CPA Trendlines Podcasts

Tim Brackney, CEO of a private equity-backed CPA firm and former PwC professional, dives into the misconceptions surrounding private equity's role in accounting. He argues that the sector’s challenges stem from its own outdated practices rather than external pressures. Brackney highlights the ongoing talent shortage and suggests that private equity could rejuvenate the industry. He also discusses the evolving partnership models within firms, the allure of predictable fees, and the need for flexibility among younger professionals.

Capstone ConversationsInformal and informative discussions with leading growth strategists from the nation's most dynamic CPA firms.With Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesWhen the Covid pandemic hit Grassi CPAs, chief marketing officer Sarah Cirelli launched a "SWAT" program to stem the losses and reap an extra $2 million in new fees. Full 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 every Friuday with Gear Up for Growth here |In this episode of Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher, Cirelli explains the SWAT toolset, an automated dashboard with the firm's crisis response and recovery services, all the marketing data, and every prospect and client who attended a webinar or called their hotline, the questions they asked, the industry they operate in, and where they were in the lead generation process.

From $70 milliion to $450 million: The power of positivity, strategic planning, and going international.Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownRichard Kopelman, CEO and managing partner of PE-owned Aprio, shares his philosophy of staying positive and never giving up, the importance of having a well-written strategic plan, and his vision of truly global accounting firms.Complete show notes here, including takeaways, background, analysis and transcript | See Part 1: Richard Kopelman: Inside Aprio’s Bold Makeover | More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown here | Aprio Sells Majority Stake to Charlesbank Capital Partners | Cited: Mindset: The New Psychology of SuccessIn the second part of a two-part Accounting Influencers, Kopelman tells Rob Brown that a growth mindset drives Aprio's tremendous growth from $70 million to $450 million in revenue.

Lessons from dozens of strategic mergers & acquisitions.Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownRichard Kopelman, CEO and managing partner of PE-owned Aprio, reveals the firm's dramatic transformation and rebranding into a global business advisory and accounting firm.See Part 2: Richard Kopelman: Aprio’s Plans for Global Conquest | More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown here | Aprio Sells Majority Stake to Charlesbank Capital Partners here | Cited: Mindset: The New Psychology of SuccessIn this first part of a two-part Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown, Kopelman analyzes the high demand for accounting services due to changes in business, regulatory requirements, and technology. According to Kopelman, a key challenge for accounting firms often lies in mindset, requiring a shift from a risk-averse outlook to a more "positive," entrepreneurial one.

Leveraging social media and other digital platforms allows firms to attract talent without relying on traditional job boards or recruiters.Gear Up for Growth.With Jean Caragher.For CPA Trendlines."You actually have to be a good firm,” Katie Thomas, CPA, founder and owner, Leaders Online LLC, replied when asked about the factors needed for an organic inbound recruitment strategy to work. Full show notes here | Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and effective 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 The CPA Trendlines broadcast channel “And that may seem obvious, but if you are doing the things that people aren't attracted to, no, it doesn't matter how great your marketing team is, they can't make you stand out if you don't have leading ideas and leading thoughts of things that you're doing to change the firm or change the profession and have people actually want to come work with you.” Thomas was a guest on Gear Up for Growth, a new show hosted by Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, and powered by CPA Trendlines. Thomas' recruitment strategy focuses on getting more accountants to stay in the profession and realize there are firms doing things differently. Thomas’ solution is an organic inbound recruitment strategy that leverages social media and other digital platforms. “This approach is built around the 4C method: choosing the right platform, connecting with talent, starting conversations, and creating content that showcases a firm’s unique culture,” explains Thomas. It allows firms to attract talent without relying on traditional job boards or recruiters.More highlights here

How will proposed tax reforms impact businesses and tax professionals in the 2024 election cycle?Accounting ARCWith Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny ShimamotoCenter for Accounting TransformationThe 2024 election is poised to bring significant changes to tax policy, and the accounting profession is bracing for the potential impact.SHOW NOTES here | MORE Accounting ARC: Leadership for the Future: Stakeholders, Sustainability, and Strategic Vision | In-Person Conferences Still Essential | Non-Accountants in Accounting: A Game-Changer for the Profession | Rubik Yeriazarian: Smaller Firms Offer Big Opportunities for Rapid Skill Development in Forensic Accounting | Accounting ARC | AI Will Steal Your Job. And That’s a Good Thing | Accounting ARC | The Right Kind of Lazy: Innovative Approaches to Streamlining Workflows | Accounting ARC  As political candidates propose tax reforms, tax professionals must be prepared to understand and communicate the implications of these changes to their clients. The latest episode of Accounting ARC highlights the challenges and responsibilities that accountants face in navigating the intersection of politics and tax policy.

Beyond its ethical implications, CSR can bring tangible financial gains.Know-How KornerWith Donny Shimamoto  Center for Accounting TransformationIn this episode of Know-How Korner, we interview Jeff Joireman, a professor of marketing at Washington State University, about his groundbreaking research on corporate social responsibility.COMPLETE SHOW NOTES here | MORE Donny ShimamotoDiscover how CSR influences consumer behavior and what it means for businesses today. Tune in to uncover insights that could transform your approach to marketing! #knowhowkorner #CSR #transformaccounting

Stop following SALY. Think about what you are trying to accomplish. Plus 17 key takeaways.The DisruptorsWith Liz Farr Kelly Mann wants firms to stop relying on SALY – same as last year – for everything: “Everything is same as last year, the way we give bonuses to people, the way we split partner compensation, the way we monitor hours, the way we prepare a work paper, the way we plan an audit,” she says.17 MORE TAKEAWAYS: More Kelly Mann Disruptor Notes MORE: Disruptors MORE CPA TRENDLINES PODCASTS and VIDEOS:  Alicia Katz Pollock: Create a Human-Centric Business | Nancy McClelland: Be the One Your Clients Ask First | Alan Whitman: Stop Accepting the Status Quo | The Disruptors | Sean Duncan: Discover Your Own Genius | Ingrid Edstrom: True Wealth Is Not Financial | Chris Hervochon: Be the Leader You Want to Work For | Caleb Jenkins: Firm Growth Requires Owners to Shift Roles |Ira Rosenbloom: Don't Merge for the Money | Adam Lean: Get Out of the Accountant's Trap | Geraldine Carter: Charging More is Better for Your Clients | Vimal Bava: When Working Smarter, Not Harder, Is the Only Option |SEE THEM ALL here.When she started in audit, Mann was told to “try not to be such a bull in a china shop.”  She saw many opportunities for improvement by departing from SALY, but leadership told her, “Don't have crazy ideas, don't mix everything up, because change is hard and change disrupts.”After hearing that for 10 years, she quit to start her audit firm. She reached out to tech companies in the audit space in search of software to make her work easier but found nothing. However, several tech firms were interested in tapping into her vision. This led to an epiphany: “If all they want my vision, I want to own my vision.”  So she Googled “How to Start Up a Software Company,” and AuditMiner was born.

Capstone ConversationsWith Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesAccording to Korby Boswell, Adams Brown's senior marketing and growth manager, successful accounting firm marketing lies in effective project management, smart content marketing, and producing solid sales leads.Full episode note here | More Capstone Conversations 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 every Friday with Gear Up for Growth here |In this episode of Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher, Boswell delivers three pieces of advice for CPA firm managing partners.

Balancing growth, profits, culture, and staff retention.Gear Up for Growth. With Jean Caragher. For CPA Trendlines. “Probably no surprise, the greatest challenge to growth in this industry is attracting and retaining talent,” said Kristin Murray, managing partner of Weinstein Spira. “Without that, there is no growth, and given the landscape of our industry right now, that's everybody's biggest challenge. If it's not, I'd be amazed.”Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efffective 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 The CPA Trendlines broadcast channel  “Kristin was the person in her firm who stuck her neck out and took the risk back when she was a tax partner leading the HR and culture initiatives for the firm,”  says Jennifer Wilson, partner and co-founder of Convergence Coaching.Differentiating Weinstein Spira’s environment to appeal to candidates is a key strategy. “One of the things that we've done on the tax side is to implement these positions called tax preparation coordinators,” explains Murray. “These individuals aren't necessarily accounting-degreed but are skilled with computers and organization. They handle preliminary tax preparation tasks, easing the workload of the accounting staff."Additionally, Weinstein Spira has created client service rep roles to manage client communications, removing administrative burdens from senior accountants. This change allows their more experienced staff to focus on complex tasks, increasing productivity.Wilson says Murray "had the guts to say, ‘Hey, guys, we have to be more flexible. We can't have standing office hours and force people to stay through dinner and come in on Saturdays.’ So, she abolished all of that."More highlights:– The six big themes from the National Pipeline Advisory Group and what firms need to do with this information.– Why Weinstein Spira has succeeded in providing time and resources for the firm’s CPA candidates to prepare for the CPA exam.– The real story behind Weinstein Spira’s Fun Brigade.– How Weinstein Spira’s efforts have impacted the firm’s employee retention.More about Kristin Murray: Kristin Murray has served as Weinstein Spira’s managing shareholder since 2018. Her clients include manufacturing, real estate, professional services companies, owner-managed businesses, and high-net-worth individuals. Weinstein Spira is a member of AGN International. She can be reached at km@weinsteinspira.com.More about Jennifer Wilson: Jennifer Wilson is a co-founder and partner with ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, a national consulting firm for CPAs. She has been named to Accounting Today’s Top 10 and Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list, IPA's Top 10 Most Recommended Consultants and CPA Practice Advisor's Top 25 Thought Leaders and the Most Powerful Women in Accounting lists. She can be reached at jen@convergencecoaching.com. More Jennifer Wilson at CPA Trendlines here.