Accounting Today Podcast

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.

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.

Accounting Today editor-in-chief Dan Hood outlines the major trends and developments that accountants should be keeping an eye out for over the next 12 months.

As the profession grapples with lower numbers of people becoming accountants and CPAs, discussions about what it should take to become a CPA have proliferated; in this episode, Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs CEO Jennifer Cryder dives into why and how new paths to getting licensed are opening up.

On the eve of his retirement, longtime AICPA chief Barry Melancon turns his eagle-eye to the future, talking about the challenges and opportunities facing the profession, and what it needs to do to get ready for both.

As he prepares to step down from his long tenure as president and CEO of the American Institute of CPAs, Barry Melancon looks back at how the institute – and the accounting profession – have changed over the past 30 years.

As firms grow, they need to move their sales pipeline from inside their head into a more formal process, says Sarah Dobek of Inovautus Consulting, to gather the right data and hold everyone involved accountable for growth.

Private equity can solve many of a firm's problems –– but not necessarily all, according to Phil Whitman of Whitman Transition Advisors, and there are alternatives.

Private equity is a solution to many accounting firm problems -- but not for all accounting firms. Allan Koltin of Koltin Consulting Group dives into who might be a good fit for PE, and what they can expect if they do.

Private equity presents a lot of opportunities for accounting firms -- but comes with a great many questions, too. Bob Lewis of the Visionary Group offers answers and valuable advice for accountants looking at this major trend.

What keeps employees engaged is changing rapidly, and accounting firms can't afford to fall behind, according to Tina Wang, division vice president of HR at payroll and HR giant ADP, and Darren Root, a major thought leader in the profession and Co-founder of Better Every Day.