Gary Shamis, Principal at Winding River Consulting, has had a lifelong career in accounting, growing his father’s accounting firm from $225,000 in revenues to approximately $100 million. He built the 37th largest independent accounting and consulting firm in the nation before combining SS&G, Inc. with BDO USA, LLC in 2014. Tune in and hear Gary talk about why execution is harder than strategy, how developing niches can include both services and industries, and why scooping up talent when you find them is critical to success.

Gary S. Shamis, M.Acc, Principal Winding River Consulting

Twitter

Gary Shamis is Principal at Winding River Consulting. His innovation and leadership earned him honors such as E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year; a Top Ten Managing Partner Elite (Accounting Today) where he was called the “very model of the modern managing partner, and this list is more or less unimaginable without him”; Most Admired Peer (INSIDE Public Accounting); more than a dozen appearances on the Most Influential list (Accounting Today); and numerous other industry accolades. He has served his profession within the ranks of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, including testifying before the Securities and Exchanges Commission on its behalf, and Ohio Society of CPAs.

He has written and edited for industry journals and is the co-author of How to Manage Your Accounting Practice: Taking Your Firm from Chaos to Consensus (2009), Stratagem: Simple, Effective Strategic Planning for Your Business and Your Life (2013) and Building Blocks (2019). With more than two dozen nonprofits on his resume and even more awards on his shelves, Shamis has been at the helm of the boards of North Coast Community Homes, Inc., Hillel at Kent State, and the Cleveland Jewish News, to name a few.

Master of Accountancy, The Ohio State University B.S. Biology, Tulane University

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Join host Hugh Duffy as he has a conversation with Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group. Koltin is a nationally recognized speaker and industry analyst. He has appeared on numerous local and national media platforms, spreading his industry expertise. The two discuss various topics, focusing heavily on the future of the business. Which strategies will work long-term? Which ones are already being left behind? Join us!

Allan D. Koltin, CPA, CGMA
Twitter I LinkedIn I Website

For twenty consecutive years, Allan has been named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession. In 2019, he was recognized as the “Third Most Influential” in the profession. Koltin was also voted one of the 10 Most Recommended Consultants for the sixteenth straight year in the “Annual Survey of Firms” conducted by INSIDE Public Accounting. For the past six years, Allan has also been named by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 25 Thought Leaders in the profession. In 2016 CPA Practice Advisor inducted Allan into the Accounting Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first to be inducted into the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame by the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). He has also been a recipient of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analyst’s Instructor of the Year Award and winner of the Journal of Accountancy Literacy Award. Previously he was recognized by the Illinois CPA Society with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service and commitment to the profession.

Koltin is the author-editor of three books for professional services firms: CPA Firm Merger Strategies That Work, CPAs That Sell and the AICPA’s Marketing a Consulting Niche. He serves or has served on the editorial advisory boards of CPA Practice Management Forum, the Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, Public Accounting Report and Law Firm Management.

Allan attended both the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and received degrees in accounting and marketing. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Sharon, his three children, Jack, Brian and Julia, and his two dogs, Bucky and Cody. His hobbies include travel, chess, and all sports

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to know about the craft beer and local wine and food industries? Then don't miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Corey Lord, Lord CPAs. The two discuss how he got started in this unique niche. What are some of the pressure points in those businesses? And what are some of his goals for the future? 

Corey Lord, Lord CPAs
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Corey is the CEO and a Client Ally at Lord CPAs. Corey took over Lord CPAs from his father in

2010 and has since transformed the firm from a traditional tax-focused firm to an advisory and consultancy firm for craft food and beverage businesses.

Corey believes that business is not just a way to make a living, but also a way to express yourself creatively. For him, business is about the impact it creates in a community, as well as generating valuable profit for the stakeholders of the business. These values provide a platform in which he can lead his clients on a path to becoming mature businesses.

Outside of work, Corey enjoys craft beer, watching movies with his family, or watching sports at the local brewery.

Corey graduated from the University of Michigan. He is a licensed CPA in Michigan.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to know about the tax credit business in the film industry? Then don't miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Irene Waschler, Waschler CPA, LLC. The two discuss how she got started in this field. What are some of the challenges she faces? What marketing strategies have worked for her? Also, what does the future look like for Waschler CPA?

Irene Waschler, Waschler CPA, LLC
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Irene Wachsler is a Certified Public Accountant specializing in accounting and tax solutions for small businesses, self-employed individuals, nonprofits, and the film and entertainment industry.

Irene is dedicated helping her clients keep their financial lives organized, use their numbers to make better financial decisions, and save money on taxes through proactive tax planning. She is also experienced in cryptocurrency taxation including tax preparation and problem resolution.

Irene graduated with a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Lowell and has an M.B.A. from Babson College. Her affiliations include Massachusetts Society of CPAs, National Conference of CPA Practitioners, and Chair, Mass. Society of CPAs South Shore Breakfast Networking Forum.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Would you leave a safe and comfortable controller position at a large company to start your own CPA firm? That’s what Luke Gheen, founder of Gheen & Co. in Colorado Springs, did – in his early 30s and without any public accounting experience. In this episode of Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck, Hugh Duffy talks with Luke about his decision to strike out on his own, the challenges he faced and how he landed many of his clients because of unsatisfactory service. “There is a such a need in the accounting industry,” he says. “A large majority of clients are coming from a place where they’ve been vastly ignored and marginalized.” Tune in to listen to Luke talk about how marketing played a role in building his firm from the very beginning, why change continues to be a constant driver in managing his practice and how he has created a business that allows him to live a life according to his own rules.

Luke Gheen, MBA, CPA, Certified Tax Coach

LinkedIn  | Twitter  | Facebook  | Website

Luke is a long-time resident of Colorado with extensive corporate finance and accounting experience. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado in 1999 and received his MBA from the University of Colorado in 2007.

Luke started Gheen & Co., CPA in 2011 to help business owners simplify their accounting, save substantial money in tax, and grow their wealth long-term.

Luke is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is an avid rower, enjoys reading, and regularly travels to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. He relishes spending time with his wife, three sons, daughter, and extended family.

Accounting Marketing Doesn’t Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to know the latest on the E-Commerce space? Then don't miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Marilyn Parham, Founder and CEO of The Bottom Line® CPA, about the opportunities and challenges in E-Commerce. Parham explains the importance of finding a niche and mastering it and that's how she discovered the E-Commerce community. Tune into why she started their own Amazon channel to sell products as well.

Marilyn Parham, Founder and CEO of The Bottom Line® CPA
Facebook (Bottom Line) I Facebook (ProfitHERO) I Facebook (Digitax PRO)

Marilyn serves as the Founder + CEO of The Bottom Line® CPA, a sole proprietor business she started in 1996 to help small business owners and contribute to her family’s finances. The business now serves more than 250+ clients in all 50 U.S. States, including international sellers! She is also co-Founder of DigiTax PRO™ and ProfitHERO™, online brands that serve eCommerce and Online Business too.

Marilyn graduated with a B.S. in Accounting in 1989 from Tennessee Technological University. Her CPA Certification was obtained in September 1993. She has been highlighted for many years as one of Hubdoc’s Top 50 Cloud Accountants in North America and actively served on the Xero Partner Advisory Council (XPAC) from 2016-2018.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

The Association for Accounting Marketing has been around since 1989 when accounting firms could start advertising for their services. Tune in to this episode when host Hugh Duffy talks with outgoing AAM executive director Lauren Clemmer about how the 800-plus member organization got its start and what assets it provides to its members. Hear about the biggest issues marketers in the accounting industry face, how technology is impacting marketing and how the marketing role continues to evolve. Join us!

Lauren Clemmer, Executive Director of AAM (retiring at the end of 2019)
LinkedIn  |  Twitter  |  Website

Lauren Clemmer has been a member and volunteer of AAM for eight years, most recently as co-chair of the Virtual Education Committee.  Formerly the head of marketing for Ciuni & Panichi, Inc., she joined AAM in June 2015 to become the executive director.  Her background includes nonprofit management and the sales and marketing of technology.  In the role of executive director, Lauren is responsible for working with the board president, the executive committee and the board of directors to drive AAM’s vision and strategic plan.  She is also responsible for the general administration of all AAM business, managing vendor and partner relationships, enhancing member engagement and loyalty and serving as the voice of membership.  She is supported by an account manager and staff at AMR. She gives back to her community as a member of the Women’s Board for the Boy and Girls Clubs of Cleveland.  This nonprofit raises funds to provide scholarships to the members going on to college, provide gym clothes for the children and support other programming as needed by the clubs.

Lauren has been named to the Accounting Today 100 Most Influential People 2016, 2017 and 2018  as well as the CPA Insider in 2016.

Lauren has a bachelor of arts in Psychology from Dickinson College.  She lives in Cleveland with her husband, Denny.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Want to know what’s going on in the craft beer industry globally? You won’t want to miss this episode! Join host Hugh Duffy as he talks with Maria Pearman, principal at Perkins & Co. about her experience traveling the world, gaining insight about the craft beer industry. As the author of Small Brewery Finance: Accounting Principles and Planning for the Craft Brewer” Maria provides listeners with inside tips on becoming a leader in this dynamic niche. Tune in to learn how she broke into the market, how her practice has evolved over the years and why meeting face-to-face is still the best way to secure new clients.

Maria Pearman, Perkins & Co. CPA, CGMA, Principal
LinkedIn  |  Twitter  | Facebook  |  Instagram

Maria Pearman is a Certified Public Accountant who provides accounting expertise and a deep operational knowledge to the alcohol beverage industry. She teaches Finance and Accounting for the Craft Brewer, is currently in the University of Vermont’s Business of Craft Beer program, and previously at Portland State University’s Business of Craft Brewing program. Her book, “Small Brewery Finance: Accounting Principles and Planning for the Craft Brewer,” was published by the Brewers Association in 2019.

Maria’s specialties include finance, managerial accounting, budgeting, tax accounting, tax planning and provisions, business strategy, Ekos software, Orchestrated Beer software, VIP, Netsuite, and NAVision software.

She earned her BA from the College of Charleston in her home state of South Carolina. She resides in Portland, OR.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Gary Shamis, Principal at Winding River Consulting, has had a lifelong career in accounting, growing his father’s accounting firm from $225,000 in revenues to approximately $100 million. He built the 37th largest independent accounting and consulting firm in the nation before combining SS&G, Inc. with BDO USA, LLC in 2014. Tune in and hear Gary talk about why execution is harder than strategy, how developing niches can include both services and industries, and why scooping up talent when you find them is critical to success.

Gary S. Shamis, M.Acc, Principal Winding River Consulting

Twitter

Gary Shamis is Principal at Winding River Consulting. His innovation and leadership earned him honors such as E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year; a Top Ten Managing Partner Elite (Accounting Today) where he was called the “very model of the modern managing partner, and this list is more or less unimaginable without him”; Most Admired Peer (INSIDE Public Accounting); more than a dozen appearances on the Most Influential list (Accounting Today); and numerous other industry accolades. He has served his profession within the ranks of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, including testifying before the Securities and Exchanges Commission on its behalf, and Ohio Society of CPAs.

He has written and edited for industry journals and is the co-author of How to Manage Your Accounting Practice: Taking Your Firm from Chaos to Consensus (2009), Stratagem: Simple, Effective Strategic Planning for Your Business and Your Life (2013) and Building Blocks (2019). With more than two dozen nonprofits on his resume and even more awards on his shelves, Shamis has been at the helm of the boards of North Coast Community Homes, Inc., Hillel at Kent State, and the Cleveland Jewish News, to name a few.

Master of Accountancy, The Ohio State University B.S. Biology, Tulane University

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]

Are you a small firm practitioner that needs to get up-to-speed on accounting technology trends? You’re not alone. Join us for this episode as Hugh talks with Ranica Arrowsmith, technology editor for Accounting Today. Tune in to find out the best resources out there to stay on top of what’s happening, why vendor user communities can be a valuable tool for accountants and how AI is impacting the accounting profession already. Join us!

Ranica Arrowsmith
Twitter

Ranica Arrowsmith, technology editor for Accounting Today, previously covered medical technology for Medical Design Technology, Medical Product Outsourcing and Orthopedic Design & Technology magazines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree in international literature from Montclair State University.

Accounting Marketing Doesn't Suck is produced by Build Your Firm, leaders of marketing for accountants. Questions or Feedback? Email us at [email protected]