I’m an optimist.
And so naturally, I’m always looking for the positives in any situation.
One positive that’s emerged from The ‘Rona ordeal is that we’ve been forced to think hard about which products, professions, industries, etc. are most robust against market interruptions.
And right at the top of that leaderboard has gotta be…
The plumbers.
Keepin’ the ole’ pipes clean is as essential as it gets.
Skilled enough at a job no one wants to do, which will always be in demand. Coupled with the perspective and humility that comes from digging through other people’s shit (literally) all day, plumbers continue to rake it in as much as they please, on their own schedule (or more accurately, non-schedule), in good times and in bad.
If the Brave New World comes and we find ourselves in a Walking Dead-like dystopia…
I bet you the plumbers will still be there, with all the leverage they need to fix what they want, charge what they want, show up when they want, and generally give zero fucks no matter the circumstances.
#imwiththeplumbers
Okay, okay, here’s where I’m going with this…
Problems That Need A-solvin’
Plumbers are so valuable because they solve a fundamental problem us non-plumbers need solved that:
- Never goes away.
- No one wants to do (understatement).
- Requires time, effort, trial, and error acquire the knowledge necessary to do it correctly without royallying F-ing something up.
It’s because of this that we pay the plumbers to get the job done.
But…
As soon as we start to venture away from “essential” territory, things get a bit shaky.
Because he can give you all the explanation and the theory in the world about traps and pipe sizing and fittings and angles and flow.
But at the end of the day all you really care about is:
Can I relieve myself without the toilet backing up?
Funny enough, most people want similar relief from a CPA.
And the characteristics that describe the essential nature of the “plumbing problem” are also the same exact characteristics that describe bookkeeping, accounting, and taxes.
And so now is when I make my bold claim…
CPAs Are Plumbers
This means that when the numbers need to be cleaned up and the taxes need to be filed, the CPA is held (at least temporarily) in high regard. They’re there to solve a problem no one else wants to solve.
But as soon as we venture outside of that sweet spot, the CPA quickly becomes… well…
That annoying asshole at your dinner party.
And that’s the rub.
We want our CPAs to get the basics down and solve the problem we hire them to solve. But just like the plumber’s pipe flow theorizing, we DON’T need all of the unnecessarily complicated GAAP, trial balance, current ratio mumbo-jumbo that you word-vomit on us to make yourself sound smart.
Are our taxes filed?
Is Uncle Sam gonna come knocking?
Can we forget about this and get back to what matters?
These are the questions business owners care about.
And this is exactly why Small Batch Standard is not a CPA Firm.
We’re a Financial Agency.
The Financial Agency
Unlike the CPA Firm, the Financial Agency is not just a single, functional need-fulfillment organization built on the back of a professional certification.
It’s instead a collection of all of the diverse ingredients needed to solve the problems our clients ACTUALLY have, not just the problems we deem important.
And that means not only folks like myself with the letters “CPA” stamped on my forehead, but also bookkeepers, analysts, consultants, advisors, marketers, technology specialists, strategists… all singularly focused on the craft industry.
Yes, we’re here to unclog your toilet.
We’re actually really damn good at it.
But we don’t need to puff out our chests about it because it’s not the ONLY thing we do.
We’re really here to help you profit, grow, and build legacy.
That’s the “essential” problem we’re focused on.
And it’s the foundation that our firm is built on.
In uncertain times, everyone needs a good plumber.
They give you peace of mind knowing the essentials are covered.
But it takes a truly enlightened plumber to evolve with the times and use challenges and obstacles to transform into something better.
That’s our aim.
Unclog your shitter and help guide you towards nirvana all in one fell swoop.
No biggie…