Why Advisory Firms Should Think Like Product Companies
2 MIN READ
DECEMBER 9, 2025
JESSICA KENTCH, FOUNDING PARTNER, ABLAZE ANALYTICS
Accounting has changed. What used to be purely compliance work—tax prep, audits, reconciliations—is now a gateway to advisory services. Firms that embrace this shift can move from billable hours to high-value client insights. But the transition isn’t automatic; it requires thinking like a product company.
The shift from compliance to advisory
Traditional accounting services are reactive: you report what happened last quarter. Advisory services are proactive: you help clients make decisions now to shape the future.
Examples of advisory work:
Cash flow forecasting
KPI dashboards for clients
Automated scenario planning
Profitability analysis by department, product, or client
Advisory requires more than spreadsheets—it requires systems, data pipelines, and repeatable processes.
Product thinking in accounting
Product companies think about usage, engagement, and value delivery. Applying this mindset to a CPA firm means:
Understanding client behavior
Who actually uses your reports?
Which insights drive action?
Where do clients struggle to interpret your numbers?
Creating repeatable processes
Standard dashboards instead of custom Excel for each client
Templates for forecasting, scenario analysis, or advisory reports
Automated data extraction from accounting systems (QBO, Xero, etc.)
Iterating based on feedback
Track which reports clients use most
Ask clients for improvement suggestions
Optimize services based on measurable impact
Think of advisory workflows like software features: each report or insight should have a purpose, measurable engagement, and clear outcomes.
Why data pipelines are essential
You can’t scale advisory services using spreadsheets alone. Manual reporting is slow, error-prone, and inconsistent. BI analytics pipelines solve this by:
Centralizing client data
Automating calculations
Generating repeatable dashboards
Providing an audit trail and governance
This doesn’t replace accounting—it empowers accountants to deliver insights faster and more accurately.
The hidden opportunity: proactive client management
Firms that think like product companies can identify high-value clients before problems appear:
Which clients are lagging on invoicing or cash flow?
Which clients engage regularly with dashboards and advice?
Which services drive measurable outcomes and higher retention?
By monitoring these behaviors, firms can offer tailored advisory, upsell strategic services, and improve client satisfaction—all while reducing operational risk.
Overcoming cultural barriers
Transitioning from compliance to advisory requires a shift in mindset:
From hours to outcomes: Stop tracking billable time as the primary measure of success. Focus on client impact.
From reactive to proactive: Use data to anticipate client needs rather than respond to questions after the fact.
From manual to automated: Spreadsheets are powerful, but automation enables scalability, consistency, and insight.
Firms that embrace this mindset become advisory-first organizations, not just number-crunching shops.
Bottom line
Accounting firms that think like product companies gain:
✅ Scalability: Deliver insights to more clients without increasing staff hours
✅ Predictability: Build repeatable processes that reduce errors
✅ Client impact: Provide proactive advice that drives retention and revenue
✅ Differentiation: Stand out in a crowded market by offering actionable insights
The future of accounting isn’t just compliance. It’s data-driven advisory powered by repeatable, automated processes. Firms that embrace product thinking today are the advisory leaders of tomorrow.