234. Reinventing tax season, with Samantha Bowling

Future-Proof

Busy season horror stories of 80-hour weeks, sleepless nights, and lost weekends have long defined the accounting profession. But Samantha Bowling, managing partner at GWCPA, is rewriting that narrative.

This past tax season, her firm went bold: no weekends, a 50-hour cap, mandatory extensions, upfront pricing, and a 15% fee increase. The payoff? Nearly full client retention, lighter partner workloads, and a team that felt energized instead of exhausted.

In this episode, Samantha shares how GWCPA pulled it off, what challenges came with change, and why people-first innovations like these may be the key to attracting talent and future-proofing the profession.

If you have ever thought, “There has to be a better way,” you will want to hear this conversation.

Resources

• Samantha Bowling, CPA, CFE, CGMA LinkedIn Profile
• GWCPA Firm Website
• MACPA Preferred Providers