Why Choose Brown Edwards: The Value Our Accounting Firm Brings

In today's complex financial landscape, choosing the right accounting firm is crucial for a business's success. When evaluating your options, there are several key factors to consider, one of which is awards and rankings. At first glance, rankings don’t mean all that much. However, the right rankings can reveal key information businesses can rely on to be confident in their selection of the right firm. For example, the INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) ranking focuses explicitly on practice management metrics, including growth, profitability, and staffing. This indicates a strong emphasis on the firm's internal operations, suggesting efficiency and stability. While the ranking in Construction Executive (CE) Magazine shows a deep understanding and dedication to the construction industry.

Brown Edwards (BE) is a nationally ranked accounting firm bringing our clients the strengths that go along with our accolades and the accessibility and guidance often associated with a local firm. In addition to many local awards and recognitions, our firm has also been repeatedly included on the following lists:

Accounting Today’s List of the Top 100 Accounting Firms
Forbes Magazine’s Top Tax and Accounting Firms
INSIDE Public Accounting’s (IPA) ranking of Top Accounting firms
Construction Executive Magazine’s Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms

In this blog, we’ll discuss the important factors to consider when selecting an accounting firm and the quality markers you can find during your research to help you create a shortlist of potential firms.

Quality Indicator 1: Being Client-Focused

A client-focused firm will be invested in your success, building a relationship with you, and taking steps to improve your financial situation consistently.

At Brown Edwards, we have a proven track record of providing exceptional client service. Many of our clients have been with us for decades and, in some cases, generations, while some clients have just joined BE after years of service from another firm that was no longer able to provide the services their growing business requires. We don’t simply build reports; we build relationships, which allows us to go beyond crunching numbers and become your trusted financial partner.

We believe clear and consistent communication is paramount, which is why we conduct an annual client satisfaction survey so that our firm can constantly improve and grow. The results from our 2023 client satisfaction survey show that 85.5% of our clients gave us a satisfaction score of 9 or 10 out of 10, which is significantly higher than the industry’s average of 56%. With this rating, we were recognized as a 2024 Best of Accounting Award winner by Clearly Rated, a top provider of client satisfaction surveys for the accounting industry! This is a measurable quality indicator since the Clearly Rated award solely considers client satisfaction, which indicates that the firm prioritizes client service and delivering positive outcomes for its clientele.

Tip: When evaluating potential firms, look for client testimonials, NPS scores, and reviews to determine the level of satisfaction from the firm’s clientele.

Quality Indicator 2: Industry Specialization

Some businesses are part of an industry that requires specialized knowledge to navigate the unique financial considerations and challenges your business faces. If you believe you are in an industry that will benefit from specialized expertise, then look for that offering as a priority by your accounting firm. To help CPAs become more knowledgeable in certain areas, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), along with other industry-leading professional organizations, offers specialized learning to CPAs to meet the demands of a constantly changing world.

At BE, our firm is comprised of smaller teams who have specialized expertise in various industries and services. They are passionate about accounting and dedicated to professional development. They stay apprised of the latest tax laws and regulations, ensuring clients receive the most accurate and up-to-date advice. In addition, many of our team members have earned designations beyond CPA, making them a true asset to our clients. We have more than 15 specialty credentials spread throughout our firm, some of which include:

Tip: When researching potential accounting firms, check their websites to see if they have a dedicated team for your business’s industry if the team members listed have any specialty credentials, and for accounting industry association memberships, such as the AICPA.

Quality Indicator 3: Beyond the Engagements

A good accounting firm will not only understand the numbers but also consider a client’s goals and perspectives to form a strong client-advisor relationship. Combining a deep understanding with a well-rounded perspective results in smarter financial solutions for clients, which leads to better outcomes that directly contribute to their financial well-being and business success. But a deep understanding must go beyond today’s challenges. We must also consider the potential impact of current decisions and trends.

Brown Edwards is not a one-size-fits-all firm. Our team possesses in-depth knowledge of various industries, enabling us to be uniquely qualified to manage financial regulations, tax implications, and reporting requirements and navigate these complexities seamlessly, saving our clients time and money.

However, our involvement with our clients doesn’t stop at the engagements. We organize regular touchpoints to ensure we’re apprised of shifts in business goals, new challenges, and potential opportunities. We also provide year-round educational resources to help our clients stay apprised of upcoming changes in tax laws, tax credits, and reporting requirements through in-person and online events and webinars. BE team members, along with various industry experts, provide their insights throughout the year during several Brown Edwards-hosted events, which often offer CPE credit to attendees. We also send our clients a monthly eNewsletter containing the most recent blogs, videos, and downloadable content relevant to their business.

In addition to educational resources, we also provide our clients with business resources such as outsourced accounting, business valuations, retirement plan administration, and benefit plan audits.

Tip: When researching accounting firms, consider what value they bring to your business beyond the engagement. Do they have educational resources such as a blog, a YouTube channel, webinars, and educational events? What other benefits can they bring to your business? Can they assist with your employee benefit plan, IT advisory, business valuation, ESOPs, bookkeeping, etc.?

Quality Indicator 4: A Proactive Approach

Don't just react to your current financial situation; choose a firm that will proactively identify opportunities and develop strategies to help you achieve your long-term goals. When we anticipate challenges, we can develop preventative measures and strategies, saving clients from unexpected roadblocks and financial setbacks. However, proactivity isn’t just about avoiding problems; it’s about seizing opportunities. Having industry insights means we’re able to provide proactive advice on how to adapt and capitalize on new opportunities and offer strategic financial planning that considers industry-specific risks and opportunities. This empowers our clients to make informed decisions for long-term success.

Examples of Proactive Accounting:

Regularly reviewing financials to identify cash flow issues and recommend solutions.
Monitor industry trends and proactively inform clients about potential tax law changes that might impact them.
Initiating discussions about long-term financial goals and developing future-proof strategies.

Tip: When researching accounting firms, check out their client testimonials to see if they talk about the firm being proactive, look to see if they have a blog or educational resources that provide timely updates, and spot-check a few of their partners on LinkedIn to see if they provide timely information to their followers.

Choosing the right accounting firm requires some research and conversations to ensure that the firm aligns with your values, builds a relationship with your business, and understands the unique facets of finances in your industry. If you need a proactive advisor, start a conversation by completing the form below.