The Evolution of an Industry in Real Time

In this episode of the Accountant’s Flight Plan Podcast, Brannon Poe is joined by Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, to explore the shifting tides of the accounting industry. From his start as a receptionist to laying out physical newspapers and magazines to leading one of the profession's most respected publications, Dan shares his unique vantage point on the industry’s past, present, and rapidly approaching future.

AI Is Here—But We’re Just Getting Started

Dan and Brannon dive into the transformative role artificial intelligence is beginning to play in accounting. While the AI boom is still in its infancy, the industry is already seeing an influx of capital and enthusiasm for automation, agentic AI systems, and data-driven insight. Dan emphasizes the importance of starting small—testing tools, cleaning data, and learning to interact with AI—to position CPA firms for long-term impact and return on investment.

Dan Hood is Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, where he’s spent decades covering the accounting profession’s biggest trends, challenges, and opportunities. You can connect with Dan via LinkedIn or visit AccountingToday.com to explore more of his work.

Timestamps:
00:42 – Introduction of Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today
01:50 – Dan’s career journey from receptionist to editor
04:22 – AI’s growing impact on accounting and data usage
11:20 – Starting small with AI: how to learn and scale
16:05 – Scaling your firm: "What got you here won’t get you there"
21:50 – The shift in revenue per employee as firms grow
24:20 – Letting go to grow: moving toward zero billable hours
26:10 – Advisory services, PE firms, and new ownership models
29:30 – The challenges of the traditional partnership model
32:00 – Wedding story: accountants aren’t boring!
34:48 – Book rec: Say Nothing
39:03 – Closing thoughts and where to connect with Dan