BeansTalk

As businesses grow, leadership, culture, and talent become critical drivers of success. In this episode, Sarah Franatovich explores how organizations can develop future leaders, create meaningful feedback loops, strengthen retention, and build cultures that empower employees to grow alongside the business.

If a business transaction is in your future, understanding the numbers behind the deal is critical. In this episode, Ryan Kelley breaks down due diligence, quality of earnings, and transaction readiness, explaining how buyers and sellers can uncover risks, identify opportunities, and make more informed decisions before a deal closes.

The accounting profession is evolving rapidly, driven by advances in technology, artificial intelligence, and changing client expectations. In this episode, Brandon Smith and Brent Ullrich discuss the future of CPA firms, the growing role of advisory services, and how firms can leverage innovation to deliver greater value in an increasingly dynamic business environment.

Buying or selling a business can be one of the most significant decisions in a company’s lifecycle. In this episode, Micah Stewart shares insights on transaction planning, due diligence, valuation, and deal structuring, highlighting why early preparation can help business owners maximize value and navigate the transaction process with confidence.

About our Guest:
Micah has experience in tax planning for partnerships, S corporations, corporations, individuals, gratuitous transfers, trusts, and estates. He also has an extensive background in international tax planning. Micah’s engagements include business and tax planning for national and international companies and assistance with reorganization, merger, and acquisition tax issues. In addition, he is an adjunct professor at the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

About our Host:
Brandon Smith, CPA, is a Partner based in the Atlanta office and the Advisory Practice Leader.

In this episode of BeansTalk, Brandon Smith sits down with Partner Wendi Berthelot to discuss why CPAs should be more than year-end compliance providers. From business growth and cash flow planning to financing, succession planning, and strategic decision-making, Wendi shares how business leaders can leverage their CPA relationships to navigate challenges, uncover opportunities, and make smarter decisions for long-term success.

About our Guest:
A leader in the Baton Rouge office, Wendi has been with the firm since beginning her professional career in 2003. She takes a hands-on approach to all phases of her engagements to promote client success. Wendi has provided services such as financial and audit reviews, agreed-upon procedures, and various consulting projects. She has worked with privately held companies, real estate clients, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit companies with complex structures and multi-level consolidations.

About our Host:
Brandon Smith, CPA, is a Partner based in the Atlanta office and the Advisory Practice Leader.

In this episode, International Tax Counsel William Roberts breaks down the fundamentals of "Inbound 101" for foreign companies looking to invest or expand into the United States. Together, they untangle the complexities of U.S. tax structures, explaining how entity choice, permanent establishment rules, and treaty benefits impact daily operations and profit repatriation. From navigating passive withholding to avoiding real estate pitfalls under FIRPTA, this conversation provides a straightforward roadmap for protecting your global bottom line. 

About our Guest
William Roberts is the International Tax Counsel with Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC. He has over 20 years of tax experience, primarily focused on International taxation. He specializes in directing and implementing diverse global outbound and inbound tax strategies, compliance and reporting initiatives, for large and middle-market companies.

About our Host 
Brent Ullrich is a Partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, with over 15 years of experience in many areas of taxation and industries, most notably in healthcare, real estate, private equity, technology and professional services. He also serves as the Firm’s Tax Strategy and Research Leader, which offers technical guidance and identifies planning opportunities for the firm to support clients on complex issues across a range of technical tax areas.

Learn more about our international tax services here: https://www.mjcpa.com/services/tax/international-taxation/

This episode provides an objective look into the shifting CMMC landscape as the defense industrial base transitions to rigorous, third-party assessments. Jameson Miller, M&J Partner, and Chris Silvers, owner of CG Silvers Consulting, dissect real-world success stories and critical assessment failures, highlighting major pitfalls like scoping disasters, social engineering gaps, and external service provider blindness. Listeners will walk away with key insights into the technical and cultural realities of compliance, from asset management to employee preparedness.

About Our Guest 
Jameson Miller, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CCP, CCA, is a Partner in the Chattanooga, TN, office. He performs information systems regulatory compliance and framework reviews, System and Organization Controls (SOC 1, 2 and 3) Examinations, and cybersecurity assessments for information systems.

About Our Guest 
Chris Silvers, CISSP, MBA, is the Founder and Principal Consultant at CG Silvers Consulting, a boutique information security firm based in Atlanta, GA.

About Our Host
Brandon Smith, CPA, is a Partner based in the Atlanta office and the Advisory Practice Leader. 

Click here to learn more about our technology services: https://www.mjcpa.com/services/consulting-advisory-services/technology-services/

In this episode, we break down your ultimate financial shield: strategic tax planning. We move past the initial panic of IRS notices and dive into how forward-thinking tax structures can defuse controversies before they even start—and give you the upper hand if they do. Whether you're a business owner or a high-earning individual, it's time to step up your tax game and start taking control. Tune in to turn tax stress into your secret weapon. 

About Our Guest 
Charlotte Way, JD, LLM, CPA, serves as the firm’s Tax Counsel. Charlotte has extensive experience and success in helping clients manage tax issues and disputes, including IRS and state penalty and collection notices; penalty abatement requests; field and correspondence audit representation; post-audit issue resolution, including representation at appeals, requests for supervisor conferences, and fast-track settlements; Offer In Compromise – Doubt as to Liability; assistance with Taxpayer Advocate Services; research and risk assessment of tax positions before filing a tax return, and other tax compliance issues.

About Our Host
Brent Ullrich is a Partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, with over 15 years of experience in many areas of taxation and industries, most notably in healthcare, real estate, private equity, technology and professional services. He also serves as the Firm’s Tax Strategy and Research Leader, which offers technical guidance and identifies planning opportunities for the firm to support clients on complex issues across a range of technical tax areas.

Learn more about our Tax Controversy services here: https://www.mjcpa.com/services/tax/tax-controversy-resolution/

In this episode, we explore the framework for modernizing state and local government through five key pillars of transformation. The discussion highlights how agencies can optimize human capital and service delivery while replacing inefficient, paper-based workflows with software-driven automation to ensure precision and accountability. Listeners will gain actionable insights on balancing risk and performance to deliver essential public services more effectively in an increasingly digital landscape.

About Our Guest
David Roberts is an experienced public sector consultant with extensive national experience in creating and implementing transformational strategies for improving operations, service delivery models, and stakeholder satisfaction. He possesses a deep understanding of business and relationship development, client delivery, and people development.

About Our Host 
Brandon Smith, CPA, is a Partner based in the Atlanta office and the Advisory Practice Leader.

Learn more about our Governmental Industry services here: https://www.mjcpa.com/industries/governments/

This episode reframes NIL earnings as a serious business venture, teaching athletes how to apply their "on-field coachability" to their personal finances. It covers everything from setting up LLCs to building a professional "dream team" of advisors to ensure collegiate success translates into lifelong wealth.

About Our Guest

Don is co-founder/owner of Guardian Wealth and acts as principal investment advisor. He is also the Vision & Behavioral Coach to Guardian’s client-family. Don’s effectiveness in helping clients reach their goals is powered by a successful career as the owner of a CPA firm that also specialized in financial planning and small business consulting.

About Our Host

Brent Ullrich is a Partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC, with over 15 years of experience in many areas of taxation and industries, most notably in healthcare, real estate, private equity, technology and professional services. He also serves as the Firm’s Tax Strategy and Research Leader, which offers technical guidance and identifies planning opportunities for the firm to support clients on complex issues across a range of technical tax areas.

Learn more about our NIL services here: https://www.mjcpa.com/industries/nil-advisory-services/