The Partner+ Program

Tailored solutions for your accounting firm’s transition and succession that align with your financial, lifestyle, and legacy goals.

Our Partner+ Program offers a comprehensive and flexible approach to pivoting or transitioning your accounting firm. Designed to meet your unique goals, this program ensures a smooth transition and long-term success for your firm. The key elements include:

1. Deal Structure

Tailored Deal Structures to Align with Your Goals

We collaborate with accounting firm owners to design a deal structure that meets your unique needs and preferences. Potential Options include:

  • Spark acquires a minority stake in your firm.
  • You retain majority ownership and maintain control of key decisions.
  • Access Spark’s operational, marketing, and financial resources to drive growth.
  • Opportunities for long-term collaboration or gradual transition over time.
  • Optional: Spark receives performance-based options and warrants for additional ownership over time.
  • Spark acquires a majority stake in your firm.
  • You stay involved at your preferred level as a minority owner.
  • Benefit from Spark’s resources to accelerate growth and streamline operations.
  • Flexible arrangements for transitioning future ownership or ongoing collaboration.
  • Sell 100% of your firm to Spark.
  • Step away immediately or remain involved post-transaction, depending on your preferences.
  • Partner with Spark to handle operations, marketing, and growth strategies.
  • You retain full ownership of your firm.
  • Optimize efficiency and scalability and bring on help without giving up equity.
  • Maintain control while benefiting from Spark’s expertise.

2. Branding

Flexible Branding to Fit Your Vision

We provide options for how the firm is presented post-partnership.

Maintain your existing name and identity while leveraging Spark’s back-office support for operations, marketing, technology, HR, and more.

Transition to the Spark brand to leverage the benefits of a refreshed company identity with a forward-looking approach.

3. Payment

Multiple Payment Options for Maximum Flexibility

We provide the following options for firm owners to allow them to tailor payment to their long-term financial goals and to optimize for tax savings.

  • Cash: Receive an immediate cash payment for part or all of the transaction.
  • Units in Spark Accounting Partners: Accept equity in Spark Accounting Partners, allowing you to participate in the future growth and success of the company.
  • Combination of Both: Choose a mix of cash and equity, balancing immediate liquidity with long-term growth potential.
  • We provide periodic redemption opportunities, allowing unitholders of Spark Accounting Partners to liquidate all or a portion of their units.

4. Involvement

Tailored Involvement to Fit Your Lifestyle

We offer flexible options that allow firm owners to align their professional involvement with their long-term financial and lifestyle goals.

  • Maintain Your Current Role: Continue in your current position and responsibilities, with the support of Spark’s resources to help ease your workload.
  • Scale Back or Redefine Your Role: Adjust your level of involvement to match your evolving priorities and goals.
  • Fully Retire with Confidence: Step away from day-to-day operations, knowing your firm is in trusted hands and well-positioned for continued success.

Accounting Firm Owner Benefits

Our Partner+ Program is designed to provide firm owners with the flexibility, resources, and support needed to achieve their transition goals while ensuring their firm’s continued growth and success.

  1. Tailored Deal Structures: Enjoy customized agreements designed to meet your financial and personal goals, including tax-efficient payment options and flexible terms for transitioning ownership.

  2. Future-Proofing Your Firm: Gain access to new ideas, energy, and bench strength to drive growth, adapt to industry changes, and ensure your firm thrives in a competitive landscape.

  3. Enhanced Scalability and Efficiency: Leverage Spark’s centralized back-office support, advanced technology, and proven systems to streamline operations and unlock new growth opportunities.

  4. Lifestyle Flexibility: Choose from various involvement options to align your role with your preferred lifestyle, whether you wish to remain active, scale back, or fully retire.

  5. Wealth-Building Opportunities: Build long-term financial security with options like equity in Spark Accounting Partners, profit-sharing arrangements, or a cash payout tailored to your needs.

  6. Legacy Planning and Continuity: Transition your firm confidently, knowing your clients, staff, and reputation are in expert hands, with structured plans to preserve and enhance your legacy.

  7. Tax-Optimized Transactions: Benefit from payment structures designed to optimize your tax position, maximizing the value of your transition or sale.

The Partner+ Advantage

Why this program could be right for you:

  1. Proven Systems for Growth: Unlock your firm’s potential with Spark’s expertise, operational resources, and strategies for profitability and client retention.

  2. Flexible Partnership Options: Choose from tailored deal structures that align with your financial and lifestyle goals, including minority partnerships, majority stakes, management agreements, or outright sales.

  3. Streamlined Succession Planning: Ensure a seamless transition for ownership, staff, and clients with customized plans for gradual or immediate change.

  4. Operational Support and Efficiency: Enhance your firm’s performance with centralized systems, professional support, and scalable processes designed for long-term success.

Ready to explore how Spark can support your firm’s growth and transition? Contact us today to start the conversation.

Partial Majority Acquisition

Spark acquires a majority stake in your firm, while you retain a minority interest. This allows you to stay involved at your preferred level, benefiting from Spark’s resources and the firm’s continued growth.

Spark purchases majority ownership but retains you as a partner or consultant, providing a percentage of profits as an incentive for your ongoing contributions to the firm’s success.

Full Acquisition

With a full acquisition, you can step away from the firm with confidence, knowing it will be in expert hands, or remain involved during the transition to ensure continuity for clients and staff.

Spark purchases 100% of your firm immediately.

Agree to a full acquisition with payments spread over a set period. Spark provides operational and financial support during the transition to ensure stability and growth.

Management-Only Agreement

Retain ownership of your firm while leveraging Spark’s expertise as a management partner. We handle operational responsibilities to drive efficiency and growth.

Maintain full ownership of your firm while sharing a percentage of future revenue growth with Spark. In exchange, Spark offers operational and marketing support to help scale the business.

Branding Options

We provide flexibility in how your firm presents itself post-partnership:

Continue operating under your existing name and identity while leveraging Spark’s resources and systems.

Transition to the Spark brand for greater recognition, marketing support, and integration.

Flexible Ownership and Liquidity Options

Our solutions prioritize your long-term goals and provide tailored options for ownership, liquidity, and involvement.

For any ownership you sell, choose between cash, shares in Spark’s parent company (ParentCo), or a mix of both.

For shares retained in your firm or ParentCo, Spark offers opportunities to sell quickly when needed, creating liquidity at your convenience.

You decide your role post-

  • Maintain your current responsibilities.

  • Scale back or redefine your involvement.

  • Fully retire with confidence that the firm is in capable hands.

Enabling transitions, empowering growth, and preserving legacies for accounting firm owners.

Menu

Get A Quote
Get A Quote