Accounting High

Episode 172 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON - Check em out, 14 day free trial, go to accon.services FACULTY: Hector Garcia, CPA CLASS: #SocialStudies TITLE: The Trusted Cheese of Accounting In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Hector Garcia, a CPA and QuickBooks Trainer for Quick Bookkeeping & Accounting LLC. They talk about  "Best Buy Cheese" and Hector’s journey from working in retail to transitioning into banking and eventually becoming a CPA and YouTuber. Hector introduced An amusing anecdote about "Best Buy Cheese"  Hector's career journey is discussed, starting from retail and transitioning into banking. How Hector and his wife started a bookkeeping business The start of Hector's YouTube career How Hector gathers new ideas for YouTube content and uses the platform to attract clients How Hector split up his businesses and handles advisory services The two discuss building a personal brand The episode concludes with the story of how Scott and Hector first met Shout Outs: Jason Staats, Ron Baker, QuickBooks, ADP, Anchor, Ignition, Content Hub

Episode 171 FACULTY: Amy Walker 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 In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Amy Walker, Co-Founder, and Director of CAS at Walker and Glantz PLLC. She shares insights into her journey from working at a Big Six Firm to being on the Intuit Advisory Council and also … Buc-ee's. Amy is introduced and we hear a message from her firm partner, Paul Glantz Amy's journey into accounting is explored, highlighting her background as the daughter of a CPA and her experience at a Big Six Firm. The podcast offers a sneak peek into Dan Luthi's Shop Class Origin of the title: Fearless Unicorn in Accounting Amy's involvement on the Intuit Advisory Council is explored The decision to merge her firm and the dynamics of the partnership with Paul Glantz Strategies for getting out of no man's land and managing email communication Firm hard numbers of Amy’s firm Talks about the Accounting High Drill Team Amy shares her experiences of working from home Scott’s Buc-ee's Story The Latest Accounting Rap Shout Outs: Paul Glantz, Gusto, Dan Luthi, Intuit, Xero, Julie Sharp, Jason Blummer, Karbon, Akilah, Logan, Miguel, Wade, Randy, The Unique CPA, Scaling New Heights, Buc-ee's

Episode 170 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON - Check em out, 14 day free trial, go to accon.services  FACULTY: Michael King TITLE: Accelerating Impact by Thinking Differently In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Michael King, the founder of the CFO Accelerator. They discuss why and how firms should add fractional CFO services. Michael addresses common fears about adding CFO services and how to offer perspectives, challenges, and unconventional thinking to clients. Michael's firm specializes in accelerating impact and providing fractional CFO services How Michael addresses specific industry verticals Michael shares the impetus behind starting the CFO Accelerator and how it relates to empowering employees and launching new projects Problems faced by the firm are discussed, leading to the discovery of G-ACCON as a viable solution Discussion of G-ACCON and tech stack advice CFO services and the unique value they bring to businesses Marketing strategies and teamwork considerations The importance of hiring a front-facing CFO Michael's firm industry verticals Common fears about adding CFO services The distinctions between CFOs and bookkeepers are discussed to understand their respective roles Being a Cheerleader, Teacher, Challenger, and the Disagreer for Clients Advice on the stages to stand on for professional growth and social media presence Shout Outs: G-ACCON, Upwork, Karbon, Ignition, Xero, Corvee

Episode 169 FACULTY: Dave Olsen CLASS: #VarsityTips TITLE: People Experience Pt 5 (PX5) Continuity: Creating a Company Operating System In the final episode of our People Experience Series on VarsityTips, Scott interviews “Coach” Dave Olsen from Nimbl, focusing on optimizing continuity and company operations to enhance the overall people experience. The episode covers various aspects of building a strong team, including sourcing talent, defining the tech stack, and streamlining meetings for maximum productivity. Introduction Explaining continuity as the catch-all category to enhance people experience Explaining the Company Operating System for smoother operations. Leveraging asynchronicity for increased focus and flexibility. Defining the tech stack as a hierarchy of urgency for efficient workflow. Making meetings more useful by defining their purpose and structure. Emphasizing the importance of clear documentation for better collaboration. Sourcing talent from within the organization to build a strong team. Proactively reaching out to potential hires to expand the talent pool. Developing scalable recruiting systems to manage the hiring process effectively. Defining the recruiting demographic and screening potential candidates. Involving the entire team in the interview process before skills assessment. Summarizing the episode and providing additional resources. How to reach Dave Shout Outs: Slack, Zoom, Front, Karbon, Asana, Confluence, Shane at Nimbl, Radical Candor, what you do is who you are by Ben Horowitz, A World Without Email by Cal Newport

Episode 168 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON - sign up for your 14 day free trial, go to accon.services  FACULTY: Chris Macksey TITLE: Be Our Guest, Find Your Niche In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Chris Macksey, CEO of Prix Fixe Accounting, and explores various aspects of running an accounting firm, finding a niche, and how his firm adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Introduction to Chris Macksey and Prix Fixe Accounting Finding a niche in serving the restaurant industry Chris's journey into the accounting field Transitioning to focus on the restaurant niche and its impact on legacy clients Chris's role as CEO Exploring new business models for running accounting practices The importance of setting the right tone for clients Navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and bouncing back Valuable advice from Chris for other accounting professionals Shout Outs: Xero, QuickBooks, Lucy Pavlok, Carolyn Jones, Sarah at Prix Fixe Accounting

Episode 167 FACULTY: Liz Wilke, PhD CLASS: #Economics TITLE: Accountants in the Seams of Technology In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Dr. Liz Wilke, the Principal Economist at Gusto. They discuss a wide range of topics related to the economy, labor market, hiring practices, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce. Liz provides valuable insights into consumer spending metrics and also offers advice for accountants. The episode concludes with a discussion about the advantages of offering 401k's. Introducing Liz Wilke, PhD Data available to Gusto and its significance for accountants and small businesses Discussion of "Economy Explained" A look at the current state of the economy Discussion of the current labor market, its dynamics, and challenges Scott and Dr. Wilke discuss international hiring strategies Liz explains dissecting jobs as a way to adapt to changing economic conditions The impact of Artificial Intelligence on jobs and the workforce Scott and Dr. Wilke delve into various industries' struggle to find qualified employees Changes in tipping practices and their economic implications are explored Metrics on consumer spending are presented Liz offers valuable advice for accountants on what to look out for in the current economic landscape Finally, the advantages of offering 401k's are discussed, emphasizing their significance for businesses and employees alike Shout Outs: Gusto, Zapier, Scaling New Heights, Karbon, Square, Toast

Episode 166 FACULTY: Dave Olsen CLASS: #VarsityTips TITLE: People Experience Pt 4 (PX4) Competency: Creating Performance In this podcast episode, Scott interviews “Coach” Dave Olsen from Nimbl for the fourth episode of the People Experience VarsityTips series. The episode covers strategies for reviewing employee performance, effective employee training methods, and approaches to fair and competitive employee compensation, including variable pay and benefits. Introduction Implementing performance agreements before hiring to align expectations and goals. Regular check-ins to assess employee well-being and provide support as needed. The role of leaders as multipliers in empowering and developing their teams. Discussion of Radical Candor by Kim Scott Strategies for reviewing employee performance, including constructive feedback and goal setting. Effective employee training methods to enhance skills and knowledge. Approaches to fair and competitive employee compensation, including variable pay based on performance. The significance of providing employee benefits to attract and retain top talent. Balancing work and lifestyle considerations to promote a healthy work-life integration. Summarizing the key takeaways for creating an exceptional people experience within organizations. Shout Outs: Kenji, Matthew, Niks, GitLab, Gusto, Acuity, Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Episode 165 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: Sabrina Cook CLASS: #SocialStudies TITLE: Arrested Development Accountant (feat. Sabrina Cook, CPA) In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Sabrina Cook aka “Ira Gilligan”, a CPA, Tax Adviser, and Fractional CFO from North Carolina. They delve into Sabrina's journey and discuss her experience working with small businesses, transitioning to a new firm, and her online presence on Tax Twitter and her alter ego. Introducing Sabrina Sabrina's high school years. Exploring Sabrina's college education How Sabrina found her way into public accounting and began working with small businesses. Scott and Sabrina discuss their personal journeys with ADHD Tax Twitter and Sabrina's persona as Ira Gilligan. How Sabrina navigated finding her first clients and the expansion into serving remote clients. Developing processes and strategies for growth as the firm expands. Sharing favorite online educators Mindset shifts related to purpose, intention, and the delegation of tasks. The importance of being open and authentic Shout Outs: Ryan Lazanis, Jason Staats, Will Hamilton, SmartPath, Nicole Davis, Lorilyn Wilson

Episode 164 Accounting High is supported by our Booster Club Thank you G-ACCON - Check em out, 14 day free trial, go to accon.services  FACULTY: Reza Hooda CLASS: #GuidePosts TITLE: Build a Practice that gives you more Money, Time, and Freedom  In this episode, Scott interviews Reza Hooda, founder of Capture Accounting and the Profitable Accounting Community. They discuss Reza's book, "The Four Pillars," the journey of writing and publishing it, the parallels between Scott's and Reza's entrepreneurial journeys, the importance of intentionality and prioritizing health and routine, self-development, and much more. Check out Reza's new book "The Four Pillars" Scott introduces Reza aka The RZA Discussion of Reza's book, "The Four Pillars," and the process of writing and publishing it. Discussion of parallels between Scott's and Reza's entrepreneurial journeys and the challenges they have faced. Exploring the journey of bringing Reza's book to the world and reaching a wider audience. A typical day in Reza's life and his routines. Discussion of the importance of intentionality, prioritizing health, and establishing effective routines. Discussion about self-development. Reza shares strategies for motivating and inspiring knowledge workers. Reza talks about failures, difficulties, and roadblocks on his entrepreneurial journey. Discussion on benefits of niche-ing down and how Reza has implemented it in his own businesses The Turkish Barber story Final thoughts and takeaways. Shout Outs: Drive by Dan Pink, Work Sucks by Kylie Resler, Atomic Habits by Simon Sinek, Ron Baker, Mark Wickersham, Patrick Langeoni, Victor Antonio, Tiagio Forte, Xero, Notion

Episode 163 FACULTY: Dave Olsen CLASS: #VarsityTips TITLE: People Experience Pt 3 (PX3) Coaching: Creating Leaders As an owner, you get to choose your role in the business and build an organizational structure around that. In this podcast episode, Scott interviews “Coach” Dave Olsen from Nimbl for the third episode of the People Experience #VarsityTips series. They delve into the concept of coaching as a part of RAP (Running an Accounting Practice) versus MAP (Managing an Accounting Practice). Introduction Exploring the challenges faced during the transition from growth to scaling. Differentiating between MAP and RAP Understanding the corporate model and its implications for the organization's culture. How to initiate the process of building a new model that prioritizes people experience. The significance of accountability charts in clarifying roles and responsibilities within the organization. The role of a coach in supporting the team and facilitating their growth and development. Giving individualized attention to team members and understanding their unique needs and aspirations. Managing the individual careers of team members to ensure their professional growth and satisfaction. How to measure success and find fulfillment in both professional and personal aspects of life. Shout Outs: Nimbl, Accounting Salon, How Will You Measure Your Life Clayton Christianson, The E-Myth by Michael Gerber