You’ve likely heard about The Golden Rule – that we should always strive to treat others how we would like to be treated – but what if the people you encountered didn’t want to be treated the same way as you? How would you engage with a group of people if you had no idea how to approach them? According to today’s guest, this is just another day in the life of a marketer. Becca Davis, director of practice growth here at Rea, has spent more than a decade learning about people and how businesses ca...
May 20, 2019•24 min•Ep. 185
One of the recurring topics on this podcast has been the importance of planning for the unexpected in your business. For the last several decades, one of our most outspoken advocates of this message has been Tim McDaniel, a principal on Rea’s valuation and transaction advisory services team. Today, Tim’s central message will not be about the importance of planning ahead in your business. Instead, he will be delivering another message – one that is deeply personal – and that zeros in on a subject...
May 14, 2019•39 min•Ep. 184
Competition for top talent continues to be fierce across the board, which means more companies are developing strategies to attract and recruit potential job prospects earlier. For many, internships have become much more than a glimpse into a company or a chosen profession. Today, internships are necessary first steps in the journey of a young professional’s career within a company. On this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio , we are fortunate to have two young professionals on the mic, Alex Bix...
May 13, 2019•28 min•Ep. 183
Just because we made it past April 15th doesn’t mean we’re going to stop talking about taxes. In fact, every time we think we have a handle on one thing, another tax concern leaves us scratching our heads and dipping into our pockets – and right now, state taxes are leaving our heads scratched raw and our pockets a little light. Now that “Wayfair” is the law of the land, states continue to seek out additional sources of revenue, but perhaps the biggest area of focus has to do with sales tax. Joi...
May 06, 2019•27 min•Ep. 182
The IRS has replaced the existing rules for auditing large partnerships with a set of new, streamlined rules. So in this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio , we sit down with Chris Axene, a principal at Rea and a partnership guru, to learn what these new rules are and how they will impact partners and partnerships going forward. So, What Changed? The significant changes to partnership audit procedures and operating agreements flew under the radar, somewhat, buried under the shadow of the tax ref...
Apr 29, 2019•24 min•Ep. 181
Another tax season has come and gone and we are left with a lot to consider. This was the first year we got to see the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in action and a lot of people, it seems, were caught off guard. So in this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio , Chris Axene, Rea’s sultan of taxation, joins us to go over what the accounting industry noticed about this year’s tax season – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and how we can improve in the year ahead. Winners & Losers Whenever there is tax r...
Apr 22, 2019•26 min•Ep. 180
It’s an unfortunate fact that hundreds of thousands of adults older than 60 are abused, neglected, or financially exploited. This topic is not an easy one, but it’s necessary to talk about – and it’s one that our guest is particularly passionate about. Darlene Finzer, a principal with Rea & Associates, is committed to educating others about the signs of financial abuse among the elderly. While elder abuse notoriously hard to detect, warning signs do exist, and it’s up to those who see the si...
Apr 15, 2019•26 min•Ep. 179
Once upon a time, the majority of businesses had a product or service to sell, employees to sell it, and a back office to ensure that the business was functioning efficiently. Today, some businesses no longer maintain a back office. Instead, they are turning to outside providers for functions like accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll – and for good reason. Matt Long, a principal on Rea’s client advisory services team, joins us on this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio to talk abou...
Apr 08, 2019•25 min•Ep. 178
Do you offer a retirement plan as part of your benefits package? Then you’re probably familiar with the census form... but do you know why this form is necessary? Andrea McLane, a senior manager and retirement plan consultant at Rea, joins unsuitable on Rea Radio to explain the retirement plan census, while passing along some best practices that will keep you from getting lost in the paperwork. Andrea chose a great week to join the show too, because she can help us all celebrate National Employe...
Apr 01, 2019•22 min•Ep. 177
The amount of data we produce continues to increase, which means the number of threats we receive from cybercriminals continues to increase as well. But just as the hackers are thinking of smarter ways to break into our networks, the good guys continue to think up new ways to protect our businesses. Ohio, for example, passed the Cybersecurity Data Breach safe harbor law in November. Today’s guest, Mike Moran, president of Affiliated Resource Group, returns to the show to explain what that is and...
Mar 25, 2019•24 min•Ep. 176
Employers have to juggle a lot these days, especially in the area of HR compliance. In addition to usual concerns like paid sick leave, the Family & Medical Leave Act, and compensation, business owners are being confronted by a slew of new considerations – like the legalization of marijuana, generational differences, and whether it’s okay to vape indoors. Our guest Renee West, senior human resources manager at Rea, has seen a lot over the course of her HR career, but she says that this is th...
Mar 18, 2019•25 min•Ep. 175
Buzz words are everywhere. From “fake news” to “mind share,” words not only shape how we think about something, but they can define a movement and even bring about social change. Here in our industry, we are being inundated by the word “disruption.” Technological advancements are hitting the accounting industry – or disrupting the industry – at a rapid pace. As a result, firms are faced with a choice: we can either embrace change and innovate or we can reject change and step aside. Here at Rea, ...
Mar 11, 2019•27 min•Ep. 174
Are you ready for a refresher course on business valuations? Mary Beth Koester is Rea’s Director of Valuation & Transaction Advisory Services joins unsuitable to walk us through the basics: What is a valuation, why do business owners need one, and what other valuable services does a valuation support? We’ll answer these questions and more using some real-life examples. Why Should I Get a Valuation (If I’m Not Looking to Sell)? When most business owners think of valuations, they tend to think...
Mar 04, 2019•24 min•Ep. 173
In the past, the term “golden handcuffs” was used to refer to the financial incentives employers offered to key employees to encourage them to stay with the company. And today, with so many businesses competing for top talent, you have to wonder how many businesses are using this technique and whether it’s successful. Kevin Monaghan, owner of Intuitive Compensation Group, is back with us on this week’s episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio to talk about the concept of golden handcuffs and whether o...
Feb 25, 2019•26 min•Ep. 172
Locally owned family businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and we are so fortunate to be able to work with many of them at Rea. It is a proud moment when a parent can pass the legacy of business ownership on to their children, but it also brings some unique challenges. For a parent to be able to pass the legacy of business ownership on to their children is a proud moment, but it also brings some unique challenges. Our guest Kevin Monaghan, the owner of Intuitive Compensation Group...
Feb 18, 2019•25 min•Ep. 171
We’re hot and heavy into the 2019 tax season, which means we’re all getting to see how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act actually plays out on our tax returns. Naturally, because we are up close and personal with our finances this time of year, questions about financial wellness and planning strategies are at the forefront. So we are happy to welcome Cindy Kula, one of the region’s leading tax planning specialists and a senior manager on Rea’s tax team, back on unsuitable to lead us through the tax talk...
Feb 11, 2019•26 min•Ep. 170
We’ve all been talking about cybersecurity for several years now, but the threat has been around much longer than that – and with every day that passes, the threat continues to grow and evolve. But our guest, Paul Hugenberg, has pioneered a new line of defense for businesses and the customers they serve. Paul is co-founder and CEO of InfoGPS Networks, a software development company based out of North Canton that specializes in monitoring and leveraging data-at-rest for applications across a vari...
Feb 04, 2019•28 min•Ep. 169
It’s a new year, which means a lot of us are looking at our current financial situation, our investment portfolio, and how we can strengthen our long-term prospects. Matt Andreas, a financial advisor with Investment Partners, joins the show to give us some tips to help us make the most out of the year ahead. He will be tackling the importance of asset allocation, why planning is critical, and how you can overcome market volatility. Stick to the Plan In today’s volatile environment, you see a lot...
Jan 28, 2019•25 min•Ep. 168
Disruption is hitting us from all sides these days: a glut of new technologies, evolving client expectations, and young employees that think and behave differently. In this episode of unsuitable , Kim Veal, CPA, a supervisor on Rea’s retirement plan audit team, is going to tell us how disruption’s newest target might just be the retirement planning industry. A New Employee Benefit (& Your New Competitive Advantage) One of the biggest struggles facing employees today is student loan debt, but...
Jan 21, 2019•24 min•Ep. 167
Managing your business’s payroll requires you to do more than just write a few checks to your employees each month. For example, when you hire a new employee, you have to collect a lot of information before you can even think about putting them to work for you. But do you know what all that information is and why it matters? And after gathering your employee’s information, do you know which forms you need to maintain in the event you are called on to be audited? There are a lot of questions (and...
Jan 14, 2019•26 min•Ep. 166
As we embark on the 2019 tax season, Ohio is set to become a case study in the area of using Bitcoin to settle your business’s tax bill. Here to talk us through what this change means for businesses throughout the state and how one would actually go about making a tax payment with cryptocurrency is Melane Howell, Rea’s regional expert in the area of cryptocurrency. Breaking Bitcoin News Just in time to celebrate Bitcoin’s 10th birthday, Ohio will now be accepting Bitcoin payments for business ta...
Jan 07, 2019•24 min•Ep. 165
We’re a few weeks away from the start of a whole new year and you know what that means – it’s time to make our New Year’s Resolutions! From an economic standpoint, 2018 was good to quite a few of us. But as we look to 2019, we have an excellent opportunity to secure even greater financial wellness. Angie Isakson, a senior manager on Rea’s retirement plan administration team, is here to talk about some great savings strategies that can empower you to save even more for retirement. Making Hardship...
Dec 17, 2018•25 min•Ep. 164
We’re enjoying the calm before the storm here at Rea. In just about a month it will be “all hands on deck” for accountants everywhere. While most of us are still buzzing about federal tax bills and future tax planning strategies under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, our state and local tax team is looking at this upcoming tax season from another angle. Joining us on today’s episode of unsuitable is Luke Lucas, income and franchise manager on Rea’s state and local tax team. Luke is here to help us und...
Dec 10, 2018•25 min•Ep. 163
As we head into 2019, there’s a lot you need to know if you are in the real estate and construction industries. New nexus laws will greatly impact these industries, they require unique tax planning strategies, and some experts are predicting that the multi-family housing market has peaked. We’re joined again by Doug Houser, Rea’s new director of construction and real estate services. Doug is the perfect person to help us navigate these changes because he has spent over 20 years specializing in c...
Dec 03, 2018•21 min•Ep. 162
If you have a strong relationship with your banker, you know just how valuable that relationship can be to a business’s bottom line. On the other hand, those who only use their banker for a few transactional services here and there probably have no idea what that’s like, and the idea of establishing and nurturing a relationship with a banker might sound like a foreign concept. In this episode of unsuitable , we will pull back the curtain and examine everything from the benefits of banking relati...
Nov 26, 2018•26 min•Ep. 161
Here very soon, the trees will be completely stripped of their leaves, the fields will be cleared of their crops, and the taxpayers will be looking for ways to plan for the future without being stripped of their wealth. Brace yourself: tax and estate planning season is coming. Brian Kempf, a principal in Rea’s Millersburg office, regularly works with clients to develop tax planning strategies designed to protect their wealth and sustain their businesses, specializing in tax and estate planning f...
Nov 19, 2018•30 min•Ep. 160
Do you love what you do? I mean, do you really love the work you do and the people you do it for? If you’re a business owner or the leader of an organization, you were probably pretty passionate about what you wanted to achieve in the beginning. But, as the years go by, sometimes that passion is replaced by the need to manage people, pay bills, and turn a profit. While it can be hard to keep that passion alive, Linda Friel, CFO of Payne & Payne Builders, is with us today to tell us why it’s ...
Nov 12, 2018•21 min•Ep. 159
It’s that time of year again – time for us to start shouting from the rooftops about the importance of year-end tax planning and tax season prep. Yes, you probably hear your accountants talk about this stuff all the time, but it’s only because we care. Not only will good bookkeeping habits save you tons of time in the long-run, you might find that you actually save some money too. Amy Smith, Rea’s bookkeeping extraordinaire and QuickBooks guru, is back to talk about what you actually stand to ga...
Nov 05, 2018•22 min•Ep. 158
Now that we’re coming up on the end of the year, what do you have to show for all the hard work you’ve put in over the past several months? Did you meet any personal goals? Maybe some business goals? Unfortunately, for most people, the simple act of goal setting can turn a relatively simple aspiration into a pipe dream – or, even worse, a perceived failure – within a matter of months. Luckily, our guest on this episode of unsuitable , Rea’s COO Jeremy Senften, is going to tell us what the heck w...
Oct 29, 2018•25 min•Ep. 157
By 2020, Millennials will make up one third of the global workforce. We’ve all heard a lot of people with a lot of opinions about millennials, and there are some pretty negative stereotypes out there today – But the fact is, these stereotypes (at least for the most part) are flat-out wrong. Sarah Sparks and Deirdra DiVittis are two of our younger team members here at Rea. We are fortunate to have some really great young talent on our team here at Rea so we brought them on unsuitable on Rea Radio...
Oct 22, 2018•27 min•Ep. 156
