Double-Digit Growth Secrets: What Fastest-Growing Accounting Firms Are Doing Differently

Accounting Growth Team
Aug 25
4 min read

The accounting industry isn’t exactly known for wild, record-breaking growth. Yet, every year, a select group of accounting firms—in 2024, nearly half of the Top 100—rocket past the rest, notching double-digit growth rates while many competitors remain flat or barely inch forward.

So, what’s their secret? After diving into the data and growth stories of these successful firms, it’s clear: the fastest-growing accounting firms play by a different set of rules—rules you can start applying today.

They Invest WAY More in Marketing and Their Online Presence

If “marketing” at your firm still mostly means holiday cards and word-of-mouth, you’re already behind. The fastest-growing accounting firms invest a whopping 7x more in their marketing efforts than firms that are standing still.

They’re not just dumping money into vague branding exercises—they’re laser-focused on results:

Website Modernization: High-growth firms see their websites as round-the-clock lead generation machines, not digital business cards.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Instead of hoping for referrals, they ensure ideal clients find them at the top of Google.
Content Marketing: Educational content (like the blog you’re reading now!) positions them as trusted authorities and draws in prospective clients far beyond their home zip code.

Bottom line: These firms see marketing as mission-critical and treat it like an investment, not an expense.

Differentiation Is NOT Optional—It’s Their Core Strategy

Let’s be honest: most firms sound suspiciously similar. But for firms posting double or even triple-digit growth, “different is better than better.”

Here’s how they stand out:

Industry Specialization: They zero in on industries (like SaaS startups, healthcare groups, or construction firms) to become the go-to experts for those clients.
Specialized Services: They double down on an area—like advisory, client accounting services (CAS), or wealth management—rather than offering “a bit of everything.”
Geographic Niche: Some dominate a specific metro area or region, building a local reputation no big-box firm can disrupt.
Creative Delivery Models: Virtual CFOs, subscription pricing, remote-first consulting, or tech-powered client portals are just a few of the ways these firms break the mold.

If your firm’s message is “we provide great service to businesses of all sizes,” it’s time to niche down and differentiate. The top performers already have.

Private Equity Partners: Fueling Astonishing Growth

Here’s a sign of the times: in 2024, the five fastest-growing U.S. firms were all private equity–backed. Why? Private equity doesn’t just inject cash—it provides the operational playbook and strategic discipline to scale faster than organic growth alone.

PE-backed models often take two paths:

Acquisition-Driven Expansion: Firms like Ascend and Springline have rolled up multiple practices, letting each retain local leadership and culture while stacking up cross-firm capabilities.
Capital-Powered Organic Growth: Others, like Prosperity Partners, pour resources into hiring, tech, and process improvements to ramp up results from within.

If you’re eyeing meteoric growth, PE might not be for everyone—but it’s hard to ignore the outsized impact it’s having on the leaderboard.

Advisory Services and CAS: The Real Growth Engines

The days of leading with compliance are over. The fastest-growing firms build their success on advisory services and client accounting services (CAS) because these areas offer:

Year-round (and predictable) recurring revenue
Deeper client relationships (less churn, higher referrals)
Higher-margin services

It’s not just talk—industry data confirms that CAS is the fastest-growing line for forward-thinking firms, and these services are far less commoditized than tax return prep or basic bookkeeping.

Innovative firms have expanded even further, adding:

Wealth Management & Financial Planning
DEIB Consulting
AI and Cybersecurity Partnerships
Virtual and Augmented Reality Advisory

If your service menu hasn’t changed in years, now’s the time to rethink it.

They Expand Beyond Borders—Literally

BPM’s recent growth spurt is proof: the biggest winners are expanding geographically, not just locally. U.S.-based firms are planting flags across states, Canada, the UK, and even globally, chasing growth where demand is rising—and leveraging virtual solutions to serve clients anywhere.

Building a global network isn’t just for the giants. Even midsize firms are using strategic partnerships and tech to cross borders without massive overhead.

They Partner (Not Build Alone) for Next-Level Tech

High-growth firms know they can’t be expert in everything. Instead of trying to build their own automation tools or analytics suites from scratch, they team up with specialized tech companies to deliver cutting-edge solutions (think: AI-powered analytics, real-time data dashboards, cybersecurity).

This approach allows them to scale quickly, roll out new offerings, and wow clients with capabilities that would be out of reach for firms trying to do it all internally.

Operational Excellence and Talent Management: Secret Sauce

Sustainable growth isn’t just about more clients—it’s about scaling operations smartly. Here’s how the top performers pull it off:

Process Optimization: Implementing best-in-class workflows, outsourcing non-core tasks, and automating repetitive work frees up staff time for higher-value services.
Effective Talent Strategy: Attracting, developing, and retaining top talent—especially tech-fluent and advisory-focused accountants—is a non-negotiable.
Culture of Client Service: These firms NEVER chase growth for growth’s sake. Exceptional service, not just sales targets, underpins every expansion effort.

By focusing on people and processes, they ensure that new business doesn’t outpace the ability to deliver quality (and keep clients loyal).

What’s Next? How Your Firm Can Catch (or Beat) the Leaders

Trying to copy a “big firm” playbook step-for-step usually misses the point. The real secret? The fastest-growing firms are relentless about:

Investing in what moves the needle (marketing, differentiation, talent)
Adapting to market needs by rapidly rolling out new services
Using partnerships and smart capital to grow further, faster
Never sacrificing service quality for short-term wins

Want practical next steps tailored to your firm’s unique situation? The team at Accounting Growth specializes in helping ambitious accounting firms design modern growth strategies. Whether you’re ready for double-digit growth or want to start outpacing your local competitors, we’ve got the playbooks that work.

Explore more insight-packed articles on our blog, or check out “Why Most Accounting Firms Struggle to Grow (and How to Fix It).”

Ready to talk? Let’s chart your path to the leaderboard.

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All data referenced from 2024-2025 industry surveys and reports. For further resources, visit: Accounting Growth.