Doug Lewis on PE in Accounting: Opportunity, Risk, and What Comes Next

Practice Success Podcast

Practice Success Podcast
Doug Lewis on PE in Accounting: Opportunity, Risk, and What Comes Next
Feb 24, 2026 Season 3 Episode 23
Canopy

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Thinking about selling your accounting firm or taking outside capital?

In this follow-up Q&A episode, Doug Lewis breaks down the most common accounting firm deal structures, including cash at close, earnouts, rollover equity, and what actually happens after a recapitalization.

You will learn:

  • How accounting firm M&A deals are typically structured
  • When earnouts and clawbacks show up, and how often they are enforced
  • What “rollover equity” really means and how to evaluate its quality
  • The difference between private equity buyers and CPA-backed strategic buyers
  • What drives valuation multiples, client concentration, niche focus, tech stack, leadership depth
  • How buyers assess scalability and operational maturity

If you are a firm owner, managing partner, or practice leader exploring succession, growth, or a liquidity event, this episode will help you understand both the upside and the risks.

Watch the full Webinar 

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