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Aaron exposes the hidden tax that new and hungry advisors pay when they discount out of fear, accept every client regardless of fit, and build custom solutions that can't scale—revealing how he went from charging $299 a month with 90% close rates to $625 average monthly revenue with clean three-tier pricing. He breaks down the People-Problem-Promise Framework for choosing a niche tight enough to make your systems repeatable, shows why mixing locum physicians with clinic owners destroys your pricing logic and steals 40-75 hours per quarter, and walks through the ABCs model (Advisory, Bookkeeping, Compliance) that lets you serve three tiers without reinventing scope every month. Aaron also tackles the three biggest objections that keep advisors stuck in generalist mode, provides five guardrails that make saying no feel safe, and delivers a seven-day action plan with yes-or-no checkpoints you can execute this week. This is the clarity reset for advisors who are tired of working too much for too little and ready to become the one-of-one option their niche can't imagine replacing.

Key Takeaways:

• If your close rate is above 90%, you're priced too low—high conversion signals underpricing, not excellence.

• Tight niches create repeatable systems—serving everyone makes you the expert for no one.

• People-Problem-Promise Framework: define exactly who you serve, what pain you solve, and what outcome you deliver.

• Mixing sub-niches (like locum docs and clinic owners) breaks your chart of accounts, advisory cadence, and pricing logic.

• Three-tier access pricing (Bronze, Silver, Gold) keeps scope simple while premium perks don't consume your time.

• Five guardrails protect your business: walkaway price, controlled tech stack, standardized chart of accounts, no custom pricing, and ideal fit checklist.

• Saying yes to everyone keeps you invisible—pick one room, become known there, and lead flow compounds.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - The Imposter Tax

(00:01:00) - 3 Pitfalls of Paying the Imposter Tax

(00:02:00) - 3 Signals You're Paying the Imposter Tax

(00:02:30) - 1 Minute Diagnostic to Tell If You're Paying the Imposter Tax

(00:03:00) - People Problem Promise Framework

(00:04:30) - Case Study Comparison of a Clinic vs Locum

(00:07:30) - The ABCs of Running a Tax Advisory Firm

(00:08:00) - 2 Considerations to Make to Stop Trading Time for Money

(00:09:00) - 5 Guardrails to Establish Before Working With New Clients

(00:10:00) - Overcoming 3 Common Objections

(00:12:30) - A Seven Day Action Plan to Attract Ideal Clients

(00:14:00) - A Simple First Call Framework for New Prospects

(00:15:00) - Join the Thrive Advisor Collective

Key Topics Discussed:

Thrive Advisor, Aaron Siegel, Tax Preparer, Tax Advisor, Tax Bookkeeper, Tax Advising, Tax Preparation, Tax Bookkeeping, Accounting, Profitable Advisory Business, Scaling Tax Advisory Services, Tax Firm Systems, Bookkeeping Accounting Tech Stack, Streamlined Tax Operations, CPA Workflow Optimization, Offshore Hiring For Tax Firms, Time Management For Tax Advisors, Bookkeeping Workflow Systems, Tools For Non-Tech-Savvy Advisors, Sustainable Advisory Model, Simplifying Advisory Services, Profitable Solo CPA Systems, High-Value Client Experience, Raising Advisory Prices, Advisor Imposter Syndrome, Escaping Tax Season Burnout, Avoiding Low-Paying Clients, Lifestyle Design For Advisors, Tax Advisor Leadership Strategies, Profitable Advisory Case Studies, Niching For Tax Advisors, Advisory Pricing Models, Advisor Mindset Shifts, Client Retention Strategies, Tax Firm Automation, Jason Staats

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Aaron reveals the system that stopped him from explaining estimated tax payments for the fourth time every week—a practical framework that turns your most repeated explanations into reusable assets clients actually use. He walks through the 5 Cs (Capture, Craft, Container, Cue, Calibrate) showing exactly how to identify what you repeat most, create lightweight one-pagers and videos that match different learning styles, store everything in one source of truth, trigger the right resource at the right time, and continuously improve based on real client feedback. Aaron also breaks down why selling your time once means documenting your expertise, how consistency protects you legally, and why your repeat explanations are secretly frameworks waiting to become revenue streams. This is the concrete week-one plan for advisors who are tired of rewriting the same email and ready to build leverage that compounds.

Key Takeaways:

• You can only sell your time once—documentation turns time into reusable assets that improve margin.

• Clients learn by hearing, seeing, or doing—one-pagers, videos, and checklists cover all three styles.

• Consistency reduces risk—standardized resources protect you and create evidence of what you taught.

• Patterns reveal frameworks—10 assets will show you the three or four lanes most advisory calls follow.

• Assets become products—what you teach one client can become workshops, courses, or conference talks.

• Simple triggers save hours—canned replies, meeting follow-ups, and onboarding sequences automate delivery.

• Monthly calibration keeps assets current—30 minutes reviewing transcripts eliminates new repeats.

• One topic repeated 12 times quarterly costs two hours—a 45-minute asset creation saves you over an hour every quarter.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Stop Repeating Yourself

(00:00:30) - The 5 Cs to Improving Repeat Problems in Your Advisory Firm

(00:01:30) - Step 1: Capture

(00:02:30) - Step 2: Craft

(00:04:00) - Step 3: Container

(00:05:00) - Step 4: Cue

(00:07:00) - Step 5: Calibrate

(00:08:30) - 5 Reasons to Map This Playbook

(00:10:30) - 10 Assets for Tax Advisors to Build First

(00:12:00) - 3 Objections You'll Hear When Using Assets

(00:13:00) - 3 To-Dos for Keeping Assets Compliant

(00:13:30) - The 90 Day Plan for Implementing the System

(00:16:30) - Why Choosing Permanence is Important

(00:17:30) - Join the Thrive Advisor Collective

Key Topics Discussed:

Thrive Advisor, Aaron Siegel, Tax Preparer, Tax Advisor, Tax Bookkeeper, Tax Advising, Tax Preparation, Tax Bookkeeping, Accounting, Profitable Advisory Business, Scaling Tax Advisory Services, Tax Firm Systems, Bookkeeping Accounting Tech Stack, Streamlined Tax Operations, CPA Workflow Optimization, Offshore Hiring For Tax Firms, Time Management For Tax Advisors, Bookkeeping Workflow Systems, Tools For Non-Tech-Savvy Advisors, Sustainable Advisory Model, Simplifying Advisory Services, Profitable Solo CPA Systems, High-Value Client Experience, Raising Advisory Prices, Advisor Imposter Syndrome, Escaping Tax Season Burnout, Avoiding Low-Paying Clients, Lifestyle Design For Advisors, Tax Advisor Leadership Strategies, Profitable Advisory Case Studies, Niching For Tax Advisors, Advisory Pricing Models, Advisor Mindset Shifts, Client Retention Strategies, Tax Firm Automation, Jason Staats

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Aaron pulls back the curtain on the AI transformation that saved his firm from collapse—revealing the exact tools, frameworks, and workflows that turned 70-hour weeks into 24, slashed email response times from hours to minutes, and gave him his life back. He breaks down the SCALE Framework for systematically implementing AI, the CRIT prompting method that makes AI actually useful, and the specific automations that handle everything from client onboarding to tax return reviews. Aaron also shares why recording every meeting changed his practice, how he uses AI to clone his expertise for training, and the critical "trust but verify" rule that keeps you from citing fake tax cases. This is the practical guide for solo and small firm owners who need leverage now—not someday.

Key Takeaways:

• AI isn’t replacing you—it’s amplifying your expertise and giving you back your time

• The SCALE Framework turns chaos into clarity: Spot pain points, Choose tools, Automate tasks, Learn continuously, Evolve processes

• CRIT prompting sharpens your AI requests—clear context creates accurate, usable outputs

• Recording and transcribing client meetings builds relationship intelligence that deepens trust

• AI hallucinates—verify every source, especially in tax, law, and compliance

• Start with one painful task—automate it fully, then move on to the next bottleneck

• Tools like Scribe, Delphi, and Perplexity streamline documentation, thinking, and research

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Using AI to Transform Small Tax Firms

(00:03:00) - The SCALE Framework for Systemically Leveraging AI

(00:05:00) - The CRIT Framework for Prompting AI

(00:06:30) - The Angry Email Translator

(00:07:30) - Integrating AI with Your Clients

(00:09:30) - Using AI for Research: Trust But Verify

(00:12:00) - Using AI to Clone Yourself

(00:13:00) - Where to Start When Using AI

(00:15:30) - Join the Thrive Advisor Collective

Key Topics Discussed:

Thrive Advisor, Aaron Siegel, Tax Preparer, Tax Advisor, Tax Bookkeeper, Tax Advising, Tax Preparation, Tax Bookkeeping, Accounting, Profitable Advisory Business, Scaling Tax Advisory Services, Tax Firm Systems, Bookkeeping Accounting Tech Stack, Streamlined Tax Operations, CPA Workflow Optimization, Offshore Hiring For Tax Firms, Time Management For Tax Advisors, Bookkeeping Workflow Systems, Tools For Non-Tech-Savvy Advisors, Sustainable Advisory Model, Simplifying Advisory Services, Profitable Solo CPA Systems, High-Value Client Experience, Raising Advisory Prices, Advisor Imposter Syndrome, Escaping Tax Season Burnout, Avoiding Low-Paying Clients, Lifestyle Design For Advisors, Tax Advisor Leadership Strategies, Profitable Advisory Case Studies, Niching For Tax Advisors, Advisory Pricing Models, Advisor Mindset Shifts, Client Retention Strategies, Tax Firm Automation, Jason Staats

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Reach out at https://mcea.rocks/linkedin

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Every advisor knows the trap: a client asks to “book an hour,” and suddenly that hour turns into late-night emails, missing documents, rushed estimates, and stress you never billed for. Aaron breaks down why selling minutes will always cap your capacity—and why the shift to outcome-based subscriptions is the key to calmer Aprils, cleaner data, and clients who finally understand the value of proactive advisory so you can advise—not just react. He walks through the access, cadence, and clarity that define great advisory, the simple math behind a sustainable solo practice, and the three subscription tiers that protect your calendar while improving client results. He also gives the exact language he uses to handle objections, set boundaries, transition legacy clients, and articulate why “we don’t sell hours—we sell outcomes” is one of the most transformative sentences an advisor can learn. This episode is a practical roadmap for tax advisors ready to price the relationship, standardize their systems, and finally build a life-first tax practice that delivers consistent results without chaos.

Key Takeaways:

• Hourly Billing Forces Under-Scoping, Overworking, and “Commodity” Expectations

• Outcome-Based Pricing Centers on Access, Cadence, Clean Books, and Proactive Planning

• A Sustainable Solo Advisor Capacity Is ~16–18 Clients at $12–18K/Year

• Clients Make Better Decisions When You Create a Predictable Planning Rhythm

• Transitioning Clients Requires Clarity, Kindness, and Framing Around Outcomes

• Niching Increases Efficiency, Confidence, and Pricing Power Through Repetition

• The Membership Model Attracts Clients Who Value Guidance, Not Transactions

• Pricing From Capacity—Not Hope—Keeps Both You and the Clients Out of Crisis Mode

Key Timestamps:

(00:00:00) – Stop Selling Minutes & Start Selling Outcomes as a Tax Advisor

(00:02:30) – 3 Steps to Build an Outcome Based Tax Advisory Subscription Model

(00:03:30) – Comparing Hourly vs Outcome Based Pricing

(00:04:30) – How Much Can a Solo Tax Advisor Make?

(00:05:00) – Explaining Outcome Based Packaging to Prospects

(00:09:00) – Handling Objections and Onboarding Existing Clients to the New Pricing Structure

(00:13:30) – Why Niching Works

(00:16:00) – Join the Thrive Advisor Collective

Key Topics Discussed:

Thrive Advisor, Aaron Siegel, Tax Preparer, Tax Advisor, Tax Bookkeeper, Tax Advising, Tax Preparation, Tax Bookkeeping, Accounting, Profitable Advisory Business, Scaling Tax Advisory Services, Tax Firm Systems, Bookkeeping Accounting Tech Stack, Streamlined Tax Operations, CPA Workflow Optimization, Offshore Hiring For Tax Firms, Time Management For Tax Advisors, Bookkeeping Workflow Systems, Tools For Non-Tech-Savvy Advisors, Sustainable Advisory Model, Simplifying Advisory Services, Profitable Solo CPA Systems, High-Value Client Experience, Raising Advisory Prices, Advisor Imposter Syndrome, Escaping Tax Season Burnout, Avoiding Low-Paying Clients, Lifestyle Design For Advisors, Tax Advisor Leadership Strategies, Profitable Advisory Case Studies, Niching For Tax Advisors, Advisory Pricing Models, Advisor Mindset Shifts, Client Retention Strategies, Tax Firm Automation, Jason Staats

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Join the Thrive Advisor Collective: https://mcea.rocks/skool

Aaron shares the playbook he wishes he had when launching his firm—one built from the mistakes, 100-hour weeks, and costly lessons that nearly broke his business entirely. He walks through his 10-step Foundation Framework, showing why advisors should niche instead of serving everyone, start with clean bookkeeping fundamentals, rely on simple systems, price with intention, and grow through genuine community building. Aaron also explains why subscription-based advisory, slow intentional growth, and mastering only the strategies that really matter can completely change a firm’s trajectory. It’s a clear, grounded guide for advisors who want to build a profitable, sustainable practice without the chaos.

Key Takeaways:

• Serving every industry slows you down—niching creates clarity, efficiency, and demand.

• Small business clients need clean books and basics before advanced tax strategy.

• Simple systems outperform pricey software, and documentation fuels scalability.

• Competing on price burns you out—tiered pricing keeps your firm sustainable.

• Practitioner communities build confidence and skill through real-world learning.

• Subscription models create steady revenue and deeper client relationships.

• Imposter syndrome is just fear—clients value care and effort over perfection.

• Exceptional service is a rare advantage that sets your firm apart.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - The 10-Step Foundation Framework for Building a Tax Practice from Zero

(00:01:30) – Step 1: Focus On One Niche

(00:02:30) – Step 2: Onboard the Right Foundations

(00:03:00) – Step 3: Use Simple Systems

(00:04:00) – Step 4: Never Compete On Price

(00:05:00) – Step 5: Develop Through Community

(00:06:00) – Step 6: Adopt the Subscription Model

(00:07:00) – Step 7: Take Your Time

(00:07:30) – Step 8: Invest In What Matters

(00:08:30) – Step 9: Overcome Imposter Syndrome

(00:09:00) – Step 10: Nurture Exceptional Service

(00:10:30) – Join the Thrive Advisor Collective Onschool

Key Topics Discussed:

Thrive Advisor, Aaron Siegel, Tax Preparer, Tax Advisor, Tax Bookkeeper, Tax Advising, Tax Preparation, Tax Bookkeeping, Accounting, Profitable Advisory Business, Scaling Tax Advisory Services, Tax Firm Systems, Bookkeeping Accounting Tech Stack, Streamlined Tax Operations, CPA Workflow Optimization, Offshore Hiring For Tax Firms, Time Management For Tax Advisors, Bookkeeping Workflow Systems, Tools For Non-Tech-Savvy Advisors, Sustainable Advisory Model, Simplifying Advisory Services, Profitable Solo CPA Systems, High-Value Client Experience, Raising Advisory Prices, Advisor Imposter Syndrome, Escaping Tax Season Burnout, Avoiding Low-Paying Clients, Lifestyle Design For Advisors, Tax Advisor Leadership Strategies, Profitable Advisory Case Studies, Niching For Tax Advisors, Advisory Pricing Models, Advisor Mindset Shifts, Client Retention Strategies, Tax Firm Automation, Jason Staats

More of Thrive Advisor:

Join the Thrive Advisor Collective: https://mcea.rocks/skool

Consider working with me at https://mcea.rocks

Reach out at https://mcea.rocks/linkedin

You’ve built a successful tax or advisory firm, but now you’re buried in client work, juggling a messy tech stack, and wondering how to scale without burning out. Thrive Advisor is your roadmap to building a profitable, systemized tax firm that runs smoothly and serves your clients well.

Hosted by Aaron Siegel, the advisor’s advisor, this show helps advisory-first tax and accounting professionals create efficient firms through smarter systems, pricing, and client management. Each episode delivers practical strategies and mindset shifts to help you move from doer to builder (without 60-hour weeks or overcomplicating your tech stack).

Key Topics Covered:

Pricing and packaging — charge premium rates confidently and stop selling hours

Systems that scale — streamline workflows, automate tasks, and simplify your tech stack

Profitable niche design — attract your best-fit accounting clients and grow sustainably

Client experience — create a five-star advisory process that drives retention and referrals

Mindset and confidence — shift from technician to firm builder with clarity and calm control