From Associate to Principal: Chris Ries Builds His Own CPA Practice
Key Takeaways (TLDR)
- Dark Horse CPAs' Principal Accelerator Program offers CPAs a fast track to equity ownership with support and lead generation.
- Chris Ries advanced from Associate Principal to Principal by completing Dark Horse's Accelerator Program, which provides training, tech, and operational support.
- Dark Horse CPAs fosters a supportive community where Principals collaborate, reducing loneliness and improving client service.
- Ries learned that saying no to mismatched opportunities was key to building a practice aligned with his personal goals.
Why it Matters
This news matters because it highlights a growing trend in the accounting industry: CPAs are increasingly seeking autonomy and work-life balance through alternative firm models like Dark Horse CPAs. For small business owners, this means access to CPAs who are more focused, intentional, and aligned with their clients' needs, rather than being bogged down by rigid partnership hierarchies. It also demonstrates that experienced professionals can achieve ownership without the traditional years-long grind, potentially reshaping career paths in public accounting.
Summary
Dark Horse CPAs, an accounting and tax firm serving small businesses across the United States, has announced the promotion of Chris Ries, CPA, from Associate Principal to Principal. Ries successfully completed the firm's Principal Accelerator Program and now joins a growing group of Principals building independent practices within the Dark Horse platform. The journey from associate to principal required a significant shift from pure client service to deliberate practice ownership. While Dark Horse provides administrative infrastructure, sales training, lead generation, and operational support, Ries emphasizes that the responsibility of shaping a practice ultimately falls on the Principal.
Ries's path was marked by soul-searching and clarity about the kind of work he wanted to pursue. He credits the supportive leadership team and peer community at Dark Horse as a defining distinction from traditional partnership structures. According to Ries, running a practice can be lonely, but the firm's focus on supporting Principals and Accelerators\u2014rather than splitting attention across client work\u2014makes a critical difference. He also discovered that lead flow was not the primary challenge; instead, the real work involved identifying his ideal clients and learning to say no to opportunities that didn't align with his goals. This focus allowed him to build a practice aligned with his personal and professional priorities.
Chase Birky, CEO and co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs, initially doubted Ries's readiness due to his relatively short tenure in public accounting, but Chief Revenue Officer Justin Kurn advocated for him. Birky now acknowledges that Ries's emotional intelligence, maturity, and mentorship background made him an excellent fit. The Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program is designed for entrepreneurially minded CPAs who want to build a scalable book of business without starting from scratch. It offers resources, technology, and operational support, and upon completion, participants can become equity Principals. Interested CPAs can learn more at abetterway.cpa.
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