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About the Author

David Flax, CPA, is the founder and a Managing Partner of the Morgan Ross Group. As a top innovator and producer in the search industry, he has generated over $5 million in personal production over his career. Read full bio.

Building Strength in a Weak Economy

Conventional wisdom tells us that hunkering down and weathering the storm is no way to manage in tough times.  To the bold go the spoils when the ship rights itself.

This can mean the ultimate difficult choice: letting people go. It can also…

Posted on June 15, 2009

Dance Through Danger – Four Tips

As we all watch for those glimmers of hope to become a light at the end of the tunnel, here are a few survival tactics.

Hold the line on fees.  I’m hearing that many firms are being asked to reduce their fees.  With…

Posted on April 13, 2009

The check’s (not) in the mail—what can we do about it?

My colleagues and clients all over the region are telling me the same story. They work with one ear listening for incoming mail. The moment they hear it’s arrived, they’re out of their chairs in a flash and rifling through the day’s deliveries.

…

Posted on March 16, 2009

Silver Lining Time

The changes we can believe in are beginning to make their presence felt.  With hundreds of billions of (we hope) accountable dollars about to be unleashed into banking, industry, the sciences, infrastructure and our own personal checking accounts, will the ground shift perceptibly…seismically…not at all?…

Posted on February 16, 2009

In the Moonlight Hours

Welcome to 2009. Though we’re not off to the best of starts, let me first wish you all a healthy and successful new year—and share with you some surprising data on a rewarding opportunity that 66% of accountants are ignoring. 

It’s moonlighting—grabbing some…

Posted on January 19, 2009

Interviewing Insights

Many of my recent blog posts have been about switching jobs. One of the downsides to leaving one position for another is the process of interviewing. I thought it was only fair to open up the conversation to interviews – personal experiences, tips, etc. Maybe…

Posted on November 11, 2008

Hooking the Big Fish

Mark Steadman’s article in the July 2008 issue of CPA Journal “What Small CPA Firms are Doing to Recruit and Retain Staff” examines top recruiting and retention activities. The article acknowledges the importance of recruiting top candidates in order to develop a viable succession plan.…

Posted on September 22, 2008

Back to School Lessons

Fall is just around the corner, which means the kids are back in school and we’re back to work. Of course, most of us haven’t had a 3-month summer vacation, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go back with the same energy that students do…

Posted on August 25, 2008

Job Hunting in a Weak Economy

The current hot topic of conversation is the suffering economy and how it impacts the job market. In a weak market, employees often hesitate to leave their current positions for fear of FIFO (first in, first out) - that they may be the first to…

Posted on August 18, 2008

Is There Life Outside of the Big 4?

There comes a point in time when all professionals at Big 4 firms wonder if there is a better life for them outside of the Big 4.  I know this first hand, having first pondered this thought back in 1992.  I can assure you there…

Posted on July 09, 2008

Who’s On First?

I was flipping through an old issue of CFO Magazine the other day when I came across an article called “Who’s Next” stressing the importance of succession planning. Top jobs are often filled internally, as it gives predecessors a chance to hone their successors’ skills.…

Posted on June 18, 2008

Moving On Up

I recently read an article by Bruce L. Katcher from Accounting Web titled “Don’t Feel Trapped in Your Job.”. Katcher refers to a survey that shows “only 54 percent of employees feel they have a good future with their current organization.” If 46 percent of…

Posted on June 02, 2008

Spoiled Accountants?

In late December 2007, I wrote in “The Changing Accounting Landscape” about the effects of the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation coupled with a talent shortage. In that piece, I reflected upon the growing number of young college graduates who are heading straight…

Posted on April 21, 2008

The New FASB Format: Clear or Complicated?

The talk about town seems to be revolving around the upcoming public draft release of a new financial statement format due to arrive in the second quarter of 2008. Presented by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the reform is intended to change both the surface…

Posted on March 19, 2008

What Would You Do if You Had Complete Confidence in Those Around You?

This is the question that Rob Tautges, CEO of Tautges-Redpath, Ltd. in Bear Lake, MN asks his senior partners. Overwhelmingly, answers include uninterrupted time with family and away from work.

According to a new article from AccountingWeb, Tautges-Redpath is one of three firms…

Posted on January 02, 2008

The Changing Accounting Landscape

It is no big surprise that the landscape of the finance industry is changing. Studies show that 73 million baby boomers will retire over the next five to seven years - leaving open a huge number of jobs. Companies are left trying to fill those…

Posted on December 20, 2007

The Rangel Tax Bill

Charles Rangel, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, has introduced a new tax overhaul bill that is causing a lot of commotion. At the most basic level, the proposal raises taxes on high-income families and some businesses, and cuts bills for the lower classes. It…

Posted on November 27, 2007

Casual Fridays: A Thing of The Past?

The concept of Casual Friday is an American and Canadian phenomenon that has been around since the 1950’s, but gained most of its momentum over the past decade. Giving employees a chance to dress down before the weekend begins; Casual Friday was intended to boost…

Posted on November 15, 2007