# EP536: Melissa Broughton - Buy Before They Close: Acquiring Bookkeeping Firms The Smart Way

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-successful-bookkeeper-podcast-404887/ep536-melissa-broughton-buy-before-they-close-acquiring-bookkeeping-firms-the-smart-way
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-successful-bookkeeper-podcast-404887/ep536-melissa-broughton-buy-before-they-close-acquiring-bookkeeping-firms-the-smart-way.md
Podcast: [The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-successful-bookkeeper-podcast-404887)
Published: 2026-06-16T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com/podcast/
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/c47d7d88/45f1418a.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-successful-bookkeeper-podcast-404887/episodes/ep536-melissa-broughton-buy-before-they-close-acquiring-bookkeeping-firms-the-smart-way
Duration seconds: 2235

## Resource

See what the team at The Successful Bookkeeper has on right now → Melissa Broughton, founder of Busy Bee Advisors in Sacramento, has built a bookkeeping firm that grows not just through referrals and marketing, but through strategic acquisition of other bookkeeping practices. In this episode, she pulls back the curtain on her complete acquisition process — from finding firms before they shut their doors, to vetting the financials, to integrating clients without losing them. If you've ever wondered whether buying a book of business could be part of your growth plan, Melissa's experience — including the deals that went sideways — is exactly what you need to hear. Chapters [00:00] Cold open teaser [01:15] Melissa's growth journey since last episode [05:30] Launching an online bookkeeping course [09:00] How the acquisition strategy began [12:30] The 70% rule and the water test [17:00] Vetting financials and avoiding pitfalls [21:00] What makes a firm attractive to buyers [25:30] Client integration and transition lessons [30:00] Reading the seller's personality [33:30] Capacity, formulas, and skipping brokers How Melissa Got Into Acquisitions It started with a pattern Melissa kept hearing from tax professionals: a bookkeeper with a thriving practice would simply close up shop, send clients a farewell letter, and leave them scrambling. "There were bookkeepers who had successful, thriving practices and they just decided to retire — they just closed their doors." That gap between a bookkeeper ready to walk away and clients who still need service looked like an opportunity. The goal became getting in front of those owners before they pulled the plug. The 70% Rule and Other Benchmarks Melissa's core filter is straightforward: would the acquisition still be profitable if you only…

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## Transcript

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