Category: Independent Advisor

FEATURE
What’s Your Practice Really Worth? The CPA Valuation Playbook [Episode 69]

What’s Your Practice Really Worth? The CPA Valuation Playbook [Episode 69]

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What’s Your Practice Really Worth? The CPA Valuation Playbook

Valuations for CPA firms have never been higher, and the reasons have very little to do with tax returns.

Matt Ackerman is joined by Geoff Bruskin, founder and managing partner of White Tiger Connections, along with John Pastore and Clint Mills of Integrated Partners’ CPA Alliance, for a candid look at what’s driving value in accounting practices right now.

Geoff has closed 23 CPA transactions in the last 36 months, and he brings the numbers with him: private equity’s arrival in 2021, the jump from an 11.5x to a 14.5x multiple on a single marquee deal, and PE buyers now knocking on the doors of firms with as little as $300K to 400K in adjusted EBITDA. The panel walks through how the profession moved off the old “one times gross” rule of thumb, why buyers now blend gross revenue and adjusted EBITDA multiples, and the specific traits, digitized workflows, remote staffing, recurring and value-based billing, leadership depth, complementary service lines,  that separate a firm that trades well from one that doesn’t.

The heart of the conversation is the gap between two professions. A CPA firm doing $5 million in revenue might trade around $10 million; a wealth management firm with the same economics might trade at $20 million. Jeff makes the case that the most underappreciated asset in any accounting practice is the trust and financial visibility already sitting inside the client relationship — and illustrates it with a $1,000 tax client whose $1.5M IRA represents a $15,000 relationship somewhere else.

Also covered:

  • Whether AI is coming for the profession
  • The wealth segments nobody is servicing well
  • Why “fiercely independent” firms should think like private equity firms
  • How to know whether it’s time to build, buy, partner, merge, or stay put.

Whether you plan to sell in three years or never, this is a conversation about building a practice that you can’t afford to miss.

Disclosure:

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Investment advice offered through Integrated Partners, a registered investment advisor.

White Tiger Connections along with its representative, Geoff Bruskin, are a separate entity and not affiliated with Integrated Partners.

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FEATURE
The Development and Milestones of the CPA Alliance with Paul Saganey and John Pastore Jr. [Episode 61]

The Development and Milestones of the CPA Alliance with Paul Saganey and John Pastore Jr. [Episode 61]

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What does it take to grow from a few accounting firm relationships to a nationwide network of more than 250 CPA partners?  Vision, perseverance, and a true belief in collaboration.

In this episode, host Matt Ackermann sits down with Paul Saganey, Founder and CEO of Integrated Partners, and John Pastore Jr., Wealth Advisor and Vice President of Integrated Partners, to unpack the story behind the firm’s renowned CPA Alliance and the lessons learned along the way.

They discuss:

  • How the CPA Alliance began and evolved
  • Designing a model that CPAs and advisors truly value
  • Building partnerships that drive growth and client success
  • Developing a team of experts and a culture where everyone thrives
  • Brand protection
  • The importance of problem-solving, and meaningful relationships
  • And so much more!

Hear how good times, uncertain times, a group of great humans, and the power of partnership developed the CPA Alliance and Integrated Partners into what it is today.

“We truly have yet to meet the people who will determine the future success of the company.”  – Paul Saganey via his friend Elle

 

 Connect With Matt Ackermann:

Connect with Paul Saganey

Connect with John Pastore Jr.

 

About our Guests

Paul Saganey

With over three decades in financial services, Paul transformed his vision of modern wealth management into reality. As the founder of Integrated Partners, he leads a nationwide RIA featuring 220+ entrepreneurial advisors and groundbreaking partnerships with 250+ accounting firms through the innovative Integrated CPA Alliance Program.

His journey through the financial services industry has given him unique insights into what makes advisory practices thrive. This comprehensive perspective drove him to establish Integrated Partners in 1996, pioneering a fee-based planning approach that puts relationships at the heart of wealth management.

At Integrated Partners, they’ve developed cutting-edge solutions like the Lifetime Income Model, The Business Owner Solution, and the Integrated Family Office, serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families with elite services. Their success stems from a simple truth: building great practices requires exceptional people and seamless collaboration.

One of his greatest passions is mentoring advisors, helping them unlock efficiencies and build the practices of their dreams. When he’s not coaching the next generation of financial leaders, you’ll find him cheering on the Tennessee Titan’s with his family— he and his wife Jamie are proud parents of Dan, the Titan’s Vice President of Player Personnel, and blessed grandparents to three wonderful grandchildren.

John Pastore Jr.

As a Private Wealth Advisor with over 25 years of industry experience, he specializes in partnering with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and business owners, seamlessly integrating his Family Focused Office model into their broader wealth management strategy. His practice is dedicated to helping clients build and expand their financial future, delivering a first-class experience at every step.

​John is a founding member of Integrated Financial Partners (Integrated) and developed their industry-recognized Professional Partner Program, a dynamic co-source model that partners financial advisors with CPAs, Attorneys and Property & Casualty professionals. Today, over 250 professionals nationwide are successfully partnering with Integrated.

​As Private Wealth Advisor and fiduciary in an advisory role:

  • He provides a full suite of wealth management services, including estate planning, business owner strategies, retirement planning, investment, and risk management. As an independent advisor, he puts needs first, acting solely in the best interests of his clients, recommending only those solutions that best align with their goals, values, and vision. Serving as a dedicated partner on their wealth journey, he’s often their first call for life’s most exciting and important financial decisions.

As Executive Vice President:

  • He oversees Integrated’s Professional Partner Program and consults with CPA and law firms as they integrate wealth management and financial planning services into their core offerings. His collaborative approach makes Integrated the partner of choice for professionals who value their independence while recognizing the importance of being surrounded by a talented team.

 

Disclosure:

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.  Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Integrated Partners, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

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FEATURE
The Accidental Advisor with Mona Santos [Episode 60]

The Accidental Advisor with Mona Santos [Episode 60]

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Sometimes the most powerful careers are born out of integrity and courage. When Mona Santos uncovered unethical behavior in her workplace, she did what few have the courage to do, she spoke up. With no whistleblower protection and no safety net, Mona was fired. But that moment became the catalyst for something greater.

Determined to build a life defined by honesty, compassion, and independence, Mona became a financial advisor on her own terms. In this episode, Mona Santos, Certified Financial Planner and co-founder of Glide Path Financial, shares with our host Matt Ackermann her story through tragedy, entrepreneurship, and resilience. How she turned pain purpose and built a 25-year career rooted in empathy and authenticity.

Today, she helps others design lives of meaning and freedom; the same way she rebuilt her own. Her story is one of courage, character, and the beauty of creating success by helping others do the same.

Connect With Matt Ackermann:

 

Connect with Mona Santos

 

About our Guest

Working as a financial advisor for over 20 years, Mona specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services to individuals, families and business owners. With compassion at the crux of her practice, Mona specifically enjoys helping independent female clients, where she can offer support for women going through life-changing events, such as divorce, death of a spouse or retirement.

Having suffered many of her own personal setbacks, these life experiences have fueled Mona’s passion for helping others. She works diligently to help clients develop the confidence that with a good plan, it is possible to survive – and thrive – through anything life throws at them.

Mona’s mission is simple: To listen empathetically, uncover critical values, and build a plan to help clients live a well-rounded life of financial confidence and resilience.

Whether you are a professional at a thriving company, a business owner looking to sell in the next five years or preparing for a milestone like retirement, Mona follows a values-based financial planning process where she designs a financial roadmap for clients and meets with them every four months to discuss their plan and chart their progress.

Working in a fiduciary capacity to her advisory clients, it is Mona’s legal duty to put her clients’ needs first and act in their best interest while maintaining full transparency throughout the financial planning process. Services include:

  • Investment Management
  • Cash Flow Management
  • Retirement Planning
  • Insurance Consulting
  • Estate Planning
  • Business Owner Planning

Mona graduated from Methodist University with degrees in political science and international studies. She is married to her husband, Kirk and has a son, Gabriel. An adventurer at heart, Mona loves to travel, sing, and meet new people. A bibliophile, she rarely reads less than three books at a time and has never met a microphone she was afraid of. Ramona is also an award-winning actress and an avid runner.

 

Disclosure:

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.  Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Integrated Partners, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

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