New Year’s resolutions: firm operations, growth, and team

What is your resolution for the new year? While the Ancient Babylonians are credited with creating the world’s first resolutions, today’s resolutions range from simple goals to the more complicated.

We asked members of the Intuit Tax Council for their resolutions for firm operations, growth, and team; here’s what they had to say.

Operational and technological improvements

• Reduce Client Calls: Leverage digital tools to answer client questions automatically, reducing the need for direct phone calls. —Liz Hanley, Liz Is All Biz, Inc.
• Transition to the Cloud: Move the firm away from legacy desktop-based programs to a fully cloud-based infrastructure. —Nick Boscia, CPA, EA, The Balanced CPA
• Standardize Resources: Create standardized templates, checklists, and work papers to handle “non-value add” tasks, allowing principals to focus on client delivery and relationships. —Megan Leesley, CPA, Dark Horse

Professional growth and mindset

• Continuous Learning: Adopt a “day zero” mindset where every day is treated as a learning opportunity to become better than the day before. —Ami Shah CPA
• Focus on Discipline: Implement “discipline” as a guiding word for the year to improve the firm’s overall performance and consistency. —Tania Santos, EA, Platinum
• Uplevel Advisory Skills: Help firm principals enhance their advisory capabilities to provide better service to their clients. —Megan Leesley, CPA, Dark Horse

Team and culture

• Balance and Preparation: Prioritize work-life balance by providing timely services that eliminate “fire drills” and create a more relaxed environment for financial discussions. —Melina Maslehati, ChFC, CFE, Seed Money Consulting
• Team Development: Strengthen the existing team by teaching them new skills, which will allow for better delegation and continue the firm’s growth. —Katie Helle, Scaled Accounting Solutions

What are your resolutions? Share your thoughts by adding a comment below.