Marcus is back from five weeks on the conference circuit, from Collective's Recharge to Intuit and ADP councils to Accounting Today's Firm Growth Forum, and he and Rachel unpack what it signals for firms. They cover the surge in roll-ups and private equity moving down market, the tension between staying autonomous and centralizing operations, the AI agents landing inside nearly every platform, and the QuickBooks sunsets and price increases hitting this summer. They close with a preview of Gather and a case for using the slow season to act on what you learn, not just collect more sessions.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

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Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

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• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (03:00) - San Diego With The Girls
• (06:21) - Why Attend These Rooms
• (07:50) - Firm Growth Awards
• (09:17) - M&A Market Breakdown
• (14:47) - Centralize Or Stay Decentralized
• (22:57) - Rebrands And Proprietary AI
• (25:05) - AI Agents And Token Costs
• (32:47) - Platform Shifts And Price Hikes
• (37:24) - Gather Event Preview
• (43:22) - Improvement Season Takeaways
• (45:22) - How To Get Involved

Marcus and Rachel publicly unveil Streamlined OS, the operating system Collective by DBA built specifically for accounting firms to connect strategy, execution, measurement, and improvement in one place. They walk through how its 62-question assessment surfaces a firm's strengths and improvement areas, prioritizes three or fewer to tackle next, links each one to training and templates, and tracks progress against five core KPIs. They also get candid about running a less owner-dependent firm, why transparency with your team is worth the discomfort, and how the stabilize, systemize, and scale framework applied to DBA itself after its 2025 acquisitions.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:20) - What Is Streamlined OS
• (03:23) - Gather Conference Invite
• (07:16) - Why Firms Need It Now
• (09:40) - Optionality and Owner Dependence
• (11:46) - KPIs Dashboards Alignment
• (15:26) - Priorities and Next Steps
• (17:43) - Built From Real Experience
• (22:18) - Origin Story and Resources
• (26:15) - Pacing Change for Success
• (29:51) - What It Includes Next
• (30:59) - Dashboard KPI Tracking
• (31:45) - Team Assessment Setup
• (34:07) - Interpreting Results
• (35:45) - Focus Zones Resources
• (37:20) - Transparency With KPIs
• (42:45) - Five Core Metrics
• (46:34) - Owner Hours Value
• (50:53) - From Reporting To Action
• (53:49) - Collective Support Paths
• (55:10) - Credits Webinar Next Steps

Marcus and Rachel introduce the Automation Idea Generator from Collected by DBA, a free tool designed to help accounting firm teams identify what to automate, assess ROI, and get started without hiring a consultant. The episode walks through a live demo and breaks down a key distinction the whole firm needs to understand: AI designs the process, automation runs it. They also get honest about the real barrier to adoption in most firms, which isn't the technology, it's the team.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

The Automation Idea Generator:
https://collective.cpa/automationprompt

Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/zIW4hkn8wYw

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:15) - Episode Tool Teaser
• (01:34) - Family Travel Update
• (05:42) - Why This Free Tool
• (07:07) - AI Vs Automation Basics
• (08:38) - Tech Pace And Firm Context
• (11:25) - Automation Initiative Start
• (12:47) - Credit To Tool Builders
• (14:10) - Temporary Tool Mindset
• (16:31) - Team Training Exercise
• (18:49) - Evaluating Automation ROI
• (21:08) - Real Example Prospect Folder
• (23:06) - Integration Reality Check
• (28:05) - Demo Begins Tool Link
• (30:36) - Software Stack Setup
• (32:12) - File Storage Choices
• (33:02) - Define the Pain Point
• (34:06) - Payroll Email Use Case
• (36:49) - Time Savings and ROI
• (38:57) - Generate the Prompt
• (41:10) - Claude Reviews Automation Ideas
• (44:18) - Risks and Change Management
• (48:13) - Empower the Whole Team
• (51:39) - Wrap Up and Feedback