Stephen (Steve) Mayer is the founder and Managing Partner of SD Mayer & Associates, a San Francisco-based accounting, tax, consulting, and wealth management firm. A licensed CPA with nearly 50 years of experience — including 25 years as CEO of Burr Pilger Mayer — Steve brings clients deep expertise across tax, accounting, M&A, and strategic advisory. Beyond the office, he founded the 5 Buckets Foundation, which has taught financial literacy to nearly 6,000 young adults, and has served on more than 15 nonprofit boards. He lives in San Mateo with his wife of nearly 35 years and their three adult children.
Aside from family and friends, what’s one thing you can’t live without?
My annual backpacking trip. For 50 years I’ve been doing this — 71 trips, 75 different people, over 3,500 miles of trail. We’ve eaten like kings, laughed like kids, and built memories that last a lifetime. I dread the day when I can’t do this anymore and hope it never comes.
Describe what our credo “Scale with Soul” means to you.
It means we never sacrifice who we are to chase the next dollar. Growth is only meaningful if we keep our culture, do right by our clients and community, and never forget where we started. The profits follow — because we never lose the “eye of the tiger.”
What unique perspective do you bring to Springline?
Nearly 50 years of experience — 10 years at Coopers & Lybrand, 25 as CEO of BPM where we grew from 5 to over 400 people, and 13 years building SD Mayer into a $20M firm. I’ve lived in every dimension of running a successful firm: business development, client service, and operations. I’ve also learned that community involvement isn’t separate from success, it’s central to it.
How do you see the future of middle-market accounting and business advisory firms evolving?
The firms that thrive will be full-service. Audit and tax compliance alone are no longer enough. Clients need help solving business problems and achieving financial security, and that means embracing Wealth Management, CAAS, and advisory services. Firms that expand their “touches” will grow. Those that don’t, shrink.