Your data has probably already been exposed.

Quick Tech Talk

With Steve Yoss

CPE Today

Data breaches have become an unfortunate reality in the digital age, and with them, the risk to personal and financial information continues to grow. However, there is a simple yet powerful way to protect your accounts: multi-factor authentication (MFA).

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MFA, sometimes referred to as one-time passwords, has become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity. Think about this hard truth: Your data, unfortunately, has probably been exposed by either a website, a web service, or maybe even your favorite merchant at some point in the last 10 to 15 years. When passwords are stolen in data breaches, cybercriminals often use them to access accounts on other sites, exploiting the common habit of password reuse.

Discover why intentionality and clarity are key traits for successful leaders.

Gear Up for Growth

With Jean Caragher

For CPA Trendlines

Leadership in accounting firms requires a shift from technical expertise to guiding and empowering teams. Jason Blumer, founder and CEO of Blumer CPAs, discusses the journey of embracing leadership roles, overcoming self-doubt, and fostering a service-oriented mindset on Gear Up for Growth, 

Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth every Friday here | More Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher every Monday | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts here

“Effective leadership involves creating future leaders and tackling difficult conversations head-on,” Blumer said. “It's about fostering a culture of accountability and trust while confronting the discomfort that often accompanies leadership responsibilities.” 

Blumer encourages firm owners to view themselves as leaders despite initial doubts and embrace the sacrifices and challenges of guiding a team. His approach includes coaching team members to take ownership of their roles and cultivating a new generation of leaders within the profession. 

CEO says private equity isn’t about cost-cutting—it’s about investing in technology and talent.

Accounting ARC

With Donny Shimamoto.

Center for Accounting Transformation

The accounting profession is evolving, and if private equity is any indicator, firms like Prosperity Partners are leading the charge. In the latest Accounting ARC episode, host Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, speaks with CEO and Prosperity Partners co-founder Jeremy Dubow, CPA, about the firm’s innovative approach, private equity backing, and non-traditional practices. 

MORE Accounting ARC: Accounting in Transition: 2024 Reflections & the Road Ahead | Ron Baker: Visions for the Accounting Profession | Angie Grissom: Next Gen Inspo for Accountants | Does Accounting Belong in STEM? | Rose Wang: Where Numbers Meet Strategy and Creativity | TikTok Fraud Exposes Gaps in Financial Literacy | How Accounting Pros Own the Stage in Public Speaking | Greg Kyte: Being a CPA Is Like Being the Marie Kondo of Numbers 

“We’re not your traditional firm,” says Dubow. “We focus on transformative technologies and people-first culture to redefine what an accounting firm can achieve.” 

Want to learn more about P.E.? Check out M&A, PE, or Independence? Chart Your CPA Firm’s Future in 2025!

The IRS is increasing scrutiny, and your due diligence must meet the challenge.

Quick Tax Tip

With Art Werner

CPE Today

As the IRS increases its enforcement efforts fueled by new funding and additional agents, understanding and practicing due diligence is more critical than ever for tax professionals. Due diligence requirements, established to ensure compliance with tax law, place a significant responsibility on tax practitioners to verify their clients’ eligibility for certain tax benefits.

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Tax professionals must now certify positions related to the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the filing status of Head of Household. These certifications require meticulous documentation, a thorough understanding of the client's situation, and adherence to the law.

Failing to uphold due diligence can have serious consequences.

Be blunt. Give your clients the advice they should hear, not what they want to hear. 

The Disruptors

With Liz Farr

The talent crunch in accounting isn’t an issue for Mike Sylvester. Last year, 40 accountants applied to work at his firm, SBS CPA Group. He’s had serious inquiries from people at top 50 firms eager to work with him. Further, he just hired someone from a top 10 firm who says the benefits are better and who will make $10,000 more while working 300 fewer hours.  

MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Salim Omar: Identify Your Client's $100,000 Problem | Jackie Meyer: Earn More with Fewer Clients | Jack Fleherty: Don't Be a 'Yes' Person | Greg Adams: From Finance to Storytelling | The Disruptors | Jody Padar: Make Radical Changes Now If You Want to Be Relevant in 2030 | Rebecca Driscoll: Amplify Reach By Helping Other Firm Owners | Rory Henry: Create the Return on Relationships | Mike Maksymiw: Be the Leader You Wish You Had | Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself | Kelly Mann: Be the Bull in the China Shop | Alicia Katz Pollock: Create A Human-Centric Business | Nancy McClelland: Be the One Your Clients Ask First |Alan Whitman: Stop Accepting the Status Quo | Sean Duncan: Discover Your Own Genius | Ingrid Edstrom: True Wealth Is Not Financial | Caleb Jenkins: Firm Growth Requires Owners to Shift Roles |

His not-so-secret secret? He talks “over and over and over” on Twitter about the unique way his firm operates. During busy season, all team members –even the partners – are paid overtime on 60-hour weeks. Then, after April 15, everyone works 32 hours a week and gets 37 three-day weekends in a row. “It's a very popular schedule,” Sylvester said.

His team agrees: he’s had zero turnover in the last four and a half years.

Balancing tech, trust, and innovation.

Accounting Influencers

with Rob Brown

Jason Staats shares insights on balancing innovation, mental health, and technology in today’s profession. Staats, known for combining accounting expertise with entrepreneurial thinking, has become a prominent voice in the field.

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Staats’ mission is to help accountants and firm owners create enjoyable and sustainable ways to manage their practices. Through platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, Staats encourages his audience to rethink traditional success in accounting.

“Sometimes, we mistake working hard for working smart,” Staats said. “Running into the same wall for the tenth time isn’t progress—it’s a sign to rethink your approach.”

“We have to tell a better story, but we also have to have a better story to tell.”

Gear Up for Growth

With Jean Caragher

For CPA Trendlines

A powerhouse in the accounting profession, Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA, CGMA, CITP, CISA, the CEO of KET Solutions, shares her deep insights on talent recruitment and retention, inclusive leadership, and the evolving role of CPAs in a rapidly changing world.

Gear Up for Growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today's competitive landscape. More Gear Up for Growth every Friday here | More Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher every Monday | More Jean Caragher here | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | More CPA Trendlines videos and podcasts here

Ellison-Taylor's journey into the accounting profession began earlier than most. She recalls a pivotal career day in third grade when she learned that "accountants manage the money." This revelation not only sparked her initial interest but also set her on a path to becoming one of the most recognized leaders in the profession, including serving as chairman of both the Maryland Association of CPAs and the AICPA. Her story is a testament to the power of early inspiration and leadership support.

Ellison-Taylor emphasizes the critical need for the accounting profession to craft and share better narratives. “We have to tell a better story, but we also have to have a better story to tell,” she says, quoting Jen Wilson of the National Pipeline Advisory Group. She highlights that leadership—and the support it provides—is at the heart of these stories. Her own career was shaped by leaders who encouraged her to seize opportunities, provided constructive feedback, and championed her growth.

Efficiency meets innovation when you turbocharge audits with AI.

Quick Tech Talk

With Steve Yoss

CPE Today

Accountants can leverage AI tools—not just the industry-specific platforms like MindBridge and Inflow Systems, but also generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Claude—to enhance their auditing processes.

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Amazing, dedicated AI tools exist for accountants, but did you know you can use general generative AI to analyze Excel workbooks and other data files?

By uploading a data file and posing natural language queries—such as identifying transactions on weekends, holidays, or those significantly deviating from the norm—accountants can efficiently sift through vast datasets. The results are quick, actionable insights that enable auditors to focus on the most critical transactions, streamlining the assurance process.

"A firm’s culture during busy season reveals its true colors."  

Accounting ARC
With Liz Mason, Byron Patrick, and Donny Shimamoto.
Center for Accounting Transformation

As the busiest time of year looms for accountants, industry leaders Byron Patrick, CPA.CITP, CGMA; Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA; and Liz Mason, CPA, share practical advice for maintaining resilience during tax season. Their conversation explores actionable strategies to counteract stress and promote mental health. 

The hosts share relatable anecdotes, from Patrick’s newfound habit of scheduling haircuts to Mason’s candid discussion about balancing ADHD with professional responsibilities. Shimamoto, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and founder and inspiration architect for the Center for Accounting Transformation, adds, "If it’s not on my calendar, it’s not happening," highlighting the need for intentional scheduling. 

If you try to help everyone, you don’t help anyone.

The Disruptors

With Liz Farr

Salim Omar, CPA, opened his firm in 1996 after working as a CFO in a small investment boutique firm because he wanted to be his own boss. But the experience was terrible: “I found myself working long hours. I was not enjoying the work I was doing. Having the team was a revolving door.”

“There’s got to be a better way,” Omar said then. “If this is what entrepreneurship is, I'm not sure if I want it anymore.”

MORE PODCASTS and VIDEOS: Jackie Meyer: Earn More with Fewer Clients | Jack Fleherty: Don't Be a 'Yes' Person | Greg Adams: From Finance to Storytelling | The Disruptors | Jody Padar: Make Radical Changes Now If You Want to Be Relevant in 2030 | Rebecca Driscoll: Amplify Reach By Helping Other Firm Owners | Rory Henry: Create the Return on Relationships | Mike Maksymiw: Be the Leader You Wish You Had | Terrell Turner: Build a Solid Business Showing Up as Yourself | Kelly Mann: Be the Bull in the China Shop | Alicia Katz Pollock: Create A Human-Centric Business | Nancy McClelland: Be the One Your Clients Ask First |Alan Whitman: Stop Accepting the Status Quo | Sean Duncan: Discover Your Own Genius | Ingrid Edstrom: True Wealth Is Not Financial | Caleb Jenkins: Firm Growth Requires Owners to Shift Roles |

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Omar started reading and studying books by other entrepreneurs, many outside the accounting industry. “And I just took what they were saying and what they were doing in their business, and they were getting success, and I brought it back to my own practice.” After adding a few minor tweaks here and there, Omar, the CEO of StraightTalkCPAs, says, “My practice was very different to what it had been when I started it a few years back.”