Jason Statts is a CPA firm owner and the creator, manager and owner of the online accountant community Realize. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• Common challenges accounting firms have when adopting new tech.
• How personal-based productivity differs from software-based productivity.
• How modern accounting firms are changing the way we do things.
• Ways technology is widening the gap of productivity.
• How to know which software will work the best for your accounting firm.
• What will happen to firms that are resistant to industry change.
• The future of productized solutions.
• Where the biggest opportunities for accounting firms are.

Resources:

• Realize
• QuickBooks
• TurboTax
• NxtStep

Connecting with Jason Staats:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Website

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Following four years of Military service, including a tour at the Pentagon for the Secretary of Defense’s Office, and work experience as a staff accountant at the International Accounting Standards Board in London, England and local CPA firm, Brian founded Wendroff & Associates, CPA in 2006.

He quickly established himself as an Entrepreneur’s CPA and an expert in technologically advanced accounting systems, being one of the first firms nationwide to offer complete online accounting solutions.

Since its founding, Wendroff & Associates has grown in size each year and Brian has continued to upgrade the firm’s business advisory services to include outsourced CFO services, budgeting and forecasting and high-level tax planning models, and free accounting and tax strategies on its social media.

As Brian is fond of saying, a CPA firm needs to think of its clients throughout the year, not just at tax time. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• Thinking of automation in terms of the process behind it.
• How automation can improve workflow efficiency. 
• Workflow efficiency tools that can bring systems together. 
• How to learn about new technologies that improve workflow.
• How difficult it is to learn how to use automation technology.
• The impact automation can have on tax season.
• How accounting teams respond to new automation technologies.

Resources:

• Wendroff & Associates
• QuickBooks
• Zoom
• Gmail
• Slack
• Zapier
• Built to Sell
• The E-Myth Revisited
• NxtStep

Connecting with Brian Wendroff:

• LinkedIn 
• Email

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Okorie Ramsey has been a CPA for almost 15 years and is currently the Vice President of Sarbanes/Oxley at Kaiser Permanente and the Vice Chairman of the American Institute of Certified Accountants.

Okorie is a California Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from San Francisco State University (SFSU) and a Kaiser Permanente Executive Leadership Program Certificate from Harvard Business School.

Okorie serves on the Board of Directors for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), as well as serving as Vice Chairman of the AICPA.

Okorie also represents the State of California as a council member of the AICPA, and is a Past President of the California Society of CPAs (CalCPA) Board of Trustees for the Education Foundation, Past Chairman of the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP) San Francisco Bay Area and a former adjunct professor for SFSU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• The difference between public accounting and industry accounting.
• Characteristics that make people more suited to public or industry accounting.
• What public accounting can do for you.
• The six principles of leadership and how they apply to accounting.
• Why you should invest in networking and building relationships.
• How to build a network.
• How to educate yourself on the benefits of tech within accounting.

Resources:

• Kaiser Permanente
• AICPA
• Harvard Business Review
• NxtStep

Connecting with Okorie Ramsey:

• LinkedIn

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Byron Patrick is the VP of Customer and Operations at Fieldguide, Chairman of the Board of the Maryland Association of CPAs and is recognized as an industry leader on technology topics impacting CPAs.

Byron specializes in helping CPAs and small businesses leverage technology and speaks at industry conferences around the country. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• The CPA tattoo Byron has.
• Why CPA's have a bad reputation.
• The opportunities there are in accounting.
• The echo chamber in accounting subreddits.
• The advantages of having an accounting background.
• How firm owners can keep their accountants inspired.
• The difference between working in tech and working in accounting.
• How to transition from accounting to tech work.

Resources:

• Fieldguide
• Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants
• NxtStep

Connecting with Byron Patrick:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Email

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Randy Johnston has worked in programming for over 60 years and is currently the Executive Vice President at K2 Enterprises and the CEO & Co-Founder of Network Management Group, Inc. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• Future technological changes that will affect Accounting Firms.
• How to prepare yourself for future changes in technology.
• The increased need for data scientists within accounting.
• How to train people to become data scientists.
• What data can do for your firm.
• How advisory work can help with retention and workflow.

Resources:

• K2 Enterprises
• Network Management Group, Inc.
• Rewind
• SkyKick
• Power Automate
• 4 Impact Data
• NxtStep

Connecting with Randy Johnston:

• LinkedIn
• Email

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Will Hill worked at Thomson Reuters for over 20 years and worked his way up to the Senior Product Marketing Manager role. After leaving Thomson Reuters Will started his own business Will Hill Consults where he helps firms work through external and internal change.

Will was listed by Accounting Today in 2021 as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting". Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• The intersection between people and process.
• How to stay focused on improving efficiency.
• How to implement organizational change.
• Common inefficiencies within firms and strategies to improve efficiency.
• The role of the COO in enacting change.
• The risk of relying on tech to improve efficiency.
• How to propose the idea of change to others.

Resources:

• Will Hill Consults
• Getting Clients to Change
• Culling the Client List
• NxtStep

Connecting with Will Hill:

• LinkedIn

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Donny Shimamoto is the Founder and Senior Member of the IntrapriseTechKnowlogies consulting and management team, where he helps business owners streamline their business systems, develop business system applications and learn effective organizational design. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• The increase in hybrid work and what this means for organizations.
• The security dangers of working from home.
• Best practices to increase remote working security.
• The costs of a data breach.
• What VDI infrastructure is and how to implement it.
• How to fix recruiting and retention problems.
• How technology and automation can increase staff retention.

Resources:

• IntrapriseTechKnowlogies
• Center for Accounting Transformation
• NxtStep

Connecting with Donny Shimamoto:

• LinkedIn

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Dr. Sean Stein Smith is an award-winning researcher, professor, entrepreneur, and enthusiast for blockchain, crypto assets, and the impact on emerging technologies. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• How blockchain and crypto relate to accounting and finance.
• The direct impact Bitcoin is having on accounting.
• How automation can be used in the blockchain.
• Examples of where blockchain technology has been applied in industry.
• The benefits of operationalizing blockchain for healthcare.
• The future disruption blockchain will cause the accounting industry.

Resources:

• AICPA
• NxtStep

Connecting with Dr. Sean Stein Smith:

• LinkedIn
• Forbes
• Twitter

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Roman Kepczyk is Director of Firm Technology Strategy at Right Networks, where he focuses on helping firms throughout North America use information technology by educating and directing owners towards today's optimized CPA firm production processes.

Roman is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, AICPA Certified Information Technology Professional, and CGMA. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• Common issues firms have with their cybersecurity. 
• Cybersecurity risks for accountants. 
• Misconceptions firms make around their cybersecurity. 
• How to make a secure password. 
• The dangers of ransomware and double extortion attacks.
• How to enhance user account security. 
• The cyber risks of staff working from home. 
• The security of mobile hotspots compared to public wifi networks. 
• How to increase the cybersecurity in your accounting firm. 
• Red flags for scam emails. 

Resources:

• Right Networks
• NxtStep

Connecting with Roman Kepczyk:

• LinkedIn

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/

Mike Maksymiw is a Change Agent for the accounting profession and the Executive Director and Leader of Aprio Firm Foundation where he shares resources, coaching, and networking opportunities with small and midsized CPA firms.

Mike’s focus is on impacting the progress on key issues facing the profession, including women/family initiatives, DEI, work-life harmony, and value rather than time. Here are a few of the topics we’ll discuss on this episode of Accounting Automation:

• The benefits of joining a leadership academy.
• How Mike became a Change Agent for accountants.
• The difference between production skills and leadership skills.
• Ways a career coach can help you make decisions.
• The power of networking when looking for a new job.
• The core problems in accounting.
• Common strategies accounting firms use to free up time.
• How to decide which clients to focus your energy on.

Resources:

• Aprio
• AICPA Leadership Academy
• The Big Leap
• EQ vs. IQ
• Delivering Happiness
• The Happiness Project
• NxtStep

Connecting with Mike Maksymiw:

• LinkedIn
• Email

Connecting with the host:

• Sean Boyce on LinkedIn

To learn how to boost the profitability of your firm without hiring by taking my 5 day email course at http://bottleneckbuster.com/