Harris, Hardy & Johnstone

What Harris, Hardy & Johnstone does

Harris, Hardy & Johnstone, P.C. (HHJ) is a privately held, Central Virginia-based CPA firm founded in the mid-1980s by Tim Harris and William E. Hardy after they departed the Big 4, with Frank Johnstone joining shortly thereafter to give the firm its name. Operating from a single headquarters in North Chesterfield, Virginia, the firm employs approximately 42 professionals including 8 active partners, a President, a COO, two emeritus partners, and staff across senior manager, manager, supervisor, senior, staff accountant, para-professional, and administrative roles. The firm is structured as a Virginia professional corporation, is BBB Accredited, and holds memberships in the AICPA and VSCPA, with partner credentials spanning CPA, CITP, CFE, and MBA designations.

The firm delivers a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product, organized across Tax (Business Tax, Personal Income Tax), Audit & Attestation, Estates & Trusts, and Advisory Services — the last of which bundles Outsourced Accounting, QuickBooks Consulting, and fractional-CFO-style Business Management Services. HHJ packages its offering by industry vertical, serving closely-held businesses, construction, healthcare, individuals and families, nonprofits, and hospitality. Service delivery is supported by a cloud-based stack centered on Intuit QuickBooks Online (the firm holds Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor status), with Citrix ShareFile for secure document exchange, Zoom for virtual meetings, QuickFee for online bill payment, and a Rightworks-powered client website that hosts downloadable tax guides, eBooks, and a refund tracker.

HHJ's revenue model blends fixed monthly subscription pricing for outsourced accounting, advisory, and business management engagements with quote-based professional services fees for tax preparation, audit and attestation, estate and trust planning, QuickBooks consulting, and foundation services. Distribution is partner-led and relationship-driven within Central Virginia, complemented by content marketing (annual tax guides, five eBooks released in 2025, QuickReads articles republished by CPA Practice Advisor), organic social presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and referrals through AICPA/VSCPA networks. The firm has been voted the #1 Accounting Firm in Central Virginia by Virginia Living for three consecutive years (2024–2026).

Name

Harris, Hardy & Johnstone

Legal name

Harris Hardy & Johnstone PC

Website

https://hhjcpa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harris, Hardy & Johnstone, P.C. is a Central Virginia CPA firm offering tax, audit, advisory, outsourced accounting, and estate planning services to closely-held businesses, construction, healthcare, nonprofit, hospitality, and individual clients across the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Outsourced Accounting (subscription): Recurring fixed monthly fee bundled service for day-to-day accounting tasks including transaction classification, payroll, bill payment, invoicing, business tax planning and preparation, and reporting — designed as 'like having your own accounting department.'
2. Advisory Services (subscription): Fixed monthly fee for ongoing bookkeeping, payroll, bill pay, invoicing, tax planning/preparation, and reporting — eliminating 'billing surprises caused by creeping hourly fees.'
3. Business Management Services (fractional CFO): Recurring fractional-CFO-style engagements covering budgeting, revenue/expense/payroll/COGS/credit card fee/cash flow analysis, industry KPI tracking, and tax planning/projections.
4. Business Tax Preparation & Planning: One-time/annual tax return preparation plus year-round strategic tax planning and advice for sole proprietors, corporations, and partnerships.
5. Personal Income Tax Preparation: Annual personal tax return preparation and year-round tax advisory for individuals.
6. Audit & Attestation Services: Engagement-based audit, review, and compilation services for third-party assurance requirements; fees based on level of assurance and engagement scope.
7. Estates & Trusts Services: Estate, trust, and tax planning services including development and implementation of comprehensive plans to protect, grow, and preserve wealth across generations.
8. QuickBooks Consulting: One-time setup and training engagements plus ongoing consulting for QuickBooks platform optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Harris, Hardy & Johnstone is a Central Virginia CPA firm that delivers tax preparation and planning, audit and attestation, outsourced accounting, business advisory, and estate/trust services to closely-held businesses, niche industry operators (construction, healthcare, hospitality, nonprofits), and individuals/families. Recurring outsourced accounting and advisory services are delivered at a fixed monthly fee, while tax, audit, and consulting engagements are billed on a quote basis with year-round partner-led support.

Product overview

Harris, Hardy & Johnstone PC is a Central Virginia-based CPA firm offering a portfolio of professional tax, accounting, audit, and advisory services rather than a single unified software product. The firm's offerings are organized into service categories — Tax (Business Tax, Personal Income Tax), Audit & Attestation Services, Estates & Trusts, Business Foundation Services (Entity Type Analysis, Accounting System Setup), and Advisory Services (Outsourced Accounting, QuickBooks Consulting, Business Management Services) — and are also packaged by client industry vertical, including Closely-held Businesses, Construction, Healthcare, People (individuals/families), Nonprofits, and Hospitality. The Client Center integrates third-party tools such as QuickBooks Online, Zoom, ShareFile, and QuickFee to support service delivery, and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors on staff support the QuickBooks Consulting offering. Resources include a Refund Tracker and a library of eBooks and QuickReads articles for client education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Income Tax Personal tax preparation and planning service for individuals, featuring a modern digital and secure process from tax document upload through e-signature and filing, with year-round advisory support.
• Business Tax Business tax return preparation and strategic tax planning for sole proprietors, corporations, and partnerships, with year-round advisory support and a streamlined digital experience.
• Audit & Attestation Services Audit, review, and compilation services for financial statements and internal controls over financial reporting, performed in accordance with applicable professional standards.
• Estates & Trusts Estate, trust, and tax planning services that coordinate with clients' attorneys to develop comprehensive plans protecting, growing, and preserving wealth across generations and minimizing estate taxes.
• Business Foundation Services A bundle of foundational services for new business owners covering entity type analysis, accounting system setup, and retirement plan analysis, including state and federal form preparation.
• Advisory Services Comprehensive bookkeeping and back-office accounting handling daily transaction classification, expense tracking, payroll, bill payment, invoicing, business tax planning, and reporting, billed at a fixed monthly fee and delivered via Outsourced Accounting, QuickBooks Consulting, and Business Management (fractional-CFO) engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted #1 Accounting Firm in Central Virginia for three consecutive years (2024, 2025, 2026) by Virginia Living
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Intuit QuickBooksflagshipTechnology or IntegrationHHJ is a Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor firm and prominently displays the Intuit QuickBooks logo in its 'WHO WE WORK WITH' section. The firm offers dedicated QuickBooks Consulting services (setup, training, optimization) and embeds QuickBooks Online as the primary client accounting platform via its Client Center. The relationship is bidirectional: HHJ implements/administers QuickBooks for clients while Intuit provides the underlying platform, certifications, and partnership resources.
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationZoom is integrated into HHJ's Client Center for virtual meetings with clients. The Zoom logo is featured in both the Client Center apps section and the 'WHO WE WORK WITH' partner logos on the homepage. Used as the firm's primary video conferencing/collaboration tool for remote and hybrid client engagements.
• ShareFile (Citrix)coreTechnology or IntegrationShareFile (hhjcpa.sharefile.com) is integrated as the firm's secure client document exchange portal and is prominently listed in the Client Center apps and 'WHO WE WORK WITH' partner logos. Provides encrypted document upload/download and signature workflows for tax and audit engagements.
• QuickFeecoreTechnology or IntegrationQuickFee powers the firm's online 'Bill Pay' payment portal (qsop.quickfee.com/payment-portal/HHJCPA) and is featured in the 'WHO WE WORK WITH' logos. Provides clients with online payment options for invoices and tax preparation fees.
• AICPA (American Institute of CPAs)coreOthersHHJ displays the AICPA logo on its homepage with a link to aicpa.org, signaling professional membership and alignment with AICPA standards. Multiple firm partners (e.g., William E. Hardy, W. Lee Chaney III, Franklin R. Johnstone) are members of the AICPA. The relationship supports credibility, professional standards adherence, and continuing education.
• VSCPA (Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants)coreOthersHHJ displays the VSCPA logo on its homepage linking to vscpa.com. Firm partners (William E. Hardy, W. Lee Chaney III, Frank S. Warren Jr., Franklin R. Johnstone, Brian W. Minor) are referenced as members or board contributors. Brian Minor is a graduate of the inaugural VSCPA Leadership Academy and contributes to the VSCPA's Ask a CPA Email Program for not-for-profits.
• BBB (Better Business Bureau)minorOthersHHJ holds BBB Accredited Business status under the profile 'Harris Hardy Johnstone PC' in North Chesterfield, VA (BBB sealclick URL referenced). Displays the BBB accredited logo on its homepage footer. Supports trust and consumer confidence.
• RightworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationWebsite footer states 'website powered by Rightworks', indicating Rightworks provides the firm's website platform / hosting infrastructure. Supports the firm's online presence, client-facing portals, and content management for resources and tax guides.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Keiter CPAs: Mid-sized regional CPA firm headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, serving closely-held businesses, construction, healthcare, nonprofits, and individuals with tax, audit, and advisory services — directly comparable to HHJ by size, geography, and vertical mix.
• PBMares: Mid-Atlantic regional CPA firm with offices across Virginia providing tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting services to closely-held businesses and industries similar to HHJ's verticals — directly comparable in scale and service mix.
• Yount, Hyde & Barbour (YHB): Virginia-headquartered regional CPA firm offering tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting to closely-held businesses, nonprofits, healthcare, and construction — closely comparable to HHJ in size, geography, and vertical specialization.
• Brown Edwards: Mid-Atlantic CPA firm with Virginia offices providing tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting services to closely-held businesses, construction, healthcare, and nonprofits — comparable to HHJ in regional positioning and service portfolio.
• WellsColeman: Virginia-based CPA and business advisory firm serving closely-held businesses, individuals, and nonprofits with tax, audit, and outsourced accounting — closely comparable to HHJ in size, geography, and relationship-driven service model.
• Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer: Norfolk/Virginia-based regional CPA firm providing tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting services to closely-held businesses, construction, real estate, and nonprofits — directly comparable to HHJ in size and vertical mix.

Broad incumbents

• Cherry Bekaert: Top-30 U.S. accounting firm with significant Mid-Atlantic presence including Virginia, offering tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting across similar verticals — comparable to HHJ by service mix but at substantially larger scale.
• Aprio: Top-50 U.S. accounting and advisory firm providing tax, audit, outsourced accounting, and CFO advisory to closely-held businesses and industries overlapping with HHJ's verticals — broader geographic footprint than HHJ.
• CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA): Top-10 U.S. accounting firm providing tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting services including construction, healthcare, and nonprofit verticals — comparable to HHJ by service mix and verticals but at much larger scale.
• Withum: Top-30 U.S. accounting and advisory firm with Mid-Atlantic presence offering tax, audit, advisory, and outsourced accounting to closely-held businesses and niche industries — comparable to HHJ in verticals but at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HHJCPA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harris-hardy-and-johnstone-p.c.
• Instagraminstagram.com/harrishardyandjohnstonepc
• Xx.com/HHJcertifiedpa

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harris, Hardy & Johnstone