Running a tax firm in 2026. What's actually working.
Ramon's lane. Lessons from running ETS, building the firm, picking partners, designing SOPs, writing in the firm voice, doing the marketing math. Some of this is for prospects who want to know what they're working with. Some is for other tax-firm operators trying to figure out the same questions we did. Either way it's the honest version of what's behind the scenes.
Most tax firms don't write about how they actually operate. Either they're embarrassed by what's behind the curtain or they think clients won't care. We disagree on both. The articles in this category cover the operational reality — the cap on new clients per month and why, the Kick + Relay + Gusto + Basecamp tech stack and how it talks to each other, the Hormozi-direct copy mechanics we used to rebuild the website, the partnership values that earn a vendor a slot on the partners page, the actual SOP documents we use internally. It's the operator-to-operator content for prospects who want to look behind the scenes — and for other tax-firm builders thinking about the same questions.
4 clusters. Articles grouped by what you're actually trying to solve.
Each cluster covers one operational area in depth. Articles within a cluster reinforce each other; clusters cross-link between categories where the topics overlap.
Building ETS
2/4 liveThe cap model · partnership values · why we cut crypto · Tax Story Match origin · firm philosophy
SOPs + Operations
0/4 liveBasecamp workflow · monthly close discipline · intake process · Round N preparer review
Voice + Brand
1/3 liveHormozi-direct copy mechanics · Tax Story Match™ messaging · ETS Design System · website rebuild
Industry Observations
1/3 liveAI in tax practice · the OBBBA fallout · where small firms win in 2026 · the future of bookkeeping
4 articles in Operator Seat
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AI in Tax Practice (2026 Edition): What Actually Works at a Boutique Firm
AI in tax practice in 2026 is not 'GPT writes your return.' It's narrower, more operational, and more valuable than the hype suggests — when used right. Here's what we've actually deployed.
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Hormozi Mechanics for Tax Firms
Hormozi's playbook is the most-copied marketing framework of the 2020s. Most tax firms imitate the surface and miss the substance. Here's what actually works for professional services.
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How We Built the Tax Story Match™ Methodology
Tax Story Match™ started as a complaint about how badly other firms diagnose. It became the framework we now run every engagement against. Here's the story of how it came together — and what it does that no other tax firm's intake process does.
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Why ETS Caps at Three New Clients a Month (and Why You Should Care)
Most tax firms scale by hiring associates. We scale by saying no. Here's the math behind the cap and what it actually does for client outcomes.
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