CPA Trendlines Podcasts

Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayEvery CPA, EA, and tax professional should attend at least one federal tax update program annually. It’s like stretching or warming up before intense exercise.Show notes here | More Art WernerA tax update serves two main purposes and demonstrates your value: prep for tax and expand client value.

In an era when traditional models fail, accountants should rethink relevance, client experience, and the power of language.Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownAccounting visionary Ed Kless challenges the profession to move beyond the traditional billable hour and embrace a proactive, subscription-based model. In this episode of Accounting Influencers, Kless, known for his strong stance on abolishing hourly billing, offers actionable insights into how accountants can redefine their services and stay relevant in an evolving landscape.Full Show Notes Here | More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown hereKless wastes no time challenging one of the industry’s longest-standing practices: billing by the hour. "It’s an absolutely dead model, and it’s a problem not only for accountants but also for their customers,” he argues. By emphasizing efficiency over effectiveness, Kless says hourly billing creates a barrier to innovation and true client satisfaction. "Think about it—if you had a brain tumor, would you want an efficient surgeon or an effective one?” he asks, underscoring the need for quality service over rigid time-tracking.

"Every client interaction is a marketing opportunity."Gear Up for GrowthWith Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesMarketing has evolved from a client acquisition tool to a vital part of a firm's overall strategy. “When we first started marketing firms, it was all about bringing in the client and not worrying about anything else,” says August Aquila of Aquila Global Advisors and author of the new CPA Trendlines practice manual, "MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention"Full show notes here | Sample Aquila's newly released "MAX: Maximize Productivity, Profitability and Client Retention" | Buy Now | Learn More | More August Aquila | 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 Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher every Monday | 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 |“Marketing today should be so integrated into a firm that it can help the firm increase its enterprise value by making the firm more valuable if you decide to sell,” he says. Marketing activities, such as pricing strategies and enhancing client experiences, are essential for firms to differentiate and stay competitive.

Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayWe are anticipating changes to tax laws that could significantly impact clients, either positively or negatively, depending on the structure of their businesses.Full show notes here | More Art WernerOne major consideration is the type of business entity the client operates. The options include sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. Within corporations, there are further distinctions: C corporations or those that have made an S election.

Accounting experts debate STEM designation and its implications for the accounting field. Accounting ARCWith Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto.Center for Accounting TransformationAs accounting evolves into a technology-driven profession, a question looms: Does accounting qualify as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) field? On the latest episode of Accounting ARC, thought leaders hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, tackle this provocative question. MORE Accounting ARC: Rose Wang: Where Numbers Meet Strategy and Creativity | TikTok Fraud Exposes Gaps in Financial Literacy | How Accounting Pros Own the Stage in Public Speaking | Greg Kyte: Being a CPA Is Like Being the Marie Kondo of Numbers | Rachel Bashore: A Lawyer's Case for Reinventing Accounting | Beyond the Basics in Ethics Eduction | Bailey Lenart: From Ledger Sheets to Transformational Change | Election Tax Plans: What CPAs Need to Know | Leadership for the Future: Stakeholders, Sustainability, and Strategic Vision |“STEM is about applying rules-based knowledge in real-world scenarios,” explains Mason, CEO of High Rock Accounting. “Accounting fits because we apply principles and make ethical decisions just like other STEM professions.” But not everyone agrees with Mason.

In this engaging discussion, Tom Wheelwright, founder of WealthAbility and a CPA veteran, shares his insights on transforming client service in accounting. He emphasizes the need for accountants to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and focus on outcomes rather than tasks. Wheelwright advocates for flat, value-based pricing, which enhances transparency and strengthens client relationships. He also discusses the importance of setting upfront contracts and transitioning from traditional compliance roles to advisory services, ultimately redefining how accountants can deliver meaningful value.

Gary Shamis, President & CEO of Winding River Consulting, brings over 30 years of experience in firm management. He emphasizes that while strategy is easy, execution is what truly differentiates successful firms. Shamis discusses the challenges small CPA firms face in scaling operations and the importance of evolving management practices. He also highlights the need for leadership development through boot camps to cultivate essential skills. Additionally, he shares insights on personal growth and spontaneity, hinting at upcoming family adventures and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Accounting ARCWith Donny Shimamoto.Center for Accounting TransformationAs the accounting profession expands beyond its traditional boundaries, Rose Wang represents a new wave of CPAs who bring strategic thinking and entrepreneurial savvy to the table. With roles as a principal consultant at both IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and Apaira Group LLC, Wang has carved a career path that spans accounting, business strategy, and now, authorship. SHOW notes here | MORE Accounting ARC: TikTok Fraud Exposes Gaps in Financial Literacy | How Accounting Pros Own the Stage in Public Speaking | Greg Kyte: Being a CPA Is Like Being the Marie Kondo of Numbers | Rachel Bashore: A Lawyer’s Case for Reinventing Accounting | Beyond the Basics in Ethics Education | Bailey Lenart: From Ledger Sheets to Transformational Change |“I’ve always approached accounting as more than just numbers,” says Wang. “It’s about translating those numbers into a business strategy that makes sense for the client.” Based in Hawaii and California, Wang launched her career with a CPA firm focused on supporting small businesses. Rather than just managing books, she partnered with clients to drive business growth. Her approach involves analyzing financial statements and identifying strategic opportunities for improvement. 

Accountants need to write their own stories.The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrGreg Adams believes that accountants' work opportunities have long been underappreciated and misunderstood. When accountants at parties are asked what they do, Adams explained that they always have to give the “but answer,” as in, "I’m an accountant, but I have a really cool job."  SHOW NOTES here | MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Jody Padar: Make Radical Changes Now If You Want to Be Relevant in 2030 | Rebecca Driscoll: Amplify Reach By Helping Other Firm Owners | Rory Henry: Create the Return on Relationships | Mike Maksymiw: Be the Leader You Wish You Had | Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself |His new book, Green Shade$, is an attempt to dispel the notion of accounting as limited to just tax or audit and “to change the branding and image of accountants.” 

Capstone ConversationsBy Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesGlen Carmichael, digital marketing coordinator at YHB CPAs and Consultant, is pushing the firm's newsletter to more than 55,000 recipients, growing educational webinars to 23, and garnering 64,000 blog readers annually.And she's just getting started,Show notes here | Follow Jean Caragher on CPA Trendlines here. | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | Catch Jean Caragher's other show, Gear Up for Growth, on Fridays here. | And browse all the shows in the CPA Trendlines broadcast network hereBut with achievements like those, it's no wonder she has received the Association of Accounting Marketing Rookie of the Year Award.In this episode of Capstone Conversations, Carmichael shares her thoughts about her accomplishments, challenges, and insights into marketing for CPA firms.