Yuri sits down with Mike Mazzanna to talk about the real path from big firm tax work to launching a solo CPA firm.
Mike shares the 109-hour billable week that pushed him toward firm ownership, why flexibility mattered more than simply working fewer hours, and how he built his practice with contracting revenue, LinkedIn relationships, and a clear focus on systems.
They also get into tax software decisions, ProConnect vs. Access, TaxDome workflows, client onboarding pain points, pricing goals, and why connecting with other accountants can be one of the best ways to grow a firm.
Episode Highlights:
0:00 - Introduction
0:56 - Mike Mazzanna joins the show
2:00 - Mike’s background and path into accounting
4:32 - Moving from internal audit into tax
6:25 - The 3 a.m. California return meeting
8:16 - Why Mike wanted to start his own firm
11:45 - Launching with a plan and avoiding bad clients
14:38 - The LinkedIn post that brought early momentum
18:17 - Moving from Drake to ProConnect
20:47 - Why Mike started looking at Access
25:50 - How to think about tax software decisions
29:10 - Mike’s first full tax season as a solo firm owner
31:33 - Practice management, TaxDome, and billing
35:45 - Building workflows before automations
37:07 - AI tools, Juno, and tax season pain points
44:00 - Revenue goals and client retention
45:51 - The value of accounting communities
50:50 - Where to find Mike
ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH
Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.
Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.
CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/
Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/
CONNECT WITH Mike Mazzanna
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mazzanna-cpa/
Website: https://www.mazzcpa.com/
