Programs - MAP
Choose to attend one of these extended 75-minute sessions, taught by some of the leading consultants to the industry:
Leading Change in an Accounting Practice
Amanda Garner, The Growth Partnership (BRN Member)
Change is no longer an occasional event in the accounting profession—it’s a constant reality. From new technologies and automation to evolving client expectations and regulatory shifts, firms must adapt quickly to remain competitive and relevant. Yet, while the need for change is clear, leading change successfully requires more than implementing new tools or processes; it demands vision, communication, and the ability to inspire people through transition. This session will explore proven strategies for leading change within accounting practices, with a focus on balancing innovation with stability. Attendees will learn how to anticipate and navigate resistance, engage team members at all levels, and foster a culture that embraces transformation rather than fears it. Real-world examples from progressive firms will illustrate how leaders can align people, processes, and technology to drive sustainable growth.
The Endgame of Independence, PE or M&A: Visionary’s firm valuation model
Bob Lewis and Doug Lewis, The Visionary Group (BRN Member)
Emotional decisions are not the right way to decide your future. In this session, we will run a valuation model to help firms understand their market value and show them how to increase EBITDA. Whether a participant wants to remain independent or explore M&A or PE opportunities, they will understand the mechanisms driving value and how to leverage profitability. Leadership will be able to make data driven decisions to determine their best path to forward.
Yes, You Can! Strategies to Assure Your Firm’s Ongoing Independence and Sustainability
Jennifer Wilson, ConvergenceCoaching (BRN Member)
Since its inception, our profession has mainly been guided by conscious capitalism, where all stakeholders matter including clients, talent, community, and of course shareholders. If you are aligned with this philosophy, you can say no to PE or being acquired and build a thriving, growing, profitable firm that’s true to your core values. Attend this session where you will recall the difference between traditional and conscious capitalism and which aligns with your core values; explore some of the common tradeoffs of losing your firm’s independence through a PE investment or rolling up into a larger firm; define critical cultural attributes and must-have strategies, including capitalizing on opportunities with AI, and identify practical places to start; and list communication strategies to create your declaration of independence and position your firm to attract and retain talent and clients. Gain confidence in your plans to stay true to your core values and build a firm you can pass to future generations.
The Impact of PE on Competitive Landscape and CPA Firm Valuations
Phil Whitman, Whitman Advisory (BRN Firm)
Private equity (PE) investment is reshaping the accounting industry, driving rapid transformation in how CPA firms compete, grow, and deliver value. Join this session for an engaging discussion exploring the far-reaching effects of PE on the competitive landscape and firm valuations. Discover how PE-backed firms are boosting sales through aggressive growth strategies and enhanced talent solutions, expanding client value with deeper and more innovative service offerings, and scaling operations to keep pace with market demands. We’ll also discuss how these changes are shifting client perceptions, helping firms stay ahead of evolving expectations, and building lasting relationships. Whether you’re considering PE investment or navigating a market influenced by it, this session will provide actionable insights to position your firm for success in a dynamic environment.
Performance Meets Culture: Building Accountability for the Future-Ready CPA and BRN Firm
Gary Thomson, Thomson Consulting (BRN Member)
In today’s rapidly changing accounting landscape, high-performing firms recognize that culture is just as critical as strategy. Accountability serves as the bridge between the two—ensuring that values are lived, goals are met, and teams remain aligned even amid disruption. This session will explore how firm leaders can embed accountability at every level to drive stronger performance, foster trust, and sustain a culture that supports growth and innovation. Attendees will gain practical insights into balancing results with relationships, creating systems that reinforce accountability, and positioning their firms to thrive in the future.
Profitability by Design: Competing and Winning in a Transforming Marketplace
Gary Shamis, David Toth and Brian Blaha, Winding River Consulting (BRN Member)
As the profession transforms under the weight of technology, private equity, and rising partner retirements, profitability has become more than a goal—it’s a necessity. Sustained profit funds everything that matters: technology adoption, advisory expansion, leadership succession, and long-term stability. Join this session for a candid discussion on how intentional design drives profitability. We’ll connect the dots between leverage, pricing strategy, service mix, governance, client acquisition, retention, delivery, and experience—revealing how high-performing firms are competing and winning by design, not chance. It will go beyond theory to help leaders think differently about how their firms create and sustain profit in a transforming marketplace.
As the accounting industry continues to evolve, many firms face growing pressure from consolidation and private equity involvement. This session explores the essential strategies that independent firms can adopt to maintain their autonomy and thrive in today’s competitive environment. Attendees will leave with a practical framework to help their firms remain resilient, competitive, and proudly independent in a rapidly changing market.
In today’s rapidly shifting accounting landscape, firm growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Should you double down on staying independent? Merge with a larger firm? Be the acquirer? Or take the leap with private equity backing? This candid panel brings together three managing partners from Alliance firms, each of whom has chosen a distinct growth strategy. Hear firsthand how their decisions are playing out, what they wish they’d known before choosing a path, and the impact on culture, talent, and long-term vision. No theory; just real talk from firm leaders navigating growth in real time.
In today’s landscape, growth isn’t just about adding clients - it’s about adding the right clients and pricing smarter. This session explores how to align your firm’s pricing strategy with the 6-Step Smart Growth Framework to drive profitability, attract ideal clients, and empower your team to deliver higher-value advisory work. You’ll leave with practical strategies and discussion insights to strengthen pricing confidence, consistency, and impact across your firm.
With work compression and staffing capacity issues creating stress in organizations, cultures, and individuals, the risk of not having bench strength is at an all-time high. Through The B³ Method, we will reveal how organizations can move beyond "this is just the way it is" to create genuine transformation and remain competitive in the market. Drawing from experience transforming organizations throughout the country, Amy will demonstrate how integrating leadership development, digital transformation, business processes, and well-being programs creates cultures where people build up destination careers.
Everyone talks about finding the right buyer or the perfect acquisition target. Nobody talks about the 18 months after signing when everything you thought you knew gets turned upside down—and when most integration plans fall apart. This session offers a brutally honest look at post-merger integration based on real experience from both sides of M&A transactions. From managing partner egos to reconciling multiple versions of “the way we’ve always done it,” we’ll share the messy realities of what actually happens after the champagne toast. You’ll hear what worked, what failed spectacularly, and what we wish someone had told us before the ink dried.
In the fall of 2023, BDO became the first major accounting firm to establish an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) to provide its 10,000 employees with a direct stake in the firm. Effective last November, Horne LLP joined BDO through a strategic combination in which BDO’s ESOP played a critical role in these two firms coming together. This session will provide background on the why and how of BDO’s ESOP formation, including an update on our experience since establishing the ESOP, and perspectives from a fellow Alliance firm that is ESOP-owned. It will also dive into some of the considerations that Horne went through as they explored strategic alternatives for their firm.
Modernizing your firm and moving away from the industry status quo is a non-negotiable process facing partners across the country. This session will share experience with change management and building a company culture that supports your modernization goals and is designed to scale as your firm grows. Attendees will take away an actionable framework for making a meaningful impact on firm operations.
This session explores the evolving role of PE in the accounting industry, providing an update on current market trends, firm valuation techniques, and best practices for evaluating PE firms and deal terms. We’ll walk through the M&A process from Letter of Intent (LOI) to close, including the transition post-closing. Additionally, we’ll examine how PE investment is reshaping accounting firms—affecting staffing, driving technology investments, and unlocking firm value. Join this session for a comprehensive discussion on how PE is influencing both the deal process and the future of accounting firms.
Whether you are a managing partner, partner or aspiring partner, you'll benefit from hearing the perspectives of a panel of managing partners representing your peer CPA Alliance firms. We will discuss the results of an April 2026 survey related to MAP topics and hear from our panelists. This year's Pulse session will continue to be interactive, and we will look for audience participation related to a variety of topics, including growth, capacity, succession planning, M&A and partner compensation.
Explore how AI, automation, and advanced technologies are transforming the accounting profession. This session highlights how outsourcing is being enhanced through technology, driving efficiency and enhancing capabilities. Learn how automating routine tasks empowers professionals to achieve more with greater precision, supported by global talent and the evolving Indian market.
In today’s dynamic real estate landscape, workplace strategy is no longer just about cost per square foot—it’s about creating environments that are agile, vibrant and responsive to change. This interactive session will explore how to measure and manage workplace performance in ways that align with evolving business needs and employee expectations. The session will begin with a data-driven presentation introducing key concepts and frameworks with live polling to engage the audience and gather real-time insights and challenges. Then, a panel of industry leaders will share practical examples and lessons learned on how to apply these strategies in a variety of workplace situations. Whether you are a business owner, have real estate responsibilities, or simply work in an office and believe that the experience can be better, this session will equip you with the tools and insights to make smarter, people-centered recommendations about your workplace.
The working environment for the CPA professional continues to change. How does risk management fit in the management of your firm? In this session, risk managers from McGowanPRO share risk management tools and processes to help protect your firm from potential claims against you. Topics will include ethics, tax law changes, technology, engagement letter language caveats, and other emerging risk related topics you may not have thought of.
We’ve all heard the saying that in M&A, 1+1=3. But that equation only works when firms commit to the effort behind it. With so much consolidation reshaping the profession, the real question isn’t just about the transaction — it’s about what comes next. Some firms take a traditional path of full integration from day one. Others operate as alliances designed to stay independent for the long term. Many are finding themselves somewhere in between, taking a thoughtful, staged journey toward integration that fits their people, their clients, and their culture. In this session, we’ll have a candid conversation with leaders who have lived through mergers, alliances, and everything along the continuum. They’ll share lessons learned, stories from the field, and insights on how to navigate the integration journey with clarity and confidence. You’ll explore how change management principles can help you lead your people through transition and create lasting value beyond the transaction itself.
The gap between AI investment and AI adoption is costing firms millions in unrealized value. This session provides a proven framework for moving beyond experimentation to strategic, firm-wide AI implementation. Discover insights from top 20 firms on developing SMART AI strategies, structuring effective pilots, and driving adoption at scale. Learn how firms with visible AI strategies are 3.1x more likely to experience ROI and explore the five stages of AI adoption that separate innovators from laggards. Walk away with actionable strategies for onboarding, workflow integration, and measuring impact.