#55 – From the Trenches: Accounting, M&A & MSP Financial Maturity (Doug Johnston – Stonewall Finance)

Doug Johnston, founder of Stonewall Finance, specializes in financial leadership for MSPs — from bookkeeping cleanup and forecasting to M&A readiness and improving operational decision-making. In this conversation, we dig into what financial maturity looks like, where most MSPs get stuck, and how owners can use their numbers to make smarter, more confident decisions.

🎙 What We Cover in This Episode

 

• Why MSP financials are often messy — and how to fix them

• The difference between actuals, budgets, and forecasts

• Understanding financial maturity stages for MSP owners

• Clean books as the foundation for valuation and M&A readiness

• Sales tax complexity and state-level audit risks

• The CFO mindset: how to think beyond the P&L

• How buyers de-risk MSP acquisitions

• Why operational metrics matter as much as financial ones

• The accountant’s role — and boundaries — in MSP deals

👤 Guest Links

 

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougjohnstoncpa

Company Website: https://stonewallfinance.com

🚀 Subscribe & Follow BMK Vision

 

YouTube (Video Podcast):

https://www.youtube.com/@beringmckinleyvision?sub_confirmation=1

 

Learn More About the Vision Platform:

https://beringmckinley.com/vision

 

Apply to Be a Guest:

https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog