CPA Trendlines Podcasts

A password shorter than 15 characters makes your encryption practically meaningless.Quick Tech TalkWith Steve YossCPE TodayMost professionals know that PDF files are one of the most reliable ways to share contracts, reports, and sensitive documents. But here’s a question: are your PDFs truly secure—or just locked with a flimsy password that a hacker could break in minutes? MORE Steve Yoss here | MORE TECH Did you know you can set not one but two passwords on a PDF? One encrypts the document, preventing unauthorized access, while another restricts editing or modification. Together, these measures give you control over who can read and who can alter your files.

Double revenue with a smaller team and a healthier culture. The DisruptorsWith Liz FarrAfter 26 years in accounting, multiple gigs emceeing accounting conferences, and coaching a college softball team, Dawn Brolin knows a thing or two about leadership. “Empathy is, to me, the number one characteristic that a leader should follow,” she told Liz Farr in her second appearance on The Disruptors.   CPA TRENDLINES CELEBRATES:The 100th Episode of The Disruptors MORE STREAMING: Gertrudes: How EOS & “Unreasonable Hospitality” Reshaped GrowthLab | 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 | In her new book, "The Elevation of Empathy: Leading for the W.I.N.," Brolin delves into empathy as a key superpower for accountants. However, many accounting firms have prized other qualities, resulting in what Brolin calls “appointed leaders” versus true leaders. “You could be appointed a leader because of a skill or the amount of revenue you bring in. That doesn’t mean you are one,” she explains. The distinction is crucial – being placed in a leadership position doesn't automatically confer the emotional intelligence and people skills necessary to guide others effectively. 

From business owners to high-net-worth individuals, OBBB affects every income tier—and tax advisors are urged to act now.The Concierge CPAWith Jackie MeyerFor CPA TrendlinesIn the latest episode of The Concierge CPA, Jackie Meyer, a nationally recognized tax strategist, and Dave Lukas, CEO of TaxPlanIQ, walk through the most significant provisions of the new law. The hosts emphasize that while the changes add complexity, they also create what Meyer calls “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for accountants to step up as trusted advisors.”More Jackie MeyerOne of the biggest wins for business owners is the permanent return of 100% bonus depreciation. Companies can immediately expense the full cost of qualifying assets—including used property—placed in service after Jan. 19, 2025. “Timing matters more than ever,” Meyer stresses, urging CPAs to model scenarios carefully to avoid unintended consequences with Qualified Business Income (QBI) deductions.

Connect emotionally with top talent through real experiences.Sponsored by Small Office / Home Office Cyber Security Protection for Accountants. Learn more here Gear Up for GrowthWith Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesIn the latest episode of Gear Up for Growth, powered by CPA Trendlines, Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, speaks with Karen Waga, chief marketing officer of WilkinGuttenplan CPAs & Advisors, about the firm’s award-winning recruiting campaign, which resonated deeply with job seekers, employees, and peers across the profession.Waga says the campaign was built entirely on real employee experiences and candid storytelling, leveraging the firm’s flexible, people-first culture. The campaign offered a compelling and authentic view of life at WilkinGuttenplan from summer Fridays to paternity leave and personal caregiving.See full episode notes here551_GUFG Ep 38

In this episode of Student-led Conversations, accounting leaders and emerging pros share how staying open can change everything.Accounting ARCWith Arpan Grewal and Harshita MultaniCenter for Accounting TransformationIn an era where the definition of success is increasingly personal, a recent Student-led Conversations episode of the Accounting ARC podcast brought together two Gen Z hosts and two seasoned accounting leaders to unpack a deceptively simple question: What does “freedom to be” really mean? 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 For hosts Arpan Grewal and Harshita Multani, both interns with the Center for Accounting Transformation, this wasn’t about GPAs or résumés. Instead, they explored how independence, cultural influences, and resilience intersect in the personal and professional lives of accountants.Joining them were Kristine “Tina” Caratan, CPA, CGMA, a veteran consultant to California’s nonprofit sector with 51 years in the profession, and Calvin Harris Jr., CPA, CEO of the New York State Society of CPAs. The discussion spanned immigrant family expectations, systemic barriers, generational shifts, and even the unexpected role of TikTok in modern accounting outreach.

Progressive tax changes could reshape the charitable giving landscape.Quick Tax TipWith Art WernerCPE TodayPrivate foundations may soon find themselves writing bigger checks to the IRS. In the latest Quick Tax Tip podcast, tax expert Art Werner explains a key provision of the OBBBA that increases the tax rate on net investment income for certain private foundations under section 4940(a). Click here for more Art Werner Catch more Art Werner, Wednesday, Sept. 3, for Tax Rumors, Episode 3, with CPA Steve Yoss, and hosted by CPA Trendlines’ Rick Telberg. “It’s a progressive tax now for the larger foundations,” Werner says, noting that while many foundations are set up for truly noble purposes—think the Red Cross or the Boy Scouts—the government is tightening the rules to ensure fairness and accountability.

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.