Marcus is back from five weeks on the conference circuit, from Collective's Recharge to Intuit and ADP councils to Accounting Today's Firm Growth Forum, and he and Rachel unpack what it signals for firms. They cover the surge in roll-ups and private equity moving down market, the tension between staying autonomous and centralizing operations, the AI agents landing inside nearly every platform, and the QuickBooks sunsets and price increases hitting this summer. They close with a preview of Gather and a case for using the slow season to act on what you learn, not just collect more sessions.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

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• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (03:00) - San Diego With The Girls
• (06:21) - Why Attend These Rooms
• (07:50) - Firm Growth Awards
• (09:17) - M&A Market Breakdown
• (14:47) - Centralize Or Stay Decentralized
• (22:57) - Rebrands And Proprietary AI
• (25:05) - AI Agents And Token Costs
• (32:47) - Platform Shifts And Price Hikes
• (37:24) - Gather Event Preview
• (43:22) - Improvement Season Takeaways
• (45:22) - How To Get Involved

Marcus and Rachel publicly unveil Streamlined OS, the operating system Collective by DBA built specifically for accounting firms to connect strategy, execution, measurement, and improvement in one place. They walk through how its 62-question assessment surfaces a firm's strengths and improvement areas, prioritizes three or fewer to tackle next, links each one to training and templates, and tracks progress against five core KPIs. They also get candid about running a less owner-dependent firm, why transparency with your team is worth the discomfort, and how the stabilize, systemize, and scale framework applied to DBA itself after its 2025 acquisitions.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

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• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:20) - What Is Streamlined OS
• (03:23) - Gather Conference Invite
• (07:16) - Why Firms Need It Now
• (09:40) - Optionality and Owner Dependence
• (11:46) - KPIs Dashboards Alignment
• (15:26) - Priorities and Next Steps
• (17:43) - Built From Real Experience
• (22:18) - Origin Story and Resources
• (26:15) - Pacing Change for Success
• (29:51) - What It Includes Next
• (30:59) - Dashboard KPI Tracking
• (31:45) - Team Assessment Setup
• (34:07) - Interpreting Results
• (35:45) - Focus Zones Resources
• (37:20) - Transparency With KPIs
• (42:45) - Five Core Metrics
• (46:34) - Owner Hours Value
• (50:53) - From Reporting To Action
• (53:49) - Collective Support Paths
• (55:10) - Credits Webinar Next Steps

Marcus and Rachel introduce the Automation Idea Generator from Collected by DBA, a free tool designed to help accounting firm teams identify what to automate, assess ROI, and get started without hiring a consultant. The episode walks through a live demo and breaks down a key distinction the whole firm needs to understand: AI designs the process, automation runs it. They also get honest about the real barrier to adoption in most firms, which isn't the technology, it's the team.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

The Automation Idea Generator:
https://collective.cpa/automationprompt

Watch on YouTube
https://youtu.be/zIW4hkn8wYw

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:15) - Episode Tool Teaser
• (01:34) - Family Travel Update
• (05:42) - Why This Free Tool
• (07:07) - AI Vs Automation Basics
• (08:38) - Tech Pace And Firm Context
• (11:25) - Automation Initiative Start
• (12:47) - Credit To Tool Builders
• (14:10) - Temporary Tool Mindset
• (16:31) - Team Training Exercise
• (18:49) - Evaluating Automation ROI
• (21:08) - Real Example Prospect Folder
• (23:06) - Integration Reality Check
• (28:05) - Demo Begins Tool Link
• (30:36) - Software Stack Setup
• (32:12) - File Storage Choices
• (33:02) - Define the Pain Point
• (34:06) - Payroll Email Use Case
• (36:49) - Time Savings and ROI
• (38:57) - Generate the Prompt
• (41:10) - Claude Reviews Automation Ideas
• (44:18) - Risks and Change Management
• (48:13) - Empower the Whole Team
• (51:39) - Wrap Up and Feedback

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Rachel and Marcus pull back the curtain on how DBA rebuilt their accounting firm from the ground up, moving from a structure where everything ran through one person to a three-tiered team model built for scale. They walk through each phase of the transition: defining roles, aligning consistent teams to clients, and building industry specialization that makes advisory conversations sharper and more valuable.

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
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Download the Earmark CPE App
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Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (00:39) - Family Updates
• (05:16) - Why Team of Three
• (06:54) - Problems With Silos
• (10:24) - Client Pain Points
• (12:01) - Three Roles Explained
• (15:41) - Model Goals and Benefits
• (21:11) - Phase One Define Roles
• (28:39) - Phase Two Align Teams
• (38:48) - Career Paths and Scaling
• (43:05) - Wrap Up and Listener Challenge

Marcus and Rachel introduce their rally cry for 2026, "lead change, create impact," and share the four Ps framework (Purpose, Picture, Plan, and Part) they've adopted at DBA and Collective to guide their team through rapid change. They get honest about past missteps, from announcing acquisitions without team buy-in to the temptation of initiating change without living through it. Along the way, they also weigh in on AI's impact on accounting firms and why the runway looks very different depending on who your clients are.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (00:53) - Moving to Fort Worth
• (02:19) - Busy Season Chaos
• (04:01) - Move In Surprises
• (06:26) - Leading Change Theme
• (07:11) - Rally Cry for 2026
• (09:15) - Rapid Change Pressures
• (11:53) - AI Job Impact Talk
• (17:18) - Tech Savvy Client Story
• (22:32) - Preparing Team for Change
• (26:25) - Lessons from 2025
• (28:31) - Clarity Beats Resistance
• (29:47) - Early Acquisition Missteps
• (31:13) - Intentional Change Mindset
• (32:16) - Adopting Lencioni Four Ps
• (34:01) - Purpose Align With Values
• (36:48) - Clarity Beats Vagueness
• (43:33) - Picture Define Success
• (46:52) - Optimist Pessimist Exercise
• (52:08) - Plan Roadmap And Owners
• (55:43) - Part Define Everyone Role
• (58:43) - Recap Repeat And Close

Marcus and Rachel Dillon pick up where they left off, walking through the third major chapter of Dillon Business Advisors: from the shift to fully remote work and the development of their Team of Three model, to two strategic acquisitions that pushed the firm past $6 million in revenue. Marcus also pulls back the curtain on the conversations he's having now with firm owners at every size, from $1M to $250M, about succession, technology, and what it really means to build enterprise value. It's a candid look at where DBA has been and the questions every firm owner should be asking about where the industry is headed.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (02:21) - Remote Work Pivot
• (03:33) - Tech Stack for Remote
• (06:02) - Exiting Audit Practice
• (07:27) - PPP and ERC Surge
• (08:24) - Team of Three Model
• (14:45) - Rebrand SEO Fallout
• (18:11) - Capacity and Growth Choices
• (19:21) - Strategic Acquisitions 2025
• (25:14) - Owner Hours and Balance
• (28:43) - Leadership Retreat Insights
• (29:35) - Industry Deal Chatter
• (31:35) - Succession Stewardship Mindset
• (33:39) - Managing Partner Reality Check
• (35:50) - Legacy Firms vs Enterprise Value
• (40:27) - Rollups Create New Niches
• (45:39) - Optionality and Independence
• (50:43) - Short Horizon Strategy
• (52:12) - Team Structure Upskilling
• (55:38) - Closing Advice and Patience

Marcus and Rachel Dillon reflect on 15 years of Dillon Business Advisors, tracing the firm's origins from a cold-letter acquisition of a $400K book in 2011 through two distinct five-year chapters of growth, tough lessons, and reinvention. They cover the early grind of building stability, a mentor acquisition that didn't go as planned, strategic client block sales, and the unexpected pivot that COVID forced on the firm.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:00) - Life Updates
• (06:42) - Recharge Mexico Plans
• (08:57) - DBA 15 Year Lookback
• (12:23) - Why Start DBA
• (18:44) - Leaving Firm For Family
• (21:20) - Early Goals And Acquisition
• (24:34) - Scrappy First Years
• (31:11) - First Five Years Growth
• (33:49) - 2016 Milestones And Family
• (37:06) - Acquiring Mentor Practice
• (38:13) - Culture Clash And New Office
• (39:52) - Tax Season Chaos And Billing
• (43:06) - Systems Coach And MRR Push
• (47:30) - Spinning Off Clients And Office
• (50:07) - 2019 Focus And Boundaries
• (54:36) - COVID Remote Shift And Audit Exit
• (58:29) - Revenue Floor And Margin Goals
• (01:01:48) - Wrapping Up & Chapter Two

Sandra Koch founded Aurora Consulting Group in 2011 and spent years chasing the dream of a beautiful brick-and-mortar office — then sold the building, went fully remote, and eventually moved to a small coastal town in Baja California with dirt roads and 25 species of whales. She joins Marcus and Rachel to talk about the anxiety of going remote, the grief of letting go of a physical space, and why she now believes her clients get a better version of her than they ever did when she was managing an office.

Sponsors
Discover.AI - discover.ai

Introducing Collective by DBA
https://collective.cpa
https://www.linkedin.com/company/collectivebydba

Learn More About Dillon Business Advisors
https://www.dillonadvisors.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dillonbusinessadvisors

Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast
https://earmarkcpe.com

Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

• (00:00) - Welcome to Who's Really the Boss
• (01:19) - Life in Mexico
• (02:00) - Firm Origins and Growth
• (04:05) - Going Fully Remote
• (12:05) - Client Visits and Meals
• (13:57) - Client Mixer Playbook
• (20:23) - Letting Go of Office
• (24:41) - Remote Hiring and Culture
• (29:33) - Incentives That Stick
• (33:44) - Why Retreats Matter
• (35:12) - Missing The Office Myth
• (38:46) - Better Owner Better Service
• (41:46) - 2026 Focus Words
• (45:01) - Trust Clean Help
• (46:37) - Science Experiment Mindset
• (49:55) - Collective Community Impact
• (54:48) - Closing And Next Steps