AT Think

IMGCAP(1)] About once a month I am called in to assess the marketing and business development efforts for a 30 to 150 person CPA firm. The firms typically request an evaluation of their marketing efforts, approach, tools, skills, and more. As I spend time with the firm trying to uncover the issues and challenges within the firm that are obstacles to success, I often come to the conclusion that I am not dealing with a marketing problem. Rather, about half of the time, the root cause of their lack of growth, profitability, and success is a foundational weakness.

The Internal Revenue Service has posted an online video series known as “Tax Tales,” complete with creepy-sounding music.

Meet Bryan Newlin, the mastermind behind the “I’m on an Audit” rap video, the winner of the ATOM’s Got Talent Video Contest with Next Generation Consulting. Newlin, a manager at Yount, Hyde & Barbour in Virginia, said the idea for the video originally came from wanting to parody a Saturday Night Live skit for their Annual Firm Day. Here, Newlin tells us more about what happened behind the scenes.

The White House and senior Democrats in Congress are reportedly weighing a compromise “decoupling” approach to the Bush tax cuts that could extend them for upper-income taxpayers on a temporary basis and for middle-class taxpayers permanently.

The SEC has published its initial progress report on the work plan for the proposed move to International Financial Reporting Standards, but the report raises many questions without necessarily answering them just yet.

At least, according to the American Institute of CPAs - and they want high school students to know that, too. And well, agree with them. So the Institute has launched the Clearly Pretty Awesome Competition to introduce them to the accounting profession.

Small business owners would like to see their accountants dress up as either Lady Gaga or a calculator this Halloween, according to a new survey.

Wilson-Taylor Associates, Inc., the firm that released the inaugural report of the Accounting MOVE Project, which measures and supports the advancement of women at public accounting firms, is looking for firms to participate in their sophomore effort – one that will focus on Gen Y women, the partnership pipeline and measurement strategies.

Rob Lutts, the president and chief investment officer of Cabot Money Management, visited the offices a few days ago to talk about why he thinks investors are being too cautious these days.

What will the accounting profession look like five to 10 years from now? As a young professional, this is a critical question to ask ourselves.