Earn free CPE with Earmark! Take your learning on the go and earn NASBA-approved CPE just for listening to The INSIDE Public Accounting Podcast. Simply listen, take a short quiz, and download your certificate. Start now on the IPA channel in the Earmark app: INSIDE Public Accounting | Earmark CPE

The IPA Practice Management Survey is one of the most powerful tools available to accounting firm leaders—and one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode of the INSIDE Public Accounting podcast, Rob Brown is joined by Chelsea Summers, Executive Director of IPA, for a practical, step-by-step breakdown of the survey that powers IPA’s benchmarking, rankings and long-term insights into the profession.

They cover what the survey includes, how firms of all sizes can participate, and why more than 600 firms submit data each year. Chelsea explains how IPA standardizes and reviews submissions, the cost to participate and how the data ultimately drives the IPA 500, Best of the Best firms and a wide range of benchmarking reports.

The conversation also dives into how firms actually use the data—supporting strategic planning, compensation decisions, talent strategy, board reporting and even M&A diligence. Plus, Chelsea shares tips for first-time participants and discusses how IPA is expanding its data collection around AI and technology adoption.

If you’re looking for clarity, comparison, and a data-driven roadmap for your firm, this episode explains why the IPA Practice Management Survey is a critical place to start.