The Unique CPA

Kathleen Burns Kingsbury joins Randy Crabtree on Episode 245 of The Unique CPA for a candid conversation about the hidden forces shaping how professionals, particularly women, perceive and communicate their worth. Drawing on her journey from FDIC bank examiner to wealth psychology expert, Kathleen unpacks the cultural and personal barriers that keep so many from asking for what they deserve. The author of Breaking Money Silence, now in its second edition, Kathleen shows you how building confidence, embracing value-based pricing, discovering the power of niche expertise, and shifting one's mindset can transform both career and personal fulfillment. Weaving in stories of her own missteps and breakthroughs, Kathleen's passion for empowering others shines through a conversation that's as energizing as it is insightful. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Adam Lean's journey from disenchanted accountant to entrepreneurial advisor takes center stage as he reveals how a simple desire to help business owners understand their numbers sparked the creation of the CFO Project on Episode 244 of The Unique CPA. Follow Adam from late-night e-commerce hustle to the formation of a productized CFO advisory service, designed to eliminate scope creep and empower accountants to deliver real value. As Randy's prompts unpack the pitfalls of commoditized compliance work, the "Accountants Trap," and the mindset shifts required to move from tax prep to trusted advisor, Adam shares a candid look at the challenges, and most importantly the rewards, of advisory work. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Kaitlin Borncamp left a promising Big Four accounting career to become a certified nutritional therapy practitioner, but she didn't just change jobs, she redefined what it means to thrive in a demanding profession. Kaitlin joins Randy Crabtree on Episode 243 of The Unique CPA to share how her own struggles with burnout and unhealthy habits led her to champion the brain as an accounting professional's greatest asset. From the realities of stress, to the hidden costs of ignoring your wellbeing, and the practical steps professionals can take to fuel both body and mind, Kaitlin's journey offers a blueprint for anyone ready to trade exhaustion for energy and purpose, one that is simple enough in scope to start following today as you gain a holistic understanding about how to sustainably focus on your health. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Alan Whitman, former CEO of Baker Tilly, returns on Episode 242 of The Unique CPA to share the hard-won insights behind his new book, Break the Mold: How to Achieve Transformational Change, Scale and Grow Simultaneously. In a candid conversation with Randy Crabtree, Alan unpacks the real challenges of leading a firm through rapid growth and cultural reinvention, where trust and transparency mean everything and can ultimately make or break a vision. He reveals why strategy must be more than a buzzword, and how shifting from vertical silos to a unified, horizontal organization unlocks potential. "Cross-selling" is such a limiting concept, and Alan stresses that delivering true client value is what firms need to be focusing on. His stories, from tough retirement plan decisions to building engines for organic growth, offer a rare, practical roadmap for leaders ready to reimagine what's possible in the accounting profession. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Dominic Piscopo didn't set out to disrupt the accounting world, he just wanted to know if he was being paid fairly. That simple question led him from pen-and-paper salary surveys at Deloitte to building Big 4 Transparency, a crowdsourced database now relied on by countless people in accounting. On Episode 241 of The Unique CPA, Dominic talks to Randy about how a weekend project snowballed into a vital resource for accountants, empowering individuals to advocate for themselves and helping firms confront the "loyalty tax" that drives talent away. He outlines the surprising power of open data, with openness a key to why he refuses to put a paywall between accountants and the information they need. Dominic has pushed through the challenges he's faced in the project with trust and accuracy in the data and has ultimately forged a truly useful tool for the profession. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

President and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society Geof Brown returns to The Unique CPA for Episode 240, bringing with him the results of a bold research initiative that set out to map the "readiness divide" between new accountants and their managers. Geof describes the moment when scattered frustrations from firm leaders, young professionals, and academics converged, prompting his team to launch a survey to cut through assumptions and capture real, useful, hard data. The results reveal a landscape where early-career accountants overestimate their skills, especially in communication and professionalism, while managers struggle to deliver feedback that is actually feedback and not just criticism. Generational friction, missed signals, and the surprising gap between digital fluency and workplace tech are at the forefront of Geof's findings, and he explores how mentorship, intentional onboarding, and a shift toward real-world skill-building can transform the profession, offering a blueprint for growth that's as much about empathy as expertise, particularly as "soft skills" become ever more important tools. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

About a decade ago, Dr. Jackie Meyer hit a wall of exhaustion running her CPA firm, but she refused to hide behind the industry's mask of perfection. Diagnosed with chronic fatigue and juggling motherhood and her work responsibilities, she began to question the relentless pace and the culture of stoicism that define the profession. On her return to The Unique CPA for Episode 239, she explains that instead of retreating, she transformed her struggle into a mission: she built TaxPlanIQ, a platform that lets accountants reclaim their time and sanity, and developed the ROI Method, a value pricing formula now championed by the AICPA. Since then, she's completed her doctorate in leadership and written a forthcoming book, The Balanced Millionaire. Jackie's journey, from iron infusions and late-night epiphanies to a much healthier, sustainable pace now, offers a candid look at what it takes to change not just a career, but an entire profession. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

When Paul Peterson looks across his firm, he sees a new generation rewriting the rules. On Episode 238 of The Unique CPA, he joins Randy Crabtree to trace the ripple effects of Gen Z's arrival in accounting as young professionals who expect flexibility, are driven by their purpose, and challenge the status quo while setting new standards for everyone. Paul recounts how a twenty-something team member became the office's AI expert, teaching partners to rethink their approach to technology. He describes Gen Z's insistence on open dialogue and their willingness to question outdated practices, and the way they bring their whole selves to work. From the pressures of private equity to the importance of mental health, Gen Z's presence is forcing even the most established leaders to adapt and build a culture where everyone can belong—something that is paying dividends economically even now. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Tara Whitney, CEO of White Birch Advisory, steps into the studio with a confession: she was drawn to accounting for its clear rules and right answers. But as the conversation unfolds, Tara reveals how the very habits that once defined her success, like perfectionism, self-reliance, and yes, rule-following, became obstacles as she rose to leadership. On Episode 237 of The Unique CPA, she and Randy trace the burnout and stress plaguing members of the profession, and recounts the moment she realized that breaking her own rules and embracing vulnerability would open the door to creativity and growth. Having found her "zone of genius," Tara explores how letting go of old scripts can transform your life and career, as well as your entire organization. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

When Bob Doyle stepped into the role of CEO at the Michigan Association of CPAs, the world shut down three weeks later. Instead of retreating, Bob drew on his background in engineering and association leadership to reimagine what it means to be a CPA. On Episode 236 of The Unique CPA, he tells Randy he subsequently borrowed a pair of white sunglasses, embraced the "Coolest Profession Around" mantra, and set out to shatter the stereotype of accounting as dull. From Bob's sneakerhead sons helping him appeal to high school students, to ice rinks in Michigan backyards, to the real impact of private equity and AI on the profession, Bob and Randy explore how trust, joy, and innovation are keys to the future of accounting. Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com