Employee healthcare in America continues to be an explosive topic, so it’s no surprise that many employers are struggling to understand the best way to execute an effective employee benefit health plan strategy among their workforce. Luckily, our guest is Dean Stitz, a consultant with McGohan Brabender, who has seen the challenges that businesses are facing first-hand and works with companies to reveal employee benefit health plan opportunities that they may not even be aware of. Listen to this ...
Dec 16, 2019•25 min•Ep. 215
As a CPA and business consulting firm, nothing gets the folks at Rea & Associates more excited than a good plan. So, since everyone is starting to look forward to 2020, we think this is a great time to get better acquainted with legacy family planning — and you can really never start thinking about your legacy too early. Darlene Finzer, a principal and legacy training specialist at Rea , joins the show to share her insight on this important but oft-procrastinated topic. Listen to this episod...
Dec 09, 2019•26 min•Ep. 214
It’s December now. That means, as far as your company’s finances are concerned, we’re on crunch time. So, did you get everything done that you want to cover over the course of 2019? If not, it’s not too late to take action now — but it will be very soon. Brent Ardit, Audit Principal at Rea & Associates, joins this episode to discuss year-end planning and what you can do as we look ahead to 2020. Listen to this episode of unsuitable to learn: The opportunities that business owners have as we ...
Dec 02, 2019•18 min•Ep. 213
Around 10,000 people reach retirement age every day. But, unfortunately, not all of them will be able to retire. We regularly hear that older Americans are postponing their retirement because they don’t have the financial stability necessary to sustain their current lifestyle, so this is a trend that promises to continue for the foreseeable future. Today, businesses are being asked to help close the gap — by not only taking on older workers but by helping the younger population proactively save ...
Nov 25, 2019•26 min•Ep. 212
It’s not always easy to make sound financial decisions, and the study of economic theory has undergone its share of adaptations over the years to account for this fact. But thanks to the work of great researchers like Richard Thaler, we now have a greater understanding as to why we make the economic decisions we make. And the reason probably won’t surprise you — people just aren’t rational. In this episode of unsuitable , Doug Feller, a certified financial planner and principal with Investment P...
Nov 18, 2019•27 min•Ep. 211
As we near the end of the year, you know what that means — tax prep is, once again, on the agenda. But, as you prepare to file your 2019 tax returns, there are several considerations to keep top-of-mind. Luckily, Chris Axene, a principal with Rea, returns to unsuitable to point us in the right direction and help us prepare for the upcoming tax season. Listen to this episode of unsuitable to learn: The implications of tax reform in the wake of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA), for both individuals...
Nov 11, 2019•26 min•Ep. 210
Your business is a part of a larger economic ecosystem. As such, you undoubtedly share several key commonalities with others in your industry, specialization, and even geography. Because of these shared traits, whether you know it or not, help, insight, and professional expertise are never really hard to find — as long as you know where to look. Luckily, you won’t have to look very far. There are more than 90,000 trade and professional associations in the United States, and each one is committed...
Nov 04, 2019•24 min•Ep. 209
For those of you who do business across state lines, your days of paying taxes in a single state are pretty much over. Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on South Dakota v. Wayfair , one by one, states across the country have taken steps to become more aggressive when it comes to collecting tax dollars from companies that do business in their states. Introducing the new way of doing business. Scotty “Z” Zielaskiewicz, a state and local tax manager and indirect tax expert with Rea, joins us on th...
Oct 28, 2019•23 min•Ep. 208
Are you ready to trade your business for retirement bliss? Not so fast. There are a few critical pieces of the “selling process” to take into consideration if you want to sell for top dollar. Paul Gregory, a principal in Rea’s Amherst office, and Andrew Gelfand, Senior Vice President at Bruml Capital Corporation, join the show to explain how to sell a business the right way — with plenty of forethought, preparation, and expertise. Preparing Your Business for Sale: What Not to Do A lot of people ...
Oct 20, 2019•26 min•Ep. 207
The phrases “outsourced accounting services,” “client accounting services,” and “client advisory services” are generating a lot of buzz in the business community these days. But what exactly are these services and why should businesses even care? Matt Long, a principal on Rea’s own CAS team, joins unsuitable to explain what CAS is and how this service can help companies grow and thrive. What is CAS? First thing first: CAS is not the same as outsourced bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is traditionally do...
Oct 14, 2019•23 min•Ep. 206
At some point, if you’re a business owner, you’ll have to think about trading your business in for retirement. And when it comes to identifying an exit strategy, you can either liquidate, keep it in the family, sell it to the highest bidder, or get your employees involved. Ted Lape, a partner with Lazear Capital Partners, joins unsuitable to teach us more about the latter - getting your employees involved. He explains what an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is, what it isn’t, the benefits o...
Oct 07, 2019•26 min•Ep. 205
There was a time when the word “manufacturing” would conjure up images of “dark,” “dirty,” and “dangerous” work. But these days, business owners and leaders in the field are working hard to repair the industry’s reputation. Dustin Raber, principal with Rea and director of the firm’s manufacturing services team, has witnessed the strides companies have made to overcome the negative stereotypes. But there’s still a ways to go. On this episode of unsuitable , we’re going to talk about some pressing...
Sep 30, 2019•21 min•Ep. 204
Whether you know it or not, machine learning has changed the way we do business — and it will continue to shake up the business community for many years to come. You may not be fully aware of the changes that are already taking place and how they might impact your future success. So we sat down with John Dages, solutions director with Fusion Alliance, to learn what machine learning is, how it works, and how it can empower you to drive long-term growth and sustainability in your business. When To...
Sep 23, 2019•23 min•Ep. 203
Just because you produce superior products, are consistently flawless in your execution, or have the best and brightest employees on your team’s roster doesn’t mean you’ll outshine the competition. For example, Columbus rock band The Toll may not have been technically superior to their competition in the late ’80s and early ’90s, but their brand was unique, daring, and dangerous, which ultimately attracted the attention of Geffen Records and resulted in a $3.6M record deal. Brad Circone, former ...
Sep 16, 2019•26 min•Ep. 202
Businesses continue to adapt to an increasingly digital marketplace, which means jobs (and the skills people need to do these jobs) are changing. Maureen Metcalf, founder, CEO, and board chair of the Innovative Leadership Institute, says in order to prepare for transformation in the workplace we need to be aware of the changes that are coming down the pike while simultaneously working to update our mindsets and behaviors. On this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio , Maureen talks about the chang...
Sep 09, 2019•25 min•Ep. 201
If you've ever wondered why resumes are important, what will get yours thrown out of the running for a particular position, or how often you should dust yours off and make updates, then you’re in luck! We’re joined by Desiree Lyon, talent acquisition specialist with Rea , who is here to help us celebrate International Update Your Resume Month – along with our 200th episode of unsuitable – with some hot tips for getting hired. Best Practices for Keeping an Up-to-Date Resume Keep track of new skil...
Sep 02, 2019•25 min•Ep. 200
Payroll is one of your company’s most critical areas to manage – and probably one of the most scrutinized. Employees expect to receive their paychecks on a certain day and time, and they expect their checks to reflect the time they put into their job. The IRS, the Bureau of Workers Compensation and state and local tax authorities expect the appropriate taxes to be withheld. Plus, the Department of Labor expects your employees to be legally eligible to work in the United States. And if that wasn’...
Aug 26, 2019•23 min•Ep. 199
America’s all-time low unemployment rate means there are fewer people available to fill open positions – and what employees are looking for in a job is changing. So, companies have to get more creative when it comes to competing for top talent. On this episode of unsuitable , Nick Glimsdahl, director of contact center solutions with VDS, a client engagement and experience company, will talk about the changing expectations of the American workforce. He will explain what other businesses have done...
Aug 19, 2019•23 min•Ep. 198
Oil & gas activity in the Utica and Marcellus shale formations continues to generate a lot of buzz. And if you are a landowner in these particular regions, chances are good that you’ve already been sought after for your mineral rights. On this episode of unsuitable , Scott Moyer, a principal in Rea’s Zanesville office and founder of The Four Pillars Strategy for Landowners , talks about what’s going on in the oil & gas space these days. We also learn more about the wealth management and ...
Aug 12, 2019•19 min•Ep. 197
The Financial Accounting Standards Board has issued what’s being called “the most significant revision to the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles’ revenue recognition standards in history.” So Chris Roush, a principal in Rea’s Millersburg office, and Katie Snyder, a supervisor in our Wooster office, have confronted the changes head on to help business owners understand the new standard, while uncovering opportunities for new bottom line growth. During today’s episode, Chris and Katie e...
Aug 05, 2019•23 min•Ep. 196
Are you wondering how to create a business that’s better, faster and stronger than the competition? Joe Urquhart – who is vice president of Overmyer Hall Associates, a chartered property casualty underwriter, and a construction risk insurance specialist – says the answer’s pretty simple: just limit your company’s exposure to risky situations. On this episode of unsuitable , Joe will zero in on four business faux pas you should correct immediately if your goal is to build a better business. Joe’s...
Jul 29, 2019•23 min•Ep. 195
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and this holds true when it comes to Dave Cain’s time as host of unsuitable on Rea Radio. After nearly 150 episodes under his belt, Dave is invested in the future success of this show, so it was important to leave it in good hands, which is why Doug Houser was picked as his successor. Doug is more than just a pretty face – he’s well-connected in the business community, a great coach and mentor, and full of fresh ideas for this little podca...
Jul 22, 2019•24 min•Ep. 194
The CPA (certified public accountant) credential is recognized as one of the most trusted business and financial consulting credentials available. Obviously, as a CPA firm, we see the value this credential brings to the business community every day. But we also know that not all CPAs practice as part of a firm. In fact, businesses will often seek out CPAs to join their teams full-time – which just so happens to be the case for today's guest. Long-time listeners will also recognize our guest, Mar...
Jul 15, 2019•29 min•Ep. 193
Finding and retaining top talent continues to be a major challenge for nearly all businesses, so on this episode of unsuitable , we're going to talk about the unexpected tools businesses already have at their disposal when it comes to recruiting and retention. A professional in human resources management, Ron Guisinger serves as a senior consultant with the Benefactor Group, where he provides clients with leadership governance, executive transition, succession planning, and general HR consulting...
Jul 08, 2019•23 min•Ep. 192
From word processing to filing taxes, there’s a software solution for everything these days. As society continues to change and legislation alters the way business is done, there are people who are hard at work developing programs to address these changes. Take South Dakota v. Wayfair, for example. Overnight, the way companies calculated and paid taxes in the various states they do business changed. Fortunately, tech solutions were immediately available to make the changes a little more tolerabl...
Jul 01, 2019•25 min•Ep. 191
As a business leader, you’re already expected to wear many hats. And for many professionals, sooner or later, one of your hats will likely say “volunteer” across the brim. You already know that volunteering can be a great way to give back to your community and the causes you care deeply about. But it can also be a really big responsibility, especially if you’re asked to sit on the board. As the principal and founder of The Benefactor Group, Laura MacDonald is committed to working with nonprofits...
Jun 24, 2019•22 min•Ep. 190
Whether or not you like to use social media in your personal life, if you’re a business owner who is taking the anti-social media approach, you’re really only hurting yourself. So, in this episode, Rebecca Weiand, Rea’s social media superstar, is here to explain: Why you should consider using social media, how to choose which one is the right one for your business, and, even if you are already using social media, how you could be using it better. Post, But Don’t Sell Using social media is a grea...
Jun 17, 2019•25 min•Ep. 189
Today’s guest is well-known for her advocacy of clean bookkeeping practices. In fact, while preparing for the interview today, we learned that she may or may not have spent hours meditating on the ways business owners might achieve bookkeeping bliss and the many benefits such a state of zen can achieve. Since joining the firm, client education and development liaison Amy Smith has developed a solid reputation for her bookkeeping expertise – particularly with regard to QuickBooks. In this episode...
Jun 10, 2019•25 min•Ep. 188
The workplace can be a dangerous place, and without the right training, education, policies, and procedures in place, you could be looking at workplace injuries, citations, and fines. Luckily, our guest is well-versed when it comes to protecting companies and people. From ensuring that common safety compliance measures have been implemented and managed to teaching employees the Combat Objective Battle Ready Applications self-defense system for personal protection in the workplace, Wayne Burley d...
Jun 03, 2019•24 min•Ep. 187
Are you looking for a silver bullet that will magically transform your sales staff into a team that wins nearly every opportunity nearly every time? Unfortunately, we haven’t learned about any special magic words, secret potions, genies in lamps, or leprechauns – but what we do have might be better. On this episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio , we will are joined by special guest, James Rores, who is going to teach us how – with a little hard work, accountability, and perseverance – you can incre...
May 27, 2019•29 min•Ep. 186
