Our Own Ruts Slow Us Down

It is so tempting (obviously too tempting for CPA firms) to be everything to everybody. CPA firms wear the badge of never saying, “NO.”  No wonder we constantly hear the warning that someone can’t see a real distinction between most firms.

One more business, one more service, one more industry, one more consultant, one more opportunity.

We can never say we are not the best fit for that service or niche.  NEVER! That would be failure. Yet, we dig our ruts with indistinguishable shovels. 

Spreading our work load, another chargeable hour and utilization are more important than innovation. How can you innovate at 100% utilization?  How innovative is a firm that constantly searches for any work to stay at 95% utilization?  How many firms don’t make that key hire of talent until we know we have the work?  We keep digging our ruts with time shovels.

It’s profitable and pays some of our overhead so we do it. Even if it takes us off focus for our long-term value and distinction, in the short-term, we do it because it’s profitable. Focus works, focus makes us distinguishable, innovative and profitable.  Yet we keep digging our ruts with short-term profit shovels. 

Are there ruts in your yard holding you back?