05/05/2026
“If you don’t know what you want to accomplish, how are you ever going to get there?”
Everyone needs a bucket list, Sean Duncan, founder of SMD Consulting & Accounting, said during his presentation at . That's especially true for accounting business owners who are fighting just to keep their head about water.
Having an extremely profitable accounting business that drives you crazy is not worth having, he added. This is your business, after all. You should choose who you want to work with, how much you work, and what services you offer.
It sounds a lot easier in concept than it is in practice, but accounting business owners need to stop and take a hard look at what is most important to them, Sean said.
Once that becomes clear, you need to build a business that serves that need. You should only serve clients who help you achieve that goal, because if you don't your mental health will suffer,
Sean said that he learned this lesson the hard way. He had to fire 2/3 of his revenue back in 2017 because it was "either that or burning the entire building down," he said. But he replaced those clients with new ones he loved working with, and now he makes a ton in revenue, gets to enjoy spring break with his family, and takes April 15th off. You can too!
Thank you, Sean for sharing your story and helping us put the most important things first at .
