Why Mentorship Isn’t Enough: CPAs Need Sponsorship to Reach Partner
Most CPA firms invest in mentorship. Pairing new staff with seasoned professionals helps them build skills, navigate challenges, and build confidence. But when it comes to reaching partner, mentorship alone isn’t enough. Rising leaders also need sponsorship.
Mentorship vs. Sponsorship
Mentorship is guidance. Mentors share wisdom, offer advice, and help professionals avoid common pitfalls.
Sponsorship is advocacy. Sponsors don’t just advise, they actively champion their protégés, create visibility, and open doors to opportunities.
Put simply: mentors prepare you. Sponsors promote you.
Why This Matters in CPA Firms
Technical skills may earn promotions to manager, but partnership requires visibility, trust, and influence. Without sponsorship, many high-potential CPAs stall at the mid-level. The partner track is less about technical ability and more about who’s willing to advocate for you when decisions are being made.
Example: a mentor might suggest you sharpen your presentation skills. A sponsor will put you in front of the client committee so you can showcase them.
I’ve seen firms where sponsorship made all the difference. One manager with excellent technical skills but low visibility was paired with a senior partner sponsor. Within a year, she was presenting to major clients, leading internal initiatives, and on the radar for succession, progress that would have taken years without sponsorship.
How Firms Can Foster Sponsorship
Formalize Pathways
Create intentional pairings between high-potential CPAs and senior leaders who influence promotions.
Example: assign a partner sponsor to every manager identified as part of the succession pipeline.Reward Advocacy
Recognize and value partners who actively sponsor talent, not just hit billable hours.
Example: include talent development and sponsorship in partner performance evaluations.Educate Rising Leaders
Teach managers to understand the difference between mentorship and sponsorship and encourage them to seek both.
Example: during leadership training, show how asking for a sponsor is part of preparing for partnership.
Sponsorship as a Succession Strategy
Mentorship keeps people engaged, but sponsorship accelerates careers. Firms that cultivate sponsorship don’t just advance individuals, they strengthen their partner pipeline, improve retention, and build loyalty. Sponsorship ensures top talent is seen, supported, and promoted when opportunities arise, reducing the risk of losing high performers to competitors.
Sponsorship is one of the cultural shifts addressed in the LEAD CPAs program. By equipping current leaders to sponsor future leaders, firms accelerate growth and ensure succession success.
👉 Learn how LEAD CPAs helps firms prepare the next generation of partners.