- The CAS Cache
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- DIY CAS vs. Guided CAS
Read Time: 4:17 minutes
✋Welcome to The CAS Cache, a newsletter designed to help accounting firms grow their CAS offerings in five minutes or less.
Disclaimer: Some links below support my writing of this newsletter, and some give you a deal.
Picture this: me wading through the croc-inhabited stunningly clear waters of Belize, fly rod in hand, ready to outsmart some bonefish for the first time. My prep work? I spent hours on YouTube and reading every fly fishing blog I could find. Confidence level? Through the roof. Actual fish caught? Well, that's a different story. This, my fellow number crunchers, is a heck of a lot like my early days trying to build Client Accounting and Advisory Services (CAS) in accounting firms.
When I started doing CAS, I would Google my problem to find the answers. It was a slow process, but it worked—until I realized I was barely scratching the surface. It was a bit like trying to spot those elusive Belizean bonefish with nothing but sheer willpower. Spoiler alert: it's not a winning strategy.
Enter the game changer: a guide in Belize and, in the world of CAS, going to the CPA.com CAS Roadmap Workshop. If there's one thing that's clearer than those Belizean waters, it's the value of someone who can show you what you're missing. My guide didn't just take me to the fish; he showed me how to see them and cast to them, skills I needed to learn. Similarly, the workshop didn't just offer strategies; it opened my eyes to the real potential of CAS, far beyond what I could Google.
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Here's where it gets interesting. All that initial floundering (pun intended) with fly rods and CAS service offerings wasn't for naught. It set me up with a foundation, a kind of gritty, hands-on understanding that made the expert advice resonate even more. Suddenly, the tips from my fishing guide and the insights from the workshop were not just theoretical; they were actionable because I knew the basics and could ask the right questions.
So, what's the takeaway from my Belize adventure and CAS journey? There's a sweet spot between going solo and seeking guidance. Starting on my own made me appreciate the expert advice, allowing me to see beyond the surface and understand the deeper currents at play, both in fly fishing and in building a CAS offering.
In essence, whether you're trying to outsmart a bonefish or navigate the complexities of CAS, a bit of DIY spirit mixed with expert guidance can make all the difference. It turns out that the secret to success in both is knowing when to admit you need a guide to show you the fish you can't see on your own.
And that, my friends, brings us to why I rolled up my sleeves and put together the "How to Start Offering Advisory Services Cohort." You see, after my adventures in Belize and the eye-opening experience with the CPA.com CAS Roadmap Workshop, it hit me like a ton of ledger books: We can accelerate our learning curve and don't have to do it alone.
This cohort is my way of passing on the guide's torch, helping you see the fish – or, in our case, the golden nuggets of advisory services – that might be right under your nose. It's about shortening the path from confusion to clarity, from solo struggle to strategic success. I've been in those waters, friends, casting into the unknown, and I've navigated the choppy waters of setting up a CAS offering from scratch in multiple CPA firms. Now, I want to share those insights, tips, and, yes, even the missteps so you can sidestep them and accelerate straight to success.
So, if you're ready to cut through the murk, see the possibilities of advisory services with a clear vision, and truly accelerate your learning curve, then this cohort is for you. Let's tackle this together, turning potential into practice and practice into success. Sign up here, and let's get started on transforming your journey into something as successful and fulfilling as landing that elusive Belizean bonefish. Trust me, it's a catch worth making.
Thanks for reading, Luke Templin!
P.S. There are three ways I can help you grow your CAS offerings when you are ready:
Join my How to Start Offering Advisory Services Cohort. The first two filled up instantly, and the next one starts in May.
Join Megan Tarnow and me at the #CASsaloon every fourth Thursday at 2 PM CST on “X” to talk all things CAS.