Dark Horse CPAs Announces Hiring of Krystal Ridge as Associate Principal

Ridge Joins Principal Accelerator Program to Grow a Tax Planning and Advisory Practice Serving Business Owners Across the U.S.

CARDIFF BY THE SEA, CA, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Dark Horse CPAs, a leading accounting and tax firm serving small businesses and individuals across the nation, announces the hiring of Krystal Ridge, CPA, as an Associate Principal in the firm’s Principal Accelerator Program. Ridge brings more than eight years of experience leading a tax department, where she oversaw client work and trained her team to see how errors in the financials carry through to business decisions and the tax return.

Based in San Angelo, Texas, Ridge came to Dark Horse looking for a practice model centered on quality over volume. The firm she came from left little room for year-round client relationships, with most of the attention going to annual tax preparation.

“I wanted to build a practice around quality, not volume,” said Ridge. “The Accelerator Program lets me choose the clients I serve and spend my time on planning and advisory work instead of annual tax prep alone. Dark Horse’s virtual model also gives me the technology and resources to serve those clients well.”

Her approach starts with listening. Ridge asks business owners to describe their situation in their own words, including past experiences with other tax and accounting professionals, and follows up with detailed questions until she understands what they need. From there, she focuses on two priorities: accurate, current financials that owners can trust, and a look at the tax impact before any major decision is made.

“Owners should think about the tax impact before a big decision, not after,” said Ridge. “I want to be their first call, not their last. Taxes can feel intimidating, so I explain things in plain terms and take them one step at a time. My goal is to lift that weight off their shoulders.”

Ridge hears the same complaints from many new clients, most often about CPAs who never have time for them and planning that was promised but never happened. Her years leading a tax department also taught her that surprises are the last thing clients want, so she uses fixed fees where possible and keeps clients on a regular meeting schedule, so they know what to expect throughout the year.

“Clients need a CPA who responds when they reach out and plans with them during the year,” she said. “No one should have to chase down their own advisor. Tax planning is essential to keeping more of what you earn, and it can’t happen in a rush with a deadline approaching.”
Ridge plans to grow her practice with established business owners and early-stage entrepreneurs, along with high-net-worth individuals and families who want tax planning that looks ahead. She also sees a significant opportunity in multi-state work, as more businesses sell across state lines and employ remote teams in several locations.

“While I’m based in Texas, working virtually lets me serve clients wherever they are without losing that personal touch,” said Ridge. “Video meetings keep everything face to face.”

Within the firm, Ridge plans to serve as a resource for fellow Principals and Accelerators, drawing on her interest in technical research and process improvement. “I love technical research and process improvement, so I look forward to digging into tough questions with my peers and finding better ways to get the work done,” she said. “For clients, I want to earn their trust and make taxes feel less stressful. I hope they enjoy working with me enough to recommend me to friends and family.”

“Krystal spent eight years running a tax department, and it shows in how she approaches client work,” said Chase Birky, CEO and co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs. “She knows where errors creep into the financials, how they carry through to the return, and what it costs an owner when nobody catches them in time. She’s also the kind of advisor who takes the dread out of taxes for people, which is a rare skill in our profession. She came to Dark Horse in search of a mix of agency and support to build a CPA practice with intention; one which would give her energy instead of pulling from it and would enable her to focus that energy toward high-impact advisory for her clients. Fortunately, that’s exactly what our Firm-as-a-Service model is designed to do. I’m excited to see the practice she builds and the client success stories she co-authors. Most importantly, I love seeing her passion for the profession reignited, as that is the foundation of every truly successful practice and practitioner.”


About the Dark Horse Accelerator Program

The Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program was created for entrepreneurially minded CPAs who want to build a scalable book of business without the personal and financial sacrifices required to start a firm from scratch. Dark Horse provides its CPAs with the resources and support needed to grow intelligently and profitably. Its proprietary technology, flexible staffing model and established systems allow CPAs to focus on advising clients and building lasting relationships.

Accelerators complete a training program covering the firm’s technology, sales process and practice-building model before beginning to develop their own books of business. They receive one-on-one coaching and access to full-time and fractional professional personnel as they grow. After successfully completing the program and meeting the firm’s ownership requirements, Accelerators may become equity Principals of Dark Horse CPAs.

The Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program is currently accepting new Accelerators. Interested CPAs can learn more at abetterway.cpa or by emailing info@darkhorse.cpa.


About Dark Horse CPAs

Dark Horse CPAs provides integrated tax, accounting and CFO services to small businesses and individuals across the United States. The firm was founded to give small businesses and their owners access to the tax strategies, accounting insight and client experience often reserved for larger companies. To learn more, visit darkhorse.cpa.

Justin Kurn
Dark Horse CPAs
justin@darkhorse.cpa
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