Accounting Voices Podcast

Rob Brown
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Jun 2, 2025 • 19min

7 Ways Private Equity Is Reshaping Accounting Firms

Private equity is flooding into the accounting profession, transforming firm structures, governance models and leadership dynamics.In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown breaks down the seismic impact of PE investment and what it means for accounting leaders, partners and rising stars.Key TakeawaysOver $2 billion of PE has poured into US accounting inthree yearsTraditional partner models are being replaced by corporate governancePE firms demand efficiency, speed and profitability at scaleAudit independence is under regulatory threat with PE ownershipPE backed firms attract top talent with better pay and faster progression Cultural clashes are inevitable in the shift to PE style managementBy 2030, most top 100 firms could have external investmentYou can find this on youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMLvDyi465c◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. The show focuses on helping professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes, and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. The content includes solo insights from host Rob Brown as well as interviews or panel discussions with industry leaders. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Influencers YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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May 26, 2025 • 18min

What's Missing for Influence with Accounting Leaders

In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, Rob Brown exposes the biggest weakness in most accounting firm leaders - the inability to let go. He explores the five levels of leadership influence and explains why context, not content, is what truly drives performance, accountability and culture inside firms.If you’re stuck in reviews, decisions, and approvals, this episode is a wake-up call. Rob gives practical scripts and real-world examples to help partners, managers and future leaders delegate more effectively, empower others and lead with clarity.Key Takeaways:The five levels of leadership influence inside accounting firmsWhy micromanagement kills scalability, culture and sanityWhat to say when delegating outcomes, not just tasksThe difference between content and context in firm leadershipHow to coach with questions instead of giving fixesHow to create “mile marker” visions your team can followWhy letting go is a sign of strength, not weaknessCheck out Mark Fritz here: https://www.markfritzonline.comYou can find this on youtube here: https://youtu.be/1pnI9QFzsbU◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. The show focuses on helping professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes, and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. The content includes solo insights from host Rob Brown as well as interviews or panel discussions with industry leaders. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Influencers YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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May 19, 2025 • 15min

Insights on the Different Genres of Accounting Podcasts

In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, Rob Brown breaks down the different types of accounting podcasts and why they matter. From industry news and exam prep to tech trends and personal stories, podcasts now serve every level of the profession. Rob explains how to choose the right shows for your stage of career and how smart listening can sharpen your thinking and raise your influence. Whether you are a student, manager or firm partner, the podcasts you follow shape how you show up as a professional.Key Takeaways:The main types of accounting podcasts and who they serveWhy different shows suit different levels and roles in the professionHow to use podcast content to build your authority and presenceThe mistake most professionals make when choosing what to listen toWhat makes the Accounting Influencers Podcast different from other showsWhy podcasting is a leadership tool for smart professionals.You can find this on youtube here: https://youtu.be/BQf-np6LSaw◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. The show focuses on helping professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes, and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. The content includes solo insights from host Rob Brown as well as interviews or panel discussions with industry leaders. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Influencers YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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May 12, 2025 • 11min

Where Accounting Podcasts Are Going in 2025

In this solo episode Rob Brown explores the major podcast trends shaping 2025 and why they matter for busy accounting professionals. With more shows, noise and content than ever, the winners are not just the loudest, they are the smartest. Rob breaks down what to listen for, why AIP leads the pack and how the right podcast can build your credibility and strategic value inside and outside your firm. This is your roadmap to smarter listening, sharper insight and more influence.Key TakeawaysPodcasts are more powerful than ever for building leadership and visibilityThe most successful shows in 2025 are short, sharp and community-drivenLeaders are choosing podcasts with more intention and strategyVideo is now critical for discoverability and impactAccounting professionals crave practical advice and relevant storiesListening habits are shifting toward shorter content and background consumptionAIP positions itself as a top-tier show for strategic accounting professionalsYou can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/r8S_aR7BnK4◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, is one of the world's leading shows for accounting leaders, professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers. Thanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownYou can also check out all shows on the Accounting Influencers YouTube Channel:https://bit.ly/AI-youtube
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May 5, 2025 • 12min

Work-Ready Grads in Accounting? Something's Missing!

Grads aren’t ready for the world of work. Schools aren’t helping. And accounting firms are paying the price. In this episode, Rob Brown breaks down the skills crisis facing employers, especially accounting firms. Why are so many graduates, interns and junior hires entering the workforce unprepared? What’s going wrong in the education system? And what can firm leaders do about it?Rob explores the mismatch between academic learning and real-world performance, and lays out concrete strategies for firms to build better talent pipelines from the inside out.Whether you're hiring your next intern or building your future partner team, this episode will make you rethink your assumptions and give you tools to build real talent.Key Takeaways: -Only 11% of leaders think grads are ready for work-Soft skills matter more than technical knowledge at junior levels-Schools prioritise exams, not workplace performance-Career guidance in schools is outdated and ineffective-Firms must stop assuming education will develop soft skills-Better onboarding, mentoring, and training is criticalYou can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/eJAKKRbWVgs◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, serves accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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Apr 28, 2025 • 10min

Accounting Leaders - What Gen Z Really Thinks of You

Gen Z has entered the accounting profession — and they’re calling time on toxic leadership. In this episode, Rob Brown outlines the five most damaging behaviours driving young talent away from firms. From micromanagement to presenteeism, he explains why these outdated habits are no longer tolerated, and what leaders must do to retain the future of the profession.Key Takeaways:-Toxic behaviours are a firm’s biggest risk-Gen Z won’t wait around for change — they’ll leave-Culture must prioritise trust, feedback and transparency-Partners need leadership training, not just technical skillsYou can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/l7cA-RB5rMw◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, serves accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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Apr 21, 2025 • 10min

The One Area AI Can Never Beat Accounting Professionals

In this episode, Rob Brown discusses the impact of AI on the accounting profession, emphasizing the necessity for accounting professionals to embrace AI literacy and adapt to the evolving landscape. He highlights the importance of focusing on the human aspects of accounting that AI cannot replicate, such as emotional intelligence and complex problem-solving. The conversation also covers actionable strategies for accountants to remain relevant and valuable in a world increasingly influenced by AI.Key Takeaways:-AI literacy is now crucial for accounting professionals.-Automation is taking over routine accounting tasks rapidly.-Messy, unpredictable tasks in accounting are less at risk from AI.-Accountants need to evolve into strategic advisors.-Significant layoffs and restructuring in accounting are driven by AI and private equity.-Collaboration and complexity in work protect jobs from automation.-Leaders must embed AI deeply into strategic decision-making.You can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/TfXTdKG4yDY◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, serves accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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Apr 14, 2025 • 15min

Accountants - Is AI Damaging Your Personal Credibility?

In this episode of the Accounting Influencer podcast, Rob Brown discusses the dual nature of artificial intelligence in accounting, emphasizing its potential to enhance content creation and personal branding while cautioning against losing authenticity. He advocates for leveraging AI as a tool to amplify one's voice and ideas rather than allowing it to replace them. The conversation highlights the importance of being visible and vocal in the accounting profession, using content to build authority and trust, and the need for professionals to maintain their unique perspectives in a landscape increasingly influenced by AI.Takeaways-Artificial intelligence is both a threat and an opportunity for accounting.-Being an ambassador for your brand is crucial in leadership roles.-Content creation is essential for visibility and authority.-AI can simplify content creation but lacks authenticity.-Authenticity is key to building trust and influence.-Content should reflect personal experiences and insights.-AI can help generate ideas but should not replace personal voice.-Professionals must differentiate themselves in a crowded market.-Playing it safe with content can lead to loss of visibility.-Building a personal brand requires sharing unique stories and insights.You can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/6veQxQVp4TU◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, serves accounting professionals looking to strengthen their leadership presence, stay informed on disruptive forces in accounting and build credibility within their firms. Geared toward firm leaders, managers, partners and influencers, the show covers key topics like career development, influence, personal branding and interpreting the evolving trends impacting the accounting world. Rob brings his expertise to each episode, offering insights and guidance on how to grow your personal brand and stay strategically important in a rapidly changing profession. Whether you're aiming to influence within your firm or expand your reputation outside of it, this international podcast offers practical advice and forward-thinking insights that will keep you informed and prepared for the future. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.
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Apr 7, 2025 • 14min

Accountants: Should You Stay Loyal or Leave Your Firm?

In this episode, Rob Brown discusses the complexities of job switching in the accounting profession, exploring the motivations behind leaving a job and the factors that contribute to job satisfaction. He highlights the importance of evaluating both red flags that may indicate it's time to move and green flags that suggest staying put. The concept of a 'forever firm' is introduced, emphasizing the significance of a supportive workplace culture and career growth opportunities. Ultimately, listeners are encouraged to reflect on their career priorities and make informed decisions about their professional paths.Takeaways:-Job switching can lead to better lifestyle and career growth.-Financial incentives for job switching have decreased recently.-Quality of life is becoming more important than salary.-Red flags for leaving include lack of growth and toxic environments.-Green flags for staying include a positive culture and investment in growth.-Flexibility in the workplace is now a critical expectation.-A 'forever firm' offers a supportive and growth-oriented environment.-Evaluate your motivations for wanting to switch jobs.-Temporary discomfort shouldn't drive your decision to leave.-Long-term fulfillment often outweighs short-term financial gains.The Accounting Influencers Podcast, hosted by Rob Brown, is one of the world's leading shows for accounting leaders, professionals, finance specialists, software vendors, tech providers and influencers. Thanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comACCOUNTEX. Bringing the accounting world together with UK and international events for the accounting and tech world. https://www.accountex.co.ukIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownYou can also check out all shows on the Accounting Influencers YouTube Channel:https://bit.ly/AI-youtube
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Mar 31, 2025 • 27min

Top Tips for Leading to Push Accounting Firm Growth

In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown speaks with Gale Crosley, one of the world's foremost strategic growth advisors to accounting firms. Together they explore why many CPA firms struggle with sustainable growth, the rise of private equity in the profession, and how firms can position themselves for long-term success.Key Takeaways-Strategic growth means sustainable, profitable, and efficient growth—not luck or market dependency.-Many accounting firms rely on opportunistic growth instead of a strategic plan.-Private equity is accelerating the adoption of C-suite roles in accounting firms.-Firms without a clear growth framework risk irrelevance or acquisition.-Chief Growth Officers (CGOs) are becoming vital for future-proofing firms.-Leadership alignment around growth strategies is crucial.-Entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial mindsets are game changers for CPA firms.You can check out the video version of this with visuals and graphics here on YouTube:https://youtu.be/VEsZugQ69cE◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Influencers Podcast is serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. The show focuses on helping professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes, and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. The content includes solo insights from host Rob Brown as well as interviews or panel discussions with industry leaders. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Influencers YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. Rob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownThanks to our sponsors:ADVANCETRACK OUTSOURCING. Transform your accounting firm with AdvanceTrack. Our top-tier offshoring solutions free your team from mundane tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and client engagement. Experience seamless scalability and expert support. Visit advancetrack.com and elevate your practice today. https://www.advancetrack.comIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

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