CPA Trendlines Podcasts

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. 

“CAS gets stronger as tech gets better. The market’s expanding, not shrinking.” Big 4 TransparencyBy Dominic Piscopo, CPAFor CPA TrendlinesIn this episode of Big 4 Transparency, Matthew May, former co-founder of Acuity and now CAS Leader at Sorren, pulls back the curtain on one of the most significant private equity-driven rollups in the accounting profession. Speaking with host Dominic Piscopo, May details how Acuity, alongside other firms, became part of a growing national platform backed by DFW Capital, and why he believes Client Accounting Services (CAS) will soon eclipse audit.  MORE Dominic Piscopo MORE Pay & Compensation MORE CAS The seeds of the Sorren platform were planted in a BDO Alliance roundtable where six firms fantasized about joining forces. That vision crystallized when DFW Capital, with a thesis to invest $100M in the space, entered the picture. From there, May and his partners at Acuity ran a rigorous process, engaging investment bankers to evaluate 250 potential paths, leading to 11 indications of interest (IOIs), seven in-person meetings, and five formal offers. The decision to join Sorren wasn’t about cashing out - it was about autonomy, cultural fit, and the chance to help shape a future-focused firm from the ground up. 

A proactive framework that includes these four steps can help keep your organization safe.Quick Tech TalkWith Steve YossCPE TodayWhether your organization operates out of a small-town office or a global headquarters, cybersecurity threats are a daily reality. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, malware, ransomware, and even simple human error can have devastating consequences. One misdirected email or compromised executive account can trigger financial penalties, regulatory action, and long-term reputational harm. MORE Steve Yoss here | MORE TECH In this episode of Quick Tech Talks, Steve Yoss warns that these risks are not reserved for large corporations. “We all face a wide variety of concerns,” he explains, “and they’re avoidable if we actively take a stronger interest in security procedures.”Yoss draws a powerful connection between cybersecurity protocols and traditional internal control frameworks. In his view, “they are two sides of the same coin.” Strong cybersecurity controls not only protect sensitive data but also reinforce the operational integrity of the entire organization.

Listening, translating, and meeting clients where they are is just as important as adopting the latest tech.The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrMichelle Vilms has a perspective that most small business accountants don’t have: she had a front-row seat to the explosive growth of Staples as it grew from 100 stores to a $15 billion corporation. Today, she brings her mastery of operational accounting to her own firm, Vilms Consulting, and the small business clients with whom she works.   CPA TRENDLINES CELEBRATES:The 100th Episode of The Disruptors MORE STREAMING: 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 | Randy Crabtree: Live at the Intersection of Passion & Skill |McClelland and Telka: Women Ready to Rewrite the Rules of Accounting | Jacob Schroeder: AI Won’t Replace Accountants—But It Will Reveal Who’s Replaceable | Ditching Corporate America: The Bold Story Behind PBS Accounting’s Rapid Rise | Jean Zick: Happy Team = Happy Clients | Breslin & Greathead: Be a Client Advocate | Dominic Piscopo: Clear Pay=Bargaining Power | Debbie Kilsheimer: Stop Thinking Small | Vilms' final position at Staples was director of Marketing and Finance, where she worked with the creative people who were putting together catalogs or ads. “They were numbers persons in their specialty, but they weren't accounting numbers people,” she explains. “And so just learning to have empathy and explain it to them in the terms that they needed really brought me back to that corporate experience, is how I landed in operational accounting for our firm.” Today, Vilms uses that same approach with her clients, focusing on understanding her clients’ concerns and explaining accounting in familiar terms.

Technology streamlines the process, but strong communication builds the needed relationships.By Rory Henry CFP®, BFA™For CPA TrendlinesResearch shows that 93% of people want estate planning services from their financial advisor but only 22% are actually getting that advice. As detailed in my new book Holistic Guide to Wealth Management for CPAs, estate planning offers practitioners the ability to provide a family office level of care to clients, whether they are business owners, retiring boomers, or next Gen.  MORE Rory Henry and The Holistic Guide to Wealth Management BUY the Holistic Guide to Wealth Management Danny Lohrfink, co-founder and chief product officer of estate planning software Wealth.com, said estate planning has long been an antiquated profession that costs a lot of money, takes a great deal of time, and often delivers an outcome that is too complex for the client/family to understand. “These are the kinds of core problems that technology is meant to solve,” notes Lohrfink, a contributor to my book. “How do you reduce the cost and amount of time spent doing things?”  According to Lohrfink, technology can help practitioners address the varying needs of clients across the net worth spectrum. “The mass affluent folks don't really have a federally taxable estate and want to set up a simple trust without spending $5,000,” he says. “So maybe they're not trying to optimize for taxes, whereas the ultra-high-net-worth clients are. But there's still a need for really good, solid estate planning guidance, and the CPA/advisor can play a fundamental role just like the trust and estate attorney may play a fundamental role.”

Turn disruption into opportunity and lead with confidence.Accounting InfluencersWith Rob BrownAs disruption reshapes the accounting profession, a harsh reality is emerging: the vast majority of firms are not keeping pace. In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown warns that more than 70% of accountants globally are unprepared for the seismic changes sweeping through the industry, from AI and automation to evolving client expectations and a volatile talent marketplace.“Disruption isn’t coming. It’s already here,” Brown says. “Those who don’t make the shift in time are going to get left behind—plain and simple.” MORE Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown The show explores how outdated processes, resistance to change, and lagging leadership development are putting firms at risk. Leaders can no longer afford to rely solely on technical skills. Today’s environment demands influence, adaptability, and a willingness to tackle uncomfortable change head-on.

The debut episode of It’s Not Just the Numbers reveals why half-built CAS divisions fail—and what to do instead.It's Not Just the NumbersWith Penny Breslin and Damien GreatheadIn the inaugural episode of It’s Not Just the Numbers, hosts Penny Breslin and Damien Greathead deliver a candid, experience-driven conversation aimed at accounting and bookkeeping firm owners seeking to move beyond compliance work and grow successful Client Accounting and Advisory Services (CAS) practices. MORE Penny Breslin and Damien Greathead MORE Advisory & Consulting BUY "It's Not Just the Numbers" The duo, who have worked together for over two decades, including hosting one of the first CAS workshops in 2013, are well-known voices in the evolution of cloud-based accounting and outsourced advisory services. Their show—named after their 2019 book—digs into the practical, strategic, and often messy realities of transitioning to advisory work. And for Breslin and Greathead, the key message is clear: building a sustainable CAS practice starts with intentionality.

The path to influence in accounting starts with finding your voice—and sharing it on stage. Accounting ARCWith Liz Mason and Donny Shimamoto Center for Accounting TransformationForget the clichés of accountants buried in spreadsheets. Today’s most innovative CPAs are more likely to be found keynoting tech conferences, moderating panels on firm transformation, or networking at rooftop receptions in Toronto, Tokyo, or Denver.In this episode of Accounting ARC, hosts Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, and Liz Mason, CPA, peel back the curtain on how speaking and travel are helping redefine the accounting profession.  MORE Accounting ARC: Students Challenge Accounting's Traditional Career Path | True Grit: Recognizing Struggles That Shape Our Successes | More Admins, Fewer Students, No Plan | What Career Advice Gets Wrong for Gen Z - And How to Fix It |Your Identity is Not a Liability | What Happens in Vegas… Gets Reported on a Tax Return | Burnout, Be Gone: Accounting Needs a Boundary Breakthrough | The Ultimate Business Hack You’re Probably Ignoring | 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 “I used to think the only reason CPAs traveled was for audits,” says Shimamoto, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and founder and inspiration architect for the Center for Accounting Transformation. “Now, speaking has taken me to 35 states and across the globe.” 

New tax proposal offers four years of relief for qualified workers, starting retroactively in 2025.Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayDuring his campaign rallies, Donald Trump made repeated promises to eliminate taxes on overtime pay, and that promise has now been incorporated into legislative language. According to tax expert Art Werner, the proposed tax break is indeed included in the new tax bill, and it’s one of the few provisions that start early and end early.Click here for more Art Werner“This is one of the parts of the bill that actually sunsets,” said Werner in a recent episode of Quick Tax Tip. “It goes from 2025 to 2028, unlike the rest of the bill, which largely begins in 2026.”The provision eliminates federal tax on qualified overtime compensation, but don’t get too excited just yet. The deduction only applies under very specific conditions.

"I had to learn to be a political animal."Big 4 TransparencyBy Dominic Piscopo, CPAFor CPA TrendlinesIn a candid conversation on the Big 4 Transparency show, former CohnReznick CEO Frank Longobardi offers a sweeping view of the accounting industry's transformation, advocating for private equity investment as a necessary catalyst for modernization. Speaking with host Dominic Piscopo, Longobardi explains how traditional partnership structures have often hindered strategic decision-making, especially in large firms where a board of ten or more can slow progress. “You’ve got people on the board at different ages, different objectives, and different disciplines,” he says. “A smaller circle with clear strategic goals allows partners to do what they do best: serve clients and lead people.”  MORE Dominic Piscopo MORE Pay & Compensation Longobardi also highlights how the profession’s talent model is out of step with the expectations of today’s workforce. “You hire a top student and tell them they’ll make partner in 16 years,” he notes. “Meanwhile, their friends in finance are seeing returns now—when they’re raising kids and buying houses.” Private equity, Longobardi argues, can address this by offering earlier equity opportunities and aligning incentives across generations. “We need to make accounting a profession of choice again,” he says, pointing to declining enrollment in accounting programs and the deterrent of the fifth-year requirement for CPA licensure.