Section 03
Know Who You're Talking To
Click any partner type to see how to position your ask.
Managing Partner
Sets firm strategy · owns culture & growth
Thinks in years, not quarters
Equity Partner
Owns the firm · profit share · has a vote
Most protective of spend
Non-Equity Partner
Partner title, no ownership · on track to equity
High influence, less formal power
Director / Principal
Below equity · owns client work · pipeline-accountable
Most underutilized BD ally
Senior Leader
COO, CFO, Firm Administrator · high access
Operational champion to recruit early
How Decisions Actually Get Made
CPA firms don't operate like corporations. There's no single executive with budget authority. Major spending requires partnership consensus — and the real decision happens in informal conversations before the vote, not during it. Understanding who holds formal power, who holds informal influence, and who can kill an initiative quietly is the difference between getting funded and getting tabled.
Managing Partner
Sets vision & tone. Your most strategic relationship.
Equity Partners
Hold the formal vote. Every dollar is personal to them.
Directors
Influence from below. Most underutilized BD allies.
Key insight: Win informal support from 1–2 key partners before the meeting. A proposal that enters the room with momentum already behind it is rarely voted down.
← Click any role to see their mindset, what to lead with, and what to avoid.
Where they sit in the firm
Managing Partner
Equity Partner
Non-Equity Partner
Director / Principal
Senior Leader