BEYOND TAX RETURNS

Unveiling the ROI of Strategic Succession Planning for CPA Practices

Stand Out in a Crowded Market

From Compliance to Strategic Advisory

As a CPA, differentiating yourself from the myriad of options available to business owners requires more than just providing tax returns and audits. In a crowded marketplace, CPAs must evolve beyond being viewed as commodities, offering merely compliance-driven services. Instead, they must proactively engage clients with strategic advice, transforming their role from transactional to indispensable.

Imagine the profound impact of understanding your clients' deepest motivations and long-term goals. By leveraging the ISPA suite of member resources, you can offer holistic consulting advice from a deeply informed position, transforming your role from a transactional service provider to a trusted advisor who guides clients toward their dreams. This comprehensive approach not only enhances client loyalty but also positions you as an indispensable partner in their journey to success.

Drive Client Loyalty and Practice Growth

Business owners today demand more than just number crunching from their CPAs; they seek trusted advisors who grasp their aspirations and the underlying motivations driving them. Embracing a holistic approach, CPAs can redefine their advisory services through the lens of the Succession Matrix, enabling a deep exploration of clients' personal and business goals.

This proactive approach goes beyond traditional boundaries, offering comprehensive services that address both immediate needs and long-term visions alike.

INTEGRATED SERVICE OFFERING

Leveraging the Succession Matrix as an advisory framework, CPAs can seamlessly integrate and deploy firm-wide services, such as fractional CFO, technology, recruiting, and wealth management.

FACILITATING BUSINESS & PRACTICE GROWTH

The Succession Matrix provides CPAs with a structured framework to align tax-efficient strategies and business growth with long-term financial goals, driving value.

NAVIGATING FAMILY & BUSINESS ISSUES

Leverage your advisory skills to navigate transitions and family dynamics, positioning yourself as a trusted partner and safeguarding legacies while strengthening client relationships.

CLIENT LOYALTY & REFERRALS

Turn satisfied clients into advocates who grow your practice through referrals. Deliver results, show genuine commitment, and watch your reputation and practice expand.

Enhance Your Team's Potential with ISPA®

Transform Technicians Into Advisors

In today's competitive job market, finding top-tier talent has become increasingly challenging difficult. ISPA® resources can be leveraged as a turnkey recruitment and advisory development program specifically designed for junior associates.  Junior associates want to see a clear pathway for growth, and ISPA® resources provide multiple career development opportunities. These resources offer your team advisory options beyond just tax returns or audits, allowing them to expand their skills and expertise.

Comprehensive Advisory Development Resources: 

Equip your team with:

  • Marketing and Sales Guides: Attract and retain clients effortlessly. 
  • Implementation Tools: Simplify and streamline the advisory process. 
  • Advisory Strategies: Tailored strategies for business advisory, growth & succession planning.

Elevate your firm with ISPA®, differentiate your practice, attract top talent, and provide a clear development path. Integrate our resources to become a leader in business advisory. Join ISPA® and watch your firm thrive.

ISPA Advanced Planning Tools

Maximize Practice Growth

Join ISPA® and unlock new opportunities through the Certified Succession Planner™ credential and Succession Planning Assessment™. Boost client satisfaction, drive revenue growth, and enhance your advisory role with our Succession Matrix® tools. As a CPA, you can guide privately-held businesses through change with proactive, strategic solutions. ISPA’s resources empower you to generate more billable hours and position yourself as a forward-thinking advisor committed to long-term client success. Join ISPA® today and reshape your future.

Your Gateway to 
Specialized Expertise

Position yourself as an industry authority by exploring the unique benefits of our CSP credential. Elevate your credibility, solidify your expertise, and become the go-to expert in the competitive market of succession planning.

Beyond Certification, An Analytical Tool on Steroids

Uncover the depth of our SPA™, an analytical powerhouse that goes beyond certification. Foster meaningful client engagement and gain actionable insights.

Not Just Tools, a
Strategic Partnership

Experience the immediate impact of joining ISPA® through the Succession News & Applied Practice Resources. Hit the ground running, positioning yourself as a highly experienced value-add succession planner.

Strategies for Practice Growth & Stability

 To truly stand out as a CPA, it's crucial to adopt a proactive mindset rather than a reactive one. By anticipating potential challenges before they arise, and collaborating closely with clients and other advisors, you can offer proactive solutions that keep your clients ahead of the curve. This forward-thinking approach not only mitigates risks but also uncovers new opportunities for growth and innovation.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, where constant change and complex challenges are the norm, CPAs who set themselves apart by providing comprehensive, forward-looking services will capture the attention of business owners. These modern CPAs earn lasting trust and loyalty by not just following trends, but by shaping them, leaving a significant impact on the lives and legacies of their clients

Join the ISPA Today!

Ready to revolutionize your approach to succession planning? Join ISPA® today and embark on a transformative journey.

Elevate your practice, distinguish yourself in the market, and achieve unparalleled success in the dynamic landscape of succession planning. Succession planning has never been this transformative—seize the opportunity and revolutionize your future as a member of the International Succession Planning Association®.

Key Benefits of Leveraging ISPA Resources:

  • Fortify client relationships for enhanced retention and satisfaction.
  • Catalyst for revenue growth through various avenues. 
  • Differentiate yourself, offering a unique value proposition to clients. 

The Benefits Add Up and Make Sense

Transform Your Accounting Practice with Business Advisory Excellence

Are You Looking to Grow Your Practice?

Check Out These Other Free Downloads

16 HIDDEN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Multi-generational clients grow your business. Whether you are a lawyer, accountant, financial advisor, or consultant, we have a list of actionable strategies you can test today to motivate your clients to work with you long term.

12 QUESTIONS TO CREATE CLIENT OPPORTUNITIES

Get this free resource of 12 powerful questions you can ask to identify client motivations and influence business owners to take action. Grow your business by having better discussions with prospects and clients immediately.

20 YEAR
CASE STUDY

Want to get into the specifics of what it takes in succession planning? Gain insights into the inner-workings of a real long-term family business succession planning case study and a business engagement that was worth over $75,000 per year.

3 STRATEGIC PROJECT EXAMPLES

You need to have a plan. We outlined three of our best examples of projects you could learn from and potentially apply in your business. From objective to successful outcome, these family business examples help you build strategies.

"The most important item I gained by obtaining training in succession planning was an understanding of the legion of drivers that impact a successful succession plan. It gave me the ability to understand my clients’ motives better (which in many instances are not fully articulated). I did not pursue succession planning as a separate business endeavor but used the knowledge to assist my clients in engaging professionals that could help them move forward.

New business and retaining clients are not an issue. Influencing clients to act was. The more I know about building, operating, valuing, protecting, and eventually passing on a business, the better I can serve my clients in achieving their goals."

Leon M Rogers, CPA/ABV/CFF, CFE, CVA, CSP
Managing Member, Tetrick and Bartlett

JOIN US ON LINKED IN

This group is dedicated to connecting advisors, consultants & counselors who are or have an interest in working in the business succession planning field to globally promote the key concepts and to help the succession planning community learn, leverage resources & outperform. This group will promote an environment for sharing ideas, leveraging resources and will provide access to cutting edge professional development and planning resources.  

"I was always trying to find better ways to speak with business owners about succession planning. This training helped me transition from selling to asking better questions. This also enhanced my listening skills and I pivoted to teaching/consulting to their issues. I was better able to help privately held businesses move through the process of Succession, Exit and Transition.

The majority of a business owners wealth is locked in their business. To help them move, spend, transfer and distribute their wealth you need to be able to address and serve them where they need you. Our future is dependent of the continued success and growth of our Entrepreneurs."

Michael C. Valdez, AIF, CLU
Founder & President- Business Transition Council

SHOULD YOU JOIN THE ISPA MEMBERSHIP?

Succession planning is a major priority for business owners right now. Are you prepared to help your clients navigate their long term needs as effefictively as possible?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

We know that learning online can be tough sometimes, which is why we brought in experts in virtual training to help us build more than just videos over powerpoint. You will have a wide variety of methods to learn including videos, interactive lessons, quizzes, and surveys. Our goal is to ensure that you grow through the learning, not just go through it.

The Certified Succession Planner program will be delivered on-demand and as a continuous enrollment model which means you can enroll any time and learn at your convenience.

Training has been developed by the Authors and Contributors of numerous succession planning textbooks and training programs. Additionally, the ISPA Board has contributed feedback, time, and resources to help ensure the success of the programs. Learn more about the ISPA and team here

The program does not have any deliverables for you to complete and submit directly to the ISPA, however as you go along, you will need to demonstrate your comprehension through ongoing competency tests which will allow you to progress further.

You can expect that each module should take you approximately 1-2 weeks to complete, depending on the time you put in. We suggest you commit to 1-2 hours per day and around 10-15 hours per module in total. We also understand that each learner will work at their own pace.

The topics covered in the Certified Succession Planner program are not entry-level, meaning that we recommend that you have a combination of both professional and educational experience in executive coaching, law, finance, or accounting.

The CSP program has been built on a platform that is both desktop and mobile friendly, so most laptops and desktop computers will be sufficient to work through the materials. While you may access the content easily on your mobile device, we do recommend a desktop computer. You also might want to use a printer to print out the supplemental resources like textbooks, guides, workbooks, etc.

Anytime you need help, feel free to reach out to [email protected] and we will do our best to work with you on your challenges.