#103: Starting a Crypto Accounting Firm with Mackenzie Thota from Hash Basis

If you’re in a stable 9-to-5 job and thinking, “In 2026, I want to start my own crypto accounting firm” , this episode is for you.Starting an accounting practice isn’t just about technical skills. One of the first and most important decisions you’ll make is choosing your niche, and in crypto, that decision shapes everything that follows.My guest is Mackenzie Thota, Founder of Hash Basis. At only 25 years old, she left a secure crypto accounting role at Figment, one of the leading blockchain validators, to go fully entrepreneurial and build a crypto-native accounting & tax firm.✅ OUR RESOURCES🌐 Join a global community of web3 accounting & finance professionals - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theaccountantquits.com/courses⁠⁠⁠ 🤓 Join the FREE Crypto Accounting Class & learn how to start working in web3 accounting ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theaccountantquits.com/free-class⁠⁠⁠ 🙌 Join the next cohort of the Crypto Accounting Academy and learn how to manage a business using crypto ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theaccountantquits.com/crypto-accounting-academy⁠⁠⁠ 💎 Join the next cohort of the Crypto Treasury Management Academy and learn how to optimize, allocate and protect your organization's treasury ⁠⁠⁠https://www.theaccountantquits.com/crypto-treasury-management-academy⁠⁠⁠ 💰Simplify crypto AR, AP & accounting using Request Finance & get 2 months for free - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.request.finance/partners/theaccountantquits⁠⁠⁠✊ Follow The Accountant Quits on Socials👉 LinkedIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-accountant-quits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Twitter(X): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/accountantquits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theaccountantquits⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Follow Episode Guest Mackenzie Thota: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziepatel/🎧 WebsiteFor show notes and past guests, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theaccountantquits.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Topics covered:(0:00) Coming Up(3:13) Quitting the 9-5 job (6:11) Do you make enough money(10:20) Hash Basis overview(7:19) Checklist to start(13:12) Crypto tax or accounting first?(15:35) Finding your first client(17:09) Get 2 months for free with Request Finance(19:17) Finding your ideal clients(23:10) Sales call(25:38) Red flags on sales call(27:02)  Client onboarding process(29:44)  Pricing mistakes(32:48) What makes a client complex?(35:39) Learnings from external audits(36:54) Practice management tools(39:43) Other tools(40:29) Choosing a subledger(43:50) Recharge subledger expense to clients(44:44) Cost for minimum viable tech stack(46:36) Using AI/Automation(49:15) Hiring contractors remotely(52:05) Training the team(53:46) New DeFi challenges(57:24) Mackenzie’s advice(58:16) Reach out to  Mackenzie