Meet a Member: Stacie Muldoon

ABOUT STACIE

• Name: Stacie Muldoon
• Title: Chief Growth Officer
• Years of Experience: 17
• College Name & Degree(s): Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, Minor in Economics
• Firm Name: Mengel Metzger Barr & Co. LLP
• Firm City & State: Rochester, Canandaigua & Elmira, NY
• Firm Size: 140
• Email Address: smuldoon@mmb-co.com
• Community Involvement: Rochester Business Classic Golf Tournament
• LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciemuldoon/

What is your firm’s recruiting strategy?
With the recruiting space becoming more competitive due to remote working options, MMB has made a defined shift toward year-round recruitment. Of course, the fall timeframe is always key, however, we have developed focused teams for each heavily-recruited college/university in our region in an effort to maintain year-round relationships with the students and faculty. The days of solely attending recruitment open houses are not enough. Our teams focus on finding unique ways to connect through providing educational presentations to classes, developing strong relationships with the business school departments, and making connections directly with the students a lot earlier in their college careers. Consistency is key to attracting the best and brightest!

Within your career, what have you learned the hard way?
I am a people pleaser, which is not always helpful working as a marketer amongst CPAs! When I began my career with MMB, I was apprehensive about change and sought out complete buy-in on marketing initiatives prior to commencement. At times, this slowed or prevented me from making a positive impact in my role as the firm was evolving. As I have grown and our firm has expanded, I have learned that it is nearly impossible to make everyone happy. By gaining the trust from the leadership team, making informed and educated decisions, communicating clearly, and staying true to the MMB brand, I have gained the confidence needed to push outside my comfort zone. As marketers, our minds think a little differently than others, and that’s OK!

What is something people may not know about you?
Before starting my career in marketing at MMB, I was running a family-owned construction business that happened to be an audit client of MMB! I didn’t know it at the time, but the years spent as a client were the best training I could have ever had for my current position. Seeing things from the client perspective not only taught me a tremendous amount about the technical side of our industry, but it also allowed me to gain a better understanding of the intangible side. The establishment of a trusted relationship and the art of truly listening and supporting the client was not lost on me. This is something I continue to encourage in our firm culture at all levels and will stand the test of time with our profession.

What do you feel is the biggest issue facing accounting marketers today?
This is something I feel will never change…differentiation! In a post-COVID world where remote work is more widely accepted, the competition to win ideal clients has increased significantly. What do prospects look for most, and how do you meet those needs better than the competition? For those prospects who have fully embraced the more remote environment, how do you make your firm stand out from the others in a written proposal or in your digital brand? As a firm that has found significant success through building relationships in our communities, the need for differentiation is more now than ever.

What is the biggest project you are working on right now?
We are nearing the completion of a logo refresh in preparation for the official start date of our most recent merger. With a completely new look and adjustment to our firm name, along with the addition of a fourth office in a new market, this is a marketer’s dream! As we complete the logo design, our heads are spinning with ideas for the new website, new proposal templates, stationery, collateral materials, and an external launch all by January 1, 2023. The clock is ticking, and our marketing team is bursting with excitement.

What books have you read recently that you feel would be beneficial to other AAM members?
Two books by Todd Cohen have been helpful for me as the business development market has become increasingly competitive. Everyone’s In Sales and Stop Apologizing and Start Selling both offer practical ways everyone can help grow your firm without the stereotypical pushy tactics our CPA peers dread. They are both quick reads with a lot of takeaways that I have used when coaching some of the partners within MMB.