How to get clients for a new accounting practice
Starting a new CPA firm is difficult because established practices for sale get outbid by all-cash offers from larger firms, leaving aspiring owners to build a client base from scratch. Without an existing book of business or an easy way to acquire one, new practices struggle to gain traction in competitive markets.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using accounting practice sales websites
- 2Competing with all-cash offers from larger firms
- 3Attempting to build a small book of business gradually
- 4Trying anything and everything
- 5Engaging in business networking
- 6Building relationships with estate attorneys and financial advisors
- 7Starting with individual income tax returns to build a contact list for bookkeeping gigs
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My dream is to open my own CPA firm. How did you start? How did you gain clients?”source ↗
“I’ve been looking it for over a year and any good practice comes up for sale, they get better offers from other firms, probably all cash. It’s like trying to buy a house on Long Island during Covid.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4How to find a responsive accountant for a small nonprofit
- 2Why can't I get an interview at a public accounting firm?
- 2What do year-round accountant services actually include?
- 6Does starting in private accounting ruin your career?
- 2How to choose between mid-tier accounting firms
- 28how do I get my first client?