Funnels are dead. And in this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, host Lee Reams II and guest Rebekah Barton explain why the old lead-generation playbook no longer works—and what accountants must do instead.

For years, firms were told to rely on funnels: fill the top with ads and PDFs, nurture with email, and push leads down until they buy. But in Fall 2025, that’s not how clients make decisions.

Clients now:

• Google you, check Yelp, scroll LinkedIn, and DM a friend.
• Ask ChatGPT who the best advisor is (and trust the recommendation).
• Get their answers directly from Google’s AI Overviews, often without ever clicking a website.

The result? Funnels don’t just leak—they’re broken.

In their place comes the Narrative Ecosystem: a consistent story told across every touchpoint—your website, Google profile, proposals, onboarding, and even your newsletters. It’s the only way to win in a world where AI is deciding what people see and who they trust.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional funnels no longer match today’s discovery process.
• How Google’s AI-first SERPs and ChatGPT’s dominance are reshaping trust.
• What a Narrative Ecosystem looks like in practice for accountants and advisory firms.
• How AI can amplify your narrative across every client interaction.
• Practical steps to move from funnel-thinking to ecosystem growth.

👉 Funnels are relics. Narrative ecosystems are the future. And with CountingWorks PRO powered by MAX, tax pros and accountants can finally scale smarter and faster—without more headcount or cookie-cutter marketing.

Subscribe to The Growth Minded Accountant wherever you listen to podcasts—and discover how to build a modern, visible, and advisory-first firm in the AI era.