Who's Really the BOSS?
Who's Really the BOSS?

Who's Really the BOSS?

Marcus Dillon, Rachel Dillon

Overview
Episodes

Details

"Who's Really the BOSS?" highlights the joys and challenges of running a CPA firm with your spouse or family. From hiring and terminating to improving capacity, cash flow, and culture, our conversations cover leadership, operations, and current accounting industry challenges. Our mission is to strengthen families and accounting firms by helping listeners avoid the mistakes we have made, so they can lead and live happily ever after.

Recent Episodes

The Year Everything Changed at Once
JUN 22, 2026
The Year Everything Changed at Once
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.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai 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 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
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46 MIN
Introducing Streamlined OS: The Operating System Built for Accounting Firms
JUN 8, 2026
Introducing Streamlined OS: The Operating System Built for Accounting Firms
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.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai 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 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
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57 MIN
Stop Paying Consultants to Tell You What to Automate
MAY 25, 2026
Stop Paying Consultants to Tell You What to Automate
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.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai The Automation Idea Generator: https://collective.cpa/automationpromptWatch on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/zIW4hkn8wYwIntroducing 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 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
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52 MIN
The Four Ps of Leading Change in Your Accounting Firm
APR 27, 2026
The Four Ps of Leading Change in Your Accounting Firm
Marcus and Rachel introduce their rally cry for 2026, "lead change, create impact," and share the four Ps framework (Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part) they've adopted at DBA and Collective to guide their team through rapid change. They get honest about past missteps, from announcing acquisitions without team buy-in to the temptation of initiating change without living through it. Along the way, they also weigh in on AI's impact on accounting firms and why the runway looks very different depending on who your clients are.SponsorsDiscover.AI -  discover.ai 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 to Who's Really the Boss (00:53) - Moving to Fort Worth (02:19) - Busy Season Chaos (04:01) - Move In Surprises (06:26) - Leading Change Theme (07:11) - Rally Cry for 2026 (09:15) - Rapid Change Pressures (11:53) - AI Job Impact Talk (17:18) - Tech Savvy Client Story (22:32) - Preparing Team for Change (26:25) - Lessons from 2025 (28:31) - Clarity Beats Resistance (29:47) - Early Acquisition Missteps (31:13) - Intentional Change Mindset (32:16) - Adopting Lencioni Four Ps (34:01) - Purpose Align With Values (36:48) - Clarity Beats Vagueness (43:33) - Picture Define Success (46:52) - Optimist Pessimist Exercise (52:08) - Plan Roadmap And Owners (55:43) - Part Define Everyone Role (58:43) - Recap Repeat And Close
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61 MIN