Accelerator
ac·cel·er·a·tor
noun
1. A person or thing that causes something to happen or develop more quickly.
The mission of our Principal Accelerator Program is exactly what the name implies…accelerating your path to Principal. You'll have all of the resources and coaching you need to quickly build a six-figure practice and the confidence to know that many have come before you and experienced much better than expected success.
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So many questions, so few answers
Most firms lack clarity on how to become a partner and what becoming one means. Most CPAs lack clarity on what's involved in creating a successful firm of their own.
Who is an Accelerator?
Accelerators are CPAs who have joined Dark Horse to build a practice from scratch (or nearly scratch). Oftentimes, they come from another CPA firm where they were previously a manager, senior manager, director, or partner. They are not content with the status quo and seek a better way to CPA. They build six-figure books within months while being coached, mentored, and trained to create profitable and sustainable practices as a Principal of the firm.
Our goal for you.
Our goal is to help you seed an accounting practice that serves you, your clients, and your loved ones. The Accelerator Program is just the beginning of your Dark Horse journey, and we are dedicated to your long-term professional and personal growth. We hope you'll help us build an incredible firm and help your supporting team build a purpose-driven career.
Success StoriesThe Dark Horse difference.
- Support
- Flexibility
- Marketing
- Tech
- Money
- Other
Support On All Sides
Hands-off compliance
You’ll be covered by the Peer Reviews we do at a firm-level, and you won’t have to worry about administering your own corporation, payroll, professional liability insurance, etc.
On-demand fractional and full-time staffing
We have both domestic and overseas staff that can handle everything from administrative work to accounting and tax work. You can hire your own support as well.
A supportive peer group that will help you GROW!
Dark Horse CPAs stick together. We help each other grow in all areas of accounting and tax and emerging issues (think COVID-relief legislation, changing tax guidance, etc.)
Making ends meet..
The Accelerator Program pays you while you're building your book of business. No one else does that. There's a buy-in to become a Principal that's internally financed. We take the financial risk across the board because of our track record of success. We're beyond confident those we hire will succeed.
We Give You A Sweet Benefits Package
- Health Insurance
- 401K Match
- Company-Paid Staff Accountant
- Cell Phone
And more!
You Choose Your Salary
How much you get paid is your decision. You'll balance your salary needs, your revenue as an Accelerator, and your buy-in amount upon promotion to Principal to create a comp package that serves your current and future needs.
Promotion to Principal
You begin running your own P&L and retaining 2/3rds of your net profit. You can take a draw against future earnings while your practice grows and you pay off your buy-in. The sky is the limit at this point of the journey. You also get a stock option grant to give you skin in the game and a say at the table.
Building Wealth
As a Principal, you'll build a book of business that you own and can sell internally or externally. You'll build passive and near-passive revenue streams. And you'll also be eligible for annual stock option grants that represent an asset separate from your book.
Success stories.
Read the StoryThe growth was fast and furious.” Five months after joining Dark Horse, John’s business was self-sustaining; he had more than enough revenue to qualify to become a Principal and, as such, was made an equity Principal in the firm. Over the two years since joining Dark Horse, his business has doubled in size, and he now has two employees working for him to support the client base.
How it all works.
Evaluation
Step 1 is identifying if you are a good fit for us and that we are a good fit for you. This model is not for everyone, and we get it. Our goal is to get you all the information you need to feel comfortable in that decision.
Training Program
We do things a little differently, and we want you to be ready. The first 2 weeks are focused on training on our systems, processes, and customer engagement, followed by weekly coaching sessions for your first 3 months.
Build Your Book
You begin taking on inbound inquiries, managing clients end-to-end with a financial target of $200,000 in annual recurring revenue. Once they have signed, we support you in client communication, quoting/engagement, and workflow management.
Graduate to Principal
Once you start servicing clients, you are building your book of business to qualify you for Principal. This includes financial, reputational, and awareness benchmarks.
Tough questions, answered.
I have never had to interact directly with clients, especially not on the initial phone call/consult. Is that going to be an issue?
Not at all. We understand that many CPAs have not had a ton of experience on the client engagement side. That is why we developed our Customer Engagement Training. We set up 1-on-1 coaching sessions and review calls/meetings with you during your first couple of months to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible interacting with our incoming prospects.
What type of industry experience do I need to qualify for the Accelerator Program?
For those with a tax focus, generally, you need seven or more tax seasons in public accounting under your belt. For those with a CAS/Fractional CFO focus, you will generally need seven or more years of experience in public accounting, with the majority of experience providing client accounting services OR substantial experience as a controller or CFO outside of public accounting.
Do I need to have a client base or a book of business to join the Accelerator Program?
No! This is a "start from scratch" type of position. No one is required to bring on any outside business (but you absolutely can if you have past relationships that love working with you).
How long does it normally take for an Accelerator to become a Principal?
This ranges based on the individual, but we estimate it should take 6-9 Months on average to graduate to Principal. We strive to keep the time under 1 year.
If I don't graduate from the Accelerator Program, do I owe Dark Horse for money invested in me?
Nope. We know we won't graduate 100% of those who enter the Accelerator Program to Principal. Our business model allows us to sustain these losses within reasonable parameters, and we don't want to have an adversarial relationship with any accountant we serve, nor do we want to create a barrier to becoming an Accelerator.
See what makes us tick.
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