Spotlight on CPAs: Rubik Yeriazarian, CPA-Houston, CFE, CFF

Meet Rubik Yeriazarian, the Visionary Behind Flat Fee Consulting LLC and RuBook Creative

TXCPA member Rubik Yeriazarian, CPA-Houston, CFE, CFF, is the founder of Flat Fee Consulting LLC, a firm offering financial forensic services to small to mid-size businesses, and data consulting services and Excel-based CPE training to accounting firms.

In 2020, he also established RuBook Creative, where he practices “Creative Accounting in a Non-Fraudulent Way” by providing unique products for CPAs to share with clients, friends and referral sources. These products aim to challenge the stereotype of accountants being dull, and offer motivational items for CPAs navigating busy seasons, the CPA Exam, Mondays, or stressful work environments.

Rubik demonstrates his commitment to professional development and community engagement through his role on the TXCPA Leadership Council and actively participating in leadership positions and chapter activities within TXCPA Houston. We recently had the opportunity to connect with Rubik and learn more about his career and contributions to the accounting profession.

You are the founder of both Flat Fee Consulting LLC and RuBook Creative. Can you share some insights into your background and career path?

I’ve been in public accounting for my entire 15-year career, and before I started my own practice I worked in Big 4, a boutique firm, and a mid-market firm that was eventually acquired by a top-10 firm. With all those firms, I’ve always worked in the forensic field and have always worked with a lot of data. So, when I decided to start Flat Fee Consulting in 2022, I knew I wanted to continue to work in both the forensic field and with data.

What are your responsibilities at Flat Fee Consulting LLC?

Flat Fee Consulting has two primary areas: 1) financial forensics for small to mid-size businesses, and 2) data consulting for other accounting firms. 

On the forensic side, I help small to mid-size business owners who have concerns of fraud within their business or just have a suspicion that “something’s going on.” Oftentimes they reach out to a larger firm, but don’t want to pay a large retainer or aren’t able to get a clear idea of how much the project will cost them. I found that they’re more easily willing to move forward when I can give them an upfront flat fee, so they know how much the project will cost them before signing the engagement letter.

On the data consulting side, I help other accounting firms with their data. I’ve developed an Excel-based CPE series that’s an ideal training for interns and new hires at any accounting firm, which teaches everything from Excel basics and keyboard shortcuts up to more advanced functions like Pivot Tables and the XLOOKUP formula. I also help firms get better internal data out of their practice management systems by offering an Excel-based Dashboard for accounting firm leaders. In a nutshell, I offer easily accessible low-tech solutions to some of the most common challenges that accounting firms face.

Tell us more about RuBook Creative.

Through RuBook Creative, I practice “Creative Accounting in a Non-Fraudulent Way” by selling accounting-themed greeting cards, children’s books and gifts.

The inspiration for starting RuBook Creative came in November 2019, when the firm I was working for had a “market day” where employees could bring in goods or products to sell. I had always liked greeting cards and had thought about creating some cards to sell on the side, so I felt this was the perfect opportunity to create an accounting-themed Christmas card and sell it at the firm’s market day. I made my card design, printed 20 cards and took the extra step of lining the envelopes with ledger paper. By the end of the day, I sold out of all my cards, so I decided to give it a go and officially start up an Etsy shop and eventually a website (www.RuBookCreative.com).

My biggest accomplishment through RuBook Creative has been writing a children’s book – “General Ledger and the Kingdom of Balance.” My first son was born in 2017 and after reading tons of children’s books to him, I thought 1) I could write one of these! and 2) now that I’m a dad, I can fill it with accounting dad-jokes. It took me about 1.5 years to write, illustrate and self-publish the book, but it makes me really happy every time I get to ship out an order, because I know that an accounting parent is able to enjoy reading these accounting jokes and puns to their children. And as for the kids – they’ll either love it or it’ll put them straight to sleep, so it’s win-win!

What guidance do you have for students aspiring to pursue a career in the accounting profession and become CPAs?

Students who see that I’m in the forensic field would often ask “what can I do now to improve my chances to get into forensics?” The number one thing I always tell students and young accountants is that data is the great equalizer. This applies to aspiring forensic accountants, as well as accountants in any other field.

It’ll take some years of experience working as an accountant before you can impress your team members with your technical accounting knowledge, but if you’re good with Excel then you can still impress your team members with your data skills. I remember I was about 4.5 years into my career when I was sitting in a client meeting and they asked a question, and something clicked in my brain. I felt like I knew what they were asking and how to respond and felt I could confidently speak up and answer the question. Up until that point though, what gave me the opportunity to continue an upward trajectory in my career until I had that “aha” moment was being really good with data.

Your active involvement in various leadership positions within your chapter and for TXCPA is evident. Why does volunteering hold such significance for you?

Volunteering is how we teach current and future accountants all the things they’re not going to learn in the classroom. Being in leadership positions gives me an opportunity to advocate for future accountants and CPAs, and also gives me more visibility to aspiring forensic accountants. 

I’m a strong believer in paying it forward and everyone has the ability to pay it forward at every point in their lives. I remember as a college student going back to my high school accounting class (which I still do to this day). Then as I began my career, I helped mentor college students. As I was even more experienced, I had the opportunity to help answer questions that less experienced accountants had early on in their careers. And now from all I’ve experienced over the past 15 years, I’m able to share my experiences with an even wider audience of accountants.

Tell us about your family. What do you like to do on the weekends?

My wife and I are celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary this summer, and we have two boys turning five and seven this year. I’m trying to encourage my kids to create a line of children’s greeting cards that I can sell for them through RuBook Creative, with all the proceeds going to their Lego and treat habits, but so far, they haven’t taken the bait. I used to never be able to read fiction books – they would put me straight to sleep. But over the past two years, I’ve read a lot of mystery books, from classics like Agatha Christie, to more modern mysteries like the “Thursday Murder Club” series.