Joining Crete Professionals Alliance with Steve Stagner | Culture, Change, and Growth

Today on Adeptus On-Air, host Mike Hoffman chats with Steve Stagner, CEO of Crete Professionals Alliance. Steve explains how the firm partners with accounting and professional services firms across the country using a model he calls “partner equity” rather than private equity. He discusses why preserving local culture and ownership is central to their approach, and how access to talent, technology, and capital helps firms prepare for succession and growth. Steve shares his perspective on change management, why he views AI as an enabler rather than a replacement, and how firms can shift from compliance-focused work to providing deeper advisory services. Tune in to hear lessons Steve has learned from scaling Mattress Firm to a multibillion-dollar company, the importance of investing in people, and what the next decade could look like for Create Professionals Alliance as it expands its footprint and builds shared learning across partner firms.