Facilitation of Partner Retreats, Summits, & Annual Meetings

Our Customized Approach

No two CPA firms are alike; therefore, firm retreats should not come “one size fits all” or “out of a box” and pre-packaged. At Accountants Advisory Group, we custom design our approach to retreat planning and facilitation to increase effectiveness and maximize results. Our retreat facilitation services are customized based upon many factors including your firm’s culture, the size of your firm, geographic service area, marketplace, the types of current and desirable clients, service offerings, succession planning issues, industry niches, and your firm’s goals and objectives.

The following is an example of how our retreat facilitation services can be adapted and customized to fit your firm’s specialized needs.

Retreat Planning

Planning begins the coalition building that can allow retreat discussions and activities to develop into meaningful commitments. Planning involves gathering, examining and consolidating individuals’ ideas and perspectives.

Joe will meet with each partner and other selected personnel to survey them and obtain a sense of any critical issues or common goals and objectives. The results of the meetings can be summarized and discussed with the Managing Partner, Executive Committee, or others to assist in preparing the agenda.

Setting the Agenda

Some firms may use most of the input from the individual planning discussions to complete the agenda or use it as a valuable input for the Managing Partner and Executive Committee and management personnel to set the agenda items. Joe can assist and advise in finalizing the agenda.

More recent agenda topics include:

  • A vision for the firm for the next 2-3 years and clarifying the firm’s strategic intent.

  • Succession planning issues.

  • Adding value and increasing profitability.

  • Firm marketing plans and personal marketing plans for the partners.

  • Plans for mergers/acquisitions.

  • Plans to recruit, retain and develop talented staff.

  • The role of each partner in the firm including accountability and performance criteria.

  • Roles and goals of the leadership and management of the firm.

  • Partner topics, such as compensation, agreements, admission of new partners, etc.

  • Unifying and focusing the partner team.

  • Consideration of new ideas, acting as a catalyst for change and opportunities for adding more value to the Firm and its services.

Presentations

In addition, Joe can make a presentation(s) on the latest trends in accounting firms and any other topics that you feel would be beneficial to the partner group, such as:

  • The Future of CPA Firm Consolidation & Changing Landscape and Its Impact on Strategy

  • A Practical and Contemporary Approach to Practice Development

  • Driving CPA Firm Value & Profitability

  • Using Competency Models to Guide and Develop High Performing Partners and Managers

  • Partner Accountability and Performance Measurement

Following the Retreat

Effective retreats are our goal. Once your firm retreat is completed, the resultant action plan needs to be implemented—this is the most difficult aspect of any retreat. Following the retreat, Joe can assist your partners in developing and formalizing a follow-up action plan.

Please contact Joseph A. Tarasco at 845-265-9046 or email Joe@AccountantsAdvisory.com for more information.