Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

By Blake Oliver, CPABusiness Education Courses Careers

Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE episodes

October 05Is Your AI Investment Paying Off? What Finance Leaders Should Measure
AI is taking on routine accounting work—but what should accountants do next? Blake Oliver talks with Mike DePrisco, CEO of the Institute of Management Accountants, about measuring AI’s payoff through faster closes, fewer errors, and better forecasts. They also explore corporate career paths, the shift toward strategic thinking and storytelling, and why case-based training matters. Learn how targeted skill-building and continuous learning can help you stay relevant as the work changes.
Chapters
(00:00) - AI Tops CFO Worries
(02:19) - Rising AI Costs
(04:21) - Measuring AI ROI
(07:12) - What IMA Does
(08:47) - Management Accounting Today
(12:10) - Intangibles vs GAAP
(18:18) - AI and Accounting Jobs
(24:32) - Skills for the Future
(26:27) - Training and Case Learning
(32:07) - Mid Career Advice
(35:27) - Wrap Up and Links
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Connect with Mike DePrisco
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-deprisco/
Learn more about IMA® — the Institute of Management Accountants
Official Website: https://www.imaglobal.org/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
37 min
July 06The Fight to Save the CPA License: Inside FICPA's Two-Year Battle
Could Florida have quietly unraveled CPA licensure? In this episode, Blake Oliver talks with FICPA CEO Shelly Weir about the legislation that threatened to eliminate Florida’s Board of Accountancy, scrap CPE requirements, and weaken the CPA license. Shelly explains how the profession fought back, why mobility and interstate commerce were central to the case, and where CPAs can embrace smart modernization without giving up public protection.
Chapters
(00:00) - EAP 116 Interview: Shelly Weir of FICPA on the Fight to Save the CPA in Florida
(01:10) - Why Shelley Stayed Quiet
(03:09) - What the Bill Proposed
(07:23) - Why Deregulation Happened
(09:33) - How FICPA Beat It
(12:44) - Mobility and Modernization
(15:54) - Threading the Needle
(17:56) - Compromise Ideas Ahead
(21:49) - Midnight Capitol Showdown
(24:00) - CPE and Future Reforms
(26:16) - Will It Return
(27:55) - Closing Thanks and Call
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Connect with Shelly Weir
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellysiceloff
Learn more about the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants
https://www.ficpa.org/about
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
29 min
June 11The Future of Accounting is Human
Karl Paadam made partner at PwC Estonia at 26, spent a decade in tech, and came back to build United Accountants on a contrarian thesis: the future of accounting is human. He joins Blake to explain how a firm can hand bookkeeping, categorization, and reconciliation to an AI operating system that layers on top of whatever software a firm already runs, freeing CPAs to keep their local brand and focus on judgment and advisory work. They also get into outcomes-based pricing, what it means to build "the first big small firm," and why the accountant who ignores AI is the one who gets replaced.
Chapters
(00:00) - Welcome Karl Paadam to the Earmark Podcast
(01:51) - Building a Practice
(02:40) - Leaving PwC for Tech
(03:29) - Accounting Is Human
(05:17) - Advisory Skills Shift
(06:35) - AI Productivity in Practice
(09:25) - United OS Walkthrough
(10:34) - Partner Model Keep Brand
(14:50) - Integrations No Rip Replace
(18:44) - First Big Small Firm
(21:48) - Outcomes Based Pricing
(25:00) - AI Like Excel Era
(28:05) - What AI Does Next
(29:21) - Fear Traps and Controls
(32:39) - Who United Fits Best
(33:25) - Wrap Up and Contact

Learn more about United Accountants
https://www.unitedaccountants.com/
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Connect with Our Guest, Karl Paadam
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/karl-paadam-39730214
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
35 min
May 2289% of Accountants Say AI Pays Off—So What’s the Catch?
Is AI really replacing accountants—or just changing the job? Blake Oliver talks with Capterra analyst David Jani about new survey data showing where AI is gaining traction in accounting, from chatbots and data entry to forecasting and fraud detection. They unpack why 89% of users report ROI, why firms are still struggling to hire, and why weak AI data-handling policies could create serious security problems.
Accounting Trends in 2026: How AI is Changing Work, Skills, and Strategy
https://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-trends-ai-software-changing-work/

Chapters
(00:00) - EAP 114
(01:26) - Survey Methodology
(04:26) - AI Adoption Today
(05:39) - Where AI Shows Up
(19:57) - Staffing Crunch Data
(24:10) - Manual Work and Spreadsheets
(26:17) - Next 12 Months Ahead
(28:11) - 2027 Predictions and Threats
(32:04) - Where to Place AI Bets
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Connect with Our Guest, David Jani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jani-7627872b/
Learn more about Capterra
https://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
35 min
April 20Progression or Extinction: AI’s Accounting Reckoning
What if AI wipes out the entry-level accounting work firms have relied on for decades? Blake Oliver talks with Sikich managing principal Richard Lynch about the rise of the “super accountant,” why the pyramid-shaped firm may become a diamond, and how AI could force firms to rethink training, billing, and performance metrics. You’ll hear what firm leaders must change now—and what happens to those who don’t adapt.
Chapters
(00:00) - EAP 112
(07:41) - Training The Next Gen
(09:39) - Rethinking Early Career Work
(14:17) - Learning Review Without Doing
(18:41) - Automated Tax Prep Reality
(21:28) - Billable Hour Under Pressure
(26:33) - Why Timesheets Persist
(28:21) - Why Hours Persist
(29:53) - Timesheets Trust and Control
(30:53) - Preventing Burnout with Targets
(32:30) - AI Breaks Time Productivity
(34:39) - Shift from Production to Value
(37:02) - New Metrics Client and Staff
(39:13) - Revenue Incentives and Attribution
(44:24) - Basketball Team Performance Model
(46:33) - Hours Culture and Team Standards
(51:34) - Leaders Choose Progression
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Connect with Richard Lynch, CPA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardlynch/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
56 min
April 02Pricing, Offshoring, and AI: Inside the Numbers at Accounting Firms
What does the data actually say about where accounting firms are headed? Blake Oliver talks with Chelsea Summers of Inside Public Accounting about the real numbers behind firm performance, pricing, staffing, offshoring, advisory growth, and AI adoption. You’ll hear why top firms aren’t just working people harder, how offshore teams are boosting margins, and why hourly billing may be the biggest obstacle to using technology well.
Chapters
(00:00) - EAP 112
(04:45) - Advisory vs compliance mix
(09:40) - Capacity and burnout signals
(18:27) - Pricing models and billable hour
(25:08) - AI ROI and adoption blockers
(29:37) - About IPA and closing
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Connect with Our Guest, Chelsea Summers
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseasummers620/
Learn more about Inside Public Accounting
http://insidepublicaccounting.com
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
33 min
March 20The IRS is Coming for Crypto: Coinbase’s VP of Tax Explains What Happens Next
Blake sits down with Lawrence Zlatkin, VP of Tax at Coinbase, to unpack the state of crypto taxation. From how the IRS treats digital assets as property to the new 1099-DA, stablecoin reporting burdens, and the policy changes Coinbase is pushing for in Washington, this episode covers what tax pros need to know now and where the rules may be headed next.
Chapters
(00:00) - EAP 111
(02:11) - What is Form 1099-DA
(03:08) - Reconciling 1099 data
(03:53) - Why cost basis matters
(08:29) - IRS use of gross proceeds
(12:44) - Crypto tax basics
(14:07) - Staking and 1099-MISC
(15:36) - Stablecoins as property
(17:43) - Reporting thresholds and privacy
(22:42) - Policy priorities in DC
(23:47) - De minimis and admin burden
(28:34) - Charity and appraisal rules
(30:15) - Foreign investment safe harbors
(32:20) - Why Congress moves slowly
(34:56) - Wrap-up and thanks
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Connect with Our Guest
Lawrence Zlatin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-zlatkin-880417b

Learn more about Coinbase
https://www.coinbase.com

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
36 min
March 05What Private Equity Really Changes Inside an Accounting Firm wiith Devin Mathews
What really happens after private equity buys your CPA firm? ParkerGale partner Devin Mathews joins Blake to unpack why partners cheer while staff chafe, how PE drives returns (bill rates, utilization, acquisitions), and what managers should demand: a clear value‑creation plan and a path to upside. They also dig into AI’s true impact—raising the ceiling, squeezing entry‑level work—and why this might be your cue to start an AI‑first firm.
Chapters
(00:00) - Private Equity Meets AI
(02:04) - Survey Shock Partners vs Staff
(04:18) - How PE Boosts Profits
(06:17) - Culture Clash and KPIs
(09:29) - The New Owner Speech
(23:15) - Lessons From Vets and Dentists
(25:50) - Pricing Power and Workload
(26:39) - How Firms Decide to Sell
(27:12) - Deal Tensions Surface
(27:25) - LOI And Data Deep Dive
(28:20) - Pricing Pressure And Client Cuts
(29:48) - Spreadsheet Management Shock
(33:20) - Career Paths And Trust
(35:02) - Demand The Value Plan
(37:13) - Three Problems To Fix
(40:00) - AI Threat Or Tailwind
(41:35) - AI Reality Check
(45:17) - Entry Level Gets Harder
(48:47) - Start An AI First Firm
(50:56) - Podcast And Farewell
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Connect with Our Guest, Devin Mathews
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinmathews
Learn more about ParkerGale
https://www.parkergale.com/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
55 min
February 05Inside Thomson Reuters’ Plan to Automate the Tax Return
AI won’t replace accountants—but AI-enabled firms will outcompete them. Blake Oliver sits down with Thomson Reuters’ Elizabeth Beastrom and Kirat Sekhon to map the end-to-end tax workflow, from document intake and auto-population (SurePrep) to delivery and e-sign (SafeSend), and into year-round advisory with CoCounsel and Ready to Advise. Learn how to “kill the questionnaire,” free staff from data entry, build an open tech stack, and turn tax prep into subscription advisory.
Chapters
(02:49) - Technology Expectations of New Accountants
(03:38) - The Shift from Desktop to Cloud-Based Tax Software
(05:14) - Thomson Reuters' Approach to Customer-Centric Tax Technology
(05:55) - Automation and AI in Tax Workflow
(10:58) - The Role of SurePrep in Data Entry Automation
(18:34) - Advisory Services and Ready to Advise
(24:53) - AI in Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer
(25:35) - Empowering Junior Associates with AI
(26:41) - AI in Education and Talent Attraction
(30:40) - AI's Role in Tax and Accounting
(33:58) - The Future of AI in Tax Preparation
(41:59) - AI-Driven Advisory Services
(47:41) - Practical Steps for Tax Firms to Embrace AI
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Connect with Our Guests
Elizabeth Beastrom
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-beastrom/

Kirat Sekhon
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirat-sekhon-2172022/
Learn more about Thomson Reuters
http://thomsonreuters.com/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
50 min
December 17, 2025Excel and AI: Code Your Way to Hours Back Every Week
You open Excel daily, but are you using AI to make it work for you? While 58% of professionals have tried AI, only 17% use it regularly—a missed opportunity. Join CPA Kyle Ashcraft in this hands-on webinar to learn vibe coding—a no-programming approach using Cursor AI to automate repetitive Excel tasks. Watch Kyle transform messy spreadsheets, organize GL data, and reconcile transactions with simple AI prompts while keeping data secure. You'll get three ready-to-use scripts plus a framework to automate countless tasks and reclaim hours weekly.
(Originally recorded on October 20, 2025, on Earmark Webinars+)
Chapters
(02:18) - Meet Kyle Ashcraft and His AI Journey
(02:31) - The Importance of AI in Accounting
(03:30) - Kyle's Background and CPA Review
(04:38) - Live Webinar and Audience Interaction
(05:12) - Kyle's AI Projects and Cursor Introduction
(07:39) - Data Privacy Concerns with AI
(17:18) - Practical AI in Excel: Examples and Demonstration
(20:03) - Getting Started with Cursor
(23:55) - First Cursor Project: Cleaning Up Excel Data
(31:38) - Jumping into Financial Document Verification
(32:50) - Exploring Cursor's Privacy Settings
(33:48) - Understanding Data Retention Policies
(36:23) - Comparing Excel Files with Cursor
(36:48) - Analyzing Complex GL Details
(42:22) - Using Cursor for Recurring Accounting Tasks
(49:20) - Leveraging AI for Audit and Analysis
(50:53) - Practical Tips for Implementing Cursor
(53:56) - Q&A: Advanced Cursor Features
(59:04) - Conclusion and Next Steps

Earn CPE for this episode: https://www.earmark.app/c/2854
Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast

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Resources
Intro to Cursor PDF Guide - https://mcusercontent.com/02dbcae4a3e3f15021db25a0c/files/deff5647-e0a3-51d7-4225-cf8b3a48532d/Cursor_AI_Quick_Guide.pdf
Webinar presentation - https://ai.maxwellstudy.com/

Connect with Our Guest, Kyle Ashcraft, CPA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-ashcraft-cpa-7638a42a
Learn more about Maxwell CPA Review
https://maxwellcpareview.com/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
1 hr