5 Small Habits That Will Change Your Accounting Practice in 2026

In any profession, success rarely comes from doing more, and accounting is no different. Real progress comes from doing a few things differently and doing them consistently. 

Today, success depends not just on expertise but on disciplined practices that improve accuracy, efficiency, and client relationships. As expectations rise and work becomes more complex, it is often small, intentional changes in daily routines that drive the most meaningful improvements over time. 

Ace Cloud Hosting spoke with Seth Fineberg, an accounting industry consultant, content strategist, and speaker. With over 30 years of experience following the profession’s evolution, Seth has seen firsthand how firms are reshaping their services to stay relevant and responsive to client needs.   

In this insightful video, Seth shares five small but powerful habits that accountants can adopt to drive better results, strengthen client trust, and create a lasting positive impact on their CAS practice. He encourages accountants to reflect on how their everyday habits influence productivity, communication, and service quality, and whether those habits truly support long-term growth, reduce errors, and elevate both the client and team experience. 

Transcript

Hi again, Seth Fineberg, on behalf of Ace Cloud Hosting, here to discuss another, I guess, sort of year-end or going into the New Year topic that I think all firm leaders should really kind of pay attention to. And plus, we all like lists this time of year, don’t we? The top five things that really would account for small habits that could have the largest impact on your practice, which, after all, is a business.   

Now, a lot of this really sort of comes from observing firms, talking to firm leaders, talking to people who work inside a firm for years. There are things that I think could be done better and will improve not only your overall efficiency but, really, just kind of make you a better leader and really see your firm move forward, which is everything that I’m about.   

First and foremost, embracing automation and, I guess, technology in general. But it’s hard to talk about tech these days without it having a direct impact on the work that you do, inside of your firm, as well as with your own clients. What I’m talking about, these days of course, is AI and its various forms, whether it’s generative or even agentive, looking into AI, finding out what tasks can be automated. Also, you know, the use of cloud tools. 

These days, too, anything available to you that really is going to save a bunch of time for you and your staff. So really what you have to do is just kind of find the task or tasks and the things that take up the most of your time, whether it’s responding to certain emails or requests, or just any particular process that you’re finding is most time-consuming. I will almost guarantee you that there is a tool available, either in the cloud or via AI, that will address that need.   

Number 2, we’re talking about, the use of data, really, you know, in everyday decision-making. In short, making your firm, your practice, more of a data-driven practice. What I mean by that is, data analytics and accounting have really become so crucial, particularly as we’re leaning more into AI. It needs that data. It needs to be correct. It needs to be everything that is going to help take you forward.   

As I mentioned earlier, it can help give you clarity, drive efficiency, develop better accounting practices and processes, and improve risk analytics. The chances are you already have a fair amount of valuable data on, basically, in the systems that you already use, perhaps, you know, just even on hand.  

But it’s every good, you know, practice owner, or manager knows. Having a good set of data is one thing, but building and accounting practice that is data-driven, and using all those insights, really, these days, it couldn’t be a better decision to make for your practice. So, figuring out not only where things are, but also the accuracy and how to use them, is going to be crucial for your own future.   

Number 3, building a coaching mindset. Now, what I mean by that is, as a firm leader, so I’m talking to you, knowing where your staff are at, you know, upskilling is really, to me, and even just, from again, from the, conversation that I’ve had, one of the crucial pieces, one of really the keys to retaining staff retention.   

And, feeling like, folks, on your team are leveling up at some point or, knowing where they’re at now and knowing that they will have, as we mentioned earlier, some new tools to use and learn on that couldn’t be more essential, and of course, don’t forget about yourself as well. Knowing where you’re at in your own, you know, on your own learning curve, really is going to be, really beneficial for your own future.   

Number 4, prioritizing continuous learning. So, building on what I mentioned before about having a coaching mindset, you know, having your staff kind of look to you and your own leaders in your own firm are going to be essential.  

But really prioritizing, continuous learning, definitely for yourself, learning from your own community, reading blogs, listening to podcasts, finding out the latest, where the latest CPE can happen is basic, basic, basic. But I’m also talking about getting out of your comfort zone.   

If you haven’t been to a live event. People who know me know that I’m a huge advocate for getting out not only to national events, but local events or any sort of accounting community event or gatherings, things that might be going on, learning from your colleagues, just being able to be in a safe space and be in a like mindset is crucial to your own growth.

And, once you’re a part of a community and you feel that connection, it really is going to help with that number 4, that prioritizing continuous learning part.

And number 5, on the small habits that are going to ultimately change your practice, change your business, change your professional life, is just communicating regularly with your clients and even proactively.  

Now this is, of course, beyond sort of the regular flags and things that might come up. Knowing and being proactive might not necessarily be in your nature and your workflow, but creating that time, that space to know where the client is and reaching out to them proactively, whether it’s for tax planning or some other level of conversation that ultimately does lead to advisory-type work. And you can kind of figure out and build from there.   

If you don’t have an advisory-centric mindset or practice, this is a good way to get started by scheduling in these conversations. Because you remember, advisory doesn’t happen without that conversation happening, particularly in a proactive way.  

So again, bracing automation or technology in general, building a data-driven accounting practice, letting data drive your decisions, building a coaching mindset, prioritizing continuous learning, and of course, communicating proactively with your clients. Thank you! 

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