Accounting Conversations

Many different degrees have different career paths. An accounting degree is so special because it opens the door to so many different opportunities. Accounting professionals can choose from hundreds of different roles and many different career paths!

The guest for this week's episode is Dr. Jack Castonguay, PhD, CPA. Dr. Castonguay is a professor at Hofstra University and is also the Vice President of Learning and Development at Surgent. In the episode, he shares a few of his hot takes about the accounting pipeline problems and also shares why the accounting profession is such an exciting place to be right now!

Dr. Castonguay explains just how valuable an accounting degree is and how students can make the most of the immense opportunities awaiting them!

Connect with Dr. Castonguay

Jack (John) Castonguay, PhD, CPA | LinkedIn

Check out Surgent

Surgent - Accounting and Financial Courses Tailored for You

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

Many students struggle to land and find good jobs after graduating from college. Getting that first job when you still have no experience is extremely difficult, but there is a hack that can help you be prepared to land your dream role right out of school. That is internships!

Internships are incredibly important to career development. Not only do they provide the perfect place to learn while the stakes are low, but they also allow for great opportunities to network with other professionals.

Heather Miller is an Internship Expert! She did six internships as an undergraduate student which allowed her to land her dream role right out of school as well as provide marketing services for a few of her own clients.

In the episode, Heather explains how LinkedIn and Internships opened doors for her career. She is a great example of how consistent effort towards networking and LinkedIn can pay off immensely!

Connect with Heather Miller

Heather Miller | LinkedIn

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

To really learn accounting, it is critical to have real-world practice along with everything you are learning in the classroom.

Joseph Timothy, CPB is the perfect example of a student who went out of his way to make learning accounting outside of the classroom a priority.

He has been providing tax and bookkeeping services at H&R Block for over two years now along with studying full-time. He also recently became a Certified Public Bookkeeper.

In the episode, Joseph shares his experience and gives great advice to students about how they can become great accountants by combining what they are learning in school with real-world & internship experience.

Connect with Joseph Timothy, CPB

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

Accounting is changing for the better! It will involve more remote work, better work-life balance, better pay, and increased opportunities to add REAL value to clients. How can young professionals navigate the new and unknown landscape?

In this week's episode, Randy Crabtree shares key insights that all young accountants can use to get the most out of their accounting careers and take advantage of the changes that are coming. Randy is one of the top voices in the accounting world right now! He hosts both the Unique CPA Podcast and the Bridging the Gap Conference!

Randy explains how technology and remote work have transformed his firm, Tri-Merit Specialty Tax, and how the future of accounting will be all about adding value, and less about strictly compliance. Randy also gives his thoughts about mentorship, having a growth mindset, and how the accounting industry is full of people willing to collaborate and help!

Connect with Randy Crabtree

Randy Crabtree | LinkedIn

Check out Tri-Merit Specialty Tax

Check out the Bridging the Gap Conference

Check out the Unique CPA Podcast

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

Accountants do so much more than just compliance, they help their clients understand financial data and they help their clients' businesses grow. To really add the most value possible to your clients, you must be a master communicator!

Jeff Bartsch is the world's best storyteller! He spent 20 years in Hollywood telling stories for names like ABC, Netflix, NBC, Disney, Apple, and many more! He understands exactly how to leave a lasting impact on an audience. He now is teaching accountants how to use storytelling to transform their businesses!

In the episode, Jeff explains how human connection is everything, even for CPAs! He covers his journey from Hollywood for 20 years to advising accountants today!

Jeff also teaches the basics of communication and how young accounting professionals can leverage great communication skills to supercharge their careers!

Make sure you check out Jeff's Podcast and Website for Story Greenlight!

Connect with Jeff Bartsch

Jeff Bartsch | LinkedIn

Check out Story Greenlight

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

An accounting career doesn't just have to be crazy busy seasons at a huge firm downtown, stay-at-home parents can have incredible careers as well!

Erica Goode, CPA is changing the game for accounting professionals. She started her career out at KPMG and then moved into industry accounting at Walgreens. Since then, she has had a family and built her own accounting firm at the same time.

Erica is changing the game for accounting professionals who want to practice accounting and also have a family! It is 100% possible and you can still make great money doing it. She has shared her entire journey on LinkedIn and is always posting incredible insights.

Erica's firm focuses on Fractional CFO work for Consultants and Coaches. She is also the Podcast host of Coaches, Consultants + Money.

Connect with Erica Goode, CPA

Erica Goode, CPA | LinkedIn

Check out Coaches, Consultants + Money

Coaches, Consultants, and Money Podcast — Erica Goode, CPA for Coaches & Consultants

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

The future of the accounting profession is incredibly bright! The guest of episode 14 of Accounting Conversations is Seth Fineberg. He is an accounting industry expert, consultant, speaker, and editor. There are not many people who know the industry better than he does. He has followed the industry through all of its ups and downs over the past few years.

The main focus of the episode is all of the good things that are currently happening in the profession, including accounting conferences. Seth describes each major accounting conference in detail and explains just how beneficial attending each of these conferences can be!

Connect with Seth Fineberg

Check out Accountants Forward

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn

With the national debt continuing to rise, higher tax rates seem to be on the horizon. Dave Spence is a CPA and CFP who is on a mission to help all CPAs understand the implications of future tax rate hikes on their client's income. All CPAs have an amazing opportunity to add value to their clients and to increase their own revenue!

In the episode, Dave discusses the history of tax rates in the US, how scary the national debt is, and how CPAs can be a partner and guide to each of their clients in preparing for higher tax rates in the future!

Connect with Dave Spence, CPA, CFP

Dave Spence, CPA, CFP, CLU, PFS | LinkedIn

Check out Tax-Free Tutors

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Scotty Scarano is not only a firm owner, but he is a rapper, a podcaster, and the founder of Accounting High! He is one of many people who is making the accounting profession fun and changing the profession for the better. Scotty has one of the most unique paths to becoming a firm owner of anyone in the field!

The episode covers the cool things that Scotty is doing at Accounting High, including the March Madness Tournament that they held for accounting software, influencers, and conferences. Scotty also explains his views on entrepreneurship and what the future of accounting looks like.

Connect with Scotty Scarano

Scotty (OKR) Scarano 🥶❤️‍🔥 | LinkedIn

Check out the Accounting High Bracket Challenge

Check out the Accounting High Podcast

Check out the Accounting High Website

Having a career and a family can be incredibly hard, but Caitlynn Eldridge CPA has done both! Not only is she the founder of Eldridge CPA, but she previously worked at Deloitte and Union Pacific. Caitlynn is the perfect example of how much flexibility a career in accounting can give a young professional. Caitlynn is also an advocate for the profession and is going back to school to get her MBA so that she can teach accounting as a professor!

In the episode, Caitlynn explains how we can solve many of the problems facing the profession and shares her experience in industry and public accounting as well as what it had been like to run her own firm while raising a family!

Connect with Caitlynn Eldridge, CPA

Caitlynn (McGreer) Eldridge, CPA | LinkedIn

Check out Eldridge CPA LLC

Connect with Chayton Farlee

Chayton Farlee | LinkedIn