Which firm would Noah Kagan hire for bookkeeping?
Kimberly Green | 2025-03-22
Noah Kagan’s Post Sparked a Real Debate A few days ago, Noah Kagan , the founder of AppSumo and author of Million Dollar Weekend , posted a side-by-side comparison of two bookkeeping firm websites on X (formerly Twitter). His question was simple: "Which firm would you HIRE for your bookkeeping?" What followed was a firestorm of opinions: some chose the old-school site for its straightforwardness. Others liked the clean, “modern Webflow aesthetic.” And some didn’t like either. People went in on the modern one from Good Operator . “Looks like a SaaS product.” “No team photos, red flag.” “Hipster fonts, I'm out.” Meanwhile, others loved it. “Design-forward,” “clear positioning,” “looks like they actually care.” It was meant to spark a conversation—and it did. But it also surfaced a deeper issue most people run into when looking for an accountant: We judge firms based on things like fonts, stock photos, and landing page vibes… when what really matters is who they serve and how they work. We All Judge a Book By Its Cover (Especially on the Internet) It’s human nature. Whether you're browsing for an accountant or swiping on Hinge, you’re forming a split-second impression based on visuals. Do they look professional? Are they modern or traditional? Does this person (or firm) get me? It’s not wrong. But when it comes to accounting, that instinct can lead you astray. The Accounting Industry Is Behind After talking to hundreds of accountants while building Sam’s List , I can confidently tell you: you really can’t afford to judge a firm by its website. Why? Because accounting is one of the most outdated industries when it comes to design and marketing. Here’s what most accounting websites actually tell you: They don’t have a marketing department. They can’t justify spending $15K+ on a Webflow build. They’re focused on clients, not conversions. Or they’re bootstrapped and lean—especially if they serve smaller businesses. Unless they’re VC-backed, have an in-house marketing team, or hired an expensive agency, you’re usually getting a DIY site. That doesn’t mean the work they do is any less valuable. I think part of this comes from the old-school perception of accounting. We expect our CPAs to be buttoned-up, frugal, and "too busy" for a modern website. There's almost this subconscious belief that the clunkier the site, the more serious the accountant must be. But as someone...
