Who's Really the BOSS?

Marilyn Melendez grew up in her mom’s accounting firm, and taking it over meant trading a “never say no to business” mindset for one built around fit, time, and peace of mind. She joins Marcus and Rachel to talk about honoring a founder’s legacy while changing how things are done, why her ideal client is a type of person rather than an industry, and how her accounting firm got smaller while still making about the same money.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro (01:05) - Marilyn Background and Bilingual Firm (03:10) - Best Advice Avoid Burnout (05:42) - Firm Story and Succession Shift (09:44) - Niche Beyond Industry (12:33) - Advisory Alignment and Client Fit (18:22) - Letting Go of Wrong Clients (20:39) - Succession Planning Lessons (26:00) - Pricing Mindset and Protecting Team (33:29) - Culture Investments Team Retreats (38:37) - Sabbatical and Fresh Perspective (44:05) - Human Connection in an AI World (45:44) - Culture Tip Listen Deeply (49:51) - Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

When an accounting firm is busy keeping up with changes in technology and the industry, its team and clients can quietly get pushed to the side. Returning guest Matt Kidd joins Marcus and Rachel to talk about staying intentional with both. He covers the flexibility and everyday appreciation that keep his team engaged and the deliberate choices he makes about which client relationships get his time. He also shares how he built a financial planning practice around the clients he enjoys working with most.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome Back Matt Kidd (01:30) - Matt Intro and Michigan Roots (02:37) - How We Know Matt (03:44) - Walk Up Song Banter (04:33) - Book Advice and Habits (05:36) - Firm Growth and Remote Setup (08:15) - Checks Cash and Office Ops (09:38) - Building the RIA Platform (12:30) - Helping CPAs Start Planning (17:15) - People First in an AI World (18:36) - Flexibility and Team Check Ins (19:34) - Innovation Meetings and AI Wins (23:16) - Testing Trust and Rabbit Holes (23:58) - Scaling Tools vs Headcount (27:29) - Team Size Complexity (28:17) - Daily Appreciation Habits (31:44) - Feedback Builds Trust (35:07) - Client Relationships Strategy (37:49) - Client Events That Work (43:42) - Gifts and Personal Touch (46:57) - Build Community by Choice (50:31) - Wrap Up and Farewell

SBA loan broker Eric Rabinovich joins Marcus and Rachel to break down what actually gets a bank to say yes to a firm acquisition, from debt service coverage ratios to the rule changes taking effect October 1st. They work through real numbers, including how a $400,000 firm can close for $20,000 out of pocket and why existing firm owners can sometimes finance a deal with no cash down at all.Connect with Ericlinkedin.com/in/eric-rabinovich-deals,sbaloanlab.com calendly.com/eric-sbaloanlab.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro (01:10) - Eric’s Background and Passions (02:29) - Best Advice Don’t Nibble (04:08) - Why M&A Is Heating Up (06:41) - Eric’s Niche Small Firm Deals (11:27) - Should You Acquire to Grow (19:04) - Marcus’s Acquisition Journey (22:03) - Funding a First Acquisition (25:44) - Prepping to Buy (26:45) - Deal Structure Basics (27:32) - Winning in a Sellers Market (29:28) - Educated Buyers and Rollups (32:50) - What Banks Underwrite (34:15) - Debt Service Coverage Math (39:05) - Scaling with Acquisitions (41:34) - Expansion Rules and 100 Financing (44:56) - Alternative Practice Plays (47:28) - Action Steps and Resources (52:56) - Closing and How to Reach Eric

A year after closing their second acquisition of 2025, Marcus and Rachel Dillon bring in Amy McCarty to tally up what actually happened once the ink dried. They walk through the KPIs that mattered most, the client and staff turnover nobody puts in the deal memo, and how the acquisition finally pushed DBA past a revenue plateau they'd been stuck at for years. It's a candid look at what integration actually requires once tax season hits and the excitement wears off.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome and Guest Intro (02:10) - Meet Amy McCarty (04:16) - Why Acquire EBS (08:13) - Deal Fit and Values (13:05) - Growth Strategy and Risk (18:21) - First 90 Days Lessons (22:43) - One Year Numbers (30:20) - Deal Protections Explained (33:17) - Team Retention and Roles (37:12) - Operational KPI Surprise (43:55) - Course Correction Tech (46:13) - Whats Next and Wrap

Sandra Koch returns to share how she's built a firm around flexibility, trust, responsiveness, and genuine care for both her team and clients. She discusses leading a fully remote team, creating a people-first culture, and why aligning your firm with your own values is more sustainable than trying to follow someone else's blueprint.Introducing Collective by DBAhttps://collective.cpahttps://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydbaLearn More About Dillon Business Advisorshttps://www.dillonadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisorsSign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comDownload the Earmark CPE AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app(00:00) - Welcome Back Sandra (02:59) - Life Moves Mexico Build (06:17) - Rest And Perspective (09:09) - Pause And Parking Lot (11:55) - Firm Snapshot Services (14:01) - Remote Tech Stack (19:53) - AI Tools And Training (29:18) - Flexibility Ground Rules (32:45) - Client Experience Responsiveness (40:38) - Team Meetings Pep Rally (44:27) - Book Club Favorites (48:05) - Final Values And Community (51:29) - Thanks And Wrap Up