CPA Trendlines Podcasts

“A bad process is a bad process, whether a person or a piece of technology is doing it.”Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownChange is inevitable, but learning to navigate transformation effectively is the key to long-term success for finance and accounting professionals. On the latest episode of the Accounting Influencers podcast, change expert Hannah Munro shares her insights on how firms and finance leaders can embrace change and drive it forward to enhance efficiency, adaptability, and business impact. More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown here "What's also very interesting is that change is getting faster," says Munro, managing director at itas Solutions and host of the CFO 4.0 podcast. "The pace of change is accelerating, and that volatility and uncertainty are driving the need for finance professionals to step up and elevate their role."Munro emphasizes that transformation is not a one-time event but a journey. "If you feel like it's something short term that you're going to suffer through and then never have to change again, you are probably living in the wrong century."

“Accounting isn’t a ‘fake it till you make it’ job."MOVE Like ThisWith Bonnie Buol RuszcykFor CPA TrendlinesIn a recent episode of Move Like This, Ashley Kostos, sales manager at Accountests, joined host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to explore how data-driven assessments are helping accounting firms hire smarter, retain top talent, and create clearer career paths. With ongoing staffing shortages and high turnover across the industry, testing may be the tool firms didn’t know they needed.More MOVEAccountests, founded by a former PwC partner and a psychometric testing expert, offers skills, ability, and personality assessments specifically designed for the accounting profession. These tools help employers move past resume claims and polished interviews to evaluate real-world competencies, including things like understanding financial statements, tax knowledge, and software fluency. “Accounting isn’t a ‘fake it till you make it’ job,” Kostos emphasizes. “You need to know how to do the work.”

Raising the bar on client service doesn’t mean sacrificing all your time.  Accounting ARCWith Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny ShimamotoCenter for Accounting TransformationTechnology has changed how firms operate, but relationships—and setting clear expectations—remain central to client satisfaction. In a recent episode of Accounting ARC, co-hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, tackled a pressing issue: how the accounting profession can evolve to deliver better client service in the digital age. MORE Accounting ARC: Ron Baker: Surviving Tariff Turbulence | Crypto, Cash, or Chaos? The Fallout of an IRS-Free America | Is Agentic AI a Game Changer or Game Ender? | Kelly Mann: Thriving Against All Odds | 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 | Angie Grissom: Next Gen Inspo for Accountants | Does Accounting Belong in STEM? “Client service is the number one reason we hear clients are looking for a new CPA firm,” says Mason, founder and CEO of High Rock Accounting. “We need to get back to the roots of our profession—deep relationships and great communication.” 

Without the right strategy, even the best intentions can go to waste. Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayCharitable giving can be a powerful tool for clients seeking tax advantages and for ensuring their donations are used wisely. Yet, many clients—and even some professionals—remain unaware of one of the most accessible vehicles for achieving these goals: donor-advised funds.Click here for more Art Werner“The average client has no idea that a donor-advised fund exists,” Werner says. “And if I, as a professional, am not aware of a technique, I probably won’t use it — not because I’m afraid of it, but because I’m ignorant of the ability to utilize it.”A donor-advised fund is a simple yet powerful charitable planning tool. It allows an individual to make a significant charitable contribution upfront, claim an immediate tax deduction, and then distribute the funds to charities over time. This approach provides flexibility and greater oversight of how donations are ultimately used.

Expand capabilities, boost client satisfaction, and build thriving businesses—without sacrificing independence.The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrDave Kersting, founder and CEO of Capovario, is disrupting the status quo firm structure by introducing co-firming. While he and Tanya Schulte, owner of The Profit Constructors, started on the co-firming path in a contractor-subcontractor relationship, they quickly realized they wanted more. “...we want to win together, and we want to lose together,” Kersting recalls. MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: 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? | Beth Whitworth: Focus on Outcomes Not Hours |Mike Sylvester: Learn to Say No | Salim Omar: Identify Your Client's $100,000 Problem | Jackie Meyer: Earn More with Fewer Clients | Jack Fleherty: Don't Be a 'Yes' Person Co-firming brings multiple specialized firms together to serve clients collaboratively rather than competitively. As Kersting explains, “What the client gets out of that is experts in the field, all working on the same client to make that client's journey better. Again, it's winning together, losing together.”This model isn't about subcontracting work but creating a unified team of specialists. With 11 firms now working together, “We kind of do look at ourselves as like this big super firm, a super firm, that we’re all team. We're all one big, ginormous team,” says Kersting.

Explore the rising threat of national debt, future tax hikes, and how Americans can prepare.The Concierge CPAWith Jackie MeyerFor CPA TrendlinesThe U.S. is hurtling toward an economic reckoning, and most Americans are dangerously unprepared. That’s the warning delivered in the latest episode of The Concierge CPA podcast, where host Jackie Meyer sits down with financial planning expert David Spence, CPA, CFP, CLU, PFS, to unpack how today’s economic decisions could impact tomorrow’s taxpayers.More Jackie MeyerSpence’s message is clear: history shows that skyrocketing national debt leads to one inevitable outcome—higher taxes. "After World War II, with debt at 120% of GDP, top tax rates soared to 94%," Spence explains. "Today, we’re at 130% of GDP, and we’re already paying massive interest on our debt—more than we spend on defense."Given these realities, Spence argues it’s critical for Americans to shift their focus toward tax-free income sources. Strategies such as Roth IRAs, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and Life Insurance Retirement Plans (LIRPs) could become lifelines in a future where traditional retirement accounts might be heavily taxed.

“If you think change is hard, try not changing and see what happens.”Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownIn part one of this Accounting Influencers podcast, special guest Hannah Munro, managing director of transformation consultancy with ITAS and host of the CFO 4.0 podcast, joins the conversation to unpack the realities of change and transformation in today’s volatile world. More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown here Munro makes one thing clear: change is no longer a future event to plan for—it is the present reality.“Transformation is a journey, not a one-step process,” Munro says. “It’s about becoming comfortable in that VUCA environment—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous—and building a skill set to navigate it.”The conversation kicks off by acknowledging just how fast change is accelerating. Munro points to the explosive growth of technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, and machine learning.“It’s not just that things are changing—it’s that the change itself is speeding up,” she explains. “Six months ago, no one was talking about ChatGPT. Now it’s passing bar exams and accounting qualifications.”For finance professionals, that pace of change means one thing: roles are evolving rapidly. Traditional tasks like data entry, reconciliations, and basic reporting are being automated. Munro warns that anything transactional is at risk.

Hall of Fame leaders share the lessons, mistakes, and trends shaping the future of firm growth.Gear Up For GrowthWith Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesIn a special episode of Gear Up for Growth, four Hall of Fame members from the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) reunite to reflect on how accounting marketing evolves—and to deliver advice for today’s growth leaders.Host Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, is joined by Brian Falony, retired accounting marketing executive; Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group and facilitator; Mitchell Reno, principal and director of client experience at Rehmann; and Michelle River, CEO of Fore, LLC.  Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth every Friday 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 here Together, they look back at how the profession has transformed over 35 years—and look ahead to what firms must do to survive and thrive in a radically different marketplace.The conversation opens with reflections on the early days of accounting marketing, when firm growth largely depended on partner relationships and marketing was often misunderstood. Falony recalls launching marketing strategies before the internet even existed, while Caragher shares her early efforts to win buy-in from skeptical partners who viewed marketing with suspicion.

Shaky markets. Panicky clients. Accountants, it’s your time to shine.  Accounting ARCWith Liz MasonCenter for Accounting TransformationPresident Donald Trump’s tariff announcement has sent shockwaves through the business community—and accountants are on the frontlines of the fallout. In the latest Accounting ARC podcast, Liz Mason, CPA, and Ron Baker, CPA (inactive), analyze the implications of Trump’s decision to impose a 10% blanket tariff on all imports, alongside a dramatic 54% tariff on goods from China.  MORE Accounting ARC: Crypto, Cash, or Chaos? The Fallout of an IRS-Free America | Is Agentic AI a Game Changer or Game Ender? | Kelly Mann: Thriving Against All Odds | 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 "Tariffs are taxes—plain and simple," says Mason, CEO of  High Rock Accounting. "And businesses need to prepare for those costs to flow straight to consumers." The decision, justified under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, aims to curb the U.S. trade deficit. Yet Baker, founder of the VeraSage Institute and radio co-host of the www.VoiceAmerica.com show: The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Knowledge Economy, warns of potential unintended consequences. “Protectionism historically leads to retaliation, and that’s bad news for everyone,” he notes. 

Unlock the full value of charitable contributions with one of the tax code's most underused tools.Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayWhat if you could give more, support your favorite causes for years to come, and still walk away with a sizable tax deduction—all in one smart move?Click here for more Art WernerThat’s the opportunity donor-advised funds (DAFs) present, and the latest Quick Tax Tip brings clarity to a concept many donors and advisors overlook.“A donor-advised fund, by itself, is a charity,” Werner explains. “But the contribution we make to it is deductible within IRS limits—and what’s really nice is you can lump your giving up front and spread it out over time.”For donors who no longer itemize due to the increased standard deduction post-TCJA, this opens the door to reclaiming lost tax benefits. Instead of giving $5,000 a year and missing out on deductions, you could contribute $50,000 in one year to a DAF—claim your deduction—then direct that money to charities over a decade.