Accounting High

Episode 65 | Recorded March 14, 2022 (π day) Guest: Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA Hosts: Jason Ackerman and Scott Scarano Join Jason and Scott in getting to know more about Lindsay, BPM LLP’s Chief Transformation Officer. What does that role do? We weren’t too sure ourselves until Lindsay gave us a glimpse of what she does. Listen to how she started out as a staff accountant until becoming an integral part of a large firm and how she was able to go through a midlife crisis in identifying what she really wanted to do with her career. Lindsay also shares her experience on how these big innovative changes happen at a large firm and how being a CPA makes you a “hot thang” that most businesses all over the country would want to work with. 0 Accounting can be sexy to young people 3 Chief Transformation Officer - the strategy behind being innovative, forward-thinking, and actually moving the needle so that we can get traction on all the cool ideas that our team has 4 Lindsays journey from a public accountant to Chief Transformation Officer Shoutout to Sarah Elliot, CPA, PCC, Brian Kush, PCC, CPA 8 What would a job look like for you?... And he said, let’s do it! Let’s do it at BPM Shoutout to Dan Griffiths 10 I was overwhelmed to think that there was just sort of this written rule about CPAs. You come into the profession, you put your head down, and you do your work. Then you keep doing that until you make partner. It just felt I wasn’t that 14 If your foundation is built on time and that billing structure, you can't just build something else on top of that. It's a shaky foundation 16 The real magic in my role is it’s really fun to think about the big things Shoutout to Apple 19 What you should care about the most is every client interaction and how to make that better 23 Lindsay’s and Jason’s POV on how small and large firms adapt and innovate their processes Shoutout to Thompson Reuters, CCH, Workday 27 When you become the big fish in the pond, there is less motivation to innovate 30 Is this due to the general mindset shift of the digital age or people being more open to sharing? Shoutout to Squadcast 34 Niche Accounting, the next big shift for the accounting space. Or have we already shifted into it? Shoutout to Tate Henshaw, CFP 39 What are some of the things that Lindsay’s looking forward to changing with her new role? 40 Accounting can be sexy 42 If you were to sell the CPA firm or the CPA profession to your kids, how would you do it? Shoutout to Dave Emmerman 43 You come out of school and you say, I'm a CPA. Near every business in this country would be like, come work for me because I need somebody that understands finances 47 Be brave and be bold. There are ways to take risks and be bold and be brave in very small ways that carry very little risk

Episode 64 #FreshBookReports @ Accounting High (the miniseries) Recorded May 22, 2022 Still, with us today is Twyla Verhelst, CPA. Twyla is the distinguished director of the Accountant Channel and the FreshBooks Accounting Partner Program Leader. She supports and empowers other accounting professionals as they help small businesses flourish. Thank you to our sponsor, Freshbooks! Part 3 of 3 Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear. Scott and Twlya conclude this mini-series by giving us their final take on the book. What are our key takeaways? How can we get back our lost identities or gain new ones? Finding that delicate balance as we muddle through everything. Come ride along as we finish this ride and get prepared for what else might come 0 - Don’t judge a book by its cover, or should we? 3 - Our genes (genetics) are related to our habits 5 - Identify yourself and know what’ll work for you 7 - CBE: Career Best Efforts, the real little things that compound over time 10 - When you can’t win by being better, you can win by being different Shoutout to Scott Adams, Zachary Call, CPA, Mike Michalowicz 13 - Measure what matters and improve on that 14 - Peak motivation: How do we get there? 17 - Finding the balance in getting there and not losing yourself Shoutout to Ron Baker 18 - Who knew sparkling water gives you variable rewards? 21 - We got your accounting and we’re not gonna judge, Accounting Vice! Shoutout to David Leary 22 - The downside of creating good habits 25 - Autopilot: not being as mindful or aware of your habits and how it becomes boredom 26 - Advantages of having an accountability buddy 30 - There’s always light at the end of the tunnel Shoutout to Nikole Mackenzie, CPA 32 - Why this book is being reread and how it’s been an instrument to reset or to check-in 35 - Success is not a goal to reach or a finish line to cross 36 - Lack of self-awareness is poison 39 - Self-control is difficult because it’s not satisfying 41 - Being curious is better than being smart 42 - Your actions reveal how badly you want something 45 - We can only be rational and logical after we have been emotional 48 - Capping of this mini-series, we hear what are Scott and Twyla’s final thoughts on it. Shoutout to Kenji Kuramoto 52 - We’ll grow into AccountingLife 55 - Be careful with control 57 - Is Atomic Habits worth a 5-star rating?

Season 3 BONUS | Recorded March 22, 2022 Welcome to the resurrection of the #5minLy We’re back for another chat and your regular dose of quick-and-easy information. Today, our hosts go through the 7 micro habits to be a better leader. Although short compared to our usual episodes, this ain’t short on helpful tips on how we can better mange our firm and our employees. Listen in for more… #5minLy is co-hosted by Michael Ly, an accounting and fintech entrepreneur whose exposure to the startup accounting ecosystems has given him insights into the opportunities around the data sitting in accounting systems 7 micro habits that’ll help you become a better leader at your firm Champion your employees’ professional development Be present in the moment Create a periodic performance review, and follow it up Be a coach Be a human Be honest Share the praise and encourage others to do the same Shoutout to Twyla Verhelst, CPA Karbon Earmark Xero Nikole Mackenzie, CPA Chewy

Episode 63 | Recorded February 22, 2022 Guest: Edward Mendlowitz, CPA Hosts: Jason Ackerman, CPA and Scott Scarano, EA Sponsor: Dark Horse CPAs - visit abetterway.cpa to learn more Hosted by Scott and Jason, Ed shares the story of his accounting life. Not familiar with who Edward Mendlowitz is? He’s an accountant who has been in practice since 1974 and is now a Partner at Withum. This episode is a collection of stories about his practice and how he was able to adapt, innovate, and take on the challenges of the accounting space. Not a minute goes to waste as he shares his personal tips and tricks in running his business so be sure to give your 101% attention or you might miss the greatest tip you’ll ever need. 2 A lot of wisdom with Ed, none with Jason, and a little with Scott Shoutout to CPA Journal 4 Ed, a legit Sons of CPA: I wanted to be a CPA like my father 5 It seemed to me that my father was a very powerful person because he had all these people who couldn't make decisions without getting his advice 7 Ed has been fixed price billing even before it was the hype 14 You gotta just look for the cracks 16 I have to charge you for what I did and it's pretty high 17 I love accounting, believe me. I love it, but it's not a hobby, it's a business and I gotta make money from it 19 Any client that paid me a fee was a good client… the fact whether I liked them or didn't like them was not relevant. I did a great job for them, they appreciated it, and they paid me my fees 24 You don't wanna put your fortune, your life at risk by dealing with people that are dishonest or out there breaking the law. That’s stupid Shoutout to Ron Saharyan, Profit First Professionals 25 HOT STUFF!: How Ed made a big company not pay taxes for 7-8 years 30 Ed’s first partnership: Siegel Mendlowitz & Rich, PC Shoutout to Seymour G. Siegel, The Wall Street Journal 32 On to the next ones: Mendlowitz Weitsen LLP and Withum Smith + Brown, PC Shoutout to Peter Weitsen, Frank Boutillette, Withum, Paul Rich 35 You wanna grow, you gotta build infrastructure, you gotta do it right 37 If I could hold onto what I got, I'm never gonna do bad. I may not do great, but I'm never gonna do bad 40 You gotta give the salary that the people are worth. Not what they were worth when you hired them, but their worth after you made your investment in them. They now own that value 45 What has changed is the things that haven’t changed. What hasn’t changed is the attitude towards staff 49 Ed’s favorite part of accounting? Every single thing he’s done, Everything! 51 Ed’s advice on starting a firm? Get a client where you could get a check every month, get that annuity business Shoutout to AICPA, Sidney Kess, Bill Hagaman 55 Ed’s parting tip for this episode? You gotta raise the fee every year. Your expenses go up every year. When you raise the fee, you're not increasing the fee, you're passing on your increased costs

shout out to all my CPAliens, you know who you are... [Verse 1] It’s the accounting firm owner, podcaster, amateur rapper first time on the mic so listen close and hold your laughter so, what’s hotter than a million-dollar cloud firm, with low churn, there i go again, talking about myself, and track, indicators, to perform on this platform And now you ‘bout to see a southern EA reborn I said i’m not a public certified accountant and they say it’s not the tax you pay but what bracket you in You got mail? send electric or post-dated to the I-R Service Cause if we file a return that’s late, they all get nervous So go get your Panda signed docs, and listen close bitches the riches, come when you’re deeply penetrating niches scar-a-no got taxed but i’m here and still alive a felony for selling cocaine in two thousand five and now i thrive, took a nosedive, but didn’t go to prison i’ve said this all before, but i don’t think ya’ll even listen [Hook] Now toss your hands in the air And wave 'em like you’re in despair if your tax staff quits and you’re sick of this shit Then everybody let me hear you say No Fa-ir [Verse 2] fixed asset depreciation or study cost segregation For the property owner, and not the loaner let me know when it’s time for print toner If not I'll wait, because the future of the profession is gone If the children of CPAs gon' be a daughter or son Or are they the smartest regardless the platform they on? I feel that if we take a break, it might just start to be fun Or will they run out of funds and grab a p-p-p loan? They wanna consult us on leadership, and finding your Why Like Simon Sinek when you find it that’s a natural high Land of Ron Baker or an acre of a cloud in my sky Now banker, banker no more can I get Relay-Fi? [Verse 3] Foolish is how i act, but you know i ain’t no fool Thinking about how a Podcast about accounting can be cool? Like A-J to the E-S, cause we adjust the journal entries and Homie, i think i made it, but i’m not automated, finally ended client engagements that we tolerated And now I'm rapping on a track that OutKast created is it a Debit or a Credit? are balance sheet numbers killing you softly? intro the C-P-Aliens, and debit inventory So Sorry, as I trade Scarano to Earmark Found how to dismantle my anchor, and then depart Then turned the page, now everybody's trying to find their spark? A-R clerks stay serious even when they fart a facade of being hilarious Shakespeare with no fear protect vulnerable PCs but Macs are in the clear, okay? I wasn’t locked away, i got a longer rep in this endeavor, not low on ambition so I'm ready explore and get paid!

Episode 62 | Recorded March 7, 2022 Guest: Rachel Fisch Hosts: Jason Ackerman, CPA & Scott Scarano, EA Sponsor: Dark Horse CPAs - visit abetterway.cpa to learn more Welcome! Our guest today is the one, only and always Rachel Fisch. Rachel has over 20 years of experience in bookkeeping and accounting, with a number of those years running her own practice. She previously served as National Bookkeeping Lead for Deloitte and most recently was the Accountants Group Leader for Sage. She is also a dynamic speaker, and accounting vanguard, and presents at prestigious international conferences. 3 How Rachel got into accounting? Not intentionally ...? Shout out to Liz Mason and High Rock Accounting 5 The accounting trajectory Shout out to Winnipeg, Fisch Financial and FischBooks, AND FreshBooks 8 On NOT being lazy Shout out to John Garrett and Green Apple Slices 11 Best part of connecting with other accountants? Shout out to Accounting Salon 12 Mother Stories – Raising Adolescents 14 Rachel knows EV-ER-Y-BOD-Y! Shout out to Sage, QB, and Xero 16 The role at High Rock and in accounting – moving people forward 17 What challenges? 19 The Holy Grails of accounting Shout out to Hubdoc and Relay 21 Tax accounting in Canada Shout out to TaxCycle, Canada Revenue Agency 24 The implosion of a firm Shout out to the QuickBooks Training, QuickBooks Desktop, Peachtree, and Sage 50, Deloitte 30 Big Four bookkeeping foibles and mindset adjustments Shout out to MNP 34 Some woulda-coulda-shouldas when you’re being bought out 37 Spiraling up (and down) at Sage and landing at High Rock Shout out to Jay Kimmelman and Digital CPA, and Megan Tarnow, and Mobius 42 From both sides now ... balancing user feedback and product dev 45 Build, buy or partner? 46 High points of High Rocking 49 Scott Unchaperoned – What Sesame Street character would you be? Shout out to Grover, Big Bird, and The Count 51 What chess piece are you? (Rachel = Knight) 54 On being remembered ... Shout out to Liz Mason, Megan Tarnow, Chris Geno, and anyone who doesn’t know #TaxTwitter 62 Hackathon Talk Shout out to Earmark Accounting Podcast, Blake Oliver, David Leary, Peter Wen 64 Visions of a successful year Shout out to Rebel Rock Accounting Connect with Rachel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelfisch/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fischbooks

To set the stage for our first cage match our first Friday Night Fight... Accounting High presents... QuickBooks Online versus Xero, the cage match. Round one nobody paid us for this product comparison it was recorded on January 19, 2022 In the Xero Corner, we have  Zachary Call, CPA Partner & CPA at Weaver Call & House LC In the QuickBooks Online Corner, we have  Michael Ly Fintech Entrepreneur | Cloud Accounting Executive | Online Bookkeeping | Speaker | Coach | Advisor and Paul Glantz, CPA Co-Founder and Director of Tax at Walker Glantz PLLC

Episode 61 #FreshBookReports @ Accounting High (the miniseries) Recorded March 4, 2022 Back with us today is Twyla Verhelst, CPA. Twyla is the distinguished director and leader of the FreshBooks Accounting Partner Program. She supports and empowers other accounting professionals as they help small businesses flourish. Thank you to our sponsor of this miniseries, Freshbooks! Atomic Habits for Accountants Part 2 of 3 Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear. Whether you’ve read the book or you haven’t, this series of episodes will definitely open you up as to why it has been a favorite among our peers.  Scott and Twyla give us an in depth look at what the four laws of behavioral change are and how we can use these laws to make or break our habits. Let’s hear how they applied these laws in their professional and personal affairs. Shoutout Dhruv & Vimal (vic) Bava, CPA 4 It's a great book, an easy read. It’s something that changes based on your perspective and worldview at the time Shoutout James Clear 8 1st law of behavioral change: Make It Obvious (Make It Invisible) 9 Scott shares a personal shift that he did in breaking a bad habit 12 Travel season: How can we keep up with our habits as we move away from our usual spaces 14 2nd law of behavioral change: Make it Attractive (Make It Unattractive) 15 Good habits can be very difficult to keep up with in the short-term 16 Ensuring that you do the things that are working towards your future self and where you’re going 18 Making “rewards” work towards our habit building Shoutout to LuluLemon & MeetUp 21 3rd law of behavioral change: Make It Easy (Make It Difficult) 23 When a habit get easy and it gets automatic, that’s when it gets Atomic 27 It’s finding the time for that action and making that action easier and automated 31 Make the bad habits difficult 34 4th law of behavioral change: Make It Satisfying (Make It Unsatisfying) 35 What is rewarded is repeated 36 Habit tracking is part of the rewards. It’s obvious, attractive, and satisfying. 39 What should we track? Scott gives us an example of how tracking habits became beneficial to his accounting firm 42 It’s better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all 44 Scott and Twyla wrap up the 2nd part of this series with the 4 laws of behavioral change, building good habits and breaking bad habits as follows: Building Good; make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying Breaking Bad; making it invisible, unattractive, difficult, and unsatisfying

This is Poetry 101 brought to you by Accounting High (aka Sons of CPAs) Sponsored by LiveFlow, be sure to give this episode a go, they can help you grow, check them out at liveflow.io get 20% off for 3 months with promo code SONS at checkout, go to liveflow.io/sons Your Hosts, Emcees, Poets Nikole Mackenzie, CPA aka Niks Scott Scarano aka Lil Toddler aka Slim Scotty aka Esquired (S²) aka OKR (OK Rapper) Let’s give it up for this presentation Your hosts share their poetic creations Sick verses brought out by their imagination What they do is entertain and impart education Purpose? Connect the individuals in this profession 4 Nikole shares her personal use cases for LiveFlow. Automation with an exclamation (point)! Go to liveflow.io/sons 6 cooler than a polar bear's toenails Shoutout to OutKast, Andre 3000, Big Boi, Lil Wayne 8 an accounting firm owner, podcaster, and rapper spits them bars! 12 A tribute to OutKast, Scott’s writing this rap, but not so fast Shoutout to Andre Nickatina, Simon Sinek, Ron Baker 15 I ain’t no fool thinking about how a podcast about accounting can be cool Shoutout to John Garret, Ignition 18 ready to explore and get paid Shoutout to Jason Ackerman, CPA, CFP, CGMA, Kenji Kuramoto 21 give it up for Niks as she throws down her sick licks Shoutout to Chewy, Greg Kyte, Earmark, Cloud Accounting Podcast, Reach Reporting 24 #CPAliens we’re doing things that are foreign to the industry as a whole Shoutout to Handwrytten, Ian Vacin, Karbon 29 This was written before I wrote it Shoutout to Blake Oliver, CPA, Lorilyn Wilson 31 The evolution of getting CPEs in the present Shoutout to Fathom, Jimmie Allen 35 People are the purpose and I purposefully work hard to stay ethically connected to the individuals in this profession Shoutout to Dave Matthews Band 38 Educate and entertain authentically… That’s what we’re trying to do Shoutout to Chase Birky, CPA, Justin Kürn, Dark Horse CPAs, Katy Perry 45 Does Scott need to change his profile photo in LinkedIn? Let us know! Shoutout to Liz Mason, Digits

Episode 60 | Recorded February 22, 2022 Guest: Chris Williams, CEO of System Six Hosts: Nikole Mackenzie, CPA & Scott Scarano, EA Sponsor: Karbon - visit karbonhq.com to learn more Today, Scott and Niks are joined by Chris Williams, Owner/CEO of System Six, a 100%-remote outsourced accounting services firm. Before System Six, Chris served as an advisor to and investor in medium-large sized businesses. He’s worked for several fast growing companies, and holds a business degree from Stanford. 2 - Chris = Cool (surprise engagements, running the media circuit, hitting the links ...) Shout out to DWYT, Kenji Kuramoto 7 - How Chris’s finance background led to acquiring System Six Shoutout to Jeremy Allen 11 - Numbers talk – revenue, and cashflow, and EBITDA, oh my! 15 - Why cloud accounting is so hot right now 17 - The System Six biz model 18 - Opportunity in operations issues 22 - Why it’s okay to lose clients 24 - Chris is living his best life and he's wearing 10 different hats! 26 - Learning curves inside System Six 29 - Talking profit share, work/life balance, and staff shuffling 32 - Cash v. Accrual v. Tax – the pain-point discussion Shoutout to Tallyfor, Peter Wen and Michael Ly 37 - Should you switch to Karbon? Shoutout to Karbon 41 - All about cybersecurity – email, system backups, passwords, insurance, etc. Shout out to AWS, QBO, Azure 47 - Client conversions – should you, or shouldn’t you? Shoutout to Xero, Gusto, and Google 49 - Tech Tool Talk 51 - Grading clients – the red flags 53 - Chris’s parting words of wisdom Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Connect with Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-williams-68057029/ System Six: https://systemsix.com/