USA Help, please

[rrr12345]

Hi. I'm thinking of starting a small accounting firm. Could you please help me learn about how to get started? Are there good books or articles about how to get started, or any consultants that I can hire to advise me? Thank you for your help.

 

[rrr12345]

Hi. I'm thinking of starting a small accounting firm. Could you please help me learn about how to get started? Are there good books or articles about how to get started, or any consultants that I can hire to advise me? Thank you for your help.

The other approach is to buy a practice, but I don't have enough money to do that.

 

[rrr12345]

I guess I can just hang out my shingle and start looking for clients. It will probably be difficult, perhaps very difficult, in the first few years, but experienced CPAs in my area (with one or two CPAs in a small office) charge $200/hour with minimal expenses.

 

[kirby]

Most start out by working in a firm to gain experience that they will later apply to their own firm. Starting out by just hanging your shingle is probably the most difficult path. You will need to have lots of savings to live on while your business develops.

 

[rrr12345]

Thank you. Sounds reasonable. Any thoughts about what type of firm to join if my intention is to be part of a very small firm (one or two CPAs) in a few years? I will need experience in accounting, but also in finding clients.

 

[kirby]

Look for a firm the size of the one you expect to start.

 

[rrr12345]

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. It is very kind of you.

 

[Werner Reisacher]

And don't forget - collect as many copies of useful documents, manuals, etc., etc. you can get your hands on.
Most of us are able to keep an established system running. Most of us are able to start from a blank piece of paper.