This Week on BPAF : Charles Leikauf

04/14/25 • 0 min

Building the Premier Accounting Firm

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses fractional CFO with Charles Leikauf.

Join us this Wednesday for a new episode where Roger discusses fractional CFO with Charles Leikauf.

Previous Episode

Rewind : Are We Really Helping Our Clients? w/ Geraldine Carter

Join us as we revisit this conversation from 2020!

Roger and Geraldine each have a similar belief when it comes to working with accounting clients.

Are we really giving the business owners timeline information to help them make more informed business decisions? The passion they both have to help business owners is obvious.

Listen in and see what more you can do to help improve client relations and retention while getting paid what you are worth as an accounting professional. It all starts with pricing; do you see value in the services you offer? It is not the task but rather the value we bring to our clients.

Your Host: Roger Knecht, president of Universal Accounting Center

Our Guest: Geraldine Carter

Geraldine Carter is the founder of She Thinks Big Coaching, where she helps CPAs get out of the accounting rut. Her clients routinely double their margins in 12 months or less while working fewer hours. Geraldine holds a BS in Engineering from Cornell University, is the co-founder and CFO of a company where her cashflow forecasting models resulted in millions of dollars for climate change efforts. In her free time, she can be found mountain biking forested trails or running after her two small children in Sun Valley, ID.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Get a FREE copy of each of two book all accounting professionals should use to offer trusted strategic advisory services and get paid what they are worth. These are must have additions to every accountant’s library to provide the value clients look for today:

Geraldine also offered her PDF: “Different Pricing Methodologies for CPA’s” – get your copy now.

Remember this, Accounting Success IS Universal.

Listen to our next episode and be sure to subscribe.

For more information on how you can apply these principles in your business please visit us at www.universalaccountingschool.com

or call us at 801.265.3777

Next Episode

Accidental CFO? How Charles Leikauf Escaped the Corporate World

In this episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm, host Roger Knecht interviews Charles Leikauf, known as the accidental fractional CFO, about transitioning from corporate finance to helping accounting firms offer CFO services. They discuss key strategies for marketing, pricing, and delivering high-value CFO services, plus how to avoid scope creep and build client relationships.

Key Takeaways:

👂 Listen to your spouse: Their insights can lead to unexpected opportunities.
💼 Clearly define your CFO services: Focus on cash flow, capital, and business model improvements.
🚫 Prevent scope creep: Set expectations upfront during the sales process and maintain a peer-to-peer relationship.
🎯 Market the outcome, not just the service: Sell the value and impact of CFO services on clients’ lives.
🚀 Believe in yourself: Take the leap and explore new opportunities, even if they seem daunting.

Featured Quotes:

“How do I make value, and I need to go to the things that are scary, right?” - Charles {{05:25}}
“There are no CFO police, right? There is no CFO standard service.” - Charles {{17:26}}
“If you don’t go out there and if you give it a shot, you don’t know if it’s for you.” - Charles {{43:17}}

Behind the Story:

Charles’s accidental entry into the world of fractional CFO services highlights the importance of being open to new possibilities and trusting your instincts. His story underscores that sometimes the most rewarding opportunities arise from unexpected sources, like a nagging spouse or a random Facebook request. It demonstrates the transformative impact of CFO services on small businesses, turning financial anxieties into clear paths for growth and stability.

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us on this episode of Building the Premier Accounting Firm with Roger Knecht. For more advice on how to join the powerful wave of fractional CFO services, connect with Universal Accounting’s team at 435-344-2060.

Sponsors:

Universal Accounting Center

Helping accounting professionals confidently and competently offer quality accounting services to get paid what they are worth.

Offers:

Our CFO Blueprint 1:1 Coaching Program is where we help people learn how to start, offer and scale their financial services business using Fractional CFO / Advisory services.

https://profitsurgegroup.com/

Get a FREE copy of these books all accounting professionals should use to work on their business and become profitable. These are a must-have addition to every accountant’s library to provide quality CFO & Advisory services as a Profit & Growth Expert today:

“Red to BLACK in 30 days – A small business accountant’s guide to QUICK turnarounds” – This is a how-to guide on how to turn around a struggling business into a more sustainable model. Each chapter focuses on a crucial aspect of the turnaround process - from cash flow management to strategies for improving revenue. This book will teach you everything you need to become a turnaround expert for small businesses.
“in the BLACK, nine principles to make your business profitable” – Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable – Discover what you need to know to run the premier accounting firm and get paid what you are worth in this book, by the same author as Red to Black – CPA Allen B. Bostrom. Bostrom teaches the three major functions of business (marketing, production and accounting) as well as strategies for maximizing profitability for your clients by creating actionable plans to implement the nine principles.
“Your Strategic Accountant” - Understand the 3 Core Accounting Services (CAS - Client Accounting Services) you should offer as you run your business. Help your clients understand which numbers they need to know to make more informed business decisions.
“ Your Profit & Growth Expert” - Your business is an asset. You should know its value and understand how to maximize it. Beginning with the end in mind helps you work ON your business to build a company you can leave so that it can continue to exist in your absence or build wealth as you retire and enjoy the time, freedom, and life you want and deserve.

Follow the