Humans in Accounting

Victoria Vita came to the United States in 2004 and took her first job as a dishwasher. Twenty-two years later, she's a CPA and controller with two decades of experience in corporate America, as well as a life coach and energy healer focused on the human side of accounting.

Two years ago, on an eight-hour drive home from a women's networking retreat, she decided to start a podcast. She had the name before she had a microphone: You Are Not Alone.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Victoria joins Alex Roman to talk about what it takes to start a podcast from zero, what 43 episodes have taught her about real conversations, and why the best time to start is before you feel ready.

They also discuss Behind the Ledger, the private and anonymous community Victoria built to support accountants through the stress of close season, the 2 a.m. moment that showed her why it was needed, and why behind every job title there's a human.

Topics covered:

• A Buenos Aires coincidence, three blocks from Alex's home

• From dishwasher to CPA and controller

• Balancing debits and credits with the human side of accounting

• The retreat that inspired You Are Not Alone

• Starting a podcast with zero experience

• Building a team with ChatGPT and Upwork

• Getting past the fear of speaking with an accent

• Victoria's favorite food (and Alex's)

• What 43 episodes taught her about real conversations

• Why you shouldn't wait for the perfect time

• Behind the Ledger: a support community for accountants

• The 2 a.m. close that broke a mouse

• Behind every job title, there's a human

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

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Davis Starling grew up in a South Carolina town of about 290 people, kept bees, raised frogs, and earned the nickname Coach Barkley on a high school basketball court. At 12, a YouTube channel about failing companies had him reading balance sheets for fun.

Today, Davis is based in New York, has spent five years working in accounting, and is pursuing his CPA license while staying deeply involved in AI and technology.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Davis joins Alex Roman to talk about choosing accounting at a time when the profession is facing a talent shortage and AI is changing how the work gets done.

They discuss how Davis found his way into the profession, what tax and startup environments taught him, how he used AI to run cold outreach to recruiters during his job search, whether AI will make accounting more or less attractive to the next generation, and why he believes the CPA license will stay relevant for a long time.

Topics covered:

• From beekeeper and basketball coach to accounting

• The YouTube channel that sparked his interest at 12

• Seeing how a global company's tax function fits together

• Building accounting functions in PE- and VC-backed startups

• How the accountant shortage shaped his career choice

• Why firms still need to develop junior talent

• The power of cold outreach

• Using AI to reach recruiters during a job search

• Why you should always take the call

• Outsourcing your thinking vs. outsourcing your understanding

• Will AI make accounting more attractive to young people?

• Is the CPA license still worth it?

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Tyler Otto and Alex Roman have been playing chess for about two years, usually taking a day or three to make each move. For the Season 4 premiere of Humans in Accounting, they finally played a game live, and talked business between moves.

Tyler runs a 16-person accounting firm that now operates day to day without him, co-hosts the Unaccountable podcast, and does his best work the same way he plays chess: fast, and on the fly.

In this episode, Tyler and Alex play a 10-minute game while exploring what chess can teach business owners: when to follow the playbook and when to leave it, why giving up material can be the right move, and how protecting the king looks a lot like protecting company culture.

Tyler also shares why his firm walked away from nearly $26K in monthly recurring revenue, what he learned after losing a big part of his team in a single month, why owning your mistakes in front of your team matters, and his advice for anyone who thinks it's too late to start a firm.

Topics covered:

• Playing a live chess game while talking business

• How Tyler got into chess

• Why Tyler does his best work on the fly

• Knowing when to leave your playbook

• Walking away from $26K in monthly recurring revenue

• How Tyler inspired Humans in Accounting

• Knight or bishop? What your piece says about you

• Trading resources to get closer to your goal

• Losing a big part of the team in one month

• Protect the king: protecting company culture

• Reviewing your losses

• Owning your mistakes in front of your team

• Advice for starting an accounting firm in 2026

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Ryan Page’s path to building Backpocket CPA wasn’t a straight line. After starting his career at PwC, working in financial reporting and FP&A, and experimenting with different businesses along the way, he spent years building his accounting firm on the side before finally going all in.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Ryan joins Alex Roman to talk about what his first year as a full-time firm owner has really looked like, from landing large clients to navigating concentration risk, losing a key team member, and rebuilding with a more sustainable approach.

They also discuss why Backpocket CPA chose to niche down into creative marketing agencies, the importance of intentionally building company culture from the beginning, and why aspiring firm owners should think about entrepreneurship as an evolution rather than expecting perfection from day one.

Topics covered:

• Ryan’s path from PwC to entrepreneurship
• Building Backpocket CPA as a side business
• Why becoming a father pushed Ryan to go all in
• Navigating client concentration risk
• Losing a key team member and continuing to rebuild
• Why Backpocket CPA niched down into creative marketing agencies
• How writing on LinkedIn helped Ryan clarify his ideal client
• Building company culture intentionally from the beginning
• Turning personal values into company values
• Why new entrepreneurs shouldn’t expect perfection
• Thinking about entrepreneurship as an evolution

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home
https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company
https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist
https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Ian Maxwell has always looked at business a little differently: instead of building a life around work, he believes your business should help create the life you actually want.

Today, Ian is an executive coach and founder of Mindset Magic, working with small business owners while intentionally making room for another major part of his life: music.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Ian joins Alex Roman to talk about the mindset behind building a business without letting it consume everything else.

They discuss why successful business owners can become victims of their own growth, the difference between building a business and simply creating a job for yourself, how urgency affects decision-making, and why making clear commitments matters more than simply moving fast.

Topics covered:

• Building a business that supports the life you want
• Ian’s journey from recruiting to executive coaching
• Making space for work, music, and life outside business
• When business growth starts to feel like a treadmill
• The difference between building a business and creating a job for yourself
• How to step back and reassess your priorities
• What separates a good accountant from a great one
• Why honoring agreements matters more than speed
• How urgency impacts your decisions and relationships
• Turning goals into real commitments

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Chris Williams didn’t start his career in accounting. He came from finance and investing, looking for an entrepreneurial path that eventually led him to acquire System Six.

Since then, System Six has grown from 20 to 65 team members, expanded through organic growth and acquisitions, and stayed focused on one principle: putting its people first.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Chris joins Alex Roman to talk about what it really takes to grow an accounting firm without losing the culture that made it successful in the first place.

They discuss the lessons behind scaling too quickly, why growth sometimes means slowing down sales, how System Six found its niche serving recently acquired businesses, and what Chris has learned from acquiring and operating accounting firms.

Topics covered:

• Why Chris chose to acquire an accounting firm
• What made System Six the right business to buy
• Growing from 20 to 65 team members
• Why rapid growth can create hiring mistakes
• Putting team members before clients
• Finding a niche beyond a specific industry
• Lessons from acquiring accounting firms
• Why sales and marketing should start earlier than you think

Humans in Accounting is brought to you by South Offices, connecting accounting firms with skilled professionals across Latin America.

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

What does it take to go from working inside some of the world’s largest financial institutions to building your own accounting firm?

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Jabree Brooks, Founder and Principal at Four Palm Advisory, to talk about his journey from EY, UBS, and JPMorgan to CFO roles and, eventually, entrepreneurship.

Jabree shares what pushed him to start Four Palm Advisory, how the firm grew from fractional CFO services into a broader accounting offering, and what he has learned while building a team and scaling quickly.

They also talk about one of the biggest challenges founders face: moving from working in the business to working on the business, and why Jabree believes surrounding yourself with people who are smarter than you is essential to making that transition.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• Why Jabree chose accounting and how it shaped his career

• What led him from large financial institutions to smaller, entrepreneurial companies

• How his first fractional CFO client became the starting point for Four Palm Advisory

• The challenges of onboarding multiple clients while scaling

• Why hiring great people creates leverage for founders

• How client referrals became an important milestone for Four Palm

• Why accounting firm owners should learn from others instead of reinventing the wheel

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Building a business isn't about following a perfect plan.

It's about building one that evolves as your life does.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Eman Abdur-Rahman, Founder & CEO of Your Virtual Keeper, to discuss her journey from business operations to building a successful virtual accounting firm.

Eman shares how she found her niche, built a remote team, created systems that scale, and why documenting processes became one of the biggest turning points in her business. She also opens up about balancing entrepreneurship, motherhood, and running a family farm while continuing to grow her firm.

Whether you're starting your own accounting firm or looking to build a business that supports the life you want, this conversation is full of practical lessons on leadership, systems, and intentional growth.

🎯 What You'll Learn

• How Eman transitioned from operations into accounting

• Building a virtual accounting firm from scratch

• Why documented systems are essential for growth

• How to build and lead a successful remote team

• The importance of onboarding and repeatable processes

• Balancing entrepreneurship, family, and business ownership

• Why your business should evolve as your life changes

Topics Covered

• From operations to entrepreneurship

• Starting a virtual bookkeeping firm

• Finding your niche

• Hiring and onboarding remote teams

• Building systems that scale

• Delegation and leadership

• Entrepreneurship and motherhood

• Adapting your business through different seasons of life

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led Nearshore Team Specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Building an accounting firm takes more than technical expertise.

It takes confidence, relationships, a clear business model, and the willingness to bet on yourself.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Mike Payne, Chief Growth Officer at Haga Kommer, to discuss his journey from the Big Four to building his own accounting and law firm from scratch.

Mike shares the lessons he learned from starting with zero clients, why accountants consistently undervalue themselves, how strong client relationships become your greatest competitive advantage, and what every future firm owner should think about before taking the leap.

Whether you're planning to launch your own firm or looking to grow the one you already have, this conversation is full of practical advice from someone who's been through every stage of the journey.

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Why Mike left the Big Four to build his own firm

• How he landed his first clients

• Why accountants often undervalue themselves

• The importance of choosing the right business model

• What aspiring firm owners should plan before getting started

• How client relationships become your biggest competitive advantage

• Lessons learned from building, scaling, and selling a firm

Topics Covered

• Mike's journey from the Big Four to entrepreneurship

• Building an accounting and law firm

• Landing the first clients

• Choosing a business model

• Pricing and understanding your value

• Why the accounting community is different

• Client relationships and trust

• Lessons for future firm owners

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com/

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led nearshore team specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices

Building an accounting firm is one challenge.

Scaling it—and eventually selling it—is another.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Sharrin Fuller, founder of Glass Wallet Ventures and Clone & Conquer Hub, to discuss the lessons she learned from building multiple accounting businesses, documenting systems, overcoming self-doubt, and creating firms that can grow beyond their founders.

Sharrin shares her unconventional path into accounting, why doing things right the first time saves years of frustration, and how strong systems became the foundation for every business she built.

Whether you're starting your first firm or thinking about scaling the one you already have, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who's done both.

🎯 What you'll learn

• How Sharrin built and sold accounting firms

• Why systems are the foundation of growth

• Doing things right the first time

• Overcoming self-doubt as a business owner

• Why documentation matters

• Building a firm without a traditional accounting path

• Lessons for firm owners at every stage

Topics Covered

• Buying her first business

• Entering the accounting profession

• Building multiple accounting firms

• Scaling through systems

• Selling accounting firms

• The importance of documentation

• Overcoming self-doubt

• Advice for firm owners

🎧 South Offices Home

https://southoffices.com

🌎 Nearshore Accounting Company

https://southoffices.com/nearshore-accounting-company/

📞 Talk to a CPA-led nearshore team specialist

https://calendly.com/alex-southoffices