Meet Ron Baker — an accounting innovator who’s not afraid to challenge the status quo. He kicked off his career with KPMG’s Private Business Advisory Services in San Francisco back in 1984, but instead of sticking with the traditional path, Ron shifted his focus from accounting to rethinking how professional firms create and capture value and set out to shake things up. He’s the founder of the VeraSage Institute, where he’s been leading the charge to replace outdated billing methods (like the billable hour) with value-based pricing — a model that focuses on the actual impact of work, not just the time spent on it.

But Ron’s work doesn’t stop there. He’s also the co-founder of THRESHOLD, a project with Ed Kless that explores where the future of business and the economy is headed — especially for knowledge-based professions like accounting, law, and consulting. They believe we’re entering a new era where it’s not just about selling products or services anymore — it’s about creating real transformations for people and organizations.

Ron hosts The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Knowledge Economy on VoiceAmerica, where he shares his revolutionary ideas on value over time and how to enhance client relationships with value-based pricing. His influence has reached over 400,000 professionals, helping them shift from traditional billing to models that reflect the true value of their services.

Not just a pricing guru, Ron is also the author of eight best-selling books including Time’s Up and The Firm of the Future. These works are essential reads for anyone looking to transform how professional services are priced and delivered.

Ron’s efforts have landed him on Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People list multiple times, and he’s a go-to speaker and consultant for firms worldwide aiming to adopt his strategies. His achievements include induction into the CPA Practice Advisor Hall of Fame.

A dedicated educator, Ron has developed over 20 courses and is a faculty member of the Professional Pricing Society. Fun fact: His interest in accounting started early—at just 15, he was already doing taxes for his father’s barbershop!

Now based in Petaluma, California, Ron continues his mission to revolutionize the accounting profession, one mind at a time. Whether you’re an aspiring CPA, entrepreneur just diving into accounting or business leader looking to rethink how you value your work, Ron’s work is shaping the future of professional firms—and you could be part of it.