Boutique CPA Firm: Prioritizing for an Ideal Work-Life Balance 

Company:
Lereah & Associates, PLLC is a CPA firm in Alexandria, Virginia. Managing Partner, Wendy Lereah, has over 25 years of experience specializing in small businesses and taxes. The firm partners closely with clients to ensure their accounting and related matters are handled accurately and efficiently.

Situation:
Like many business owners, Wendy encountered an unexpected challenge. In 2024, she found herself with her office manager leaving abruptly after 5 years just as tax season was ending, along with a backlog of tax work resulting from some broken commitments - a critical situation for any CPA firm.  Initially the priority was handling the backlog of client work.  Wendy knew what needed to be done to stabilize and grow the business but struggled to determine how to prioritize tasks, or even find the time to implement them.  She needed a clear, strategic plan to move forward without continuing to sacrifice her work-life balance or the business relationships and revenue.

Process:
Cassie is a Fractional Director of Operations — a role that focuses on getting the operational side of a business on track. Simply put, Cassie helps business owners create structure, prioritize projects, and build the systems needed in small businesses.

Here's how Cassie and Wendy worked together

Strategic Mapping Session:

Cassie and Wendy began with an in-depth discussion about the business, its goals, and its immediate challenges. The result was a:

Strategic Map™:

— a clear, actionable 12-month plan outlining exactly what projects, tasks, and ideas Wendy should focus on, and in what order. This gave Wendy the clarity she needed to move forward confidently. 

Prioritizing Key Actions:

Through the Strategic Map™, they identified the most urgent need: hiring a full-time employee to support the firm during leading up to the next busy season and beyond, and subsequently focusing on getting the support needed for tax services in the next tax season.

Streamlined Hiring Process:

With priorities set, Cassie implemented her proven hiring process, taking the workload off Wendy’s plate. This allowed Wendy to focus on client work while Cassie sourced, vetted, and secured two rockstar team members.

Result:
Thanks to Cassie's guidance and strategic approach, Wendy's business now operates more efficiently, and the team is better equipped to handle both client needs and internal operations. With two strong new hires and a clear action plan, Wendy has regained an ideal work-life balance. The firm is thriving, and Wendy has the confidence and structure to continue growing without feeling overwhelmed.

Testimonial:
"I highly recommend Cassie to any business owner who feels overwhelmed or struggles with hiring and retaining team members. Her strategic approach gave me the clarity I needed, and her hiring process brought incredible new talent to my team. Thanks to Cassie, I’m confidently running my business and enjoying a much better work-life balance."
— Wendy Lereah, Owner & Managing Partner, Lereah & Associates, PLLC