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Off-market deal: Fast-growing accounting firm with 5,500 clients and 50%+ margins

$2.4M revenue, 13% YoY growth, and already running 36% ahead of last year

Ben Kelly Ben KellyApril 15, 2026 · 3 min read
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Hey it’s Ben!

In this week’s off-market deal, we’re highlighting a tax and accounting firm in the Chicago suburbs that has grown from 157 clients to over 5,500 in eleven years (entirely through word of mouth) that just came across our radar.

With $2.4M in 2025 revenue, 50-55% net margins, and early 2026 numbers already running 36% ahead of last year, this is one of the stronger growth stories we’ve seen in the accounting space.


Community Spotlight

Andrew bought a $700K nail salon in LA with his wife after joining Acquisition Ace, and found his investor through the AA investor database.

“It’s so true. It’s the community. Frankly, it’s like graduate school. It’s about the people you meet... everything good in my life has been through word of mouth... having met Darwin and meeting so many more people as more deals come up. It’s the community. 100%.”

After finding an investor in the Acquisition Ace database and putting just $40K out of pocket, he’s on track for a 300%+ return in year one.

👉 Want a community where you can find investors, build relationships, and close deals? Book a call with our team here.


The Deal Overview

This is a full-service tax and accounting firm serving primarily small and mid-sized businesses across corporate tax prep, bookkeeping, payroll, and compliance.

The owner is not a CPA and has built the firm as an operator and growth driver, meaning a buyer doesn’t need accounting credentials to step in.

The firm has 23 employees across multiple functions including CPAs, payroll specialists, client coordinators, and internal managers who handle day-to-day operations.

Most client work is delivered digitally through cloud systems, giving it flexibility beyond its physical Chicago-area office.

This opportunity came through direct outreach in the Midwest accounting community and is not publicly listed.


The Numbers

2025 Revenue: ~$2.4M

2024 Revenue: ~$2.1M (13.2% YoY growth)

Net margins: 50-55% (normalized closer to 60% with add-backs)

Clients: 5,500+

Team: 23 employees

Debt: None

Early 2026: Already ~$930K revenue through 7 weeks, up ~36% YoY

The largest single client represents only $60K annually, meaning there’s no client concentration risk here.

(Inside Acquisition Ace, members get access to off-market opportunities like this before they hit public listings. Want first access to these deals? Book a call with our team here.)


Why this Deal Stands Out

Eleven consecutive years of organic growth with zero marketing spend is extraordinarily rare.

This firm has never needed to advertise, because its reputation does all the work for them.

The combination of zero debt, strong margins, a fully staffed team, and accelerating early 2026 performance makes this one of the cleanest accounting firm opportunities we’ve come across.

And with several hundred thousand dollars in potential add-backs still to be identified during diligence, the normalized profitability picture could look even better than it does on paper.

Want access to more deals like this?

Inside the Acquisition Ace community, we share off-market opportunities and help 2,000+ members find, finance, and close deals on profitable businesses.

If you’d be a good fit:

👉 Book a call with our team here so we can share how the Acquisition Ace community works, and whether it’s right for you.


Ben Kelly, founder of Acquisition Ace
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