Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the creative director of GreenMellen, an advertising and marketing company. We provide digital marketing services, including website design, branding, and messaging solutions to help companies enhance their digital presence and user experience.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC?

At a base level, we needed to reconcile our books and file our taxes. However, when we first engaged with Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC, we wanted to set benchmarks that allowed us to scale our agency and run a profitable business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Beyond reconciling our books and filing our taxes, Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC helped us set baseline metrics to track. They coached us in financial scenarios, such as employee utilization, and even hosted several conferences that we attended. The specific metrics they helped us establish were the percentage of revenues that should be allocated to each category, such as salaries and advertising.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four teammates from Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC.

How did you come to work with Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC?

I followed Jason’s (Founder) content for years. I read his blog content and saw him speak at a local conference. I always admired his thought leadership and focus on helping digital agencies. His niche focus on digital agencies gave us insights into benchmarks and other metrics that were unique to our industry.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January 2018, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The impact of Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC’s services on our business has been absolutely positive. Our financials are organized and tailored to our unique goals. We can refine our goals with our customer ally every quarter at our review meetings, and they offer guidance in interpreting our financials. We probably got the most value out of Jason’s coaching early on, but we appreciate that we continue to have his guidance through his team. Moreover, we’ve gained knowledge and insight into our company’s financials.

For example, Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC uses a system called Fathom to help us interpret our profit and loss (P&L) statement. This allows us to make more informed decisions for the company. We can understand which departments are most profitable, validate trends we’ve observed, and set goals for increasing revenue and managing expenses.

How did Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC perform from a project management standpoint?

Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC has a strong process around project management. We’ve had some issues having to go through a project manager versus speaking directly with a subject matter expert (SME), but the leadership team makes adjustments when we communicate those concerns.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their niche in the digital agency market is impressive.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be open to their coaching and guidance.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president and business development lead of 3 Media Web.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC?

We wanted to outsource our accounting services, and we hoped to work with a company that could provide advice and expertise as we grow.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

When we started, we had monthly coaching sessions with their owner so we could organize our business a little better. They helped with operations issues and business decisions, based on our revenue and accounting situation. They manage all our accounting needs, including bookkeeping, tax prep, and consulting. They also provide some advice surrounding payroll.

What is the team composition?

We usually work with two to three people, including the owner, a few accountants, and a project manager.

How did you come to work with Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC?

We looked for accounting firms that had experience with digital agencies. They were referred to us, so we reached out to them.

How much have you invested with them?

Over the past three years, we've easily spent over $100,000. We don't have an in-house accountant, and they're essentially our for-rent CFO.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together halfway through 2015, and the collaboration is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They're very easy to work with, and they give us a lot of freedom. The time and efficiency they provide give us more time to focus on our business. They're definitely worth the investment.

How did Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC perform from a project management standpoint?

They're excellent project managers, and they always have at least one or two people assigned to our account. We're in weekly communication with them, and we never have to chase them for answers.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their expertise in the industry, and their guidance in making decisions are both excellent. We lay out scenarios, and they give their outside perspective and an impartial opinion on what we should do. They help us make better decisions.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have any areas they should improve; I'm really happy with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you're starting to grow a small digital agency or service-based business, they're a great help. Like a partner, they will help you grow, give you advice, and help you get your operations running.