Ponte Vedra Beach CPA firm The GriggsGroup has changed its name to Pivot CPAs, rebranding the firm in a move officials say is designed to better align with the firm’s core business strategy of playing a pivotal role in its client’s business practices.
In announcing the name change, Managing Partner Peter Reynolds noted that while accounting firms typically use the name or initials of the partners, a marketing study convinced the firm to break with tradition and adopt a name that better communicates the value it delivers to clients.
“We continually hear from our clients that they feel we are much more deeply involved with them than just handling their taxes or annual audits,” Reynolds said. “It was truly gratifying to learn that they think of us as business partners and not just a vendor, that they rely on us for guidance and leadership.”
Conducted by MediaShare Consulting, the marketing study found that the firm’s clients considered The GriggsGroup to be a central point of focus, or pivot, on which they rely.
“CPAs can and do play a pivotal role in their clients’ business practices by providing business insight beyond tax and audit work,” Reynolds said. “We’re thrilled to be the one our clients call with an idea or an issue. We enjoy and take great pride in being an overall consultant as well as a tax and audit consultant. We are excited to be what may be the first CPA firm to not be named after its partners.”
Partner Wendy Ranson agreed. “This rebrand gives us all a new torch to carry and provides a rallying cry for the firm,” she said. “While we are the same firm, we have a new outlook.”
The new name also reflects the change in ownership that occurred in 2007, when founder Eric Griggs sold the firm to the existing ownership group. Since that time, officials said, the firm has grown significantly.
“Not only did our prior name not reflect the depth of our brand, but there is no longer a Griggs on the letterhead,” Reynolds said. “A shift toward a more demonstrative name that invokes the critical themes of the business is what we wanted in a new name.”
Added Audit Partner and longtime Co-Owner Scott Heller, “The brand promise is that Pivot CPAs provides the integrated expertise of a deep, national firm – strategy, tax and audit services – but our true value is providing a much broader scope of guidance to our clients’ entire financial landscape.
"So, as our name and subsequent new tagline represents, we go beyond accounting.”