At Donovan, we’re committed to taking a different approach.
See…historically, accounting firms have made clients their primary focus. Don’t get me wrong—our clients are the reason why we do what we do.
However, the ever-increasing burnout rate in public accounting is often the result of this client-centric nature.
The smarter (younger) generation decided they wouldn’t stand for 80-hour work weeks and began leaving our profession in droves. Many firms resolved this issue by simply hiring more people and burning them out faster. We chose a different route.
Instead of clients → firm → people, we flipped this old model around. Here, it’s people → firm → clients. While some might assume putting clients “last” in that chain is the nail in the coffin for a firm, it’s actually the opposite. Focusing on our people first means our clients win.
When people are happy, they perform better. They’re kinder and want to make clients a priority.
I feel silly typing this out as it all feels so simple. But…the results speak for themselves. We’re proud to build a firm that doesn’t have staffing problems and has become a place people don’t want to leave.
Turns out that putting people first is both a good human decision and a good business decision—and that’s a win-win in my book.
Jeff Donovan
About HTJ...
Hold the Jargon isn’t your average boring ol’ newsletter bent on only selling you another overhyped service. It’s an occasional note I send out that’s a blend of personal and business. I hope you find this, and future editions, helpful.
