Accounting High

Episode 152 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you LiveFlow!  LiveFlow - Advanced financial reporting on autopilot. LiveFlow turns your spreadsheet into a scalable, real-time FP&A platform, check them out: https://www.liveflow.io/partnerships/accounting-high Get 20% off for 3 months with promo code HIGH FACULTY: Catherine Tindall CLASS: #PeerReview SPONSOR: LiveFlow TITLE: How to Run a Practice Differently than the Traditional CPA Firm In this episode of Accounting High, Scott and Jason Ackerman interview Catherine Tindall, CPA, who shares her insights on the importance of aligned values in a firm, and how her experiences working with her parents and husband have shaped her approach to collaboration and partnership. She also discusses her firm's focus on personality types for hiring and working with clients, and the challenges and benefits of niche-ing in compliance. Tune in to this episode for valuable advice on firm ownership and building connections through social media. Catherine shares her journey to becoming an accountant and the influence of her parents' accounting practice. The hosts and Catherine discuss the importance of personalities in hiring and working with clients. They also talk about the dynamics of partnerships and the benefits of having aligned values. Catherine shares her experience of starting her own firm and provides advice for firm owners. The conversation ends with a discussion on the role of social media in connecting with clients. Scott and Jason wrap up the podcast with Catherine’s advice to firm owner and her socials. Shoutouts: Dominion Enterprise Services

Episode 151 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON Check em out, 14 day free trial go to accon.services  FACULTY: Ryan Lazanis, CPA CLASS: #GuidePosts TITLE: Systematize your Firm to Gain Perspective on Purpose In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Ryan Lazanis, founder of Future Firm. Scott and Ryan offer valuable insights and strategies for accountants and entrepreneurs looking to find balance, purpose, and success in their professional lives, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing happiness, leveraging time and resources effectively, and embracing progress and innovation to thrive in the accounting industry. Reviewing the ABC Tournament and its impact on productivity and focus. The importance of taking an email detox to reduce distractions and improve mental well-being. Finding a healthy balance between work and home life to prioritize happiness and fulfillment. Identifying the point, purpose, perspective, and prize in one's professional and personal pursuits. Exploring the relationship between time, money, and happiness, and determining the ideal balance. The role of accountability in setting and achieving goals, both personally and professionally. Leveraging higher leverage tasks to maximize productivity and impact. Understanding the two states of an entrepreneur: operating as a solo practitioner or scaling the business. The significance of systematizing your firm to improve efficiency and streamline operations. Repricing strategies and the power of email marketing in attracting and retaining clients. Capacity planning and effectively managing workload to avoid burnout and maintain quality service. Developing a plan of action to transition out of the firm and step into a visionary role. Ryan's personal journey in finding his purpose and being driven by frustration with the accounting profession. Shout Outs: Jason Staats, Blake Oliver, Brandon Poe, Tim Ferris, Enrico Palmerino, Joe Woodard, BotKeeper, Future Firm, Xen Accounting, Thrival

Episode 150 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON Check em out, 14 day free trial go to accon.services  FACULTY:  Michelle Weinstein “The Pitch Queen”  CLASS: #VarsityTips TITLE: How to Make Varsity Part 5: Coach's Game Theory In this final part of How to Make Varsity, Scott welcomes back substitute PE Coach, Michelle Weinstein, aka the Pitch Queen aka Coach Queen, for part 5 where they discuss the importance of management of skill inventory as game theory in sales. They discuss the value of not giving away knowledge for free and distinguishing between providing tips to individuals versus a larger audience. Emphasizing the importance of offering transformation instead of merely sharing information. Scott freestyles a rap on transformation. Michelle discusses homework assignments for clients prior to consultations. Strategies for setting appropriate consultation prices are shared. Michelle's Breakthrough Sessions are explained,  The importance of working with clients who demonstrate due diligence Michelle explains why you should send invitations rather than proposals Scott talks about GoProposal as a valuable tool for creating invitations Michelle directs the audience to Abundant Bookkeeping for clients seeking transformation The episode concludes with a summary of the Varsity Tips series. Shout Outs: QuickBooks, Phil Jackson, John Wooten, James Ashford, GoProposal

Episode 149 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Members Thank you ⁠AppStream⁠! Powered by the GrowthLab ⁠Music Video for Simple Tasks!⁠ FACULTY: Luke Templin, CPA CLASS: #PeerReview TITLE: CAS = Solving Problems In this episode of Accounting High, Scott interviews Luke Templin, the founder of A Squared Advisors. Luke shares his journey of how he got into accounting and became a CPA, his experience in the CAS world, and what inspired him to start his own business. He also talks about his unique approach to pricing and scope, and the freedom that comes with working for yourself. Scott even surprises us with his rap, Simple Tasks. This is a great episode for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, accounting, and business growth. Shoutouts: Chad Davis, Ron Baker, Gusto, QuickBooks, GrowthLab, AppStream, FinDaily, Sage Intacct, Zapier

Episode 148 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you LiveFlow!  LiveFlow - Advanced financial reporting on autopilot. LiveFlow turns your spreadsheet into a scalable, real-time FP&A platform, check them out: https://www.liveflow.io/partnerships/accounting-high Get 20% off for 3 months with promo code HIGH FACULTY: Ron Baker CLASS: #GuidePosts TITLE: Age Marks Milestones: A Book Report on “Strength to Strength” by Arthur C. Brooks in the Principal’s Office with Principal Ron Baker | #GuidePosts In this episode, Scott finds himself in Principal Baker’s office again to review the book "Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life" by Arthur C. Brooks. They deep dive into the key themes and ideas presented in the book, offering insights and perspectives on finding success, happiness, and purpose in the second half of life. Scott and Ron share their initial reactions and thoughts after reading the book. The concept of the striver's curse and the inevitable mental decline that comes with age is explored. They discuss how different fields and innovations experience declines at different rates. The idea of using knowledge to pivot and pursue new paths for personal growth is examined. Scott reads Jasper’s A.I. book review They challenge the notion that having goals is always beneficial for humans. Strategies and approaches to counter the striver's curse are discussed. They delve into the importance of acquiring crystalized knowledge and its application in different fields, including accounting. Ron shares his perspective on writing books later in life compared to when he started. The Sisyphean Curse and the dangers of growth for the sake of growth are discussed. The awareness of death and finding purpose while engaging in business activities is examined. They talk about applying ancient wisdom to everyday life and finding meaning in what we do. Age is seen as mile markers in life and opportunities for growth and reflection. The role of ancient wisdom and spiritual guides in navigating the second half of life is explored. The significance of playing to one's strengths is highlighted. The concept of Liminal Thinking is briefly discussed. They conclude the episode with a discussion and debut of Scott’s newest rap Shout Outs: Rick Rubin, Arthur C. Brooks, Elon Musk, Billy Joel, Raymond Cattell, Jason Ackerman, Malcom Forbes, Paul Dunn, Paul Johnson, Terrell Turner, Heather Smith, Edward Abbey, Edwin Land, Dave Barrett, Don Brolin, Xero, Ribbi Daniel Lapin, LiveFlow, QuickBooks Connects, Anita from LiveFlow

Episode 147 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you LiveFlow!  LiveFlow - Advanced financial reporting on autopilot. LiveFlow turns your spreadsheet into a scalable, real-time FP&A platform, check them out: https://www.liveflow.io/partnerships/accounting-high Get 20% off for 3 months with promo code HIGH CLASS: #CoolKids FACULTY: Charles J Kelly, CPA The CPA Crypto Craze: Bitcoin is Better Than Gold? In this episode of Accounting High, host Scott interviews Charles J Kelly, CPA, the expert in cryptocurrency. They discuss various topics related to crypto including decentralization, legitimacy, and climate change. Charles shares his insights on why he believes in Bitcoin and how it can contribute to a purpose-driven lifestyle. They also touch on how he runs his business and salsa dancing. The conversation is full of interesting insights for anyone interested in the world of cryptocurrency and the opportunities it presents. Shoutouts: The Starfish and The Spider

Episode 146 CLASS: #VarsityTips FACULTY: Michelle Weinstein “The Pitch Queen” TITLE: How to Make Varsity Part 4: Assessing Your Game  In this episode, Scott welcomes back substitute PE Coach, Michelle Weinstein, aka the Pitch Queen aka Coach Queen, for part 4 of their discussion. They delve into the topic of collecting information for sales and how it can be used strategically to understand clients' needs and provide value. Here's a summary of the episode: Michelle introduces the concept of collecting information as a crucial aspect of sales. Scott shares some of his unique and unconventional ideas for gathering information. They discuss the importance of asking strategic questions They engage in a roleplay to demonstrate good questions They discuss the value of asking deeper questions to uncover the clients' underlying motivations and needs The focus shifts from selling to solving problems for clients, showcasing the value of the services and expertise They emphasize the importance of practice and continuous improvement in mastering the art of information collection for sales. The episode concludes with a teaser hinting at the upcoming fifth varsity tip episode Shout Outs: UnCat, Quickbooks

Episode 145 CLASS: #TechLabs FACULTY: Korey Cournoyer  Guest Faculty: G-ACCON TITLE: Secure Automated Easy 2-Way Sync Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON Check em out, 14 day free trial, go to accon.services  In this podcast episode, Scott talks with Korey from the Growth Lab and Yelena from G-ACCON for a tech lab. Scott and Korey sit in on a class with AH’s adjunct professor to learn about using G-ACCON taking notes and raising their hands. Yelena introduces us to G-ACCON The class dives into G-ACCON: Quickbooks versus Xero Yelena demonstrates template customizations The group discusses the benefits of templates Yelena explains sharing templates Yelena shows how to append data The group learns about automating with G-ACCON Yelena explains data refreshing Corey asks about usage of G-ACCON with bank feeds Yelena explains time and schedule triggers The group talks about API Scott asks about G-ACCON pricing Scott asks about AWS Corey asks what G-ACCON is used for most? Call to action Shout Outs: GrothLab, Appstream, LiveFlow, Xero, QBO, QuickBooks, Google Sheets, Sage, FreshBooks, Stripe, Shopify

Episode 144 FACULTY: Sharrin Fuller CLASS: #CoolKids TITLE: Planning Your Exit  In this episode, Scott interviews Sharrin Fuller, CEO of Glass Wallet Ventures and Managing Partner at Blueprint Financial Service and Fit CFO. They delve into various topics related to entrance and exit strategies, as well as Sharrin's experiences in the tech startup and venture-backed startup world. Here's a summary of the episode: Sharrin discusses her decision to exit the industry and her journey into tech startups and venture-backed startups. Sharrin explains the factors that influenced her decision to exit and how she determined the right time to leave. Sharrin and Scott explore the importance of evaluating financial numbers and setting exit goals. The conversation touches on the challenges of hiring and the impact of personal choices, such as having children, on career decisions. Sharrin reflects on the opportunity to sell a business and provides advice she wishes she had taken during that process. The emotional aspects and traps involved in selling a business are discussed, along with the ultimate satisfaction of the decision. They talk about what happened when Sharrin realized she wasn't ready for retirement after the sale and her transition into a new firm. The structure of the companies Sharrin is involved in is discussed They touch on the makeup of Sharrin's clientele and the importance of building trust with clients. Sharrin and Scott discuss the importance of separating personal and business aspects. Scott considers the question of whether he should exit and sell his own business. They briefly discuss Scott's most recent raps and their musical tastes. Sharrin offers parting advice for Scott Shout Outs: Fit CFO, Blueprint Financial Services, Simple Office Solutions, Sean Duncan, Niks Mackenzie, Mastermind, Anchor, Glass Wallet

Episode 143 CLASS: #VarsityTips FACULTY: Michelle Weinstein “The Pitch Queen” TITLE: How to Make Varsity Part 3: Setting Up Communication to Win In this episode, Scott and Michelle Weinstein continue their discussion on how to make and stay on the Accounting High Varsity team. They discuss the importance of building rapport with clients and creating strong relationships through a number of example cases. Scott and Michelle review the previous tips Michelle explains why you need to set up communication to win Michelle defines “rapport” Michelle explains that clients buy the relationship and don't want to feel like a commodity Michelle goes over keywords to remember for building rapport Scott and Michelle give an example of how to build common ground with a client Scott and Michelle discuss learning styles Michelle tries to figure out Scott's learning style Michelle gives example questions to learn learning styles Michelle stresses the importance of keeping it personal to build rapport and to be unique Scott and Michelle discuss problems in the industry surrounding rapport They wrap up and give a teaser for part 4