Dark Horse CPAs, an accounting and tax firm serving small businesses nationwide, has promoted Chris Ries, CPA, from Associate Principal to Principal following his completion of the firm's Principal Accelerator Program. Ries joins a growing group of Principals building independent practices within the Dark Horse platform, which provides administrative infrastructure, sales training, lead generation, and operational support.
Ries's path to Principal required a deliberate shift from pure client service to practice ownership. While Dark Horse supplies resources, Ries acknowledged that the responsibility of shaping a practice ultimately falls on the Principal. "There's a lot more that goes into running a practice than just serving clients' tax and accounting needs," said Ries. "The first few months required a lot of soul-searching and getting clear on what kind of work I actually wanted to do, instead of just taking on everything that came my way. That process was challenging, but it's also what made it rewarding."
For Ries, the most significant aspect has been the people behind the model. He credits Dark Horse's leadership team and peer community as a defining distinction from traditional partnership structures. "Running your own practice can be lonely, especially in a profession where no one person can realistically know everything," Ries said. "Here, leadership is focused entirely on supporting Principals and Accelerators, not splitting their attention across client work. That changes everything. When Principals are supported, clients are better served. On top of that, the community of Principals and Accelerators is genuinely collaborative. People want to see each other succeed, and they show up to help."
One unexpected discovery Ries made during the Accelerator Program was that lead flow was not the primary obstacle. "I worried there wouldn't be enough opportunities coming in," he said. "Instead, the real work was figuring out who I wanted to serve and how I wanted to serve them. Learning to say no to opportunities that didn't fit was something I didn't expect, but it's what allowed me to build a practice aligned with my goals." Ries expressed enthusiasm for the flexibility and autonomy that comes with Principal ownership. "There's no pressure to chase arbitrary growth targets," he said. "My focus is building a practice that fits my life, my priorities, and the clients I want to work with. The vision will evolve, and that's okay."
Chase Birky, CEO and co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs, recalled initial skepticism about Ries. "When our Chief Revenue Officer, Justin Kurn, brought Chris to a third-round interview and told me how long he'd been in public accounting, I told him to cancel it because I thought there was no way he could be ready for this job at this point in his career," Birky said. "Justin persisted to advocate for him so, eventually, I gave in. And, I'm so glad I did. It was immediately apparent that he knew his craft and had great mentors that invested in him along the way." Birky noted that Ries's emotional intelligence and mature presentation convinced him. "The rest is history as he's been exactly the caliber of CPA we came to learn about in those interviews and has continued to grow his skillset in ways that benefit his clients."
The Principal Accelerator Program is designed for entrepreneurially minded CPAs who want to build a scalable book of business without starting from scratch. Dark Horse provides resources, technology, and operational support, including training on its proprietary tech stack, sales coaching, and access to professional staff. Upon successful completion, Accelerators can become equity Principals. The program is currently accepting new participants; interested CPAs can learn more at abetterway.cpa.
Dark Horse CPAs offers integrated tax, accounting, and CFO services to small businesses and individuals across the U.S. The firm aims to bring tax strategies and accounting insights traditionally reserved for big business to small businesses. More information is available at darkhorse.cpa.
