S02 E14: How Kelly Rohrs, CPA, Built a Thriving Accounting Firm From Scratch

Time Stamps

Roman Villard:
All right, we’re live today! We have the opportunity to reinvent ourselves a little bit. I’m coming in with a new haircut, and Kelly is joining us on Accounting Flow for the first time. If you haven’t come across Kelly’s podcast, Kelly, could you briefly share what your podcast is about before we dive into who you are and what you do? I really admire your work.

Kelly Rohrs:
Absolutely! So, a fellow CPA, Bilal Mahana, and I started a podcast about a year ago. We launched it in November 2023, and it’s called From Zero to Millions: Accounting Edition. Our mission is to inspire other accountants by showcasing what people are building from scratch, whether it’s buying firms or developing new ones. We share so many different experiences and it’s a great place to bring people together.

Roman Villard:
I love it! You guys put out some great content. I had the opportunity to be on your podcast a few months ago, and now the tables have turned—you’re on Accounting Flow, so I get to interview you, which is going to be super fun. We’re going to talk about your journey—how you stepped away from an accounting firm, built your own practice, and started thriving while bringing team members on board. But before we dive in, I want to share a little bit about Kelly’s background. Feel free to correct me if I get anything wrong or miss something.

Kelly is one of the top 50 women in business on Long Island, the longest island in New York, and in 2022, she was named Premier Businesswoman of Long Island. She’s also a top 50 women in accounting nominee through Ignition, and a top 40 under 40 CPA. On top of all that, Kelly is the founder of K Rohrs CPA, and you’ve been running that for almost five years now. Did I miss anything?

Kelly Rohrs:
Mom! I am a mother of two young kids. I usually lead with that—mom, business owner, tax strategist. It’s important for people to know that’s my first priority.

Roman Villard:
I love that so much. We’ve had so many good conversations on Accounting Flow about people’s lives and what they’re building. The workflows and processes they introduce are really just a means to fulfill their personal lives more intentionally, and I love that you highlight that. How old are your kids?

Kelly Rohrs:
I have an almost four-year-old son—he’ll be four next month—and my daughter is just about 15 months old.

Roman Villard:
15 months! So, you’re in the thick of it!

Kelly Rohrs:
Yes, my husband and I say that often.

Roman Villard:
Oh man, I can relate—similar ages on my side of the household too. Okay, let’s dive into your journey before starting your firm. You were a tax associate, then a tax senior, and eventually a tax manager. Was that all at the same firm?

Kelly Rohrs:
Yes, but I didn’t have a straight path to accounting. I wasn’t the kind of person in high school who knew they wanted to be a CPA. I loved numbers and I also loved the idea of being a business owner. I was always hustling—selling handmade purses I made out of old jeans in middle school, babysitting, tutoring. Initially, I wanted to be a math teacher and went to college for that, but I ended up dropping out due to personal life issues. I took a break and worked at a local catering deli. One day, one of my old bosses, who was a patron there, offered me a job after we had built a rapport. I was actually going back to school for actuarial science, and we joked about him hiring me. A little later, I got a call from him saying, “I want you to come to my office.” The next day, I was hired for a staff accounting position—with no experience.

Roman Villard:
Wow, with no experience! What happened next?

Kelly Rohrs:
That was basically the beginning of my career in accounting. I decided to pivot and go back to school for accounting. I stayed with that firm for 10 years. The firm changed names multiple times, as small firms often do with different ownership structures. From day one, they told me I had the potential to be a partner there, but it didn’t work out that way. However, I’m grateful for the experience and still maintain friendly relationships with the owners. My son was nine months old when I decided it was time to leave. I had been preparing for a while, building up my personal brand as Kelly Rohrs on social media. I quit in June 2021, and here I am now.

Roman Villard:
So, how did you advance your personal education and get your CPA while working there?

Kelly Rohrs:
I went to school full-time and worked full-time. I threw myself into it. I’m naturally a self-starter, so I picked up on things easily. There was very minimal structure at the firm—we literally used General Ledger paper! I was bringing in new ideas from attending conferences and seeing what others were doing on social media, but there was a lot of resistance to change, which is another reason why I needed to move on.

Roman Villard:
You mentioned building your personal brand while at that firm. Was there a specific moment or event that made you realize you needed to lean into this and start creating content?

Kelly Rohrs:
Around 2017 or 2018, I started attending more conferences. I remember one in New York City that made me realize social media was the future. But I was just a staff member at a firm with no social media budget or approval to promote the firm, so I started promoting myself as Kelly Rohrs. It was a natural progression—sharing my thoughts and ideas rather than just sales pitches. That approach helped me build my practice.

Roman Villard:
It’s clear that building your personal brand played a significant role in instilling the confidence to start your own practice. What was the first step like—day one of starting your practice?

Kelly Rohrs:
I had my company set up about two years before taking the leap. I knew I needed the foundation in place, whether I was going to be a partner in my old firm or start my own. I set up my company, my website, and planted seeds over time. When I finally went out on my own, I reached out to my network, letting them know I was starting my practice and asking for business. Having those genuine relationships made it easier for people to trust me and refer business.

Roman Villard:
Did you focus on a specific niche or industry when you started?

Kelly Rohrs:
Initially, I thought I would focus on the dental space because of my previous experience, but I started getting a lot of attorney clients through referrals. Now, over half of my clients are attorneys, but I also work with other professional services like financial advisors and medical professionals. It wasn’t necessarily a choice; it happened organically through my connections.

Roman Villard:
Starting out, how did you manage the workload? Did you have any systems in place, or was it all in your head?

Kelly Rohrs:
I set up my workflow, integrated software, and had IT support. At first, things were a bit messy because, as a solo practitioner, you don’t have to communicate your thoughts to others. I used a combination of handwritten notes, Microsoft To Do, and basic practice management tools like QuickBooks Online and SmartVault. But as I grew, I realized that relying on memory wasn’t sustainable, so I started implementing more formal systems.

Roman Villard:
That’s a common challenge—balancing the freedom of being solo with the need for structure to scale. When did you realize you needed to bring on team members?

Kelly Rohrs:
About a year in, I hired my first full-time team member, a CPA. I wasn’t in dire need at that point, but I knew referrals were coming in quickly, and I wanted to hire before I got too busy. It was important to bring someone on who could handle higher-level work, so I didn’t have to manage every detail myself. My mom was also helping with some smaller tasks early on, which was a great relief.

Roman Villard:
Hiring the right person at the right time is crucial. How did you determine the level of hire you needed?

Kelly Rohrs:
I hired someone at a slightly lower-than-manager level but capable of handling higher-level work. I knew I needed someone similar to me, who could take on the workload and responsibilities. It’s always a tough decision, especially when considering the financial impact, but it’s an investment in making life easier and the business more efficient.

Roman Villard:
You seem to have a great approach to decision-making, always considering efficiency and what’s best for your family and the business. Have you always viewed your firm through that lens?

Kelly Rohrs:
I tend to view life through that lens—what’s going to be more efficient or better for the greater good, whether it’s for the company or my family. If I have more time, I can work on the business’s vision, which many people overlook. And in my personal life, I make decisions based on what’s best for my kids. The flexibility I have now allows me to spend quality time with them, which is something many people in public accounting don’t get.

Roman Villard:
Absolutely. There’s a shift happening in the industry toward prioritizing work-life balance, but it’s a slow process, especially in larger firms. Let’s take a quick break from the positives and talk about the challenges you faced early on. What kept you up at night during those first few months?

Kelly Rohrs:
Good question. Flexibility is great, but as a business owner, you wear many hats. There were many late nights catching up on work after my kids went to bed, which is less frequent now but was common in the beginning. One of the biggest challenges was taking on the right clients. Early on, you need cash flow, so it’s tempting to take on clients even if they’re not a good fit. About a year in, I fired one of my biggest clients because the fee wasn’t right, and there were ethical concerns. It was a tough decision, but it was freeing, and I quickly replaced that client with better-fitting ones.

Roman Villard:
That’s a valuable lesson—working with the right clients can make or break a firm. As we wrap up, let’s fast forward to today and the future. You have four team members now. Are you where you thought you’d be five years ago?

Kelly Rohrs:
It amazes me to look back. Five years ago, I was at the same old firm, frustrated with the lack of advancement. Now, I’m living my dream. I started this business with a child under one, and now I have two. The growth in the first three years was unbelievable. Moving forward, we need to focus on working on the business, refining processes, and continuing to grow with the right clients. I can’t even imagine where we’ll be in five years when we’re past the challenges of having young children.

Roman Villard:
Kudos to you, Kelly, for building something so amazing during such a challenging time in life. It’s inspiring. Thank you so much for your time today—I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.

Kelly Rohrs:
Likewise, Roman. Thanks for having me!