Episoder
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As the first woman CEO of PICPA, Cryder shares how sheâs tackling the CPA pipeline crisis and why itâs time to re-evaluate long-standing licensure rules.
Accounting Influencers
with Rob BrownIn this episode of Accounting Influencers, Jen Cryder, CPA, CEO of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), opens up about her unexpected path to leadership, the challenges shaping the accounting profession today, and why she believes this is one of the most exciting times to be a CPA.
More Rob BrownWith oversight of 20,000 accounting and finance professionals, Cryder is not just a figureheadâsheâs a force behind reshaping the professionâs image and strategy. From the CPA pipeline crisis to questions about the 150-hour rule, she addresses head-on the systemic changes needed to secure the future of the profession.
âThe perception remains that accounting is boring work. It couldnât be farther from the truth,â says Cryder. She believes the profession suffers from an image problem impacting student enrollment and career choice, especially as finance and tech roles compete for top talent.
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Stop billing. Start thrilling.
Gear Up for Growth
With Jean Caragher
For CPA TrendlinesIn a persuasive new episode of Gear Up for Growth, powered by CPA Trendlines, Paul Dunn â four-time TEDx speaker, cofounder of B1G1, and longtime champion of transformational leadership in the accounting profession â delivered a clear call to action for firm leaders: Ditch the billable hour and lead with purpose.
Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth here | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts hereSpeaking with host Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, Dunn emphasizes that the profession's future lies not in tracking time but in creating lasting client outcomes and standing for something greater than profit.
âItâs not about the inputs. Itâs about the outcomes,â Dunn says. âWhen your vision becomes more powerful than your memories, your future becomes more powerful than your past.â
More than 20 years after coauthoring The Firm of the Future, Dunn remains a fierce critic of time-based billing. He points to recent studies showing firms are beginning to move away from six-minute increments, but progress remains slow.
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Mangler du episoder?
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Turn communication breakdowns into trust-building moments.
Transformation Talks
With Donny Shimamoto
Center for Accounting TransformationIn the latest episode of Transformation Talks, host Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, leads a powerful discussion on âassumed discriminationââthe cultural collisions that happen when others project bias onto someoneâs words or actions.
MORE TRANSFORMATION TALKSJoining him are Arianna Campbell, COO of Boomer Consulting; Ed Kless, co-founder of THRESHOLD and co-host of The Soul of Enterprise; and Amy Welch, APR, CAE, mission advocacy strategist with the Center for Accounting Transformation and SVP/executive producer for CPA Trendlines.
The episode begins by reframing how we talk. âDiscussionâ implies conflict, while âdialogueâ is about listening. âThe origin of âdiscussionâ is literally âto strike,ââ says Kless. âBut dialogue means âtwin telling.â That shift in mindset is everything.â
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The retirement planning hack can be a secret weapon for tax-free growth.
Quick Tax Tip
With Art Werner
CPE TodayWhen most people hear âHSA,â they think of medical expenses and high-deductible health plans. But in the latest episode of Quick Tax Tip, tax educator and attorney Art Werner urges tax professionalsâand their clientsâto look deeper.
Click here for more Art WernerIn his signature style, Werner reframes the Health Savings Account (HSA) as one of the most underrated retirement planning tools available today.
âI donât look at the HSA as a way to pay for medical bills,â says Werner. âI look at it as a disguised retirement plan.â
Many taxpayersâand even some practitionersâlimit their view of the HSA to a reimbursement vehicle for immediate out-of-pocket costs. But Werner explains that this account can function much like a Roth IRA, offering triple-tax benefits: contributions are tax-deductible, growth is tax-free, and qualified withdrawals for medical expenses are also tax-free.
Hereâs the twist: You donât have to take reimbursements immediately.
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After years in corporate roles, Samantha Hallburn created a firm where people come before profitsâand business thrives because of it.
The Disruptors
With Liz FarrSamantha Hallburn, founder of PBS Accounting and Tax, didnât set out to be an accountant. After a progression through sales, marketing, HR, PR, and a stint as ops manager for a telecom company, she was working in banking. Her business owner clients needed loans, but when she asked for financials, âthey had no idea what I was even talking about,â she recalls.
MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Jean Zick: Happy Team = Happy Clients | Breslin & Greathead: Be a Client Advocate | Dominic Piscopo: Clear Pay=Bargaining Power | Debbie Kilsheimer: Stop Thinking Small | Dave Kersting: Collaborate with Co-Firming | Ashley Francis: AI's a Partner, Not a Replacement | Richard Roppa-Roberts: Collaboration Over Competition | Ira Rosenbloom: M&A Numbers Are Easy - Culture Fit Is Hard | Roman Villard: Ditch the Suit & Shine | Monique Swansen: Align Firm Values with Services | Tina McGill: How to Create Lasting Client Impact | Stefan van Duyvendijk: Develop Operational Mindset | Steve Evans: Why Traditional Hiring Methods FailInstead of turning them away, she offered to help. âI started helping my banking clients by going to their offices on my lunch break, after work, before work, on the weekends, days off to help them be able to get me what I needed.â After one particularly bad day in the corporate world, she decided to âroll the diceâ and create a full-time venture.
âI absolutely had no idea what I was really getting into, and that it was just going to be this snowball. And we grew so fast because there was such a need and such a demand,â Hallburn says.
She built her firm âto be the antithesis of everything I hated about corporate America, and one of the things I did hate was that you were just a number, your real life didn't matter,â she says. The very name of her firm, PBS, stands for People â Business â Service.
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âWeâre afraid to communicate, weâre afraid to speak up.â
The Concierge CPA
With Jackie Meyer
For CPA TrendlinesIn a profession known for long hours and technical precision, Amy Vetter, CPA.CITP, CGMA, CSP, RYT, offers a refreshing message.
Thereâs more to success than climbing the traditional career ladder.
More Jackie MeyerThe founder of the B3 Method Institute joins Jackie Meyer on The Concierge CPA to share her journey from audit partner to yogi and mindful tech advisorâchallenging firm owners to prioritize purpose and personal well-being.
âOnce I made partner, I thought Iâd feel happier,â Vetter says. âBut success without alignment isnât really success.â
Vetterâs career began traditionallyâBig Four audit work, a stint in tax, and an early partnership. But as she juggled young children and mounting burnout, she realized something was missing.
âI had pushed down the creative, intuitive parts of myself,â she explains. âSo I started a journey to bring those backâthrough yoga, reflection, and eventually, the creation of the B3 Method.â
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"This is your chance to make a real difference."
Accounting Influencers
with Rob BrownMillions of accountants and bookkeepers are stuck in a cycle of overwork, undercharging, and undervaluation. In this episode of the Accounting Influencers podcast, Adam Lean, CEO and co-founder of TheCFOProject.com, delivers a wake-up call: The compliance model is brokenâand the profession must change course to remain relevant.
More Rob BrownLean explains that for most clients, every accountant âlooks the same.â They expect the books to be done and the taxes to be filed, and they rarely see the difference between high-quality and mediocre service. This makes it nearly impossible for accountants to raise prices or grow sustainably.
âYour clients donât understand how to evaluate your work,â Lean says. âSo they see you as interchangeable. Thatâs the trap.â
To earn more, accountants often take on more clients or work longer hoursâneither of which leads to long-term career satisfaction or better client outcomes. And because software tools and tech companies now offer âautomated accounting,â competition is intensifying.
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PE doesn't have to strip your culture.
With Jean Caragher
For CPA TrendlinesOn a recent episode of Gear Up for Growth, powered by CPA Trendlines, Aprio CEO Richard Kopelman offered a behind-the-scenes look at whatâs powering his firmâs remarkable trajectoryâfrom a traditional CPA firm to a diversified advisory powerhouse. In conversation with Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, Kopelman credited Aprioâs sustained momentum to two key drivers: a relentlessly reinforced culture and a bold leap into private equity.
Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth here | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts hereSince stepping into the CEO role in 2013, Kopelman has steered Aprio into the ranks of the top 25 U.S. accounting firms. At the heart of that rise? A set of â31 Fundamentalsâ that shape everything from team interactions to client engagements.
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âLeaders should model respect, not just expect it.â
Accounting ARC
With Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto
Center for Accounting Transformation
In the age of digital disruption and hybrid work, professional etiquette often feels like an afterthought. But in the latest episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA, argue the opposite: manners are more relevantâand strategicâthan ever.
MORE Accounting ARC: Resilience, Real Talk, and the Road to Mental Wellness | Blockchain Could Still Reshape Accounting | What Gen Z Wants from Business | Firm Differentiation Depends Upon Client Service | Ron Baker: Surviving Tariff Turmoil | Are We Ready for the Hidden Risks of AI in Accounting? | The Research Imperative: Why Data Drives Accounting Success | How Coaching Can Unlock Professional Success | Demystifying Accounting Governance | Top 10 Red Flags to Watch for in Accounting Offices | Jeremy Dubow: Private Equity as a Catalyst for GrowthâManners make a difference,â says Patrick, CEO of VERIFYiQ and co-founder of TB Academy. âThey impact hiring, client service, team dynamicsâeverything.â
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Treat cryptocurrencies like the next dot-com bubble.
Quick Tax Tip
With Art Werner
CPE TodayAs cryptocurrencies continue to infiltrate everyday investment portfolios and client conversations, seasoned tax educator and CPA Art Werner offers a stark warning to practitioners: âCrypto concerns meâand I think it should concern accountants.â
Click here for more Art WernerIn a recent episode of Quick Tax Tips with Art Werner, the well-respected tax advisor and educator peels back the hype to expose the risks tax professionals and their clients face when navigating the unpredictable world of digital currency. With over 20,000 cryptocurrencies in existence globally and little regulation governing many of them, Werner believes the speculative nature of crypto investments resembles past financial maniasâwith potentially devastating consequences.
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âThe real question isnât whether a firm is diverse enough. It's whether the people in that firm feel like they truly belong there.â
MOVE Like This
With Bonnie Buol Ruszcyk
For CPA TrendlinesIn this episode of MOVE Like This, host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk and guest Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, explore the complex landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the accounting profession, specifically in the current political climate.
Shimamoto, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and founder and inspiration architect for the Center for Accounting Transformation, shares insights into the challenges faced by underrepresented professionals, drawing from his personal experiences as an Asian male in leadership roles. They discuss the persistent barriers that prevent women and people of color from advancing to top leadership positions despite making up a significant portion of accounting graduates.
More MOVEThe discussion delves into the current political climate surrounding DEI efforts, acknowledging the pushback and misconceptions about diversity initiatives. Shimamoto emphasizes that these efforts are not about quotas or tokenism but about creating genuine opportunities and a sense of belonging for all professionals. The conversation highlights the importance of moving beyond mere inclusion to fostering an environment where every team member feels they truly belong and can contribute meaningfully.
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Flexible schedules, remote culture, and âdurable skillsâ are reshaping the accounting profession.
The Disruptors
With Liz FarrThe traditional accounting firm model is under pressureâand The Disruptors podcast is highlighting the pioneers who are rewriting the rules. In this episode, host Liz Farr talks with Jean Zick, CEO and co-founder of Juna Financial, about how sheâs building a different kind of accounting firm: remote, people-first, and future-ready.
MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Breslin & Greathead: Be a Client Advocate | Dominic Piscopo: Clear Pay=Bargaining Power | Debbie Kilsheimer: Stop Thinking Small | Dave Kersting: Collaborate with Co-Firming | Ashley Francis: AI's a Partner, Not a Replacement | Richard Roppa-Roberts: Collaboration Over Competition | Ira Rosenbloom: M&A Numbers Are Easy - Culture Fit Is Hard | Roman Villard: Ditch the Suit & Shine | Monique Swansen: Align Firm Values with Services | Tina McGill: How to Create Lasting Client Impact | Stefan van Duyvendijk: Develop Operational Mindset | Steve Evans: Why Traditional Hiring Methods Fail | Roger Knecht: Can You Be an Accountrepreneur?âWe wanted to create a company we would have wanted to work for earlier in our careers,â says Zick, who launched Juna in 2016 to fill what she saw as a gap in the market: companies paying CFO-level fees for basic bookkeeping tasks. âEvery company deserves great accounting, no matter their size.â
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"If you're not putting your clients into retirement plans, you're missing one of the biggest value-adds in tax advisory."
The Concierge CPA
With Jackie Meyer
For CPA TrendlinesIn a recent episode of The Concierge CPA, host Dr. Jackie Meyer welcomes back David Podell, CEO and founder of Business Benefits Consultants, for a deep-dive on retirement strategies that are often overlooked by small business owners, CPAs, and even seasoned financial professionals.
More Jackie MeyerKicking off with sharp-witted tax news, Meyer touches on IRS free file expansions, refund reductions, and the hiring of thousands of new auditorsâbefore jumping into a topic that directly connects tax strategy to future financial health: retirement planning.
Podell, with more than two decades of experience designing retirement plans, returns to emphasize a crucial point: "If you're not putting your clients into retirement plans, you're missing one of the biggest value-adds in tax advisory."
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Global accounting leaders call for mindset shifts, better storytelling, and a redefined brand.
Accounting Influencers
with Rob BrownIn this edition of Accounting Influencers, four of the professionâs most prominent voices gather for a candid discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing the accounting world. From evolving business models to deep talent shortages, the conversation explores how firms must adaptâor risk irrelevance.
The panel includes Randy Johnston, co-founder of K2 Enterprises and a long-time tech strategist for CPAs; Trevor Greenway, CEO of Interval, a software firm helping accountants uncover real-time advisory opportunities; Harry Blum, managing partner at RSM Canada; and Jennifer OâCarroll, CEO of ERP vendor HansaWorld and former tax advisor.
More Rob BrownâThe knowledge is there,â says Greenway. âThe question isâdo firms have the people and bandwidth to act on it?â He warns that while accountants understand the changes requiredâlike the shift to advisory services and the adoption of AIâthe labor shortage is the primary obstacle.
Blum agrees, calling todayâs environment âan experiment in change management,â where firms have never had more opportunity but also never faced more complexity. âThe mindset shift needed to transform is the biggest challenge,â he says.
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Stop drifting and start leading.
Gear Up for Growth
With Jean Caragher
For CPA TrendlinesIn a high-stress profession like accounting, intentional growth isnât just helpfulâitâs necessary. In this episode of Gear Up For Growth, business coach and author Matt Criss joins host Jean Caragher to share how accountants can build resilience, reflection, and renewed purpose by growing with intention.
Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth here | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts hereAs the author of Conscious Growth, Moss Adams executive Criss brings decades of insight and a refreshing perspective: that growth shouldnât be accidental. In this inspiring conversation, Criss dives deep into the principles behind his book and shares how CPAs and firm leaders can grow consciouslyânot just to advance their careers but to lead more fulfilling lives.
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From mindful walking to redefining worth, this conversation reveals what it really takes to thrive.
Accounting ARC
With Arpan Grewal
Center for Accounting TransformationIn the latest Student-Led Conversations episode of Accounting ARC, high school business student Arpan Grewal steps in as guest host for a raw, reflective episode centered on mental health and resilience. In conversation with Jina Etienne, CPA, CGMA, CDE, CEO of Etienne Consulting; Rafael Casas, senior consultant with Workday; and Kiera Speed, inspiration logistician for the Center for Accounting Transformation, the episode marks a powerful contribution to Mental Health Awareness Month.
MORE Accounting ARC: Blockchain Could Still Reshape Accounting | What Gen Z Wants from Business | Firm Differentiation Depends Upon Client Service | Ron Baker: Surviving Tariff Turmoil | Are We Ready for the Hidden Risks of AI in Accounting? | The Research Imperative: Why Data Drives Accounting Success | How Coaching Can Unlock Professional Success | Demystifying Accounting Governance | Top 10 Red Flags to Watch for in Accounting Offices | Jeremy Dubow: Private Equity as a Catalyst for Growth | Break the Burnout Cycle in Accounting | Accounting in Transition: 2024 Reflections & the Road Ahead | Ron Baker: Visions for the Accounting Profession |
âMental health is something we all struggle with, whether weâre students or seasoned professionals,â says Grewal. âItâs not talked about enough, especially in accounting.â
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Small businesses face a storm of tax pressures, but trusted advisors can offer calm amid the chaos.
Click here for more Art Werner
Quick Tax Tip
With Art Werner
CPE Today
In the latest episode of Quick Tax Tip, Art Werner delivers an insightful update for small and midsized business (SMB) owners â many of whom are feeling overwhelmed by a growing list of tax and regulatory pressures.âI think that a number of small businesses are a little scared,â Werner says, pointing to the combination of federal, state, and local tax compliance as a mounting source of stress. âTheyâre trying to coordinate this all⊠but more importantly, they look at all this as being just ancillary to why theyâre in business.â
According to Werner, business owners donât launch companies to become tax experts. They do it to pursue a vision â to offer a product, provide a service, and ultimately earn a living. But the growing complexity of tax obligations has become a distracting burden.
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Provide clients with actionable information they can use to move their businesses forward.
The Disruptors
With Liz FarrBack in 2013, before CAS became part of the accounting vernacular, Penny Breslin and Damien Greathead taught a roomful of accountants how to do what Breslin called bookkeeping and back office support, or BOS. âWe had 200 accountants sitting in the room wanting to know how to grow this part of their business,â Greathead recalls. Cloud-based accounting tools like Xero and QuickBooks Online were just entering the U.S. market, and the two recognized an opportunity for firms.
MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Dominic Piscopo: Clear Pay=Bargaining Power | Debbie Kilsheimer: Stop Thinking Small | Dave Kersting: Collaborate with Co-Firming | Ashley Francis: AI's a Partner, Not a Replacement | Richard Roppa-Roberts: Collaboration Over Competition | Ira Rosenbloom: M&A Numbers Are Easy - Culture Fit Is Hard | Roman Villard: Ditch the Suit & Shine | Monique Swansen: Align Firm Values with Services | Tina McGill: How to Create Lasting Client Impact | Stefan van Duyvendijk: Develop Operational Mindset |Out of that seminar emerged a book, which was recently updated to create the current handbook, Itâs Not Just the Numbers [full disclosure: Liz Farr served as editor]. The handbook's title reflects a fundamental truth about client relationships that many accountants overlook. As Greathead explains, âIt's about what your client wants. And more often than not, the client doesn't care about the numbers. The client cares about the story that sits underneath the numbers.â
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What once was seen as a tax loophole is now becoming a mainstream strategy for business continuityâif done right.
The Concierge CPA
With Jackie Meyer
For CPA TrendlinesThe world of business risk has changed drastically since 1986, and so has the way innovative entrepreneurs protect themselves. In a recent episode of The Concierge CPA, host Dr. Jackie Meyer sits down with Van Carlson, founder and CEO of SRA 831(b) Admin, to demystify one of the most misunderstood tools in modern financial planning: the 831(b) captive.
More Jackie MeyerAt its core, the 831(b) tax code allows business owners to form small insurance companies to self-insure specific risks. But as Carlson explains, âItâs not just about taxesâitâs about protecting your business from the risks no one else will cover.â
Originally created during the 1986 Tax Reform Act to help farmers and businesses insure against unique or underwritten risks, the 831(b) structure has evolved into a modern enterprise risk solution. And for Carlson, whoâs led audits and compliance for hundreds of captives, this is not a loopholeâitâs a legitimate strategy. âWe embolden business owners through innovative risk management,â he says. âAnd the risks they face nowâcybersecurity, supply chain failure, brand damageâare unlike anything we saw in the 1980s.â
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âDiversity is about building bigger tables, not just filling seats.â
Accounting Influencers
with Rob BrownAs past chair of AICPA and CIMA, Okorie Ramsey represented nearly 700,000 members worldwide. But in his view, leadership isnât about wielding powerâitâs about partnership, innovation, and service to the public.
More Rob BrownIn a wide-ranging conversation on the Accounting Influencers podcast, Ramsey reflects on his tenure, the professionâs most significant challenges, and what excites him most about the future.
âItâs a huge role,â Ramsey says, âbut itâs also a wonderful opportunity."
Ramsey challenges the perception of accounting as static or resistant to change. While he acknowledges that legacy systems and outdated incentive structures persistâparticularly in large firmsâhe sees momentum building. âIf organizations are not utilizing technology to advance how they do their work, they will go by the way of the dinosaur,â he warns.
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