Starting and Building Your Own Accounting Business, Third Edition

Rating:
Summary: Just what I've been looking for...
Review: Having been recently laid off, I am now looking into starting my own accounting practice. I am a CPA, but have no public accounting experience. I bought this book as part of a CPE course and was truly amazed at the wealth of information it contains, especially on marketing. It gave me some great ideas on areas to pursue and I know I will refer back to it many times over the next few months and even beyond.

Rating:
Summary: A Gift That Keeps Giving
Review: I was given a copy of Starting and Building Your Own Accounting Business, Third Edition by a marketing representative from the VAR (Value Added Reseller)that sold and supports the accounting software systems we resell and integrate for clients.

As the Director of Marketing of a mid-sized CPA firm I thought that the book, although it had a very attractive cover, and you know what they say about judging a book by its cover, wouldn't have much to offer me since I wasn't starting my own firm, was not even a CPA and the book was not even cloth bound or a loose-leaf manual.

I was immediately hooked into reading the book when I discovered that the author's emphasis was directed to marketing and sales. The sales rep who gave me the book explained how valuable she found the material on Niche Market Resources, Prospecting for Business and the best Accounting Software Compendium she has found in a low priced book.

After completing Jack Fox's wonderful book I ordered enough copies for the partners and staff. I am now reading Jack Fox's second edition of the same title because it is comprised of about 90% different but just as useful material. He has written several other books that are available on amazon.com and I plan on reading them all.

My sales rep friend knew what she was doing. As a result of this book we have increased our sales of the accounting software she markets.

Rating:
Summary: Low Price is Misleading
Review: Jack Fox provides everything I ever wanted to know about building a successful accounting business. To think that I almost didn't buy this book because of the low price that made me wonder about just how good it could be when most of the other books in the accounting genre are so expensive. I can only surmise that the publisher did not read the section Fox wrote about value pricing. Had they done so, this book would be three times the price and still worth every cent.

The author's treatment of selling techniques for the nonsalesperson is just as appropriate for consultants and resellers as it is for accountants. Product and service presentations and techniques earn this book a place on my desk for ready reference. In addition, the excellent readability and almost conversational tone make the book invaluable.

This book provides such success essentials that I have told many of my colleagues in accounting and consulting and the accounting vendor community that it is a must read. This is for everyone in accounting, other than my competition.

Rating:
Summary: Low Price is Misleading
Review: Jack Fox provides everything I ever wanted to know about building a successful accounting business. To think that I almost didn't buy this book because of the low price that made me wonder about just how good it could be when most of the other books in the accounting genre are so expensive. I can only surmise that the publisher did not read the section Fox wrote about value pricing. Had they done so, this book would be three times the price and still worth every cent.

The author's treatment of selling techniques for the nonsalesperson is just as appropriate for consultants and resellers as it is for accountants. Product and service presentations and techniques earn this book a place on my desk for ready reference. In addition, the excellent readability and almost conversational tone make the book invaluable.

This book provides such success essentials that I have told many of my colleagues in accounting and consulting and the accounting vendor community that it is a must read. This is for everyone in accounting, other than my competition.

Rating:
Summary: There can be no business without clients.
Review: The type of clients you attract and serve determine the kind of accounting or consulting business you build.

In the earlier two editions of this book, I chronicled the formation of my accounting business and how I managed, without a certified public accountant (CPA) certificate, to build a profitable and quality practice that gave excellent service and counsel to many smaller business clients.

Since 1984 I have been devoted to the development and advancement of marketing, accounting, and computerized accounting skills, focusing on the unique demands of the self-employed. As I conducted hundreds of seminars across the country, I searched for a way to share my knowledge. I wanted to give accountants and consultants personalized, in-depth attention tailored to their individual situations.

Each entrepreneur has specific skills, interests, personality traits, hopes, and dreams that no seminar or book, no matter how good, can address.

I know what worked and what does not work in building an accounting business. The result of my quest to share entrepreneurial knowledge was the formation of The Accounting Guild. This virtual organization allows entrepreneurial accounting professionals to affiliate yet remain very much in business for themselves. It is not a franchise and has no fees or royalties.

Recent developments for enhanced professional consultation are a series of TeleClasses based on the book and also covering targeted market niches.

I invite you to join me on this exciting journey. Subscribe to the no cost forum I moderate at.

Please e-mail at: [e-mail] with your comments, suggestions or questions.

Rating:
Summary: Buyer Beware!
Review: This book is an excellent source for starting an accounting practice. It is very heavy on the aspects of technology and working that into your business to grow clients and business partners.

The caveat here is this. Mr. Fox discusses Arthur Anderson a great deal in this book when referring to ways consulting is performed and how to sell clients. In addition, he refers to his own "Accounting Guild." Unfortunately, the web site for this guild no longer exists, his Yahoo message board is inactive and he does not answer email requesting information on solvency of his own business. Although I am reading this book 3 years after it was published I find it disturbing that the book is still in print yet very out of date and no longer factually correct. i.e Offering services in the Accounting Guild.

It would be nice to at least get an explanation or have the book removed as a valid and complete source, which it no longer is.

Rating:
Summary: Save your Money!!!
Review: This book is awful. I have read the entire thing, and it says nothing that is useful. I have been in public accounting for 10 years, and i am now ready to start my own firm. I wasted my money on buying this book. I know it is tempting to buy, since the title is exactly what i was looking for, but trust me, choose another book. The accounting Guild website that the author constantly refers to is no longer in existence.

Rating:
Summary: Save your Money!!!
Review: This book is nothing more than a template or a compilation of numerous other books that deal with marketing, prospecting, and selling. In fact the title is disingenuous. The book should be renamed to "Building, Marketing and Selling Your Business." The fact that the word Accounting appears in the title is misleading as this book could and does discuss the things necessary to starting and building any business.

The book also includes a glossary of accounting terms which is insulting. If you are an accountant purchasing this book you should already know them hands down or seek a refund from the institution of higher learning that gave you your education in accounting or ask your state accountancy board to revoke your CPA certificate.

This book is full of checklists and numerous discussions of what to do but rarely gets to "How" as the outside of the back cover states. While the information is useful it is again generic to any business and not specific to accounting.

The author bets to death the value of using Microsoft products (to the exclusion of others) and goes though a litany of the things that Microsoft uses/provides. I am certified by Microsoft in almost all the things that the author mentions in the beginning of his book and I found the authors marketing plug for Microsoft quite humorous but also very wrong. The author almost gave the impression that he is "in bed" with Microsoft and may even be a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider himself but never really states his relationship to Microsoft. This diatribe should have been in an appendix and not part of the main body of the book.

Another grating plug is the constant mention of the Accounting Guild that the author is involved with. It would have been far more professional to discuss this at length in an appendix rather than constantly marketing it to his readers by repetitive mention of it in the text. One more grate was his constant mention of the Goldmine software for tracking clients without explaining why he thinks it is the best and what is his involvement with it and more importantly why he mentions no other PIM software when he goes though a many page discussion of the various software packages available. It makes me very suspicious.

Also unless you are a firm with at least two or more accountants, two or more marketing people, two or more sales people and the accompanying support staff you are reading the wrong book. You will also have no life.

The author implicating states that unless you are dealing with businesses that are $500,000 to $10,000,000 you are not dealing with a small to medium sized business nor are you one yourself. What a grave insult to small business in general.

I am not attempting to slam the author at a personal level in my review but having read the third edition I am left with the begging question as to what was so wrong with the first two that there is in fact a third edition. After all I was the one that paid for it and I feel that I was stung and strongly so.

This book is basically a written seminar on how to build, market and sell your (any) business accompanied with numerous plugs for the authors products (at least it smells like it). The author did not follow his own advice....be honest with your clients.

I also found his web site for the Accounting Guild inactive and email is not there.

If you are looking for a book to help you build your accounting business this is not it unless you have $$$$$$ capital and staff to do so. The book is definitely not intended for the true small business person.

Save your money.

Rating:
Summary: Accounting Not! Save your money
Review: This book is nothing more than a template or a compilation of numerous other books that deal with marketing, prospecting, and selling. In fact the title is disingenuous. The book should be renamed to "Building, Marketing and Selling Your Business." The fact that the word Accounting appears in the title is misleading as this book could and does discuss the things necessary to starting and building any business.

The book also includes a glossary of accounting terms which is insulting. If you are an accountant purchasing this book you should already know them hands down or seek a refund from the institution of higher learning that gave you your education in accounting or ask your state accountancy board to revoke your CPA certificate.

This book is full of checklists and numerous discussions of what to do but rarely gets to "How" as the outside of the back cover states. While the information is useful it is again generic to any business and not specific to accounting.

The author bets to death the value of using Microsoft products (to the exclusion of others) and goes though a litany of the things that Microsoft uses/provides. I am certified by Microsoft in almost all the things that the author mentions in the beginning of his book and I found the authors marketing plug for Microsoft quite humorous but also very wrong. The author almost gave the impression that he is "in bed" with Microsoft and may even be a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider himself but never really states his relationship to Microsoft. This diatribe should have been in an appendix and not part of the main body of the book.

Another grating plug is the constant mention of the Accounting Guild that the author is involved with. It would have been far more professional to discuss this at length in an appendix rather than constantly marketing it to his readers by repetitive mention of it in the text. One more grate was his constant mention of the Goldmine software for tracking clients without explaining why he thinks it is the best and what is his involvement with it and more importantly why he mentions no other PIM software when he goes though a many page discussion of the various software packages available. It makes me very suspicious.

Also unless you are a firm with at least two or more accountants, two or more marketing people, two or more sales people and the accompanying support staff you are reading the wrong book. You will also have no life.

The author implicating states that unless you are dealing with businesses that are $500,000 to $10,000,000 you are not dealing with a small to medium sized business nor are you one yourself. What a grave insult to small business in general.

I am not attempting to slam the author at a personal level in my review but having read the third edition I am left with the begging question as to what was so wrong with the first two that there is in fact a third edition. After all I was the one that paid for it and I feel that I was stung and strongly so.

This book is basically a written seminar on how to build, market and sell your (any) business accompanied with numerous plugs for the authors products (at least it smells like it). The author did not follow his own advice....be honest with your clients.

I also found his web site for the Accounting Guild inactive and email is not there.

If you are looking for a book to help you build your accounting business this is not it unless you have $$$$$$ capital and staff to do so. The book is definitely not intended for the true small business person.

Save your money.

Rating:
Summary: Accounting practice
Review: This was a good thought-provoking book for anyone considering opening an accounting office. The content is primarily written from a marketing point of view, and some accountants may not like the go-get-em sales approach. Taken as a whole however, any accountant considering opening a practice can learn something worthwhile from this book.