Blog

How to value an accounting practice: key drivers and multiples

13 November 2025
How to value an accounting practice

Accounting practices in Australia are most often valued using a multiple of maintainable earnings (EBIT or EBITDA) — with goodwill making up 70–90% of the total value. 1. The Core Method: Earnings Multiple Example: EBITDA $500,000 × 4x multiple = $2.0 million value Practice Type EBITDA Multiple Small suburban (1–2 partners) 2.0x – 3.0x Medium-sized (advisory mix) 3.0x – 4.0x…

Read More »

Radical change starts with benchmarking – lessons from Michael Hammer

11 November 2025
BPR

In the 1990s, Michael Hammer challenged the business world with Business Process Reengineering (BPR) — the idea that incremental improvement wasn’t enough. He argued that to stay competitive, organisations had to redesign their processes from the ground up. Simply automating old workflows wasn’t transformation — it was entrenching inefficiency. Hammer’s insight: “Don’t automate. Obliterate.” At the heart of his…

Read More »

Benchmarking Myth #2 – “My clients won’t be interested in benchmarking.”

6 November 2025
benchmarking myth 2

“My clients won’t be interested in benchmarking.” Let’s be honest,  that’s what most accountants think. The truth? Clients are very interested once they see what benchmarking actually means for their bottom line. Most business owners have never seen how they stack up against the top 20% in their industry. But once they do, it flips a switch.…

Read More »

New from TaxFitness – the business valuations database

5 November 2025
Business valuations database

We’re expanding the power of TaxFitness again. Our new Business Valuations Database is now live in early access — covering 80 industries today and growing to 400+ industries over the next month. Accountants can now generate indicative business valuations instantly by industry, providing a powerful new way to: Benchmark a client’s business value in seconds…

Read More »

Joseph Juran: The Forgotten Architect of Continuous Improvement

4 November 2025
Joseph Juran

When people talk about quality, they often mention W. Edwards Deming. But Joseph M. Juran deserves equal credit and perhaps more relevance for accountants today. Juran’s idea of “fitness for use” reminds us that only the customer decides whether our work truly adds value. Reports, systems, and advice mean little if clients don’t find them useful. He also gave…

Read More »

Benchmarking is one of the most powerful yet misunderstood tools in business

30 October 2025
business benchmarking myth

Many accountants and business owners avoid it — not because it doesn’t work, but because of a few persistent myths that limit performance and growth. Myth 1: “Benchmarking is only for big businesses.” Truth: Benchmarking is actually more valuable for small and medium businesses. These businesses operate with tighter margins, smaller teams, and less room for error. They often…

Read More »

Benchmarking owes its roots to one man: W. Edwards Deming

28 October 2025
W Edwards Deming

After World War II, Deming travelled to Japan to teach manufacturers a revolutionary idea — that quality is measurable, and improvement is continuous. Through statistical process control, he showed companies like Toyota how to reduce variation, identify waste, and build excellence into every process. His philosophy of continuous improvement — later known as Kaizen — and his 14 Points for Management changed…

Read More »

From Xerox to TaxFitness, the power of benchmarking

22 October 2025
Xerox

In the early 1980s, Robert C. Camp at Xerox faced a hard truth — Japanese competitors were producing higher-quality products at lower cost. Instead of guessing, he created a system. Camp developed the first formal benchmarking process, studying the best in the world to identify what they did differently and how to close the gap. His 1989 book, Benchmarking:…

Read More »

What makes the top 20% of allied health clinics stand out?

23 September 2025
AHS

It’s not just clinical expertise—it’s how they run the business of healthcare. Top 20% Benchmarks Annual revenue: $950,000+ Net profit: 15%–20% Consultations per practitioner: 22–30 per week Client retention: >80% Revenue per FTE practitioner: $250,000+ Billings per square metre: >$2,000/sqm annually High performers know: efficiency, retention, and financial discipline are as important as the therapy itself. Advisory insights…

Read More »

What separates the top 20% of alarm system installation businesses from the rest?

23 September 2025
alarm system

It’s not just about installing more alarms. The best in the industry build businesses that are profitable, resilient, and recurring. Key Top 20% Benchmarks Annual revenue: $1.2m+ Net profit margin: 15%–20% Recurring monitoring income: 15%–25% of total revenue Quote conversion rate: 65%–75% Technician utilisation: >85% Average job value: $2,000–$2,500 The lesson is clear: recurring revenue, efficiency, and…

Read More »

Similar posts you may like

"You’d be stupid not to try to cut your tax bill and those that don’t are stupid in business"

- Bono: U2