At Upstream Academy, we guide accounting firms to high performance through strategic execution, leadership activation, and professional education. People are the key to high performance. Our approach helps firm leaders unlock their teams’ potential.
We work alongside firms across North America to provide clarity, structure, and practical guidance so leaders can move forward with confidence.
We create development opportunities at every level of the firm through:
Each experience is designed to create real progress inside the firm. Not just learning, but measurable growth.
You can find a full list of our programs here.
At Upstream, we believe learning only matters if it changes behavior.
That’s why we combine structured development with real-world application. Participants don’t just gain knowledge. They build judgment, confidence, and the ability to act.
Our approach includes:
This creates a continuous development experience, not a one-time event. Learning happens, is applied, and then is reinforced over time.
Built for Implementation
We don’t stop at ideas. Participants work through real situations, apply concepts in context, and leave with clear next steps. The focus is on applying skills and building confidence through practice, so they are ready to act, not just understand.
Built for Difficult Decisions
Leadership is full of tradeoffs, uncertainty, and people challenges. We focus on developing judgment, helping leaders think critically, asking better questions, and navigating the gray areas that define real leadership.
Built for Modern Learning
Today’s professionals learn best through interaction, reflection, and application. Our approach is designed to keep participants engaged and ensure ideas stick so they can be used long after the session ends.
When development is done right, the results are clear:
More than 150 firms each year trust Upstream to help develop their people and improve performance. Through our programs, we’ve supported the development of over 1,500 accounting firm partners. Many now serve as firm leadership.
Over time, that impact compounds. Firms strengthen their leadership pipelines, expand strategically, and build more resilient organizations.
Upstream Academy is led by Managing Director Jeremy Clopton, supported by a team of experienced professionals and faculty with deep roots in public accounting.
Founded in 2000, Upstream has spent more than two decades helping firms navigate change, develop leaders, and build stronger businesses. Led for many years by Sam Allred, Tim Bartz, and Georgia Cummings, that foundation continues to shape our work today.
Improving performance doesn’t happen by accident.
It requires intentional investment in people and a clear path forward.
We are here to help you do exactly that.
Explore more about how we work with firms:
If you’d like to learn more about our programs, services and other resources for accounting firms, please reach out to us at Upstream Academy. Call us at 406-495-1850 or send an email to [email protected].
