Kyle Pezzi’s entrepreneurial path began long before he ever considered running an accounting firm. At age fifteen, he was diagnosed with cancer in his right knee and spent nearly a year in the hospital undergoing surgeries and treatment. It was a traumatic and formative period one that forced him to confront mortality early and reshaped his view of what mattered.

The experience instilled in him a belief that life is short, time is precious, and artificial ceilings should never limit ambition. That mindset became the foundation of his “reach for the stars” philosophy, his willingness to take big risks, to bet on himself, and to pursue entrepreneurship with intensity.
He began his career in New York, working in investment banking, asset management, and private equity roles. On the side, he started acquiring real estate and car wash businesses. Entrepreneurship through acquisition became something he not only understood but loved. Eventually, he knew the next step was finding the right company to buy and grow. That search led him to Orlando.

Acquiring a Firm and Reinventing It

Twenty-four months ago, Kyle acquired Solutions Group Accounting Firm with a group of institutional investors. The business had a strong foundation, established staff, and a long-standing presence in the market, but it wasn’t yet designed for the future. There was no leadership depth, no infrastructure for scale, and no integrated advisory model to support the next generation of business owners. To transform the firm, Kyle rebuilt the leadership team from the ground up adding dedicated heads of tax, accounting, payroll, and managed accounting services, as well as strengthening CFO oversight and sales leadership. It was a Herculean effort, but essential for the vision he had in mind: to become a fully outsourced financial partner for small and mid-sized businesses across Florida.

A Mission to Remove Friction for Business Owners

Solutions Group operates on a simple belief: business owners don’t want to deal with accounting they just want to make confident decisions without friction.
“We’re not here to just file your taxes or clean up your books,” Kyle explains. “We’re here to help you think ahead to make proactive decisions that shape your future.” The firm’s model is built around integration and advisory. Tax planning, quarterly forecasting, forensic accounting, valuation work, and managed accounting services all connect seamlessly, giving clients what essentially functions as a full finance department under one roof.
The team meets clients 5–6 times a year not once during tax season and approaches accounting through the lens of CFO-level strategy and risk mitigation. This advisory-first model is rare in traditional accounting and is the foundation of the firm’s competitive advantage.

A New Kind of Accounting Firm: Proactive, Integrated, and Advisory-Led

In an industry dominated by reactive, compliance-heavy work, Solutions Group is rewriting expectations. Their proactive frameworks ensure clients understand how decisions made today affect next year’s tax exposure, cash flow trajectory, business valuation, and potential future exit paths. This approach is especially valuable for the firm’s ideal client profile: small and mid-sized “blue-collar professional” businesses, including electricians, plumbers, HVAC companies, medical practices, and commercial service providers. These entrepreneurs care deeply about growing their companies but do not want to be bogged down by financial complexity. Solutions Group solves that gap by becoming their fully outsourced financial partner.

A Culture That Defies Industry Norms

While many accounting firms are aging, Solutions Group is strikingly young. With an average age of around thirty-five, the firm is filled with ambitious, hungry talent eager to build something lasting. Culture is deeply rooted in accountability and shared values. The team has formalized its core values and uses them to guide hiring decisions, leadership behavior, and daily interactions. It’s not top-down, employees regularly challenge leadership to uphold those principles. The firm is also all-in on the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). With the help of implementer Dave Riley, EOS has brought structure, discipline, and alignment across the entire organization.

“Without EOS, I’m not sure this business would have survived,” Kyle says.

In-person work is another intentional commitment. Solutions Group values apprenticeship-style learning, where young accountants sit alongside seasoned staff, absorbing knowledge through real-time collaboration. That mentorship dynamic is critical for quality and long-term sustainability in a profession facing massive labor shortages.

Workforce Strategy in a Shrinking CPA Pipeline

The accounting industry is entering into a crisis. Seventy-five percent of licensed CPAs are over age 65, and the pipeline of new talent is shrinking. To stay ahead, Solutions Group uses multiple levers:

• Strong recruitment pipelines through Stetson University and UCF.
• Leadership involvement in higher education, including Partner Robert Crews teaching at Stetson.
• Competitive compensation supported by value-based pricing.
• Offshore staffing to address rising capacity challenges.

Rather than relying on freelancers or part-time help which proved ineffective in a highly collaborative environment, the firm focuses on hiring full-time staff who can grow in-house and deepen their expertise. The model ensures quality, scalability, and consistency; critical elements for the complex advisory work the firm delivers.

Growth, Ambition, and a Multi-Market Future

Solutions Group has grown steadily for sixteen years and now generates between $5.5 and $6 million in revenue in a strong position in the accounting sector. The firm has been listed on the Inc. 5000 for its rapid growth, posting year-over-year gains of 20–30%.
Kyle’s goal is ambitious: reach $15 million in revenue within the next three to four years, becoming one of Florida’s premier mid-sized regional accounting firms. This will require both organic growth and strategic acquisitions, paired with expanded in-person offices in markets like Tampa and West Palm Beach.
But the momentum is real, and Kyle is ready.

Challenges That Shape Leadership

The largest barrier to growth is talent, specifically the shrinking pipeline of licensed CPAs. Kyle predicts the next decade will force firms to adopt offshore staffing and raise prices simply to maintain quality and service standards.
He is also candid that acquiring the business in 2024 came with significant operational challenges. The firm lacked the leadership depth required for scale, forcing him to rebuild departments, add missing service lines, and stabilize operations within the first two years. Finding and retaining the right people remains his greatest ongoing challenge and the key to unlocking the firm’s next chapter.

Why Being Honored by GrowFL Matters

To Kyle, being selected as a GrowFL Company to Watch is a meaningful affirmation not just of his leadership, but of the decades of work that preceded him.
“This business existed long before I arrived,” he says. “Being honored is really a testament to the team that built it and to the team that is taking it into the future.” As someone new to Florida, Kyle felt welcomed by the entrepreneurial community almost immediately. The warmth, openness, and support he found in Orlando and across the state reinforced that he had chosen the right home for himself and for the business.

Community, Partnerships, and a Commitment to Service

Solutions Group is developing formal community service initiatives that will launch in 2026, allowing the firm’s staff to volunteer time and resources to local organizations. The firm also maintains unusually collaborative relationships with other accounting and advisory companies. They regularly refer business to competitors when appropriate and maintain formal partnerships with fractional CFO firms, tax-only practices, and large outsourced bookkeeping companies like Out-of-the-Box Technology where Solutions Group serves as the exclusive tax provider. It’s a different mindset: competition is healthy, but collaboration creates better outcomes for clients.

Acknowledgments

Kyle credits much of the firm’s success to his leadership team, Partner Robert Crews, CFO Ryan Medico, Head of Tax Noah Motto, Head of Managed Accounting Tyler Graff, and Head of Sales Brandon Graff as well as the many employees who have overcome personal challenges and risen to new levels of professional growth. “They’re the ones who make this business special,” he says. “I just help guide it.”

Advice for Entrepreneurs

Kyle’s advice is brutally honest and deeply grounded in experience. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It requires full commitment, resilience, and a willingness to endure long periods of uncertainty. Success may come in two years, or it may come in ten, but the journey will test everything.
“You can’t have one foot in and one foot out,” he says. “If you’re already thinking about other career paths, this isn’t for you. But if this is truly your calling, it will be the most fulfilling challenge of your life.”

About GrowFL’s Programs

GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch (FLCTW)

The Florida Companies to Watch program, hosted annually by GrowFL, celebrates top second-stage companies across the state for their impressive growth and entrepreneurial success. This prestigious program recognizes 50 standout businesses each year, chosen from hundreds of nominees. Honorees are celebrated for their innovation, economic impact on Florida’s economy, and the ability to scale effectively. Through FLCTW, GrowFL not only acknowledges these companies’ achievements but also brings them into a spotlight that enhances their visibility in the marketplace. The event offers an extraordinary opportunity for networking, sharing best practices, and gaining exposure to potential investors and partners, making it a cornerstone for fostering business growth and recognition within Florida’s vibrant business community.

Join us on February 26, 2026 for the 15th Annual GrowFL Florida Companies to Watch Awards Gala
at Hard Rock Live, Universal City Walk, Orlando, FL.