Randy Crabtree Launched The Brainstorm Group
The firm provides leadership and culture advisory services to accounting firms looking to develop internal talent.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Professional Services
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Industry veteran Randy Crabtree has launched The Brainstorm Group, a consultancy focused on organizational change and leadership development for accounting firms. The venture also introduced an invitation-only community, The Brain Trust, to facilitate collaboration among service providers.
Why it matters
The firm aims to address long-standing challenges in workplace culture and talent development within the accounting profession. By gathering fintech, staffing, and financial service leaders, the initiative seeks to foster long-term professional relationships across the sector.
The firm enters the market following the founder's experience co-founding Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals in 2007. The new organization aims to support accounting firms through retreats, training, and strategic advisory services.
The players
Randy Crabtree
An industry veteran and host of The Unique CPA Podcast who previously served as partner and chief evangelist at Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals.
The Brainstorm Group
A new consultancy focused on leadership development, workplace culture, and organizational change for the accounting profession.
Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals
A tax specialty firm co-founded by Randy Crabtree in 2007.
The details
The Brainstorm Group operates by delivering leadership retreats and small-group training sessions tailored to accounting firm needs. Simultaneously, the platform manages The Brain Trust, an invitation-only community that brings together fintech, staffing, and growth financing providers to enable professional collaboration and shared learning.
Timeline
2007: Randy Crabtree co-founded Tri-Merit Specialty Tax Professionals.
September 22, 2026: The Brainstorm Group officially launched.
Market Landscape
The launch reflects ongoing industry efforts to improve workplace culture and retention, as frequently monitored by the CPA Career Satisfaction Survey. This development underscores a shift toward external advisory support for internal organizational challenges in accounting.
Accounting firm operators should evaluate their current internal training and culture initiatives against the firm's focus on leadership development. Managing partners may find value in assessing whether external advisory retreats align with their firm's organizational goals for the coming year.
The takeaway
The move highlights the increasing professionalization of accounting firm management and the reliance on external specialists for cultural change. Operators should review their existing talent development frameworks against industry benchmarks to identify gaps in leadership training.
Further reading
For broader trends in industry advisory, visit Professional Services.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The National Law Review - A Free To Use Nationwide Database of Legal Publications.
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