Advocates Close: Advocate for CPAs and the Accounting Profession

Hello, I’m coming to you from Edinburgh, Scotland again. Have you ever stopped to think about who’s your biggest advocate? Today I’d like to talk about how I am an advocate for CPAs and the accounting profession.

I just walked by a really interesting structure on the Royal Mile and it caught my attention. It’s an open doorway with a sign that says “Advocates Close.” In Edinburgh terms, these are known as “closes”; basically, very old, narrow, steep streets that were once pass-throughs with open sewers.

They call them closest because if these ancient buildings collapsed on themselves (which they were inclined to do now and again) they wouldn’t close in on themselves. But the thing that I think is really interesting, is the play on the words “advocates close” which means there’s an advocate close to you. 

That’s what I am. I think about myself as an advocate for the accounting profession and CPAs all over the world for that matter. I’m an advocate for CPAs because I believe that we have been lied to by our professional institutes, to lull us to sleep into an oppressive business model. 

Most accountants are working ridiculous hours stressing over billing their clients, their bills, and tax changes. It’s just so stressful. When you see an accountant who’s about ready to retire, they’re really stressed out and at the end of their rope. I know there are a lot of people that are starting to leave the profession and I think that’s an absolute shame because I’m proud to be a CPA. I know that you’re proud to be a CPA too but to keep working inside that model can be horrific. 

There’s An Advocate for CPAs and Accountants That Wants to Give You Your Freedom Back

For me, being an advocate for the accounting profession is about changing the business model. The minute you can shift the business model you can get your freedom back. I call the Accountant Success Formula the path to freedom. There are three freedoms which are money, clients, and time. 

You deserve to make great money, you deserve to work with clients who appreciate you and you deserve free time away from your accounting practice. Instead, most accountants are working 14, 16, and 18 hours a day, especially during tax season is just ridiculous. 

Remember to think of me as your advocate. I am an advocate for CPAs and the accounting professional and I want to help you get your freedoms back. Getting back to the beginning of the post, when I saw that doorway and sign that read “Advocates Close, I thought, oh that’s so funny. There is an advocate really close to you and his name is Erik – he cares and he wants to give you your freedom back. 

I’m Erik Solbakken, reminding you that when you take back control of your business model, you can take back control of your life. Stay tuned for more success tips and don’t hesitate to let me know what you think about this week’s video.