A longer version of our LinkedIn post from September 24, 2026.
Most conversations about private equity in accounting start the same way. They want a majority of your firm first, and then they help you grow it.
The reason is straightforward: when the bigger transaction comes later, they keep most of the upside. You do get a second bite of the apple, it's just a small bite.
A simpler question about private equity in accounting
The partners who started Linked Accounting Alliance kept coming back to a simpler question. Why can't strong firms do what private equity does, together, without giving the apple away?
What a PE platform really offers a firm is not mysterious. It is shared technology, more people to lean on, specialists a small firm could never hire alone and an operating engine that has already been tested somewhere else. None of that requires an outside investor to own the firm. It requires firms that are willing to build it together and share it.
What we believe about our industry
That is the Alliance's main thesis. As partners who have operated in this industry for decades, we think we know it better than outside money does, and we think firm owners are better placed than anyone to decide how their firms should grow.
So member firms choose to share technology, staff and an operating engine they have built themselves, and the Alliance is owned by those member firms rather than by a fund.
What stays with the firm
In the Alliance, your brand stays yours, your people stay yours, your clients stay yours and your EBITDA stays yours. You keep running your firm day to day, and you own a share of the platform that is built to serve it, instead of becoming a line item on someone else's balance sheet.
That does not mean nothing is shared. Member firms agree to a short list of standards so they can share resources, like running on one practice platform, and bigger changes go to a vote of the members. The difference is that those decisions are made by the partners who own the firms, not by an investor with a timeline.
If you are weighing your options
If you are weighing independence against a roll-up, it is worth talking with firms that chose a third path. We would be glad to show you how it works and introduce you to partners who have been through it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I keep control of my firm?
Yes. You keep running your firm day to day, with your brand, your staff and your client relationships. You also keep setting your firm's profits, promotions and bonuses.
Do I keep my profits?
Yes. Member firms keep their profits, net of a modest management fee that covers Alliance operations, the Extended Back Office and other expenses the Board approves.
Who owns Linked Accounting Alliance?
Its member firms. The Alliance is a Utah-domiciled LLC governed by a Board of Governors with one partner from each member firm, and that Board oversees the executive team that runs it.
What do member firms share?
Technology, specialists and back-office support. The Shared Services Group brings valuation, cost segregation, R&D credit and fractional CFO specialists, and the Extended Back Office covers payroll, finance, HR, IT and staff recruiting. You can read more in our FAQ.
