Own Your Firm

Send us Fan MailIntuit Connect 2026 Recap: Conference Takeaways, Community, and Favorite SessionsAJ and Logan discuss attending Intuit Connect 2026 in Vegas, sharing conference takeaways, networking value, and how to choose sessions strategically by trusted speakers. AJ also recaps personal tech updates, including using the iPhone Duo with focus modes to balance work and family, multitasking with Slack/email/calendar, and strong battery life, plus a pet peeve about the Claude iPhone app supporting account switching while the desktop app doesn’t. Logan shares a productivity upgrade: moving from the Logitech MX Master 3S to the 4 due to wear and comfort issues. They highlight a favorite session by Marcus and Rachel Dillon, describe bringing AJ’s wife Cina to the conference, and recommend smaller events like the Tax Retreat as a low-key “starter” conference. They end by requesting listener questions about conferences.00:00 Podcast Kickoff00:29 iPhone Duo Setup01:32 Focus Modes Guardrails02:50 Foldable Workflow Wins04:06 Travel Tech Starlink06:53 Build vs Buy AI Tools07:58 Claude App Pet Peeve08:44 Mouse Upgrade Talk10:18 Intuit Connect Recap10:56 Picking Great Sessions12:28 Favorite Speakers Dillons14:04 Why Their Session Works15:50 Thriving Couples Talk16:16 Bringing Spouses Along17:57 Which Conferences Matter20:30 First Conference Nerves23:10 Starter Events To Try25:42 Communities And Meetups26:45 FOMO And Family Balance27:24 Family Trips And Fun31:04 Wrap Up And Listener Qs

Send us Fan MailBuy vs Build for Accounting Firm Software in the AI EraLogan Graf and AJ Zepeda discuss whether accounting firms should buy or build software as AI tools proliferate, noting that post–tax season is a common time for firm owners to reassess their tech. They describe being inundated with AI outreach and argue that personal, non-automated communication can stand out. They suggest firms use AI first for marketing and content creation (visuals, social posts, meeting-note-derived ideas) rather than trying to force AI into core tax workflows. On build vs buy, they caution that building client-facing, document-handling systems creates security, compliance, support, and maintenance burdens, and is usually only feasible for those with engineering backgrounds; they prefer buying integrated tools like Karbon and Ping. Logan shares a limited “build” example using Airtable for lightweight project tracking and considers building an internal reporting workflow to avoid per-client software costs. They expect major accounting platforms to converge in features, emphasize documenting processes before automation, and preview attending Intuit Connect and recording an in-person episode 10.00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup00:50 Post Tax Season Reset01:44 AI Spam and Outreach03:51 Personal Beats Automation06:25 AI for Content Creation10:36 Web Design in the AI Era12:13 Build Versus Buy Framework15:35 When Building Makes Sense17:51 AI Consultants and Process First24:23 All Apps Converging27:04 Unified Dashboard Dream29:38 Intuit Connect and Wrap Up

Send us Fan MailPartnership Pros and Cons: Taking Time Off, Decision-Making, and Building the Right Firm StructureIn episode eight of the Own Your Firm podcast, Logan and AJ discuss running a firm solo versus with partners, starting with AJ’s two-week trip to Greece for the Feast of Tabernacles and how he prepared by front-loading work, notifying clients, assigning projects to team members and partners, and scheduling media in advance. AJ explains how having a team and two partners made the break possible compared to being solo, though returning meant catching up on emails and meetings. They touch on industry chatter about whether billable hours are going away, AI claims that accountants are “cooked,” and Logan’s upgraded microphone setup. The main conversation covers Maverick’s origin as a three-owner partnership, how they divide responsibilities, make decisions, and split profits, along with challenges like alignment, accountability, and slower decision-making. Logan shares solo pros and cons, including autonomy but having to handle sales, operations, and delivery alone.00:00 Welcome And Catch Up01:00 Prepping For Two Weeks Away02:02 Greece Trip And Holy Days03:01 Working Less While Traveling05:39 Team Coverage While Away06:49 Planning Your Own Sabbatical07:52 Spicy LinkedIn And AI Talk10:59 Desk Setup And New Mic12:29 Solo Versus Partners Intro14:18 How Maverick Partnership Formed16:26 Partner Roles and Rhythm16:55 Choosing Complementary Partners17:32 Accountability and Workload Balance20:23 Decision Making Tradeoffs20:45 Office Upgrade and Focus21:49 Home Distractions and Studio Dreams24:26 Solo Practice Pros and Cons27:11 Balancing Content and Firm Work31:20 Profit Sharing and Entity Setup34:33 Cost Sharing and Alternative Models37:10 Wrap Up and Listener Q&A

Send us Fan MailSolo vs Scalable: Hiring, AI Bookkeeping, and Building a Firm That Runs Without YouIn episode six of the Own Your Firm podcast, hosts AJ and Logan Graff compare running an accounting firm as a solo operator versus building a scalable business with employees, partners, systems, and processes. They discuss recent AI bookkeeping developments, including Mercury launching Mercury Books and Accrual acquiring Puzzle’s ledger and close technology, and predict more banks and niche SaaS platforms will bundle bookkeeping/ledger tools, creating a messier tool landscape that forces accountants to level up. Logan shares how burnout in 2022–2023 pushed him to hire, noting AI and tools like SurePrep reduce data entry but still can’t replace humans for complex prep and client follow-ups. AJ explains Maverick’s growth mindset, low firm sale multiples (about 1.14x revenue), and why hiring, starting with contractors, can improve quality of life, enable sales/networking, and support passion projects like content and podcasts.00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup 00:43 Mercury Books AI Ledger 02:26 Relay Banking and Invoicing 03:58 Puzzle Acquisition Debate 06:54 Banks and POS Ledgers Future 08:36 Niche SaaS Bookkeeping Wave 10:13 Solo vs Team Mindset Shift 11:28 Logan Burnout and Hiring Trigger 13:39 AI Prep vs Human Workflow 17:47 AJ Scaling Maverick and Energy 22:05 When to Hire Financially 25:33 Quality of Life and Passion Projects 30:48 Employees as Long Term Assets 32:37 Wrap Up and Listener Q&A

Send us Fan MailEpisode 6: Firm Acquisition News and How to Price One-Time Consult CallsIn episode six, the hosts note an upgrade to AJ’s microphone and discuss launching the podcast on YouTube, early download/view metrics, and a weekly release plan. They cover an industry update: Brandon Hall’s acquisition of Tooth and Coin, a dental-focused accounting firm where one host previously worked, describing it as a 2,000-client firm acquiring a roughly 400-client firm and discussing Tooth and Coin’s long-standing online presence and growth opportunities post-acquisition. The main topic is how to price one-time consultation calls, using a community question about a $250 one-hour consult that required prep time; the hosts argue for charging more or using a short discovery/scoping call that leads to a fixed-fee proposal or monthly engagement credit, emphasizing value-based pricing, factoring prep time and risk, avoiding underpricing one-off projects, using standard pricing, and “pricing the client, not the project.”00:00 Episode Intro and Mic Upgrade01:28 Gear Investments and Setup02:25 Industry News Tooth and Coin Acquisition04:13 Growth Strategy and Online Presence07:24 Random Thing and Audience Metrics10:18 YouTube Launch and Posting Schedule11:21 Pricing One Time Consult Calls16:48 Value Based Pricing and Upsells21:59 Standard Pricing and Pricing the Client27:15 Wrap Up and Counter Community Plug

Send us Fan MailLogan Graf and AJ Zepeda kick things off with their latest random finds — a camera robot that follows you around and a metal smart business card — before diving into the main topic: Logan's viral LinkedIn post about losing an $8,000 accounting engagement because a prospect wanted to use AI to do their own bookkeeping cleanup. They break down the proposal details, why the cleanup wasn't optional, how AI is changing client confidence and expectations, and what it means for firm owners navigating the new landscape of AI-assisted accounting.

Send us Fan MailHow Much Should Your Accounting Firm Make? Hitting $200K–$250K Take-HomeLogan and AJ discuss money goals for accounting firm owners on the Own Your Firm podcast, starting with their early-career earnings. They note entry-level public accounting pay has risen to roughly $75K–$84K. AJ’s target is $250K personal income for retirement contributions, lower stress, travel, and increased giving, and he estimates their three-partner firm needs about $2M in annual revenue to support $200K–$300K each. Logan’s target is similarly $200K–$250K net; he describes previously netting about $200K on roughly $280K gross with heavy workload, and estimates $350K gross could net $200K with a manager. They compare budgeting, insurance and car costs, and outline growth plans focused on staying lean, improving sales, and reducing day-to-day workload.00:00 Money Talk Kickoff01:21 First Paychecks Revealed04:02 Entry Level Salaries Today05:47 Income Goals for Firm Owners11:43 What It Takes to Net 250K12:32 Keeping the Firm Lean12:54 AI Tools and Subscriptions14:20 AI Thumbnails and LinkedIn Flags16:27 Why 250K Means Freedom17:55 Giving Goals and Autopilot Money18:50 Timeline to 250K and Cutting Consulting20:02 Cars and Lifestyle Boundaries20:41 Host Shares His 200–250K Target24:12 Retirement vs Taxable Investing Debate25:01 Family Priorities and Catching Up27:38 Budgeting Reality Check30:37 What It Takes to Net 200K33:01 How to Scale to 250K Net34:25 Client Math and Pricing Strategy35:05 Wrap Up and Listener Q&A

Send us Fan MailLogan Graff’s Origin Story: From UIL Accounting to Launching a Virtual Tax FirmLogan Graff and AJ Zepeda introduce an episode of the Own Your Firm podcast focused on Logan, briefly discuss possibly attending QuickBooks Connect, and joke about doing a live podcast from the beach. Logan shares personal background (living in Austin, married 12 years, three daughters), interests (a 1965 Mustang project, fitness, hiking, mountain biking, making pizza), and that his faith in Christ is central to his life, noting it influenced AJ to speak about it online. Logan explains how he became an accountant through high school accounting classes and UIL competitions, then an internship at Padgett Stradoman (later merged with RSM), and being rejected by Big Four. After being terminated from Padgett, he moved to smaller firms, pursued a partner path, became a tax director at a tiny firm, and ultimately launched his own firm in 2020 by purchasing about 60 clients and starting with roughly 90–100 during COVID. He describes early challenges (income stability, taking the wrong work), later focusing on pricing and client fit, and his current setup: about 130 clients, $250k–$300k revenue, a remote CPA manager, and splitting time across firm, community, and content. His advice to day-one Logan is to worry less, take the right clients, and raise rates faster.00:00 Welcome Back and AJ Shoutout00:42 QuickBooks Connect and Beach Plans01:28 Meet Logan Graff03:02 Hobbies Fitness and Pizza05:04 Faith and Speaking Up06:01 Origin Story Becoming an Accountant08:48 Early Career Internships and Big Four11:08 Fired Then Finding the Ownership Path14:57 Launching the Firm During COVID17:59 Early Struggles Pricing and Survival Mode20:07 Graff Tax Co Today Team Clients Revenue21:37 Advice to Day One Logan and Wrap Up

Send us Fan MailAJ Zepeda and Logan Graf introduce the new Own Your Firm podcast and begin by sharing AJ’s background. AJ describes himself as a quirky, tattooed accountant, a father of three, churchgoer, HYROX athlete, and Rivian owner. He explains his firm today: a tech-forward, client-focused practice with seven employees, three partners (including a tax partner), about $500K in annual sales, and a mostly virtual setup with an office in Tyler, Texas. AJ recounts stumbling into accounting after leaving electrical engineering, becoming an accounting manager right after college, and learning management through early mistakes. He later worked at Kruze, Acuity (running a crypto practice), and served as COO at Tooth and Coin (dental niche) before launching his current firm with partners, merging books of business and teams. He discusses lessons on pricing, firing clients sooner, month-end close by the 15th, and plans to target construction clients in East Texas.00:00 Podcast Kickoff 00:46 Meet The Hosts 01:30 AJ Personal Intro 02:32 Fitness And Rivian 04:18 Firm Snapshot Today 05:57 Becoming An Accountant 08:24 Early Career Leadership 11:55 Burnout And Startup Shift 14:59 Path To Firm Ownership 17:44 Launching With Partners 20:45 Lessons And Daily Rhythm 23:31 Owning The Firm 24:08 Next Six Months Goals 24:44 Wrap Up And Mustaches

Send us Fan MailOwn Your Firm: Why We’re Starting This Podcast and What to ExpectAJ and Logan announce their new podcast, “Own Your Firm,” created as scheduled “bro time” and a space to discuss how firm owners can build businesses that don’t lead to burnout. They explain the title’s inspiration and aim to help accountants become better business owners, noting industry trends like consolidation, acquisitions, and AI. Planned topics include running firms effectively, bridging CAS and tax perspectives, light current events, listener questions, and pulling discussions from Logan’s accounting firm owner community, Counter, plus possible product/tech reviews and a “random” segment. They share brief personal backgrounds: both are Christian dads with three kids; AJ (32) worked at small and large firms, including niche dental accounting, now owns a firm with partners and does consulting; Logan (35) runs The Graff Tax Co. (founded 2020), creates content, and built Counter to about 280 members.00:00 Podcast Kickoff00:49 Why Own Your Firm02:12 Firms That Dont Own You04:11 Planned Segments And Reviews08:27 From Job To Business Owner12:15 Meet AJ Background Story16:53 Meet Logan Counter And Firm19:17 Future Ideas And Wrap Up