Referrals aren’t what they used to be. Clients don’t just ask a friend anymore—they ask ChatGPT. And if your firm doesn’t show up with credibility, reviews, and content that AI can cite… you’re invisible.

In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams II and guest Rebekah Barton share the Modern SEO + GEO Playbook for Accountants. You’ll discover how to build a digital presence that passes the AI visibility test, converts digital referrals, and proves your authority before prospects ever call.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How AI tools like ChatGPT, Google SGE, and Perplexity decide which firms to cite
• Why FAQ schema and local blogs are must-haves for visibility
• The role reviews play in building trust with AI (and humans)
• A real example of how consumers use ChatGPT to research referrals
• The checklist for a “fully optimized” firm in 2025 and beyond

Don’t get left behind as search goes conversational. Tune in and future-proof your firm’s discoverability.

Every tax season, accountants hit the same wall: too many clients, not enough hours. The knee-jerk reaction? Cut clients, cut stress, cut back.

But here’s the problem: you can’t cut your way to growth. And you sure can’t cut your way to a 7-figure exit.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded Accountant, Lee Reams II (Founder of CountingWorks) reveals why the most successful firms aren’t trimming — they’re transforming. With AI and modern workflows, firms can cut hours instead of revenue, scale advisory without adding staff, and build practices worth premium multiples at exit.

You’ll discover:

• Why cutting clients doesn’t reduce client demands
• How to raise prices the right way (without lipstick-on-a-pig processes)
• The hidden cost of “doing nothing” year after year
• How AI and automation unlock 5–10 hours per engagement
• Why tech-enabled firms sell for nearly double the multiples of traditional firms

The Big Four are pouring billions into AI. Independent firms don’t have to lose — but they do have to adapt.

If you’re ready to stop surviving tax season and start scaling a future-proof firm, this episode is your playbook. Learn more via https://www.countingworkspro.com/.

AI has changed everything for tax and accounting firms. Referrals and Google rankings are no longer enough—clients now turn to AI tools for answers, and only the most trusted firms get recommended. In this episode, Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton unpack what this shift means, why compliance-only models are at risk, and how firms can pivot to advisory, leverage AI to scale, and protect their client base from competitors.

Think tax planning is only for billionaires? Think again. In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, we break down why middle-income, dual-earner families often see the biggest savings — and how accountants can turn complexity into opportunity.

You’ll hear how a $150K household (one spouse W-2, one spouse 1099) can unlock $10K–$20K in annual savings through smart strategies like entity optimization, retirement planning, health benefits, and quarterly tax alignment. More importantly, we’ll show you how to position tax concierge services that pay for themselves many times over.

👉 If you’re ready to move beyond cookie-cutter and start delivering agency-level value to your clients, this episode is your wake-up call.

Most tax professionals and accountants are still guessing at their prices — and it’s costing them thousands. In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, hosts Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton break down the three big pricing models in the profession:

• ⚖️ Published Price Guides: Transparent and simple — but often leave money on the table.
• 💰 Value Pricing: Aligns with client outcomes — but hard to scale and defend.
• 🤖 Dynamic Pricing with MAX: AI-powered proposals that adapt to client demographics, service complexity, and real-time market data.

You’ll learn why static pricing is holding firms back, how dynamic pricing bridges transparency with profitability, and how MAX’s Proposal Playbook is giving firms confidence to charge smarter, win more clients, and future-proof their practices.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I undercharging?” — this episode will give you the data-driven answers you’ve been missing.

Unlock the power of bonus depreciation in today’s tax landscape with this expert-curated nano CPE course, Bonus Depreciation in 2025 and Beyond: Strategic Tax Insights for Businesses. In under 20 minutes, you’ll learn how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) permanently reinstated 100% bonus depreciation — and what that means for your business clients.

From the history and evolution of bonus depreciation to the groundbreaking introduction of Qualified Production Property for U.S.-based manufacturing, this AI-narrated episode breaks down complex tax law into clear, actionable insights. You’ll also explore key planning considerations, including Section 179 vs. bonus depreciation, the interaction with the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, and long-term recapture rules.

This course was developed by tax experts and delivered via innovative AI audio presentation to give you a fast, focused, and convenient way to earn CPE credit.

Course Details:

• CPE Credit: 0.2 (Taxes)
  
  
• Delivery Method: QAS Self-Study (Nano Learning)
  
  
• Program Level: Basic
  
  
• Prerequisites: None
  
  
• Advanced Preparation: None
  
  

Enroll & Claim Credit:

Listen now and claim your 0.2 CPE credit,  visit https://taxcpe.litmos.com/self-signup/.

For CPAs seeking free CPE credit, use Pass Code: BONUSDEP

Includes a full transcript and a knowledge check for CPAs to earn 0.2 hours of NASBA CPE credit.

This NASBA-compliant nano course delivers expert tax insight in a fresh, podcast-style format. Carefully curated by our team of seasoned tax professionals and presented by advanced AI for the best possible learning experience, this course makes complex tax law easy to understand and engaging to follow.

In just 12 minutes, discover how the new above-the-line deduction for tip income (2025–2028) works, who qualifies, the $25,000 cap and AGI phase-out, and how the expanded FICA tip credit benefits employers.

Includes a full transcript, downloadable course material, and a knowledge check for CPAs to earn 0.2 hours of NASBA CPE credit.

For CPAs seeking free CPE credit, visit https://taxcpe.litmos.com/self-signup/.

Use Pass Code: TIPS

This episode of The Growth Minded Accountant hosted by Lee Reams II, focuses on building a "Referral Growth Engine That Runs Itself." It emphasizes that referrals are the most profitable lead source and can be generated through a repeatable process using existing tools like an inbox and calendar, without needing ads or AI.
The podcast outlines a 4-part "Referral Blueprint Framework":

1. Trigger the Ask: Identify optimal times to ask for referrals, such as after a client signs their return, experiences a financial win, during quarterly reviews, upon onboarding completion, or after providing positive feedback. A "Trigger Tracker" (e.g., a shared Google Sheet) can help teams identify these moments.
2. Make Referrals Easy: Create a simple referral page or form (e.g., Google Forms, Calendly) and provide clients with easy-to-share copy for emails or texts.
3. Say Thank You: Acknowledge every referral with a personal email, small gift (e.g., eGift card), handwritten note, or public recognition.
4. Track and Repeat: Use a simple Google Sheet to track referrers, referral names, dates, outcomes, and rewards sent.

The episode also highlights getting the team involved by training them to recognize referral triggers and making it fun with shout-outs, internal bonuses, and leaderboards. The host provides a 5-day checklist to launch this system.

This isn’t your average tax update. In this MAXCast™, we fed the full text of our analysis of the newly signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into MAX — our AI-powered assistant — to extract, summarize, and analyze the biggest tax reform in years. What did MAX find? Refundable credits. Big retirement shifts. Small biz perks. And more than a few surprises hidden in the fine print.

This episode is a fast-paced walkthrough of how smart firms use AI to cut through complexity, surface insights, and stay ahead of the curve. Whether you're a tax pro, firm leader, or just want to know what the OBBBA means for you, this episode delivers clarity without the jargon.

🎙️ AI meets tax law.
💡 Real-time insights from the full bill text.
🧠 1 Hour of CPA NASBA-Accredited CPE Available — Enroll to Claim

Use Code: MAXBILL

The SEO game has changed—and most tax and accounting firms haven’t caught up.

In the age of ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI-powered results, only a few sources get cited. The rest? Ignored.

In this episode, Lee and Rebekah reveal how to become the firm that AI search engines trust and reference.

🔎 You’ll learn:

• Why AI search isn’t about keywords—it’s about relevance
• The content patterns AI is trained to recognize and cite
• What makes your blog, podcast, or voice “reference-worthy”
• How to write answers to real client questions
• Why MAX helps you show up without hiring a content team

🎯 If you want your firm to get found, get trusted, and grow without shouting—this is your playbook.

📲 Learn more at CountingWorksPRO.com

President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4th—and while most people were watching fireworks, tax pros just got handed a golden opportunity.

In this episode, Lee breaks down how to turn this 1,000-page bill into your next revenue stream with a productized offer he calls the Big Beautiful Tax Planning Appointment. You’ll learn how to price it, who to target, and how to use MAX to generate marketing campaigns instantly—without hiring a copywriter or writing from scratch.

Inside:
 • What to include in your $349–$750 planning session
 • Real prompt sequences you can use in MAX today
 • Ready-to-run campaigns for families, seniors, freelancers, and business owners
 • A step-by-step plan to turn tax law into client growth

This episode is your playbook for turning policy into profit—and scaling your firm with smart, proactive tax planning.

Your voicemail. Your phone tree. Your email signature. They seem like small details—but they’re quietly shaping how prospects and clients feel about your firm.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded Accountant, Lee Reams and Rebekah Barton uncover one of the most overlooked growth killers in accounting practices: poor first impressions.

You’ll learn:

• What your voicemail is really saying about your firm
• Why complicated phone trees cause prospects to hang up
• The email red flags that signal “amateur hour”
• How to tighten your communication touchpoints for instant trust

These fixes are quick. They’re free. And they send the message that you run a professional, high-value firm—before you even return the call.

🎧 Tune in to hear

 ✅ The 4-part communication audit every accounting pro should do this week
 ✅ Simple scripts and best practices you can use immediately
 ✅ Why client experience starts before the relationship begins

Your homepage might be the reason high-quality clients aren’t reaching out. Not because they don’t need your help—but because they don’t get what you do.

In this episode, Lee Reams and Rebekah Barton walk through the 4-Part Homepage Formula that every accounting firm needs to implement—whether you're solo or scaling fast.

🔥 What you’ll learn:

• How to pass the “stranger test” with a clear, specific headline
• What makes “Accounting Services” sound as vague as “Food Services”
• The trust-killing mistake 90% of firms are still making
• The difference between a cold CTA and a human invitation
• Why “Above the Fold” might be costing you conversions
• Mobile-first design tips that keep clients from bouncing

Plus: Want a visual before/after of a homepage done wrong vs. done right? Just email us and we’ll send it to you.

Because your homepage isn’t just your front door—it’s your first impression. Let’s make sure it opens to the right clients.

 💻 Learn more: www.countingworkspro.com

In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams II is joined by Lee Reams Sr. to unpack the latest updates on tax reform from both the Senate and the House.

We break down:

• What’s actually in the “Big, Beautiful Bill” (so far)
• Key differences between House and Senate versions
• Which clients could be impacted—and how
• How to turn reform uncertainty into billable planning services
• Real-world pricing, positioning, and upsell ideas for tax pros

This isn’t just policy talk—it’s a playbook for turning headlines into new advisory revenue.

👀 Want the full campaign kit to offer Tax Reform Readiness Plans?
 Email us at help@countingworkspro.com

In a world where AI can generate endless content, your voice is the one thing it can’t replicate—unless you train it to.

In this episode of The Growth-Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams is joined by Rebekah Barton, Chief Visibility Officer at CountingWorks PRO, to explore how tax and accounting firms can grow faster by sounding more human.

💡 Inside the episode:
• Why a generic voice kills trust (and growth)
• How to define a brand tone that builds connection and converts
• Simple exercises to make your messaging feel like you
• Client segmentation strategies that unlock $30K–$60K in upsells
• How to train your AI to reflect your values, tone, and style

From $350K firms to multi-partner practices, this episode shows you how to humanize your content, personalize your automation, and speak with a voice that actually moves people.

Because in 2025, sameness is the enemy—and your voice is your moat.

Subscribe and leave a review if this helped shift your perspective on what real growth sounds like.

🎧 Need help defining your brand voice? Visit https://www.countingworkspro.com/choose-your-journey/product-deep-dive.

#Accounting #TaxAdvisory #BrandVoice #FirmGrowth #AIForFirms #MAXAI #GrowthMindedAccountant

Learn how to become the architect—not the bottleneck—of your tax and accounting firm. Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton share six key systems—from client comms to advisory—that reclaim your time while driving growth. Perfect for growth-minded tax & accounting owners ready to work less and earn more. Book your free narrative consult at CountingWorksPRO.com.

Google’s AI-powered search is here—and it’s already changing how your future clients find (or don’t find) your firm.

In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams II and guest Rebekah Barton unpack how AI tools like Google SGE, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are reshaping online visibility for tax and accounting professionals.

What you’ll learn:
 • Why “ranking on Google” no longer guarantees traffic
 • How to get your firm’s content cited by AI (instead of your competitors’)
 • Sample prompts and strategies to future-proof your SEO
 • Why this shift is a massive opportunity for firms that move now

🎯 If your website is generic or outdated, you’re invisible.
 Let’s fix that—fast.

Discover the top business segments every accountant should target this year. Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton reveal where the real profits are, how to segment smarter, and how to use advisory services and relationship-building to grow your firm—no matter your size.

Not all 1040s are created equal. In this episode, Lee Reams II reveals how to break free from low-margin tax prep by identifying the right individual clients—and offering the strategic services they’re already looking for.

You’ll discover:

• The 3 highest-value individual segments (and how to speak to their pain points)
• What they’re really buying when they hire you (hint: it’s not a return)
• How to deliver year-round advisory with systems and AI that scale with you

If you’re ready to shift from once-a-year prep to relationship-driven planning, this episode is your roadmap. No hype. No salesy scripts. Just smarter segmentation—and the firm you actually want to build.

Thinking of starting your own firm? In this episode, Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton share a step-by-step guide to go from W-2 to CEO — covering naming, pricing, tech, first clients, and how to launch without burning out.

You’ve crossed the $1M mark — now what? In this episode of The Growth-Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams is joined by Rebekah Barton to break down what it really takes to grow from $1M to $3M+ without adding more chaos to your firm.

They unpack:

• Why traditional firm structures fall apart past $1M
• How to use pod-based teams and AI to scale smarter
• The key KPIs and workflows that drive growth and client satisfaction
• What roles you actually need to unlock the next level

If you want to grow your firm without working 70 hours a week or hiring your way into a management nightmare — this is your blueprint.

Download the Next Million Starter Kit > 

CPAs looking for CPE? 

Watch the podcast and then complete the course final exam and lessons.

Earn 1 hour CPE.

Link: https://taxcpe.litmos.com/self-signup/

Code: SCALE

Solo or small firm owner? 

This episode is your roadmap to hitting $1M in revenue—without burning out.

Host Lee Reams is joined by Rebekah Barton, Chief Visibility Officer at CountingWorks PRO, to break down the exact steps to scale smarter: packaging your services, tightening your brand, automating the busywork, and saying no to bad-fit clients.

📥 Grab the free Million-Dollar Practice Playbook

CPAs!
Earn one hour of CPE credit after listening to the podcast via this link:  https://taxcpe.litmos.com/self-signup/

Code: Firm

Think your client newsletter is just another chore? Think again. In this episode, Lee Reams II and guest Rebekah Barton reveal why newsletters are one of the most underrated tools for growing revenue, boosting referrals, and deepening client relationships. Learn the simple changes you can make today to turn your newsletter into your firm’s secret growth engine.

In this compelling episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams and guest Rebekah Barton dive deep into the innovative world of multi-generational family tax planning and accounting. Discover how tailored family packages—ranging from Basic to Premium—do more than just manage annual tax prep; they create a strategic roadmap for long-term financial success. Lee and Rebekah unpack how integrating concepts like compounding interest and the time value of money can transform immediate tax savings into enduring wealth. With practical examples, dynamic discussion on building trust, and insights into proactive tax strategies, this episode offers a fresh perspective on turning tax services into a lasting, multi-generational legacy.

In this final episode of the demographic marketing series, host Lee Reams (Founder & CEO) and guest Rebekah Barton (Chief Visibility Officer at CountingWorks) explore how tax and accounting professionals can effectively connect with Gen Z. The discussion centers on understanding Gen Z’s unique mindset, motivations, and how their digital-first lifestyle is reshaping traditional financial services.