Jason Ackerman, Co-Managing Partner at BNA Advisors, helped grow the firm from a $1.5 million firm to over $7 million organically, without acquiring a single practice. He joined his father's firm in 2012, scaled the team from 14 to 35 people, and built systems that allow the firm to handle more than 2,000 individual tax returns per year. His approach combines practical technology adoption, intentional pricing strategy, and a long view on people and talent.

This is the fifth episode in our Power of Focus series and Jason's story is a strong example of what is possible when a firm stops trying to do everything and starts doing the right things well. This episode digs into the specific tools and tactics Jason's team is using right now, during tax season. His firm is rolling out 8821 authorizations for every client so they can pull IRS transcripts through Tax Now, catching payment discrepancies and missed filings before they become problems. They are also using a payment platform called Remission to schedule quarterly estimated payments for clients in one place. They’re reducing the back-and-forth and keeping the firm proactive rather than reactive. Both moves are part of a broader philosophy: reduce what the client has to do, increase what the firm can see.

The through line of this conversation is intentionality. Jason is not automating things for the sake of automation, he’s not chasing every new AI platform, and he’s not pricing low to win volume. Every decision connects back to a clear standard: does this make the practice better, or does it just add noise? That kind of focus, applied consistently over more than a decade, is how a $1.5 million firm becomes a $7 million firm without a single acquisition.

This episode is for CPA firm owners curious about building scalable systems without outside capital, practitioners ready to revisit their pricing strategy before the next season, firm managers wondering how to develop staff into more business-aware team members, and accounting practice owners thinking ahead about talent and technology in a changing industry.

Timestamps

• 00:36 - Jason Ackerman introduces BNA Advisors: $7M firm, organic growth, and co-founding a software startup
• 01:08 - Growing a CPA firm from $1.5M to $7M without acquisitions since 2012
• 02:21 - Series context: practice management tactics for tax season 2026
• 03:23 - Why tax compliance still requires real expertise despite the shift toward advisory
• 05:07 - The 8821 strategy: pulling IRS transcripts proactively for every accounting client
• 06:46 - Using Remission to schedule and track quarterly estimated tax payments
• 08:24 - The biggest operational pain points BNA solved as the firm scaled to 35 people
• 09:22 - Why Karbon became a cornerstone of BNA's CPA firm practice management system
• 10:52 - How to approach technology adoption: change one thing at a time
• 12:15 - How Jason evaluates new software as an early adopter in the accounting industry
• 13:22 - A measured take on AI tools: waiting for the market to shake out
• 15:56 - How private equity is reshaping the accounting talent pipeline
• 27:42 - Why value pricing is the single biggest lever for CPA firm owners preparing to sell
• 29:21 - Why pricing high from the start attracts better accounting clients and protects your time
• 30:38 - Book recommendation: discussion of the Karbon co-founder book featuring BNA

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