Episode 413: The Disruptors: Blake Oliver Sees a Ponzi Scheme Ready for Collapse

The accounting firm's business model isn’t broken yet, but the pyramid is crumbling.

With Liz Farr for CPA Trendlines

• More here: https://cpatrendlines.com/?p=96758

Podcaster and enfant terrible Blake Oliver says the accounting firm is a pyramid scheme destined for collapse.

The system is simple and simply devious: Bring in staff, work them a ton of hours, and the profits flow to the top, Blake says.

But today, the model is being challenged by venture capital-backed tech startups delivering automated tax prep and bookkeeping, by CPA firms following the lead of Eisner Amper into non-CPA businesses, and by the booming growth of non-CPA startups like Acuity.

Blake Oliver, CPA, is an accountant, entrepreneur, and podcaster specializing in technology. He is one of Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People and has been named a 40 Under 40 in the accounting profession by CPA Practice Advisor. Blake is the creator of Earmark CPE, an app that offers NASBA-approved CPE for listening to your favorite accounting and tax podcasts. He also co-hosts the Cloud Accounting Podcast, a Top 50 Business News show on the Apple charts and the most popular podcast for accountants and bookkeepers globally. He lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he likes to hike in the winter and swim in the summer.