{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Growth Without Referrals","title":"Episode 58 - From Starting Over at 49 to Building a Thriving CPA Firm | Gary Cooper","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1153,"description":"What does it take to walk away from a successful corporate career, start your own business, and then rebuild it all over again at age 49?\nIn this episode of Growth Without Referrals, host Mark Ferguson sits down with Gary Newton Cooper, founder and owner of Cooper CPA Group in Houston, Texas, for an engaging conversation about entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, succession planning, and the future of accounting.\nGary's journey is anything but ordinary. From becoming the first person in his family to earn a college degree to serving as a CFO, taking a company public, earning eight patents, and building successful accounting practices, Gary has experienced the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship firsthand.\nWhen he relocated from Dallas to Houston at age 49, Gary had to rebuild his CPA practice from scratch. Rather than relying exclusively on traditional referrals, he created his own networking organization and embraced digital marketing and SEO to generate new business.\nToday, Gary shares the lessons he's learned and why he's passionate about helping the next generation of entrepreneurs succeed.\nIn this episode, you'll discover:\nStarting over at 49: How Gary rebuilt his CPA practice in a new market without an established client base.\nGrowth beyond referrals: How networking, SEO, content marketing, and digital visibility helped build a sustainable pipeline.\nThe entrepreneurial mindset: Why calculated risk-taking, focus, determination, and hiring the right people are essential for growth.\nBuilding a business worth buying: How clean financial records, documented processes, and reduced owner dependency can increase business value.\nSuccession and exit planning: Why entrepreneurs should prepare years in advance before selling their companies.\nAI and the future of accounting: How automation and artificial intelligence are reshaping professional services and creating new opportunities.\nMentoring the next generation: Why Gary believes sharing...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/NYwb67S6-1TluJIm7IWT5DNldCEIlXpN2yNDR9nHiiE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8zODM2/ZWZlYjNmZjljYjZk/MTZhNzE0ZWFjY2Ri/MDkxOC5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}