CPA Trendlines Podcasts

Acquisition isn’t assimilation—it’s alignment.Big 4 TransparencyBy Dominic Piscopo, CPAFor CPA TrendlinesOn the latest episode of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, Marcus Dillon, founder and president of Dillon Business Advisors, offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the art of accounting firm acquisitions and what happens after the deal closes. Having completed 15 M&A transactions, Dillon has quietly built a hybrid growth model that blends strategic purchasing with equally strategic divestitures, helping him scale while staying lean and focused.   MORE Dominic Piscopo MORE M&A MORE CAS Dillon’s approach flips conventional acquisition thinking on its head. Rather than simply absorbing the full book of business, Dillon’s team audits each client against their firm’s service model and values, and often sells off the clients who don’t fit. “We apply the 80/20 rule early in the due diligence phase,” he explains. “Twenty percent of the clients typically generate 80 percent of the revenue, and the rest are often where the frustration lies.” That filtering strategy, he says, allows for faster onboarding, better client service, and less internal chaos. Dillon, however, isn’t targeting mega-firms or private equity roll-ups. Instead, he’s finding opportunity in smaller legacy firms, often with outdated systems and annual-only service models. But that doesn’t bother him. “It’s like a box break,” he says, referencing the trading card phenomenon. “You buy the box, open it up, and see what value you can extract and grow.” His most recent acquisition, closed just days before tax season, brought in $600K in annual revenue and positioned the firm to grow past $4 million in 2025. 

Free and powerful PDF tools are hiding in plain sight. Here’s how to find them.Quick Tech TalkWith Steve YossCPE TodayWhen you think about Portable Document Format (PDF) files, there’s a good chance Adobe Acrobat comes to mind first. But here’s something most people don’t realize: PDFs aren’t an Adobe-owned format anymore—they’re an ISO standard for digital paper. That means anyone can use, create, and manage them without paying for an Adobe subscription. MORE Steve Yoss here | MORE TECH And the options go far beyond the familiar. Whether you’re creating workpapers for clients, sharing contracts with staff, or archiving important documents, there’s an entire toolbox of PDF solutions—many of them free—that can get the job done just as well as premium software.

Applying entrepreneurial principles and embracing a culture of extraordinary service, this finance firm is breaking the mold.The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrDan Gertrudes doesn’t consider himself an accountant, though he admits, “I’m pretty good at it. I’ve taught it at Brown University.” After more than a decade working in finance in large corporations, Gertrudes began his journey as a firm owner via entrepreneurship through acquisition, or ETA, when he bought a firm in 2014 from a retiring owner.   CPA TRENDLINES CELEBRATES:The 100th Episode of The Disruptors MORE STREAMING: Vilms: The Power of People in a Tech-Driven World | Dickerson: From Diagnosis to Disruption | Kapilovich: Treat People Like People | Martha Yasso: From Wall Street to Main Street | Jackie Meyer: Tax Plans in 90 Seconds? Believe It | Erica Goode: Build a $200K Firm in 15hrs/Week  Gertrudes positions his firm, GrowthLab, as finance-as-a-service, which means his clients receive ongoing, highly scoped recurring work rather than project work. “We want to be an extension of your management team,” he explains. Besides traditional bookkeeping, his firm provides the full spectrum of financial services: accounting, FP&A, tax, CFO services, and HR. In addition, he is also building STRMS as an AI automation agency.  In contrast to many legacy firms, Gertrudes operates his firm as a business. “They're not businesses,” he says about traditional CPA firms. “There's no engine… You need more than one engine to be a business.” 

From Big Four consulting to FEMA volunteerism, Adjei blends problem-solving, purpose, and proactive planning.The Concierge CPAWith Jackie MeyerFor CPA TrendlinesWhen Hurricane Harvey submerged his first office, Houston-based CPA and tax advisor Brandon Adjei could have stepped back. Instead, he leaned in, volunteering for months at FEMA disaster relief centers, helping storm victims navigate IRS issues so they could access life-saving grants and loans. That work, originally meant to be temporary, became a catalyst for building a broader tax practice that now spans the U.S. and international clients.More Jackie MeyerOn The Concierge CPA, host Jackie Meyer sits down with Adjei to unpack a career that has been anything but linear. From starting at Enron just before its collapse, to Big Four M&A consulting, to founding multiple firms, Adjei’s journey is rooted in adaptability, relationship-building, and a deep commitment to client advocacy.Adjei’s client base extends far beyond Texas. He works with international students, entrepreneurs, and overseas businesses entering the U.S. market, tackling everything from residency rules to ITIN certifications. His guiding principle? Consistency. Whether it’s a McDonald’s in London or Los Angeles, clients expect the same standards in their U.S. operations—and in their advisors.

PE-backed firms are luring top performers with faster promotions, equity stakes, and career paths that traditional firms rarely offer.Accounting InfluencersWith Rob BrownPrivate equity’s influence on the accounting profession is shaking up more than firm valuations — it is rewriting the rules for attracting and retaining talent. A staggering 70% of top performers at traditional firms say they would move to a PE-backed competitor right now if given the chance, according to new industry insights. MORE Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown And it’s not just about bigger paychecks. Private equity firms have zeroed in on what motivates high performers — opportunity, impact, and accelerated growth — and are building career models to match.

The immersive experience transforms recruiting from a guessing game into a hands-on, culture-rich audition.Gear Up for GrowthWith Jean CaragherFor CPA Trendlines In the latest episode of Gear Up for Growth, powered by CPA Trendlines, Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, spoke with co-creators of JLK Rosenberger LLP’s innovative student recruitment program, Audit 500, which combines real-world experience with relationship-building to deliver extraordinary results – and some unexpected emotional impact.  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 Gear Up for Growth More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts here Originally created to address a gap between academic theory and audit practice, the Audit 500 is a fast-paced, three-day simulation that gives accounting students a hands-on experience of what it’s like to be an auditor. From testing cash and fixed assets to engaging with a mock CFO, participants work side-by-side with the firm’s staff, simulating the dynamics of a true engagement team. “We get to evaluate students in a much more meaningful way than a traditional interview ever could,” said Ani Zadorian, partner at JLK Rosenberger and co-creator of the program. “At the same time, they get to see our culture and decide if they see themselves growing here."

Building a firm should provide time, money, and freedom. The Concierge CPAWith Jackie MeyerFor CPA TrendlinesIn this conversation, Dr. Jackie Meyer, CPA and Reza Hooda, Coach & Mentor to Accountants with The Profitable Accountants Community, discuss the transformative journey of Hooda from a traditional accounting background to modernizing his practice through value pricing and effective client engagement strategies. More Jackie MeyerThey explore the importance of pricing psychology, positioning, and the four pillars of success in building a thriving accounting firm. Reza shares his insights on the challenges faced by accountants and the necessity of niching down to attract the right clients. The discussion also touches on the impact of mentorship and continuous learning in achieving business growth and personal freedom. 

Experts outline the flexible framework that works for a three‑person shop or a 30,000‑employee enterprise.Innovation InsightsWith Donny ShimamotoCenter for Accounting TransformationArtificial intelligence is advancing too quickly for organizations to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach, according to experts on the latest episode of Innovation Insights.Host Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, speaks with Jason Pikoos and David Wood, co-authors of the new Generative AI Governance Framework, about how companies can responsibly integrate AI into their operations.MORE Donny Shimamoto“Governance isn’t optional,” says Pikoos, former managing partner of client experience for Connor Group. “It’s good hygiene for any organization—whether you’re a three-person shop or a multinational.”The framework outlines 69 control considerations in areas such as bias risk, human oversight, and process integration. It is not a checklist to be blindly completed, the authors stress, but a flexible guide that organizations can tailor to their needs.

New 1099-K reporting rules mean your eBay, Etsy, or other online sales could land on the IRS’s radar—even if you’re just cleaning out your garage.Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayIf you’ve been selling old collectibles, furniture, or other personal items on eBay, you might think of it as a quick way to make cash, not something that belongs on your tax return. But according to tax guru Art Werner, new reporting thresholds for 1099-K forms are changing that, and the IRS could already have your sales data in hand.Click here for more Art Werner“In the past, the threshold for receiving a 1099-K from a payment processor or credit card company was $20,000,” Werner explains in the latest episode of Quick Tax Tip. “If you didn’t hit that threshold, you wouldn’t get the form, and frankly, no one was looking.”That’s no longer the case.

Prioritize belonging over optics.MOVE Like ThisWith Bonnie Buol RuszczykFor CPA TrendlinesIn this episode of MOVE Like This, Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk speaks with Dr. Claire Costin, CPA (University of Portland), and Dr. Stephani Mason, CPA (DePaul University), two professors who are shaping the future of accounting education and research through their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Their insights reveal how today’s students are rethinking what it means to belong in the profession, and what employers must do to keep up.  MORE MOVE Dr. Costin and Dr. Mason each bring rich, real-world experience to their roles as accounting educators. Dr. Costin's background in nonprofit auditing informs her work at the University of Portland, where she teaches everything from auditing to ethics. Dr. Mason began her career in a Big Four firm and spent many years in financial services before transitioning to academia at DePaul University. While their career paths differ, both have shifted their research to focus on inequity, bias, and intersectionality in the accounting profession. One theme that emerged clearly in their conversation was that today’s students care deeply about inclusion, authenticity, and choosing employers who align with their values.