The SMB Deal Hunter Podcast [Greatest Hits] Buying an Accounting Firm Without Being a CPA? She Did It.
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Jan 30, 2026 Gretchen Roberts, entrepreneur who bought Red Bike Advisors after a corporate marketing career. She explains how she found and financed a remote-first accounting firm without being a CPA. Conversations cover sourcing deals, convincing lenders, legal limits for non-CPAs, managing staff churn, post-close surprises, modernization push, and plans for selective M&A and growth.
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Follow State Rules And Carve Out Regulated Work
- Do check state rules and carve out audit/attestation work if you're not a CPA; rename the firm to avoid regulated titles.
- Gretchen rebranded to Red Bike Advisors and excluded attest work she couldn't legally perform.
Closing Day Surprise Eased Office Fears
- On closing day Gretchen and the seller announced the sale and staff worried about returning to the office.
- The team reacted relieved that the new owner was remote-first, not forcing in-office return.
Recruiting Failure Triggered Post-Acquisition Turmoil
- Early months looked smooth until recruiting for a tax manager failed and many tax staff left during tax season.
- This staffing shortfall forced Gretchen into production support and made the integration much harder than expected.
