By Gail Crosley, CPA The days of building business by doing good work and chatting over lunch, ending with a firm handshake, are the historical legacy of our profession. But what about the future? Don't get me wrong – CPAs like a good meal as much as ever. But these days, lasting growth is a systematic process based on proven methodologies and metrics. Public accounting has long relied on creating books of business to ensure efficient, predictable success. But things have gotten more complex, as they have throughout corporate America.