About Build Your Firm

Founded by an Accountant

Build Your Firm (BYF) was founded by a practicing CPA, Allan Ratafia and marketer, Hugh Duffy in 2003. The insights that we teach and tools that we develop are uniquely designed for accounting practitioners, which makes us very different from all of the rest.

Our Story

BYF started as a continuing education provider (CPE) teaching our marketing system in hotels around the country in 2003. The marketing system that we taught was delivered in a do-it-yourself manner as we did not have the staff to provide this for accounting firms. At the end of our two day workshops, accountants would ask us to manage the marketing for them (not what we expected). Given the demand, we started to provide lead generation and website development for accounting firms and this has become the core of our business today.

Our Approach

Everything that BYF develops and recommends must have a return on investment (ROI) from the practicing accountant’s perspective. Our no B.S. approach is designed to help you generate better leads, operate a practice with a balanced lifestyle, operate at higher profit margins than the accounting industry and command a higher multiple when you ultimately sell your practice.

Innovation

We are proud to be the first at many things:

• First continuing education provider to recommend websites and online marketing
• First website developer to provide pay per click campaign management
• First to provide search engine optimization (and not charge extra)
• First (and only) to provide money back guarantee on website design services
• First to provide 60 day free trial on website development
• First to provide outsourced marketing for accountants (we provide the leads for your practice)
• First to develop niche accounting websites (we support over 40 niches today)
• First to develop a complete payment system for accountants (engagements, online payments, online reviews, three thankless functions within one tool)
• First to provide accountants with a tool to avoid credit card fees (avoid 3% bank fees)
• First to produce and provide video marketing for accountants.
• Exclusive website provider for Dope CFO franchises.
• Exclusive website provide for AICTP (Certified Tax Coaches)

Our marketing system is designed to help you work smarter, not harder.

And, we encourage our clients to provide us with feedback so we can improve our services and tools over time.