The Question Every CPA Firm Owner Should Be Asking at the Start of a New Year

The first week of the year is a unique moment for CPA firm owners. 

Tax season hasn’t fully taken over yet.

The inbox isn’t completely out of control.

And for a brief window, there’s still space to think — not just about what’s urgent, but about what matters.

 

This is the moment when many firm owners quietly ask themselves a question they rarely say out loud: 

“Is this year going to be different — or will it look a lot like the last one?” 

 

Why the Start of the Year Matters More Than the End 

December invites reflection.

January invites choice. 

The beginning of a new year isn’t about resolutions or big promises. It’s about direction. 

For CPA firm owners, that direction often feels unclear — even when the firm itself is doing well. 

Clients are steady.

Revenue is solid.

The team shows up. 

And yet, something feels unresolved. 

 

The Silent Tension Many Firm Owners Carry 

In conversations with CPA firm owners, I often hear variations of the same thought: 

“I’m grateful for what I’ve built… but I’m not sure I want to keep doing it this exact way.” 

That tension shows up in different forms: 

• wanting more space but not knowing how to step back 
• thinking about the future but avoiding concrete decisions 
• feeling responsible for everything, even when the firm has capable people 

It’s not dissatisfaction.

It’s uncertainty about the next chapter. 

And January tends to bring that uncertainty into sharper focus. 

 

A Better Question to Start the Year With 

Instead of asking: 

“What should I do differently this year?” 

Try asking: 

“What do I want to feel differently by this time next year?” 

Less rushed?

More in control?

Less dependent on your presence?

Clearer about your long-term options? 

That question shifts the conversation away from tactics — and toward intention. 

 

Why Many Firm Owners Stay in Place 

Most CPA firm owners don’t stay stuck because they lack ambition or intelligence. 

They stay stuck because: 

• the firm is “good enough” to avoid urgency 
• there’s no immediate crisis forcing change 
• and they rarely have space to think clearly, away from day-to-day demands 

So the year starts…

Then tax season arrives…

Then summer recovery…

Then another year quietly passes. 

 

What the Start of a New Year Really Offers 

January isn’t about answers.

It’s about honest assessment. 

It’s the moment to ask: 

• Is my firm becoming more dependent on me — or less? 
• Is the structure I’ve built serving the life I want? 
• If nothing changed this year, how would I feel next January? 

You don’t need to decide anything today. 

But ignoring the questions doesn’t make them go away. 

 

A Straight Talk Closing Thought 

The most meaningful shifts in a CPA firm rarely begin with dramatic decisions. 

They begin with clarity.

With better questions.

With the willingness to pause long enough to think. 

If this year is the one where you want more control, more options, or simply more alignment between your firm and your life — January is the right time to start asking different questions. 

The rest will follow.