Building a standout accounting practice today requires two things many firms still overlook: a clearly defined niche and an intentional company culture. On the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast, Roger Knecht and nonprofit accounting specialist Jeremy Van Grohl explored exactly why these two elements can transform not just your business, but your day-to-day experience running it.
Their conversation revealed an essential truth: while technical skill matters, a thriving accounting firm grows from strategic focus and a values-driven environment that attracts clients and employees who truly fit.
This article distills their most important insights into actionable guidance for accountants ready to specialise and lead with purpose.
Why Nonprofit Accounting Makes an Exceptional Niche
Knecht emphasized on the podcast that many accountants struggle to differentiate themselves because they “try to be everything to everyone.” Van Grohl agreed—niching his firm into the nonprofit sector was the turning point that brought clarity, sustainability, and deep personal fulfilment.
Nonprofits Need Specialized Expertise
As Van Grohl explained, nonprofits often operate with small teams where staff “wear multiple hats.” The result: they desperately need financial professionals who understand their unique environment.
Nonprofit accounting differs significantly from for-profit work, including:
- Fund accounting and tracking restricted vs. unrestricted gifts
- Form 990 reporting and public transparency requirements
- Functional expense allocations
- Donor-restricted revenue accounting
When you speak this language fluently, Knecht noted, you instantly signal credibility to potential clients. Van Grohl called this “learning their world” rather than expecting them to adapt to you.
Immersion: The Fastest Path to Becoming “The Nonprofit Accountant”
Van Grohl shared that once he committed to the niche, he didn’t just market to nonprofits—he immersed himself in their environment. On the podcast, he described studying nonprofit publications, attending sector events, and learning terminology like “statement of activities” instead of P&L.
To niche successfully:
- Read what your clients read
- Join their associations
- Attend their conferences
- Adapt your marketing to their terminology
- Understand their operational and cultural norms
According to Knecht, this level of alignment makes your service feel tailor-made rather than generic.
Values Alignment: The Most Overlooked Advantage of Niching
When you serve everyone, you inevitably work with organizations whose values, culture, or expectations clash with your own. A niche allows you to proactively choose who you want to work with.
Van Grohl shared that he intentionally avoids certain types of organizations—for example, politically oriented nonprofits—because they don’t align with his personal mission or his firm’s culture. Instead, he seeks out groups that “promote positive change” and treat vendors as partners.
Knecht reinforced that niching gives firm owners permission to say no when the engagement is not a fit—protecting morale, profitability, and the client experience.
Building a Culture That Makes Your Firm the Place the Right People Want to Be
One of the most powerful takeaways from the conversation was how deeply company culture underpins Van Grohl’s success.
Culture First, Skills Second
He explained that he hires primarily for values alignment, attitude, and collaboration, not just technical skill. Knecht noted that this approach strengthens both retention and client satisfaction.
To hire for culture:
- Clearly articulate your firm’s mission and values
- Ask behavioral questions tied to those values
- Involve team members in interviews
- Trust your instincts about fit
Create the Culture With Your Team
Van Grohl described how he invited his team to co-create the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This collaborative process generated ownership, buy-in, and consistency.
Protect Work-Life Balance Relentlessly
A defining feature of his firm’s culture is a firm boundary around family time. As he put it, “We will not breach that.”
Knecht highlighted how this kind of clarity is rare—and magnetic to the right employees.
Use Language That Reinforces Partnership
Van Grohl shared a small but powerful cultural habit: deliberately using inclusive language like we and our—with both clients and staff. This reinforces shared ownership, mutual accountability, and a cohesive identity.
Knowing When to Walk Away: Culture Also Means Protecting Your Team
Niching helps you choose great clients, but culture requires you to release the wrong ones. Van Grohl recounted letting go of a long-term engagement when he realized every conversation felt combative and demoralizing.
As he told Knecht: “It’s not worth your stress to do this.”
This is a crucial lesson for firm owners:
Profitability includes emotional and operational cost—not just dollars.
Designing a Business That Reflects You
Perhaps the most important idea in the episode came near the end, when Van Grohl summarized the guiding principle of his entrepreneurial journey:
Your business should be an extension of you—your values, your motivations, your vision.
Niching allows you to work with organizations whose missions energize you.
Culture allows you to create a workplace where you and your team actually want to be.
Together, they form the foundation of a premier accounting firm.
Key Takeaways for Accountants Ready to Specialize
1. Choose a niche where you can make a meaningful impact.
Nonprofits need specialized financial guidance and often lack internal expertise.
2. Learn the language, environment, and expectations of the sector.
Immersion builds expertise and trust.
3. Align your client base with your values.
This improves satisfaction, retention, and fulfillment.
4. Build culture intentionally—not incidentally.
Co-create values, hire accordingly, and protect work-life boundaries.
5. Don’t be afraid to say no.
Culture and niche clarity give you permission to let go of poor-fit clients.
6. Make your business an authentic extension of who you are.
As both Knecht and Van Grohl highlighted, this is what ultimately leads to a sustainable, joyful firm.
