Growing a tax practice doesn’t have to mean working 60-hour weeks, hiring a huge team, or burning out. With the right systems, tools, and mindset, you can build a lean operation that scales sustainably—and lets you keep your sanity.
As Tim Ferriss once said, “Being busy is a form of laziness—lazy thinking and indiscriminate action.” Instead of doing more, we’re focusing here on doing better.
Design a Business That Runs Without You
Your time should be spent on high-value activities—strategy, client relationships, and revenue-generating work. Everything else should be:
- Automated (invoicing, appointment scheduling, file requests, many emails)
- Delegated (admin tasks like scanning and answering the phone, follow-up calls and emails, routine prep work)
- Eliminated (tasks that don’t support your bottom line)
Tools like TaxDome, Jetpack Workflow, and can integrate workflows and reduce reliance on you personally.
Build Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Document how tasks are done in your practice—from onboarding to closing a resolution case. SOPs:
- Allow others to do the work consistently
- Make hiring and training easier
- Reduce decision fatigue
Start with your top 5 repeatable processes and build from there. Tools like SnagIt, Loom, and ScribeHow can help you document the steps easily.
Use the 80/20 Rule for Services
According to the Pareto Principle, 80% of your revenue likely comes from 20% of your services or clients. Identify which offerings are most profitable and eliminate or outsource the rest.
Focus on work you’re great at—and that clients will pay a premium for.
Use Tiered Pricing Models
Don’t underprice yourself or create complexity with custom quotes for every case. Instead, use clear tiers:
- Base rate for simple cases (e.g., $2,500–$3,500)
- Mid-tier for multi-year or more complex work
- Premium tier for urgent or high-dollar cases
This clarity boosts conversions and reduces negotiation.
Maximize Your Calendar With Time Blocks
Split your week into focus blocks for:
- Client work (e.g., Tuesday and Thursday afternoons)
- Team meetings (e.g., Wednesday mornings)
- Marketing (e.g., Fridays)
This approach creates rhythm and reduces mental load.
Track Key Metrics
If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it. Monitor:
- Average case value
- Number of leads generated vs leads turned to prospects vs prospects turned to clients
- Referral sources
- Profit margins
These insights help guide hiring, marketing, and operational decisions.
Use a Scalable Intake Process
Direct leads to a pre-consultation form that screens for fit. Automate follow-up emails based on their responses. Save your calendar for qualified leads who are ready to move.
Being effective requires tailoring your approach to each taxpayer’s situation—but that doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel each time. Systems make personalization scalable.
Know When to Hire (and What to Delegate First)
Your first hire shouldn’t be another tax pro—it should be an admin or virtual assistant to take lower-value tasks off your plate. This frees you to focus on high-return work.
Stay Focused on Why You Started
Growth is good—but not if it costs you your health or happiness. Regularly reassess what success looks like for you. Do you want more income? More time off? More impact?
As Steve Jobs famously said, “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.”
He should know. When he developed the iPod, he cancelled most of the hundreds of other products they were working on.
At Tax Resolution Academy®, we help practitioners like you build lean, profitable practices that scale with intention—not chaos. If you want a business that serves your life (not the other way around), we’re here to help.
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Here’s to working smarter, not harder!
And a brighter future for your tax practice!
If you want to know more consider joining the Tax Resolution Academy® by clicking this link
I hope this helps.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.
I would love to hear your thoughts, challenges, and successes in writing your very own book.
Have a GREAT day,
Cordially,
Dan
Dan Henn, CPA, CTR™
Co-Founder, Tax Resolution Academy®
Managing Member
Tax Pro Academy, LLC
P.S. Want to learn more about the Tax Resolution Academy®, go to https://community.taxresolutionacademy.com.
P.P.S. Check out our CPE classes here! Click the link to Follow our page and you will be notified when we release new classes.
