Building a modern accounting firm that supports your life

Ryan Lazanis helps accountants to systematize their firms and work less

If you run an accounting or bookkeeping practice, chances are you’ve wrestled with long hours, underpricing, and the stress of being the bottleneck in your own business.

On a recent episode of The Unsure Entrepreneur Podcast, I spoke with Ryan Lazanis, CPA and founder of Future Firm, about how to break that cycle and create a firm that actually works for you. I wanted to talk with Ryan to gain some insight into his upcoming keynote at Accountex 2025.

Ryan knows what he’s talking about. In 2013, he launched Zen Accounting — one of Canada’s first fully cloud-based firms — then sold it just five years later. Today, he helps thousands of accounting professionals through his newsletter and hundreds more through the Future Firm Accelerate program.

His message is clear: build a modern firm that delivers profit, scale, and lifestyle balance.

Systems before technology

Ryan believes too many firms start with apps and automation, but that’s not where the real leverage is.

“A lot of the systematization that I look at is, how do we standardize as much as possible in an accounting firm?” he told me. “If we productize services into packages, we remove variables, simplify onboarding, and make it easier to delegate.”

Instead of customizing services endlessly, Ryan suggests standard offers — like bronze, silver, and gold tiers — so every client experience is predictable. That not only makes firms more scalable but also allows owners to step back.

Pricing for value

One of the most common mistakes accountants make is underpricing. Ryan sees it all the time: busy firms with too many low-margin clients and no room to hire help.

“Accountants are trained to reconcile every number, but price is a number that cannot be reconciled,” Ryan explained. “Good pricing is more art than science. It’s about understanding the client, the outcome, and what they’re willing to pay.”

He recommends three-tier pricing as a practical tool. With multiple options, firms can push prices upward without fear, and most clients naturally choose the middle tier.

Three takeaways to apply in your firm

Here are three simple but powerful lessons you can use:

• Standardize your offers — package services into repeatable tiers to help align your team around efficient delivery of those services.

• Fix your pricing — stop undervaluing and use three-tiered models. Price for profit, otherwise, what's the point.

• Delegate — technology helps, but people are the real unlock. Invest in team training and development.

Together, these steps shift a firm from owner-dependent to scalable.

AI and the accounting profession

Ryan is no stranger to experimenting with new tech. He even cloned his own voice and avatar using AI to deliver a keynote when recovering from a concussion.

The response surprised him. “I am a big proponent of AI, but I’m also very scared of it,” he admitted. “It raises expectations. AI can produce high-quality work instantly, which means we as humans have to do better. It’s making life more difficult, not easier.”

Lifestyle first

Ultimately, Ryan believes firm owners should design their businesses around the life they want and not the other way around. “Define what your ideal life looks like, then work backwards,” he said. “It’s about being intentional and disciplined. Otherwise, you’ll just keep chasing.”

That mindset resonates with entrepreneurs and professionals of all kinds. If your business isn’t giving you freedom, it may be time to rethink your model.

You can hear more from Ryan in the full episode of The Unsure Entrepreneur Podcast.

And if you’re attending Accountex 2025 in Toronto, don’t miss his keynote on what the Top 50 Modern Firms are Doing Differently. I'm also speaking at Accountex about How Accounting Professionals Can Close More Sales. Come and see us both at the show!