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 the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- 2 of the 8 people here also raised “Are paid freelance job board communities actually worth it?”
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Using accounting practice sales websitesDid this help you?
- 2Competing with all-cash offers from larger firmsDid this help you?
- 3Attempting to build a small book of business graduallyDid this help you?
- 4Trying anything and everythingDid this help you?
- 5Engaging in business networkingDid this help you?
- 6Building relationships with estate attorneys and financial advisorsDid this help you?
- 7Starting with individual income tax returns to build a contact list for bookkeeping gigsDid this help you?
- 8Reassuring that markets are not zero-sum and maintaining strict confidentialityDid this help you?
- 9Not sharing information between competing clientsDid this help you?
- 10transitioning into industry while building the practice on the sideDid this help you?
- 11purchasing an existing business in the local areaDid this help you?
- 12cold emailingDid this help you?
- 13LinkedIn outreachDid this help you?
- 14contacting CPA/tax firms about referral relationshipsDid this help you?
- 15participating in Facebook groupsDid this help you?
- 16using QuickBooks ProAdvisor profileDid this help you?
- 17building a website and social media presenceDid this help you?
- 18joining local business chambers of commerce or rotary clubsDid this help you?
- 19networking groups like BNIDid this help you?
- 20hustling local networks hardDid this help you?
- 21meeting with reputable financial advisors if living in a large metroDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, 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 ↗
“A few times a year, I get the urge to go out on my own and start my own business.”source ↗
“People who have decided to go out on their own, give me your stories. any regrets? What is the hardest part? Did you start it on the side or jump in full on? Getting clients easier or harder than you thought?”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 ↗
“I have 2 clients that are small businesses so far both came from friends who were in decision making positions.”source ↗
“All the online advertising, emails, cold calling just gets you a bunch of tire kickers looking to price shop.”source ↗
“I recently started a new tax firm and I am trying to see if I have realistic goals for this upcoming tax season. I have 8 years of experience, but this is my first time striking out on my own.”source ↗
“My goal by the end of tax season is to have 40 clients who take me up on services. Is this a realistic goal? How difficult would this be to achieve?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 12How to find a responsive accountant for a small nonprofit
- 3How to switch from audit to advisory at another firm
- 5Why can't I get an interview at a public accounting firm?
- 4What do year-round accountant services actually include?
- 24Does starting in private accounting ruin your career?
- 6Can I skip public accounting and go straight to industry?