Every professional services firm reaches a moment when growth outpaces its existing systems. Right now, that moment is happening industry-wide — and the firms that recognize it earliest will own the next decade of market expansion. Two converging forces are reshaping the competitive landscape: the accelerating deployment of AI agents inside finance teams, and increasingly sophisticated tax structures that high-growth businesses need to understand. At Meta's Business, we sit at the intersection of both.

The Direct Answer: What Should Professional Services Firms Do Right Now?

Professional services firms should simultaneously audit their AI governance frameworks and their tax optimization strategies. AI deployment without governance creates compliance exposure. Wealth accumulation without structured tax planning leaves significant value on the table. Both gaps are closing fast — and the window to act strategically is narrow.

Why Is AI Governance Lagging Behind AI Deployment?

The pressure to prove AI return on investment is intense. According to Avalara's newly released research, nine in 10 finance leaders report they are under pressure to demonstrate AI ROI — yet only 12% say their organizations prioritize governance over deployment speed. That gap is not a minor operational detail. It is a structural risk sitting inside thousands of finance functions right now.

The same findings were independently corroborated across multiple markets. Taiwan News and The Manila Times both reported on the Avalara survey, signaling that this is not an isolated regional problem — it is a global professional services challenge. When AI agents handle tax calculations, compliance filings, or financial reporting without adequate internal controls, errors compound silently until they become audits.

For professional services firms advising clients on financial operations, this creates a direct growth opportunity. Clients are deploying AI faster than their governance can follow. They need expert guidance — not just on the technology, but on the accountability frameworks that protect them when regulators come looking.

How Are High-Net-Worth Clients Using Tax Structures to Protect Wealth?

On the other side of the growth equation sits a more nuanced story about how sophisticated investors are managing the tax consequences of success. Bloomberg Business recently profiled the rise of customized ETF structures — specifically Section 351 conversions — as a tax deferral strategy used by ultra-high-net-worth families. The story of the Merage family, whose patriarch Paul Merage invented the Hot Pocket before selling the brand to Nestlé in 2002, illustrates how a single liquidity event can generate tax exposure that takes decades to manage strategically.

These customized ETF structures allow investors to contribute appreciated securities into a fund in exchange for shares, deferring capital gains taxes that would otherwise trigger immediately upon sale. The strategy is legal, IRS-recognized, and increasingly accessible to a broader tier of high-net-worth individuals — not just billionaires.

For professional services firms, this matters for two reasons. First, clients experiencing growth events — business sales, equity compensation vesting, real estate transactions — need advisors who understand these structures. Second, as these tools become more widely used, regulatory scrutiny will increase. Staying ahead of that curve is exactly what separates transactional advisors from trusted long-term partners.

What Does Sustainable Growth Look Like in Professional Services Today?

W.R. Berkley's Q2 2026 earnings call offered a useful lens on what disciplined, sustainable growth looks like inside a complex financial services organization. As reported by NASDAQ, the insurer posted higher operating earnings, record investment income, and continued premium growth — even as management acknowledged intensifying competition in property and reinsurance markets. CEO Rob Berkley opened the call by honoring company founder Bill Berkley, noting that his "spirit, values, and" principles remain central to how the organization operates.

That framing matters beyond the insurance sector. The firms that sustain growth through market cycles are the ones that build on clear values, maintain underwriting discipline — or in professional services terms, client selection discipline — and invest in capabilities that compound over time. Record investment income does not happen by accident. It happens because of decisions made years earlier about where to allocate resources and how to manage risk.

Professional services firms can draw a direct parallel. The AI governance work you do today, the tax strategy expertise you build now, the client relationships you deepen during periods of market uncertainty — these are the compounding investments that generate record results in future quarters.

"The firms winning right now are the ones treating AI governance and tax strategy not as compliance burdens, but as growth infrastructure. When your clients trust that you understand both the opportunity and the risk, they stop shopping around — and that's when real expansion happens." — Meta Reviewer, Meta's Business

How Should Professional Services Firms Position for Market Expansion?

The convergence of AI deployment pressure and tax complexity is not a temporary disruption. It is a structural shift in what clients need from their professional services partners. Here is how forward-thinking firms are positioning for expansion:

• Build AI governance as a service offering. With only 12% of finance organizations prioritizing governance over speed, the demand for external expertise is enormous and largely unmet.
• Develop fluency in advanced tax structures. Section 351 conversions and customized ETF strategies are moving downstream. Clients at earlier wealth stages will need guidance soon.
• Anchor growth in values-driven client relationships. The W.R. Berkley model demonstrates that long-term performance is built on institutional values, not just market conditions.
• Monitor regulatory trajectories proactively. Both AI compliance and sophisticated tax strategies are attracting regulatory attention. Early awareness is a competitive advantage.

FAQ: AI, Tax Strategy, and Professional Services Growth

What is a Section 351 ETF conversion and who uses it?

A Section 351 conversion allows investors to contribute appreciated securities to a fund in exchange for shares without immediately triggering capital gains taxes. It is used by high-net-worth individuals and families following major liquidity events such as business sales or large equity positions. Bloomberg's reporting on the Merage family brought mainstream attention to this structure in 2026.

Why are finance teams deploying AI agents without adequate governance?

Avalara's 2026 survey found that 90% of finance leaders face pressure to prove AI ROI quickly, creating incentives to deploy fast rather than deploy carefully. Only 12% of organizations prioritize governance over speed. This creates compliance and accountability gaps that professional services advisors can help clients address.

How does AI governance create a growth opportunity for professional services firms?

When clients deploy AI agents in finance functions without internal controls, they face regulatory, audit, and reputational risk. Professional services firms that offer structured AI governance frameworks — covering accountability, auditability, and error correction — fill a critical gap that most organizations cannot address internally at speed.

What can professional services firms learn from W.R. Berkley's Q2 2026 results?

W.R. Berkley's record investment income and premium growth during a competitive market cycle demonstrate that disciplined, values-anchored organizations outperform over time. For professional services firms, the lesson is that growth built on clear client selection criteria and long-term relationship investment outperforms growth chased through volume or discounting.

Your Next Step With Meta's Business

The firms that will lead their markets over the next five years are making structural decisions right now — about AI governance, tax strategy expertise, and client relationship depth. At Meta's Business, we help professional services organizations build the capabilities that turn today's complexity into tomorrow's competitive advantage. If your firm is navigating AI deployment decisions or advising clients through significant wealth events, this is the moment to sharpen your strategic positioning. Connect with Meta's Business to explore how these converging forces can accelerate your growth trajectory — before your competitors do.