Change Isn’t Enough

By L. Gary Boomer, CPA, CITP, CGMA

Visionary & Strategist

Boomer Consulting, Inc

To embrace change simply isn’t enough in an accounting firm today. To change means to continue doing the same thing with some degree of variation. We often refer to this as directional innovation. If you put a group of like-minded thinkers in a room, you will get incremental improvement. But incremental improvement doesn’t create lasting relevance. The key is transformation.

Transformation means doing something fundamentally different. Stepping outside of the box isn’t enough anymore. We must redesign the box itself. Personal and organizational change comes from inside-out change—proactive, opportunity-driven transformation that challenges how we think, work and lead. This requires intersectional innovation that brings together diverse disciplines, perspectives and technologies to imagine what comes next, not just solve today’s problems.

Wayne Gretzky’s famous advice still holds: skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been. That can feel radical to people in the accounting profession. After all, many firms are profitable, partner incomes are strong and clients are steady. So why change what seems to be working?

Because the world around you already has. Waiting too long to adapt can be as dangerous as doing nothing at all.

Why transformation is urgent, not optional

Technology’s impact on the accounting profession is greater, faster, broader, and more deeply embedded in operations than it was five or ten years ago. Artificial intelligence, automation and cloud ecosystems have permanently reshaped client expectations and firm economics.

Moore’s Law still holds, but today’s exponential progress is being accelerated by the convergence of three forces: processing power, bandwidth and storage. Each continues to grow at extraordinary rates. In 2017, cloud storage of a terabyte cost hundreds of dollars. In 2025, it’s effectively free. Bandwidth once limited video conferencing. Today, global hybrid teams collaborate seamlessly in real time.

The result is an environment where innovation compounds. It’s not just that technology is faster or cheaper. It’s that every improvement accelerates the next. This is what the law of increasing returns looks like in practice.

Most firm leaders were trained to think linearly: plan a year ahead, build capacity and grow predictably. But today’s environment is exponential. Each new tool, process or platform interacts with dozens of others, creating possibilities that didn’t exist yesterday.

Rethinking the “talent problem”

Every managing partner says talent is their number one challenge. And it’s true: capacity remains tight, recruiting is competitive and retirement-age partners leave faster than firms can replace them. But talent shortages are a symptom, not the root cause.

The deeper issues often include:

• A lack of shared vision and leadership alignment

• Fragmented, non-integrated systems

• Inefficient workflows and poor internal communication

• Overreliance on compliance services that are rapidly being commoditized

In short, firms that treat “talent” as the problem risk missing the real opportunity: transformation of their business model. The firms that will thrive are those shifting from compliance to confidence, moving up the value chain to deliver proactive advisory, data insights and strategic guidance.

Generative AI, blockchain-enabled audit trails and continuous accounting are already reducing time spent on data entry, reconciliations and transactional work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics now projects little to no growth in bookkeeping and accounting support roles through 2032, even as demand for advisory and technology consulting surges.

The profession is not disappearing — it’s evolving. The question is whether your firm is evolving with it.

Building a future-ready firm

Some leaders still feel pulled between stability and innovation. The truth is, it’s not an either/or decision; it’s an and decision. You can maintain profitability today while building capability for tomorrow.

Being future-ready requires balancing both. It means creating an environment where:

• Partners and staff see technology as a growth driver, not just an expense

• Reliable, integrated data support advisory services

• Hybrid work is embraced strategically because work is what you do, not where you go

• Relevance is measured by the clarity and insight you bring, not the volume of deliverables

Clients no longer want more data. They want signals, not noise. They’re looking for firms that help them make faster, smarter and more confident decisions. That requires new tools, new skills and most importantly, a new mindset.

Technology as strategy

Too many firms still treat IT as an outsourced function, focused solely on keeping systems running. While outsourcing can reduce costs, it can also limit innovation if no one inside the firm is thinking strategically about technology.

Long-term success requires internal leaders who understand both the business of public accounting and the capabilities of emerging technology. These are the people who can connect process improvement, client experience and profitability in ways that outsourced providers can’t.

Technology is also becoming a marketing and growth function. In many firms, the martech stack (CRM systems, AI-powered proposal tools and content automation) already rivals core production systems in importance and budget. As firms expand their digital presence, technology strategy is marketing strategy.

Integration across platforms is easier than ever, but it must be intentional. The focus should extend beyond tax and audit production tools to include systems that enhance the employee and client experience. A holistic IT capability model that links business goals, technology and talent is no longer optional. It’s essential.

Eight mindsets for transformation

Transformation is not a project; it’s a mindset. These eight principles can help your firm stay agile, relevant and ready for the future:

1. A bigger future. Believe your firm’s best years are ahead, not behind.

2. Team first. The era of the rugged individual is over. Collaboration drives client success.

3. Adaptive thinking. Learn faster than your competitors and be willing to unlearn outdated practices.

4. Process discipline. Eliminate steps that don’t add value. Lean and Six Sigma principles still apply.

5. Continuous learning. Learning flows both ways. Teach what you know and stay curious about what’s next.

6. Growth orientation. Growth attracts talent and creates opportunity. Stagnation repels both.

7. Digital trust. In a connected world, trust is your currency and cybersecurity is part of it.

8. Accountability. Own the results. Accountability accelerates performance and builds credibility.

Transformation is a journey of continuous reinvention. Firms that thrive in the coming year and beyond will balance profitability with purpose, tradition with innovation and human insight with digital intelligence.

Technology won’t replace accountants, but accountants who understand technology will replace those who don’t. The profession’s future depends not just on changing how we work, but on transforming why we work.

Think-Plan-Grow!