Cultivating Community

When we first started Breakaway more than five years ago, we knew we wanted to create a different kind of accounting company: one where each advisor is an owner not an employee; where each owner reaps the rewards of their own hard work; and where advisors work closely with clients as true partners, instead of seeing them as just another number to bill. 

 And we knew from the beginning that to make this whole thing work we would need one thing above all else: community.

 Community is our secret sauce here at Breakaway, and what sets us apart from the many “one and done” business development workshops or networking groups, or the option of solopreneurship.

But we know community doesn't build or maintain itself, so though we are proud to be a 100% remote company, we are intentional about our approach to community. Among the most important things we do is our in-person Annual Meeting, held each September in Portland, Oregon. 

 Last month we had a blast exploring the area and spending time together while hiking, enjoying local restaurants, lacing up our sneakers for a friendly pickleball tournament, and touring wineries in the beautiful Willamette Valley. 

The highlight by far was our Thursday meeting and community reception, when our founders, advisors, friends, and clients gathered at the picturesque Our Table Cooperative. We spent the day learning from vendors, partners, and each other, celebrating achievements of the past year, looking toward the year ahead, and of course eating delicious food. Our CEO Shea Keats gave a keynote speech about resilience, our 2026 word of the year. (Look for more to come throughout the year about how to build a resilient business!)

It was our fifth annual meeting, and the best one yet. We left Oregon feeling reconnected and recharged, and set the stage for even more growth and success in 2026.

Thank you to our sponsors who made the event possible, especially those who traveled to Oregon to enjoy the event with us. We couldn't have done it without your help!