Accounting Today Podcast

Unlocking the capabilities of artificial intelligence may well require rethinking the entire structure of the accounting firm, suggests Ascend founder and CEO David Wurtzbacher.

Demand is emerging for a more proactive, comprehensive set of advisory services from their accountants, says Joe Damiano, the CEO of Top 100 Firm Sax -- and his firm is figuring out how to provide those.

A firm's first full-time employee is a major milestone -- one that requires more thought and planning that you might expect, according to Rebecca Himango, the founder of illuminHR, who walks firms through building up the infrastructure they need to support a growing workforce.

As firms across the accounting profession experiment with artificial intelligence, John LaMancuso, CEO of K1X talks about what accountants are getting right -- and wrong -- with AI.

Leading accounting reseller Alex Solomon of Net@Work talks about the current state of the market and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

A small but rising number of firms are turning to AI-guided vibe coding for their firm's solutions versus turning to one from a vendor. We talk to Ellen Choi, CEO of Edgefield Group, about the benefits and risks of this approach.

Outgoing BDO chief Wayne Berson looks back at major changes in the profession, and what he sees coming

Take a look at what the accountant and the accounting firm of the future will look like as AICPA president and CEO Mark Koziel shares details of the new Rise2040 report. Next week's is the one with Wayne Berson that we just recorded.

Serial entrepreneur and founder of BILL Rene Lacerte shares his thoughts on how technology has shaped accounting over the past two decades -- and what it will mean for the profession in the future.

A look inside what it takes to truly get the most out of your firm's technology, based on the results of our annual Best Firms for Technology list, and with insights from Roman Kepczyk of Rightworks.

The serious new pressures facing governments of all sizes are changing their financial reporting, says Joel Black, the chair of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board -- and GASB has a lot of projects underway to help them.

Your firm won't grow just because you want it to; it requires the kind of disciplined, intentional approach that Jane Woodling, marketing director of Marketri, lays out in this episode.

While concerns remain about the profession's pipeline of new accountants, Cathy Moy, chief people officer at BDO USA, sees plenty of ways to keep it full -- and to make sure it meets firms' demands for all kinds of talent.

Alan Whitman, CEO of Nichols Cauley and past head of Baker Tilly, looks at the factors that inform the way firms will grow in the future, and the strategies that will support them.

Growth consultant Gale Crosley talks about how firms can build truly client-centered approaches to growth that go far beyond cross-selling.

Jen Leary, CEO of Top 15 Firm CLA, looks at the challenges and opportunities surrounding the accounting profession, and how her firm is navigating them.

We dive a number of key insights from Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Firms and Regional Leaders report, from the many ramifications ot private equity to the impact of demographics and much, much more.

Stephanie Otero, the vice president, small firm advocacy, at the AICPA, talks about the issues and opportunities that face the smaller firms that make up the backbone of the profession.

CAS thought leader Kane Polakoff, the head of the client advisory services practice at Top 100 Firm CohnReznick, discusses how artificial intelligence can be integrated into CAS now -- and what that intersection will look like over the long term.

In light of the Supreme Court's recent ruling, two experts from Eisner Advisory Group -- Dean Peterson, partner-in-charge of the international tax services group, and Blair Robbins, partner and leader of the manufacturing and distribution group -- discuss the tax and business ramifications of the Trump administration's tariff policies that accountants should be advising clients about.

As private equity continues to be more and more involved in accounting, Jennifer Wilson of ConvergenceCoaching looks into what it takes for firms to maintain their independence.

New reporting frameworks and regulations around stablecoins are coming thick and fast; in this episode, two experts from the AICPA, Di Krupica and Jeff Trent, discuss the new rules and what they mean for accountants and their clients.

Accounting education and educators aren't immune to the challenges that are sweeping the profession, says Yvonne Hinson, president of the American Accounting Association, and they're making changes to address them.

Accounting's 'Inspector Gadget,' David Cieslak of RKL eSolutions, looks at major trends in accounting technology, from AI to artificial intelligence to machine learning to agentic AI to generative AI and beyond.

Jennifer Wilson of ConvergenceCoaching cross-examines the potential impact of private equity on firm culture, on the next generation of accountants, and on the profession as a whole.

Anthony Pugliese of the Institute of Internal Auditors discusses the new and perennial risks and challenges facing his members, and the new standards and resources the IIA is rolling out to help.

Sarah Dobek of Inovautus Consulting explains why firms need to match up their pricing strategies and the client strategies, so they're charging the right amounts for the right work for the right people.

Technical skills will never go away, but there's a whole other set of leadership and 'soft' skills that firms can't afford to neglect, says consultant and coach Erin Daiber of Well-Balanced Accountants.

Angie Grissom of The Rainmaker Companies dives into why everyone in an accounting firm has a role to play in business development, and what those different roles are.

As more and more firms add a chief growth officer to their leadership teams, Sarah Dobek of Inovautus Consulting dives into what they should be doing and how firms can get the most out of them.

CAS expert Kane Polakoff of Top 100 Firm CohnReznick digs deep into the current staff of client advisory services, and how this fast-growing service offering is rapidly evolving.

Clients are looking for truly holistic advisors, and accountants are perfectly positioned to be just that, says Rory Henry, a director at Arrowroot Family Office and author of "Holistic Guide to Wealth Management."

There has never been a time when carefully planning out the future of your firm has been so important, says Matt Rampe of Rosenberg Consulting, as he offers a roadmap for building the firm you want.

Long-time industry observer and author of the new book "Civil Warrior" Kristy Short shares best practices for keeping your staff -- and yourself -- from burning out.

Technology is driving transformation in how audits are conducted at an ever-faster pace, says Paul Goodhew, global assurance innovation & emerging technology leader at Big Four firm Ernst & Young -- and artificial intelligence will only accelerate that.

The longtime leader of Top 10 Firm Marcum, Jeff Weiner, shares the secrets behind his remarkable career, and the equally remarkable firm he ran.

AICPA chair Lexy Kessler looks ahead at the challenges and opportunities —often one and the same — that are facing the profession, and what accountants need to do to be ready for them.

As the Senate takes up the Trump administration's tax bill, Neil Fishman, the president of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, dives into the details of the House bill and some of the possibilities in the Senate, as well as other issues from Washington that accountants should be keeping in mind.

To move beyond being a scrappy small firm, you have to change the way you think about a host of things, suggests Brannon Poe of Poe Group Advisors.

With accounting talent so hard to find, Paul Peterson shares how his firm has cultivated non-accountants and non-CPAs to fill the gap.

Consultant and technology thought leader Seth Fineberg offers a guide to finding, choosing, implementing and assessing the software your firm needs.

Bob Lewis and Doug Lewis of The Visionary Group dive into how everything about firm combinations -- from deal structure and their impact on staff, to how accounting and PE firms are identifying targets -- is changing, and will continue to change in the future.

Brannon Poe of Poe Group Advisors talks about how the current landscape of acquisition -- particularly the entrance of private equity into the field -- is impacting firms below $10 million.

AAM Hall of Famers August Aquila and Kristen Lewis examine the rise of marketing as a professional function in accounting firm -- and look ahead to where it's going.

All too often, what accountants are selling are services that clients have to endure, says Joe Woodard, a leading consultant to accountants and the impresario behind the Scaling New Heights Conference, and not the sort of thing that they really value. To succeed in the face of automation, AI and other changes in the profession, accountants need to find new ways to create value in the mind of the client.

Accounting firms all across the country are adopting alternative practice structures as private equity investment sweeps across the profession -- but who knows what an APS really looks like? William Kelly, chief counsel at PE-backed accounting firm platform Ascend dives into the details.

What will the firings at the IRS and other developments in Washington mean for tax season? Neil Fishman, returning president of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, dives into these and other major tax issues.

The new head of the AICPA, Mark Koziel, shares his thoughts about the profession, his plans for the organization, and more.

Kim Blascoe, senior director of CAS professional services at CPA.com, shares some of the highlights of their most recent CAS Benchmark Survey -- from the area's extraordinary growth rates to the key practices of a high-performing CAS practice.

Neil Fishman, returning president of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, shares the issues his members are paying attention to as they head into tax season -- and what they're keeping an eye on for the rest of the year, too.