Rebecca Driscoll, CPA, Co-founder of The Collaboration Room, walks through her unconventional journey into public accounting, highlighting her transition from working at a large firm to establishing her own CAS and Tax practice. Rebecca elaborates on the significant life changes that motivated her to pursue a different career trajectory. Emphasized in this episode is the significance of internal CAS practices and the key role coaching plays in assisting firm owners to develop sustainable firms. ...
Jun 26, 2025•37 min
In the final episode of the four-part governance podcast series, Erin Hartman, CPA, Senior Manager – Firm Services of the AICPA & CIMA joins Sarah Dobek, Founder and President of Inovautus Consulting, and Gary Thomson, CPA, Founder and Principal of Thomson Consulting, to wrap up and share insights and lessons learned from the series. They reflect on the evolving mindset around governance and how it is relevant to firms of all sizes – not just large firms. The discussion also focuses on the k...
Jun 12, 2025•37 min
In this episode, hosts Sarah Dobek, Founder and President of Inovautus Consulting, and Gary Thomson, CPA, Founder and Principal of Thomson Consulting, are joined by Chip Chaon, CEO and Managing Principal of LattaHarris, LLP, and Mark Kovaleski, Managing Partner of MMB+CO, where they explore how evolving governance structures are reshaping partnership agreements within firms. The conversation also provides insights into the challenges of implementing changes to partnership agreements and how to n...
Jun 11, 2025•33 min
In this episode, hosts Sarah Dobek, Founder and President of Inovautus Consulting, and Gary Thomson, CPA, Founder and Principal of Thomson Consulting, are joined by Eric Majchrzak, CEO/Principal for BeachFleischman, to dive into a pivotal shift in the accounting profession—the rise of non-CPA professionals stepping into leadership roles in public accounting firms. Learn more about how firms are embracing non-CPA leadership to drive transformation as they strive for growth and innovation. Part of...
Jun 10, 2025•37 min
In this episode, hosts Sarah Dobek, Founder and President of Inovautus Consulting, and Gary Thomson, CPA, Founder and Principal of Thomson Consulting, are joined by Chris Sullivan, CPA, Managing Partner of VSH CPAs, and Amber Goering, CPA, Owner of Goering & Granatino (GG Advisors) to discuss the implementation of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) in their respective firms. Chris and Amber share their experiences and challenges faced during the implementation, such as the need for a...
Jun 09, 2025•34 min
Content Note: This episode includes discussions about mental health, including depression, anxiety, and suicide. Please take care while listening. In this powerful episode, Randy Crabtree, Co-Founder and Partner at Tri-Merit, shares his personal story of navigating mental health challenges and how that experience shaped his leadership approach and advocacy within the profession. Randy shares what it means to lead with vulnerability and foster a people-first culture. He offers heartfelt advice, s...
May 30, 2025•48 min
What defines a thriving business development culture in public accounting? Josh Axelrod, Chief Operating Officer of Aldrich CPAs + Advisors, shares the elements of a successful business development environment. Learn how intentional efforts pave the way for strategic action and how to overcome challenges you may face. Packed with actionable insights and real-world advice, you’ll obtain strategies on how to ensure your firm not only grows but thrives in a rapidly changing profession. To find out ...
May 05, 2025•36 min
Gary Thomson, CPA, Founder and Principal of Thomson Consulting, and Sarah Johnson Dobek, Founder and President of Inovautus Consulting, explore how strong governance can drive successful business model transformation. They share practical insights on how firms can adopt effective governance frameworks to guide their transformation strategies, ensuring sustainable growth and adaptability. You’ll learn key approaches to structuring governance that can help your firm navigate change for new opportu...
Mar 18, 2025•59 min
Private equity-backed firms are reshaping the professional services landscape. In this episode, Tim Brackney, CEO of Springline Advisory, and Josh Beck, Managing Partner at MarksNelson Advisory LLC, share insights into their collaboration and strategic approaches to firm growth and transformation. Discover how Springline’s model helps firms unlock value, enhance operations and scale successfully. From leadership alignment to strengthening people-first cultures, this conversation reveals how firm...
Feb 28, 2025•48 min
Starting your own firm can be tough, but finding the right clients makes all the difference. In this episode, Yuri Kapilovich, CPA , a managing partner of Kapilovich & Associates shares his ideas about the importance of choosing quality clients and building strong relationships, rather than just focusing on quantity, He also discusses how to balance work, family and personal goals. If you’re thinking about starting your own firm, this episode has helpful tips to guide you. For more informati...
Jan 30, 2025•46 min
In this episode with Dan O’Hare, CPA, CGMA, Principal at Glenn Burdette, we explore why CPA firms might choose to implement an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). With Dan's insights and expertise, we explore how ESOPs can facilitate smooth succession planning, boost employee retention and engagement and offer significant tax benefits. Additionally, we discuss how this alternative practice structure can improve performance and make the firm more attractive to potential hires. This conversation...
Dec 06, 2024•35 min
Are you curious about how to empower your employees and fuel your firm’s growth? Listen as we explore employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) with Mike Bannon, vice president at CSG Partners. You’ll discover how this powerful tool can help your firm achieve its long-term goals and implementation plans, from planning and financing to valuation and ownership transition. This episode offers insights into the benefits of leveraged ESOPs, which include not only tax advantages but also the ability to b...
Nov 29, 2024•47 min
Erin Hartman from the AICPA & CIMA PCPS section introduces a special compilation of conversations on the evolution of accounting firms and the modernization of accounting practices through the "Transforming Your Business Model" initiative. It contains valuable insights and motivation for accounting professionals looking to innovate and create sustainable business models while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In these condensed exerpts from previous podcasts, the conversation features...
Nov 15, 2024•50 min
How are forward-thinking firms adapting to the profession’s changing landscape? We're joined by Abbey Bemis and Mike Miller from Payne Nickles & Company to hear their transformative insights. They investigate how firms adapt to shifts in tax seasons and the broader profession because of new technology and AI. Abbey and Mike also tackle the talent shortage challenge, sharing strategies for attracting top talent and positioning their firm as a desirable workplace. From discussions on the evolv...
Nov 11, 2024•34 min
Jeff Wald, CEO of Pinion, shares his insights and expertise on the importance of corporate governance. He uncovers strategies for managing major firm transformations, securing stakeholder buy-in and crafting transparent strategic plans. Jeff also highlights the importance of building strong relationships at the board level, humanizing business disagreements and empowering your firm to make effective business decisions. Tune in to learn how to enhance your firm’s governance practices and drive im...
Nov 08, 2024•38 min
The look and feel of your podcast is about to evolve. We’re excited to share that the Small Firms Philosophy podcast is becoming " Transforming, tales of Business Evolution" . New episodes start later in November 2024.
Nov 04, 2024•58 sec
In this podcast episode, we explore with Jonyce Bullock, CEO of Squire, how evolving governance structures can revolutionize your business model. Jonyce shares her journey through governance challenges, emphasizing the value of external support and diverse perspectives in navigating complex decisions. You’ll discover strategies for enhancing decision-making, implementing changes effectively and creating alignment within your firm. If you want to address your firm’s unique needs, this can’t-miss ...
Oct 04, 2024•37 min
Are you facing a talent shortage? Offshoring may be the answer. Our guest Laurence Whittam of Impact Global Solutions discusses tapping into global talent pools to boost your firm’s capabilities . From selecting the right offshoring model to building successful remote teams, Laurence shares practical advice for small firms. Discover various offshoring models, practical implementation steps, process efficiencies, strategies for driving client growth and more. Discover how to transform your busine...
Sep 06, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 96
In this episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast, Ingrid Goldbloom-Bloch, Director of Career Development and Engagement at AAFCPAs, talks with PCPS manager Erin Hartman to share how her firm is making waves and doing things differently in the profession. When Ingrid joined AAFCPA, she was tasked with elevating the people and culture pillars of the firms strategic plan. Ingrid’s day to day focus is to uncover challenges that get in the way of teams feeling happy, engaged, and productive at wo...
Aug 02, 2024•42 min
Accounting firms planning for future success may want to rethink their approach to new opportunities. In this episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast, Elizabeth Hale, founder and CEO of eeCPA, shares with PCPS manager Erin Hartman how her firm is revolutionizing the traditional CPA model by putting people first and driving client success. SFP is produced by AICPA & CIMA’s firm services team, aka the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). This episode is part of an ongoing series on ...
Apr 17, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 94
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features Steve McDonald, CPA, managing partner at Abdo, sharing tips about how he integrated cutting edge data and government consulting services with new technologies to revolutionize his firm's client services. SFP is produced by AICPA & CIMA’s firm services team, aka the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). Lisa Simpson, CPA, CGMA, vice president of Firm Services for AICPA & CIMA, conducted the interview, which is part of an ongo...
Mar 20, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 94
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast unveils a pair of powerful toolkits designed to help accounting firms reshape and optimize their business. PCPS manager Erin Hartman, CPA, and Carrie Steffen, the president of growth consulting firm The Whetstone Group, introduce the Revenue Modeling and the Right Sizing Your Client Base toolkits, which are exclusive to PCPS members: SFP is produced by AICPA & CIMA’s firm services team, aka the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). This ...
Mar 14, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 93
From engaging high schoolers to partnering with community influencers, discover how Grossman Yanak & Ford cultivates future accountants. This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features a discussion with GYF's Colleen Febbraro about the firm's freshman forum program, the importance of promoting the accounting profession, changing stereotypes, and more. SFP is produced by AICPA & CIMA’s firm services team, aka the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). PCPS manager Erin Hart...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 92
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features an interview with David Wurtzbacher and Erin Stahmer of Ascend, a platform firm that is employing unique strategies in its business model. Join us to discuss people strategy, offshoring tips, and how to own the value of firm services. SFP is produced by AICPA & CIMA’s firm services team, aka the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). PCPS manager Erin Hartman, CPA, conducted the interview, which is part of an ongoing series on ac...
Feb 21, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 91
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features an interview with Dennis Sherrin, CPA, CGMA, chief value officer and strategic consultant at Avizo Group, Inc., an Alabama-based CPA firm with 35 team members in the United States and India. Sherrin discusses how Avizo implemented Lean Six Sigma (LSS) to streamline the firm’s tax practice and slash overtime hours, even during tax season. “Have we eliminated overtime hours? Absolutely not,” said Sherrin. “But have we drastically reduced o...
Jan 31, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 90
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features an interview with Chet Buchman, CPA, CGMA, managing partner of Kansas-based accounting firm Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk and Loyd, LLC (SJHL). In this discussion, Buchman describes his firm’s multi-year journey to offering more advisory services, including the big mistake they made at the beginning and what they learned from it. He also explains SJHL’s strategy for reducing busy season hours for staff and partners. SFP is produced by AICPA &am...
Jan 17, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 89
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features an interview with Carl Peterson, CPA, AICPA & CIMA’s vice president of small firm interests. Peterson addresses the new beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements and also shares his biggest takeaways from the 2023 AICPA & CIMA National Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey. The MAP Survey, like this podcast, is produced by AICPA & CIMA's firm practice management section, better known as the Pri...
Nov 22, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 88
This episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast features an interview with Sandy Johns, owner of Revolution Financial, a small accounting firm based in the Atlanta area. Johns discusses how she culled her firm's client roster to a manageable size and how doing so affected her well-being professionally and personally. SFP is produced by the AICPA & CIMA's firm practice management section, better known as the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS). Erin Hartman, a manager with PCPS, condu...
Oct 02, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 87
Nicole Davis isn't your typical CPA firm owner. She has five children, owns three businesses and has crafted a presence on social media including an account with more than 12,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. She also never worked in public accounting before launching her firm, Butler Davis Tax & Accounting. How has Davis done all of this and what has she learned along the way? She shares her story in this episode of the Small Firm Philosophy podcast, produced by the AICPA's Pri...
Sep 20, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 86
There’s been a buzz around artificial intelligence for years, but nothing like the swarm of interest generated by ChatGPT. Microsoft-backed research laboratory OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022. By January, the large language generative AI chatbot had attracted more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing customer software application ever – but far from the only one. What makes ChatGPT so compelling and how does it compare to other generative AI chatbots like Google’s Bard?...
Aug 16, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 85
