About
About SmartFirm: automation and AI built for accounting firms.
SmartFirm is an automation and AI firm built specifically for CPAs, bookkeepers, and tax professionals. We design the workflow automation, AI adoption roadmaps, and marketing systems that help accounting practices run more efficiently and scale sustainably.
Get StartedAbout SmartFirm: Engineering Built for Your Industry
When you learn about SmartFirm, the first thing to know is that we focus exclusively on accounting firms because this industry has operational challenges that generic agencies and consultants do not understand. From compliance-sensitive workflows and data security to the demands of tax season and the shift toward advisory services, every system we design is informed by how accounting firms actually operate.
Our core work is process engineering and automation: eliminating the hours per week that most 5-25 person firms lose to document chasing, data re-entry, and invisible admin overhead. We design, build, and implement the workflow automation, CRM integrations, and AI-powered systems that reclaim that time and let your team focus on advisory work.
We also build the marketing infrastructure that brings the right clients to your door: SEO that targets decision-makers searching for your services, content that demonstrates your expertise, and lead nurture sequences that turn prospects into clients. But marketing follows operations, not the other way around. A firm that cannot deliver efficiently will not benefit from more leads.
About SmartFirm's approach: we start with process diagnosis, identify the highest-ROI automation opportunities, and implement systems that integrate with your existing tech stack (QuickBooks, CCH Axcess, Karbon, Practice Ignition, or whatever you already use). We do not sell you software. We make your existing tools work better together.
Industry-Focused
100% of our work is with accounting and bookkeeping firms.
Compliance-Aware
We understand the regulatory landscape and build systems that respect it.
Seasonal Expertise
We plan around tax season, extension deadlines, and year-end cycles.
What we do
From attracting new clients to streamlining how you serve them, we cover the full spectrum of growth and efficiency.
- 01
Workflow Automation
Eliminate repetitive tasks across document collection, data entry, and client communication. Reclaim time with engineered workflows tailored to your practice management stack.
See business optimization services - 02
AI and Technology Consulting
AI adoption roadmaps, technology stack optimization, and process improvements designed for how your firm actually operates.
See AI roadmap and strategy services - 03
Client Onboarding Automation
Streamlined intake, document collection, and engagement letter workflows that create a consistent, professional experience for every new client.
Learn how - 04
SEO and Content
Help your firm rank for the searches that matter most, from local visibility to service-specific queries.
See SEO services - 05
Marketing Automation
Automated lead nurture, email campaigns, and follow-up sequences that keep prospects engaged without manual effort.
Learn how - 06
Review Generation
Automated systems that encourage happy clients to share their experience, building your online reputation over time.
Explore reputation management
More Than Marketing
While marketing brings clients to your door, our core strength is engineering the operational systems that let your firm handle those clients efficiently. We design and implement workflow automation, CRM integrations, AI-powered process optimization, and technology roadmaps alongside our marketing services.
The typical accounting firm we work with has 5 to 25 people and is losing 10 to 20 hours per week to manual data entry, document chasing, and administrative friction. We eliminate that waste through targeted automation, freeing your team to focus on advisory services and client relationships.
The result: a firm that grows revenue without proportionally growing headcount or complexity. You serve more clients, at higher margins, with the same team.
Why we focus on accounting firms
Specialization allows us to deliver better results, faster. Here is why we chose this industry.
- 01
Unique Compliance Needs
Accounting firms operate under strict regulatory requirements. Marketing and automation must respect data privacy, ethical standards, and professional guidelines that generic agencies often overlook.
- 02
Seasonal Business Cycles
Tax season, quarterly filings, and year-end planning create predictable but intense workload spikes. Our strategies are designed around these rhythms, not against them.
- 03
Trust-Based Client Relationships
Your clients trust you with sensitive financial information. Marketing and client experience systems need to reinforce that trust at every touchpoint.
- 04
Shifting Industry Landscape
With commoditization of basic compliance work and the rise of AI, firms need to differentiate through advisory services, technology adoption, and exceptional client experience.
Meet the founder
Katie Steele, Founder
Katie Steele is the founder of SmartFirm, an automation and AI partner built exclusively for accounting firms. She brings 30 years of bookkeeping experience and a background spanning enterprise CRM and finance systems, private equity operations, and small business marketing. Her focus is practical: helping CPAs, bookkeepers, and tax professionals cut the repetitive admin that drains their best people and put new technology to work without long, disruptive projects.
Katie founded SmartFirm after years of building automation systems for professional services firms and watching generic marketing agencies fail to understand the operational realities of accounting practices. She saw firms paying for lead generation they could not handle, or paying for websites that did not convert, because the underlying workflows were broken.
Founded
2024
Based in
Eugene, Oregon
Serving accounting firms nationwide
Ready to Talk About SmartFirm?
We would love to learn about your firm and explore how we can help you grow. No obligation, just a conversation about your goals and what is possible.