Opportunity One: Change your own firms' valuation from 1.2x billing to 6x EBITA.
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A firm with $1,000,000 annual revenue will probably sell for around 1.2 million. But if you roll up several firms and hit five million gross; the valuation changes to a multiple of your EBITA. Most often between 6 to 8+ times.
Your valuation might hit 10-13 million.
It is plausible to absorb one or two firms a year. Three years from now – with a lot of good luck – your valuation could look like buying Amazon stock in 1997.
Opportunity Two: Why is 2026 the year to roll up competitors?
This year, for the first time, over 75% of the accounting firm owners in the US are eligible for Social Security checks. They are going to retire.
Now we’re the oldest profession. That means thousands of firms are going to hit the market over the next decade. Firms at the acquisition forefront will become highly profitable, sought-after dynamos. These demographics will never happen again.
If you can get in front of this giant transfer of ownership, you may well create multi-millions in equity. It will be a lot more fun than looking for your next tax return client.
Opportunity Three: Should we wait till the end of tax season?
95% of the accountants that decide to sell, make that decision during tax season.
You want to be on top of the ‘deal’ as soon as possible. If the seller calls a broker, you’ll lose the opportunity or end up paying more than necessary.
I’ll find the potential sellers, book a phone call for you, and you can meet on April 16th. You don’t have to buy now; you just have to get your name at the top of the list.
The 4 master reasons to buy an accounting firm
In 2026, acquiring other firms remains a premier strategy for accountants to achieve rapid growth by bypassing the time-intensive process of organic client acquisition.
Acquisition provides a comprehensive "shortcut" to scale through the following advantages:
1. Immediate Scale and Market Share
•Instant Client Base: Buying a firm provides an immediate "book of business" with established revenue streams, which is significantly faster than winning individual clients one by one.
•Geographic Expansion: It allows for rapid entry into new regional or national markets without the overhead of building a brand from scratch in those areas.
•Competitive Reduction: Rapidly acquiring smaller firms eliminates local competitors and consolidates market share.
2. Rapid Talent and Expertise Acquisition
•Subject Matter Experts: Firms can instantly gain specialized talent in high-growth niches like cybersecurity, forensic accounting, or complex tax advisory.
•Addressing Talent Shortages: With persistent staffing shortages, acquiring a firm is often the most efficient way to secure a fully trained and operational workforce.
•Leadership Depth: New partners and managers from acquired firms bring additional leadership potential and fresh perspectives to the larger organization.
3. Accelerated Technological and Service Capability
•Tech Adoption: Acquiring firms with advanced cloud-based systems, AI tools, or proprietary software can be faster and cheaper than developing these capabilities internally.
•Service Line Expansion: Acquisitions allow generalist firms to pivot quickly toward hyper-specialization (e.g., dental practices or crypto-assets), which often commands higher margins and stickier client relationships in the 2026 market.
•Cross-Selling Opportunities: The acquiring firm can immediately offer its existing higher-value services (like advisory or strategic forecasting) to the new client base, boosting the profitability of the acquisition almost instantly.
4. Operational and Financial Synergies
•Economies of Scale: Combined firms can spread fixed costs—such as regulatory compliance and software licensing—across a larger revenue base, improving overall profit margins.
•Faster ROI: Because the acquired practice already has a steady workflow, the return on investment is typically quicker compared to the multi-year timeline required to start a new practice branch.
•Succession Opportunity: Many firm owners are nearing retirement in 2026, creating a "buyer's market" where prepared accountants can acquire well-established practices with favorable terms.
Can you finance the deal so that you have a
positive cash flow?
Yes, you will probably be able to secure a 10-year business loan on a firm that is generating 25% net income. That puts you at a positive cash flow right out of the gate.
To get started.
Hire me to work 20 hours a month at $49 per hour. I’ve outlined my work on the next few slides.
KC Truby before I caught TMB (too many birthdays)
What work will I do?
I am not a business broker. I will not take part in your acquisition. I’m a paid bird dog that finds sellers and turns them over to you.
What is a bird dog?
Who do I talk to?
The process to find “for sale” accounting firms that are not listed
• For example; In the Milwaukee metro there are 800 firms, but you may only want me to talk to the 500 that fit your criteria.
• I’m going to call the 500 and ask if they want to sell this year.
• Your name is not mentioned or brought into the conversation until the firm shows they are at least interested in the idea of selling.
• If interested, I move them to join your social media and start introducing you as the right buyer.
• Then I qualify the seller and book a meeting between the two of you.
• My work is done. It’s up to you to decide if you want to buy the firm.
What do I tell them?
With over 50 years in accounting and 23 5acquisitions under my belt, I know exactly how to find your next best deal.
What I’ll do to make you famous
Starting in week 3 KC will start adding the qualified firms to your social media followers. This will make it easier to connect via social media with sellers who don’t know you.
Once connected, KC will post shareable tax planning articles to LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and other resources under your name. These are articles that you will allow your competitors to send to clients. This makes you a hero.
Our aim is to make you look like the premier service provider and all-around the nicest guy in the city.
When you close on a firm, I get 2% as a finders’ fee. As an example, for a half million-dollar acquisition, I get a $10,000 bonus when your deal is done.
I get an hourly retainer ($49 an hour) in the first month I’m will work 20 hours. You will see all production and contact reports in real time.
I will only do this work for 8 firms, and each must be in a separate city. For example, once I work for a firm in Denver, I can not work for anyone else.
There are no contracts; you may fire me at any time.
You will have access to our database, so you’ll see who we are talking to and what they said, all in real time.
You will approve all scripts, emails, letters, and social media posts in advance.
What about the money?
How to put me on part time 1099 payroll.
Find the attached invoice/order form and send it back in today. That will lock me out of working for your competitors and give you the leg up in town.
I will pretty much self-manage, as I’ve been doing this kind of work since I sold my first bookkeeping firm in 1971.
Email the order form back to KC@kctruby.com, or take a picture and text it to me at 520-834-0011
Thanks
KC Truby, Retired Accountant / Tax Ghostwriter / Salesman
Tucson, AZ
520-834-0011
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