What does it take to become more than your client’s tax preparer?

Joel Lutz and Trevor Myres, CPA/PFS, discuss how accounting firms can position themselves as trusted advisors that clients call when major business and financial decisions arise.

The conversation starts with a real client situation that had almost nothing to do with tax. When the client faced a potential legal issue, Myres CPA was one of the first calls they made. That experience raises a bigger question: What makes a client see their CPA as a true advisor instead of simply a service provider?

Joel and Trevor explore how fixed-fee engagements, proactive communication, professional referral networks, and a broader advisory mindset help create stronger client relationships. They also discuss the growing intersection between tax planning and financial planning, including how an integrated wealth management team can help prevent disconnected advice from undermining a client’s larger strategy.

They also share what CPAs should consider when looking for financial advisors to partner with, from communication and ego to independence, fiduciary responsibility, and keeping the client’s best interests at the center of the relationship.

In this episode of It’s a Write Off, Joel Lutz and Trevor Myres speak with Aaron Sublette of Cloud Accountant Staffing about the evolving accounting talent market and how firms can build stronger teams using onshore, offshore, and remote professionals.

Aaron explains how Cloud Accountant Staffing expanded from offshore staffing into domestic permanent placements and why modern accounting firms should develop a talent pipeline before they urgently need to hire. He also shares what today’s candidates are looking for beyond compensation, including career growth, strong leadership, flexibility, mentorship, meaningful work, and opportunities to build client relationships.

The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence and automation are changing accounting roles. As more routine work becomes automated, firms will need professionals who can think critically, communicate clearly, build trust, and deliver a high-touch advisory experience.

Joel, Trevor, and Aaron also share practical strategies for creating a strong remote culture, including regular one-on-one meetings, public recognition, mentorship, shared team meetings, virtual coworking sessions, and giving remote employees opportunities to communicate directly with clients.

Topics include remote accounting staffing, offshore hiring, domestic recruiting, advisory services, AI in accounting, employee retention, soft skills, customer success, client experience, and building a scalable accounting firm.

In this episode of It’s a Write Off, Joel Lutz and Trevor Myres speak with Aaron Sublette of Cloud Accountant Staffing about the evolving accounting talent market and how firms can build stronger teams using onshore, offshore, and remote professionals.

Aaron explains how Cloud Accountant Staffing expanded from offshore staffing into domestic permanent placements and why modern accounting firms should develop a talent pipeline before they urgently need to hire. He also shares what today’s candidates are looking for beyond compensation, including career growth, strong leadership, flexibility, mentorship, meaningful work, and opportunities to build client relationships.

The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence and automation are changing accounting roles. As more routine work becomes automated, firms will need professionals who can think critically, communicate clearly, build trust, and deliver a high-touch advisory experience.

Joel, Trevor, and Aaron also share practical strategies for creating a strong remote culture, including regular one-on-one meetings, public recognition, mentorship, shared team meetings, virtual coworking sessions, and giving remote employees opportunities to communicate directly with clients.

Topics include remote accounting staffing, offshore hiring, domestic recruiting, advisory services, AI in accounting, employee retention, soft skills, customer success, client experience, and building a scalable accounting firm.

Can you write off your next business trip?

Trevor Myres and Joel Lutz explain what actually qualifies as a deductible business travel expense and where many business owners get into trouble.

They cover conferences, leadership retreats, team travel, entertainment expenses, documentation requirements, and how to separate legitimate business expenses from personal travel. The episode also explores why proactive tax planning leads to better decisions than relying on social media tax advice.

Finally, Trevor shares how Myres CPA’s partnership with Avan Tax helps clients integrate tax planning and wealth management into one coordinated strategy.

Whether you’re attending conferences, hosting retreats, or traveling for business, this episode offers practical guidance on documenting expenses and avoiding costly mistakes.

How do you build a tax advisory process that delivers value all year long?

Trevor Myres and Joel Lutz share the framework Myres CPA uses to guide clients from onboarding through discovery, tax plan design, implementation, quarterly planning meetings, and annual renewals.

They discuss why advisory is more than preparing tax returns, how each quarter has a different planning focus, and why consistent client conversations uncover valuable tax strategies that might otherwise be missed.

The episode also covers retirement planning, payroll optimization, capital expenditures, captive insurance, fixed-fee pricing, client expectations, and building repeatable advisory systems that scale.

Welcome to It’s a Write-Off. In their debut episode, Trevor Myres and Joel Lutz share who they are, why they started the podcast, and what makes their approach to accounting different. The conversation explores modern tax planning, business advisory, client experience, pricing, and why proactive communication has become one of the biggest differentiators for CPA firms today.

They also discuss building systems that scale, helping business owners make better financial decisions, and end the episode with a memorable conversation about unusual tax write-offs.

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or accounting professional looking for practical conversations about taxes and advisory, this is the place to start.