Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bonnie Buol, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was hired as the first marketing director of a 50-year-old accounting firm. As you can expect, there was a ton of work that needed to be done. When I started interviewing marketing firms to help, it was challenging to find any that had experience working with accounting firms. Branding, positioning and developing messaging for those in the accounting profession is somewhat unique. Not only are the services expensive, but they are also not well understood. In essence, you are selling a high level of trust and expertise, more than the service itself.

When my life took a hard left turn, and I needed to find another place to work, I decided that I would attempt to be that resource for other accounting firms that needed marketing help. I figured I understood the profession, how to ask the right questions to uncover unique value propositions, and had a number of freelance friends who could design, write and deliver the necessary creative. I decided to give myself six months to give it a shot, and now 14 years later I’m still at it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Like most small business owners, what I do for my clients has evolved over time. Currently, I serve as an outsourced CMO or marketing director for small professional services firms that need a high level of expertise, but don’t need or want to invest in that resource full time. Additionally, I help with individual projects as well, like writing strategic marketing plans, creating websites and other marketing-related tools.

In 2020, I decided to put my money where one of my passions was and got certified in diversity, equity and inclusion from Cornell too. This has allowed me to help firms develop DEI programs and deliver training to a variety of groups. And because of this work, I was asked to take over the Accounting MOVE Project, the only annual benchmarking research and advocacy report that equips accounting and advisory firms to detect, develop and drive competitive advantages from diversity initiatives and trends, in 2022. I love that my days are filled with unique work that I am passionate about, allowing me to make a real difference in the lives of my clients and the profession as a whole.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I’ve always been a believer in fortune favors the bold. Many years ago, I wanted to add some new clients and grow my business when I received a postcard inviting me to visit a booth at a conference I attend every year. To say it was bad is an understatement. There was no compelling message, nothing that explained what the company did, and it didn’t even list the booth number. I know how much time, effort and money go into projects like this – or should – and hated to see this new company entering the market on such poor footing.

Instead of simply tossing the postcard into my recycling bin, I looked up the company and sent an email welcoming them to the profession but also pointing out in no uncertain terms why this postcard was rubbish and why they needed my help. I hit send and didn’t think any more of it. Fast forward a few days and I get a response to my sternly worded missive. Not only was the owner of this company appreciative, she loved that I was direct and bold, and agreed with my comments. I was hired on the spot, and this company turned into one of my favorite clients and led to a decades-long friendship as well.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

I was approached in early 2022 about taking over the Accounting MOVE Project by its founder, Joanne Cleaver. Originally launched in 2010, it is the group that puts out the annual Best CPA Firms for Women and Best CPA Firms for Equity Leadership lists. The methodology is unique and much more comprehensive than other “best places” lists, and it has had a substantial impact on firm culture and leadership.

I had known Joanne for many years and had recently received my diversity and inclusion certification from Cornell. She wanted to find someone who was committed to supporting women in the accounting profession to buy her company and continue its work. After a number of discussions and some serious thinking on my part, I decided to move forward.

I now needed to come back to her with a price and process for the transition. With input from my attorney and accountant, I suggested what I thought MOVE was worth and recommended a transition plan that included me shadowing Joanne for 2022 and her shadowing me during 2023. After negotiating a few smaller details, we came to an agreement and are meeting our goals too. I know this process was much easier than others experience, but we were both transparent, committed to continuing MOVE’s work and upholding its reputation. I sincerely believe this honest approach is why it has worked out so well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bbrcompanies.com and https://accountingmoveproject.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BBRMarketing
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonniebuolruszczyk/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BBRConsults
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bbrcompanies5346/videos