world, you don’t need another generic consultant or a polished “playbook.”
You need real clarity. You need to get centered again — as a leader, and as a firm.
Here’s what I believe:
🟢 Leadership is either the anchor or the amplifier in a moment of change.
🟢 You cannot outsource purpose.
🟢 Your firm’s greatest competitive advantage isn’t the deal — it’s how you lead through it.
So, I help firm leaders get back to the center.
We don’t talk fluff. We talk strategy, people, purpose, and the practical realities of leading through uncertainty. We work on what matters most — your ability to lead with clarity, make high-stakes decisions, and reignite the trust of your team and clients.
If you're navigating an M&A transition or new PE partnership — or you’re simply trying to lead with strength in a rapidly shifting profession — I’d welcome a conversation.
No pressure. No pitch. Just an honest talk about what you’re facing, and whether I might be able to help.
Because the cost of growth shouldn’t be your leadership confidence, your culture, or your people.
You didn’t come this far to lose yourself — or your firm — in the process.
Let’s make sure you stay centered.
CLICK HERE to schedule a strategy call.
Until Next Time!
