CPA Trendlines Podcasts

The future of accounting will be strategy, communication, analysis, and proactive support. The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrRebecca Driscoll went out on her own at a young age when a partner at the CPA firm where she was working encouraged her. “You're not cut out for this path that we have in a traditional accounting firm,” Driscoll recalls him telling her.  “You're different, so you should go be different.” She already had a book of business as a staff accountant, but on the traditional path at that firm, it would be another decade before she could be considered for partnership. At the end of 2023, faced with the challenges of parenting two kids under two and recognizing that leading a growing firm wasn’t her passion, she sold 80% of her firm and retained just a few clients. Driscoll reports that when she “canceled out the noise and busyness of all these clients and the employees, I would net out at the same take-home that I was already making.” Her husband has also joined her firm, taking over the bookkeeping side of the business.The name of her business, Conscious Accounting, came from a client who remarked that she was different from “regular accountants” because she was conscious and aware of her clients' issues and proactive about providing them with what they needed.14 MORE TAKEAWAYS: More Rebecca Driscoll Disruptor Notes MORE: Disruptors MORE CPA TRENDLINES PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Rory Henry: Create the Return on Relationships | Mike Mksymiw: Be the Leader You Wish You Had | Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself | Kelly Mann: Be the Bull in the China Shop | 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 SEE THEM ALL here.

Challenging the CPA mindset.Capstone Conversations  With Jean Caragher  Rea & Associates is transitioning from a traditional CPA-centric model to a broader advisory role, aiming to offer services such as IT consulting and wealth management. Becca Johns, director of practice growth, tells Jean Caragher in this episode of Capstone Conversations that the move demands major shifts in the firm’s internal mindset and culture, including redefining roles, retraining staff, and effectively communicating the new value proposition to clients.   Full show notes 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 |    

Prune your existing portfolio to create a revenue pipeline.Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownEd Warren, a veteran sales executive in the accounting industry, shares expert insights on growing accounting firms through client advisory services and leveraging technology to stay ahead of the competition in this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast with host Rob Brown.Full Show Notes Here | More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown hereWarren shares his insights on how the accounting industry has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and what the future may hold for the industry. He believes that while the accounting firm space is in a good place given the circumstances, there is also a bit of complacency as they have weathered the storm reasonably well. However, staffing is a huge issue right now, and the industry will have to figure out how to adjust to players with values different from those of the legacy partner.

Be a client-centric human in a world of AI and technology. The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrSeveral years ago, Rory Henry asked himself, “Why don’t financial advisors and CPAs work together?” It boggled his mind because both work with the client’s finances but are not always in sync. “We’re advising them on their businesses, and then the wealth advisor takes over and manages the finances,” Henry says. “But really, one decision affects another.”  The ultra-wealthy have long used the family office model to bring a staff of CPAs, attorneys, and advisors to provide governance, legacy planning, and intergenerational wealth planning. At Arrowroot Family Office, Henry is leveraging technology to bring the benefits of the family office model to everyone. “So it's really integrating these solutions, using technology, using relationships, to really provide for the many needs of the business and the personal finances of your clients.” 14 MORE TAKEAWAYS: More Rory Henry Disruptor Notes MORE: Disruptors MORE CPA TRENDLINES PODCASTS and VIDEOS:  Mike Mksymiw: Be the Leader You Wish You Had | Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself | Kelly Mann: Be the Bull in the China Shop | 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.

With Jean Caragher  For CPA Trendlines  Lucas LaChance brings an auditor’s eye to marketing as the partner in charge of practice growth at Dallas-based Lane Gorman Trubitt, where he drives digital strategies that have fueled 143 percent revenue gains. 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 |  But the bigger challenge, LaChance tells Jean Caragher in this episode of Capstone Conversations, is winning the competition for a shrinking pool of CPAs. “Human resources and marketing have to work hand in hand,” he says.

How nontraditional professionals leverage their skills to bring innovation and growth to the accounting profession. Accounting ARCWith Donny ShimamotoCenter for Accounting TransformationThe accounting profession is experiencing a wave of disruption, and nontraditional professionals are leading the charge. In a recent episode of Accounting ARC, host Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, sits down with Rachel Bashore, the director of operations at Herbein, to discuss her journey from attorney to accounting professional and the valuable perspective she brings to her firm. 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 "Accounting is ripe for change, and that’s what excites me," Bashore says, reflecting on how her varied career—from IT consulting to trial law—helped prepare her for the challenges of modern accounting. Bashore has a unique path into the industry. After years working with IBM, she transitioned into law, specializing in litigation before moving into banking and fintech. Bashore’s background exemplifies adaptability. She explains how her role at IBM involved solving technical conflicts, which led her to study law and become a trial lawyer. Eventually, she shifted into operations, helping companies grow and manage risk. Her entry into accounting came through Herbein, where she saw opportunities to bring fresh perspectives to an industry on the verge of transformation. "Accounting is becoming more about advisory services and helping clients succeed beyond just tax returns and audits," she remarks. "I’ve done that with software, law, and banking. Now, I get to help a firm expand into new areas." 

Diversify your revenue streams with video and build a virtual accounting career.Accounting Influencerswith Rob BrownKate Josephine Johnson owns Heritage Business Services, LLC, a virtual bookkeeping firm serving small businesses across the United States. She is also the Chief Hustler at Bookkeeping Side Hustle, where she helps other accounting professionals build virtual accounting careers they love.Full Show Notes Here | More Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown hereJohnson shares her insights on how accounting professionals can diversify their revenue streams. She discusses various strategies, including eBooks, monthly membership for DIY clients, vendor referral links, YouTube, and sponsorships of newsletter and video content. She emphasizes the importance of using video in your business. Johnson shares statistics about the rise of video and explains that you need two skills to make videos: creating and communicating. She also provides different ways to use video, such as internal operations, clients and hot prospects, and external “Know/Like/Trust” marketing.

“The difficulty isn’t identifying the ethical decision; it’s making the right choice with difficult implications."Accounting ARCWith Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny ShimamotoCenter for Accounting TransformationAccounting ethics training needs a major reboot, according to the latest episode of Accounting ARC. While traditional ethics training often feels like a check-the-box activity, hosts Liz Mason, CPA; Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, argue that the profession must move toward a more engaging and comprehensive approach. 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 “Ethics education in accounting has become stale,” says Patrick, CEO and founder of VERIFYiQ and vice president of Client Success at The B3 Method Institute, reflecting on his 80+ hours of ethics training over his 22-year career. “The right decisions are usually obvious, but it’s the process of making them that’s difficult. Unfortunately, none of my training has equipped me to handle that challenge.” One of the key issues raised in the episode is the formulaic nature of traditional ethics education. Mason, founder and CEO of High Rock Accounting, highlights that many presentations simply focus on independence and professional standards without delving into the philosophical underpinnings of ethics. “We’re not addressing the ‘why’ behind ethical decisions,” Mason emphasizes. “We need to be talking about ethical frameworks, values, and the cultural contexts that shape them.” The hosts also discuss how ethics training often overlooks the complexities of real-world situations. “Most ethical dilemmas aren’t about identifying what’s right or wrong—they’re about the difficulty of making the right choice,” says Byron. “The implications of those choices are what make them hard.” 

If no one’s complaining that your fees are too high, your fees are too low.The Disruptors.  With Liz Farr. Mike Maksymiw, the leader of Aprio Firm Alliance, hates charge hours as a primary performance metric. He even left a firm where he was a partner because of a dispute over charge hours. Although he exceeded his revenue goals by a healthy margin, he was penalized because he got the work done in fewer hours.21 MORE TAKEAWAYS: More Mike Maksymiw Disruptor Notes | MORE: Disruptors | MORE CPA TRENDLINES PODCASTS and VIDEOS:   Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself | Kelly Mann: Be the Bull in the China Shop | Alicia Katz Pollock: Create a Human-Centric Business | Nancy McClelland: Be the One Your Clients Ask First | Alan Whitman: Stop Accepting the Status Quo | SEE THEM ALL here.“The main thing I was supposed to do, I was doing,” he tells Liz Farr in this episode of The Disruptors. And if he hadn’t been meeting his revenue goals, that deficit in hours would have been something to remedy.  “So I don't want people to think there's no place for these metrics. We must put them in the right order to run a business.”

As private equity gains momentum in the accounting industry, firms face a decision: embrace external investment or double down on independence.Gear Up for GrowthWith Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesIn a recent episode of the Gear Up for Growth podcast, Alex Drost, managing principal of Connection Builders, discusses the growing interest of private equity (PE) in the accounting sector. Hosted by Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, the conversation delves into the driving forces behind PE investments, the challenges faced by both investors and accounting firms, and how firms can prepare for the evolving landscape.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 The accounting profession is no stranger to change, but according to Drost, recent shifts are reshaping the industry more dramatically than ever before. “We’re seeing changes not just in technology but in the makeup of the profession itself,” he says. “The aging partner base and different generational approaches to firm ownership are creating gaps that private equity sees as opportunities.”