In celebration of Black History Month, we’re giving flowers where they’re due, to Benjamin King Senior, Maryland's first black certified public accountant, the 47th in the country, who went on to become chairman of the Maryland state board. To best understand Mr. King and his impact, we’re joined by his children who’ve kept his minority firm and wide influence on the profession going strong: Pamela King-Smith, Kara King-Bess, and Anthony King. They tell us about how, based in a rough neighborhoo...
Feb 01, 2022•33 min•Ep. 166
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are all the rage in accounting and finance circles. ESG criteria are a set of non-financial factors that socially conscious investors can use to assess their potential investments, such as how the company manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the community, the company’s impact on nature, and executive pay, internal controls, and shareholder rights. This is a fairly recent shift in the mindset of stakeholders, but it is...
Jan 24, 2022•31 min•Ep. 165
It’s legislative season here in Maryland, and getting involved in the process is more important than ever for the CPA profession. With more changes coming that promise to directly impact the accounting and financing profession than we’ve ever seen, our world is on high alert. We need to stay on top of those changes – which is why it’s nice to have a little help from CPA societies. We take a close look at what’s happening in Annapolis right now, because there are sure to be similar stories playin...
Jan 10, 2022•32 min•Ep. 164
It has been a stressful couple of years for everyone. People are working longer and harder with fewer breaks, fewer vacations, and fewer days off, which is bleeding into our personal lives, especially those of us still working from home. Dr. Britt Andreatta is an internationally recognized thought leader who uses her background in leadership, neuroscience, psychology, and education to create brain-science-based solutions for today’s workplace challenges. She’s also a bestselling author and a top...
Jan 03, 2022•33 min•Ep. 163
Today, we’re talking about jobs: Job hunting, searching for employees, filling the pipeline, The Great Resignation, and more. Our guest is Lauren Welkie. She manages strategic partnerships at ZipRecruiter, which is feeling the effects of The Great Resignation in a different way than most organizations. As Yahoo News said recently, “ZipRecruiter is finding itself in a sweet spot right now, as the demand for labor to support the economic recovery remains intense. And it showed up in the company's ...
Dec 27, 2021•30 min•Ep. 162
Usually, when we talk about AI in this profession, the conversation is all about automation, the things that artificial intelligence takes off our plate so we can create more value for our clients, face to face. But today, we look at AI’s potential for impact on big global issues like poverty, hunger, climate change, sustainability, and inequity. Of course, we bring the conversation back to what role accounting and finance might play in all of that. Joining that conversation is Neil Sahota. Neil...
Dec 20, 2021•33 min•Ep. 161
As we round out the year, tax professionals have more than just the holidays to look forward to. Tax season is upon us and there’s a lot to talk about this year. Edward Karl is the Vice President of Taxation for the American Institute of CPAs. He’s also a member of the Maryland Association of CPAs. He has his finger on the pulse of our nation more than almost anyone in the field. He joins us today to help break down all the changes happening for the upcoming tax season, review what’s in the Buil...
Dec 06, 2021•37 min•Ep. 160
Barrett Young is a partner at Garbelman Winslow CPAs, a firm in Southern Maryland, and a Strongman competitor. You recognize the Strongman brand from those mind-blowing competitions on TV where people lift massive rocks and logs, or pull trucks, or flip huge tires. Those are the kinds of challenges that Barrett thrives on. We talk about how he got into such a heavy passion and how his work in the gym overlaps with his work at the firm. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit blionl...
Nov 29, 2021•30 min•Ep. 159
This week, we’re focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Crystal Cooke, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the American Institute of CPAs, helps us shed light on these important topics. We talk about where our profession stands today, what changes are happening already, and what else needs to be done going forward. Crystal took her current role in February of 2020, just before the summer was enveloped in so many violent tragedies across the country. These events and society’s reaction...
Nov 22, 2021•31 min•Ep. 158
We are a remote work world now. Which means, for all of you leaders and managers out there, that we have to figure out how to best manage remote workers. That means finding new ways to manage technology, engagement, wellness, culture, and trust. Jennifer Wilson is co-founder and partner of ConvergenceCoaching, a national consulting firm dedicated to developing leaders and transforming teams. She is also one of Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, one of INSIDE Public Acc...
Nov 15, 2021•38 min•Ep. 157
Let’s talk about comedy and how it relates to business. In this episode, Peter Margaritis joins the podcast to talk about just that, and his new book, “Off-Script: Mastering the Art of Business Improv.” Improv, at its core, is about building a conversation out of what another person says instead of relying on our own agendas. In our business settings, most of us want to control the narrative to ensure ideal outcomes. We want to script the conversations, manage the problems, predict the fut...
Nov 01, 2021•50 min•Ep. 156
We’re going to take a closer look at augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality. Augmented reality combines our real world with virtual information, images, sounds, or other media that augments our experiences in the real world. There are some really interesting case studies of how AR is being used in innovative and productive ways. Here to help us understand AR better are Dina Broydo and Rachelle Hernandez. Dina is a Manager in BDO’s Forensic Investigations and Litigation Services Prac...
Sep 28, 2021•36 min•Ep. 155
Dr. Freeman Hrabowski is the president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and he recently announced his retirement after three decades at the helm of UMBC. He will officially step down in June 2022. He's a leader in every sense of the word, particularly when it comes to educating and graduating an incredibly diverse and inclusive student body. Joining him is Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, accounting and finance's Wonder Woman. She's former chair of the AICPA, and the Maryland Association ...
Sep 21, 2021•37 min•Ep. 154
We are 20 years out from 9/11, the tragic event that changed everything in the US. We all have our 9/11 stories – the things we remember most when we think back to that fateful day. To mark the occasion, we’re going to hear from some of the leaders in the accounting and finance profession, their stories, where they were when it happened, and how the event has impacted the profession. Those leaders are: AICPA President and CEO, Barry Melancon Tom Hood, Executive Vice President of Business Growth ...
Sep 10, 2021•42 min•Ep. 153
We’ve dissected this pandemic in every way possible so far – its impact on our world, our health, our businesses, our employees, and the future of work – as well as its impact on leadership, innovation, technology, and the pace of change in general. It’s all speeding up, right? But let’s take a closer look at how COVID-19 has impacted the world of financial planning – not only for clients and the state of their finances, but for businesses, practices, and how the profession is changing as a resu...
Aug 30, 2021•22 min•Ep. 152
Lee Frederiksen is a business strategist, a behavioral psychologist, and the managing partner of a marketing firm called Hinge which caters to the professional services industry. Lee makes the case that more professional service firms have been positively impacted by the pandemic than negatively impacted. This crisis has been difficult for people in many ways: jobs, businesses, and even lives lost. We can talk about money all day, but, in the end, this crisis is about human beings who were here ...
Aug 24, 2021•31 min•Ep. 151
Bill Pirolli is the new chair of the American Institute of CPAs and a partner with DiSanto Priest & Co., in Warwick, Rhode Island. He gives us his take on the future of the profession, some of the things he has his eye on, and his priorities for the coming year – all of which will impact everyone in the profession. Bill has been thinking about pipeline issues, engaging the next generation of CPAs, keeping interest in the profession strong, and making sure we’re providing tomorrow’s CPAs with...
Aug 16, 2021•28 min•Ep. 150
Anirban Basu is chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group, an economic and policy consulting firm headquartered in the great city of Baltimore, Maryland. He is one of the most popular speakers on the MACPA educational circuit, chair of the Maryland Economic Development Commission, and of the Baltimore County Economic Advisory Committee. He was named one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. When it comes to the economy, he knows what he’s talking about, so we’re going to take a quick look with h...
Aug 09, 2021•29 min•Ep. 149
We’ve discussed the .cpa domain before – a new domain that’s available exclusively to CPAs. There are many benefits involved with this domain (for both you and your clients). The domain has been out there since earlier this year, so we thought now would be a good time to take stock of where things are for people. How’s this domain working for everyone? How many people have used it? What about it has worked? What lessons have been learned? What would people do differently if they could change thi...
Jul 19, 2021•27 min•Ep. 148
Lexy Kessler is the partner in charge of Aronson’s Government Contract Services Group and chair of the AICPA’s PCPS Executive Committee. As of July 1st, she is the new chair of the Maryland Association of CPAs Board of Directors. We’re going to look at her priorities this year and the trends impacting CPAs in Maryland and beyond. Of course, diversity and inclusion in the pipeline are always a focus – however, Lexy is also excited to step into what she calls “MACPA 3.0,” stepping into the opportu...
Jul 05, 2021•24 min•Ep. 147
You would be hard-pressed to think of an area that has a greater impact on the working world than where we work. The pandemic has taken the cat out of the bag – so to speak – and there’s no putting it back. Working from home is here to stay. Now it’s up to us to keep it productive. Kassi Rushing is a communication and people strategist who works with organizations to bring their cultural visions to life. She's got experience and expertise in workplace culture, high-performing teams, diversity, e...
Jun 21, 2021•38 min•Ep. 146
It seems as if everyone wants to offer client accounting services, but not many know where to start. Hitendra Patil is the Head of Customer Success at AccountantsWorld. He is a fixture in Accounting Today’s list of The 100 Most Influential People in Accounting. And he’s one of the biggest fans – and, certainly, one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject – of client accounting services. He has a new book called “ The Definitive Success Guide to Client Accounting Services .” He talks abou...
May 31, 2021•36 min•Ep. 145
David Nour is CEO of The Nour Group, where they're all about building strategic relationships to help leaders reimagine the future. He's an advisor to Fortune 500 execs, a professor at Emory University, and the author of 11 books. His latest is “ Curve Benders: How Strategic Relationships Can Power Your Non-Linear Growth in the Future of Work .” What are curve benders? How do you define "strategic relationships?" What is non-linear growth? What is the future of work? And how does all this fit to...
May 24, 2021•41 min•Ep. 144
Donny Shimamoto is the founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies, an advisory-focused CPA firm in Honolulu. He’s also an incredibly active volunteer and thought leader for the American Institute of CPAs, doing work in information management, IT, and assurance services. His latest project is leading the launch of the new Center for Accounting Transformation. Its mission statement reads: “The Center enables transformation by guiding members through the adoption and change required ...
May 10, 2021•59 min•Ep. 143
Kelly Phillips Erb runs a very popular Twitter account under the handle, TaxGirl. She has written a regular Forbes column for years under the moniker, and now she’s doing the same for Bloomberg. She’s been interviewed by every big-name media company in the business about all things tax: CNN, Reuters, Time, NPR, ABC, CBS, MarketWatch, and more. She is also a managing attorney with ErbLaw, based in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania. We talk about the state of tax professionals more than a year into the pand...
May 03, 2021•37 min•Ep. 142
Andrew Codd is the host of Strength in the Numbers Show , a top-rated podcast aiming to help solve significant problems in the finance industry. He’s also an author, speaker, coach, trainer, and a senior member of After-Sales Finance Operations for Dell. Based in Ireland, Andrew brings an international perspective to the profession's issues and offers a fresh opinion on potential solutions. Andrew Codd listens to people in various roles throughout the industry, giving him valuable insight into m...
Apr 26, 2021•43 min•Ep. 141
Jacquelyn Tracy is chair of the AICPA's Women's Initiatives Executive Committee . Jessica McClain is a member of the board of directors of the MACPA Foundation , which works to build a diverse talent pipeline to ensure the strength of the CPA profession for years to come. We talk about the excellent work being done by both of these organizations, the role of women in the profession, and why it's crucial that we expand it for future generations. To learn more, and for the complete show notes, vis...
Apr 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 140
Dr. Amy Zalman is the former CEO and president of the World Future Society. While she was there, she repositioned the World Future Society for renewed future global impact — helping a transformational organization transform itself. She’s also the founder of Oryx Communications and chair of information integration at the National War College, where she’s introduced new ways of understanding information to future senior leaders so they can better inform their perspectives on the ways the world is ...
Apr 12, 2021•40 min•Ep. 139
Tom Peters is the co-author of “In Search Of Excellence” and author of seventeen other best-selling books. He’s a legend in the business and consulting world, devoted to studying what makes leaders great and how to achieve business excellence. Tom’s latest book, “Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism,” may also be his last. In the afterword to the book, he says, “This book, in effect, IS my memoir. It is solely devoted to the things that I care deeply — VERY deeply! — about. The ideas are not complex...
Apr 05, 2021•51 min•Ep. 138
As we near the end of Women’s History Month, and with Black History Month still firmly in our memory, it’s essential to take a look at diversity and inclusion in the CPA profession — both how far we’ve come and how much further we have to go. Kimberly Ellison-Taylor is a former Maryland Association of CPAs chair, a former AICPA Chair, and the executive director of finance thought leadership for Oracle. She is also the incoming chair of the AICPA’s National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion ,...
Mar 30, 2021•40 min•Ep. 137
