Pulse of the Practice

Mo and Paul return after a busy summer to talk about the tension every tax and accounting firm is feeling right now: balancing day-to-day deadlines with the constant wave of new AI tools. The conversation centers on IRC Section 7216 — the client disclosure requirement for using third-party tools (including AI) on tax return data — and why so many firms hesitate to bring it up with clients.

Mo and Paul unpack why firms fear disclosure conversations (data security, "what will my client think?"), and make the case for flipping the script: raise these topics proactively, frame them around trust and benefit rather than risk, and treat AI/vendor disclosures as a normal, recurring part of the client relationship rather than a one-off, anxiety-inducing form. They draw parallels to past shifts — paper to e-file, offshore staffing, remote employees, pricing changes — arguing that firms too often let a vocal minority of resistant clients ("the five") dictate decisions instead of confidently communicating what's best for the firm and the other 495 clients who'll say yes.

Key takeaways: lead with the benefit, communicate early and often, use enterprise-grade tools and say so explicitly, and don't let clients run how you operate your firm.

In this episode, we explore the rapidly changing role of artificial intelligence in the tax and accounting profession. What began as simple AI-generated emails and content creation is quickly evolving into agent-based systems capable of performing real work across firm workflows.

Drawing on conversations from industry events and firsthand experiences with firms and clients, we discuss why many believe we're at a major inflection point for AI adoption. Topics include the rise of AI agents, client expectations, the challenges of establishing a reliable "source of truth," and the growing need for governance, testing, and validation as firms automate sensitive processes.

The discussion also tackles one of the profession's biggest questions: How do firms preserve professional judgment and develop future talent when more routine work is handled by AI? From structured versus unstructured data to workflow transformation and client service, this episode examines where AI is delivering value today—and where human expertise remains essential.

Key topics include:

• The transition from AI experimentation to AI-powered workflows
• Why agentic AI could transform tax and advisory services
• Risks of overtrusting AI-generated outputs
• Data security, governance, and quality control concerns
• The role of professional judgment in an AI-enabled future
• How firms can balance automation with client relationships
• What tax season 2027 could look like as AI adoption accelerates

This conversation offers a practical look at the opportunities, challenges, and realities facing firms as AI moves from novelty to necessity.

What happens when life throws the unthinkable your way—and how do you come out stronger on the other side?

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, hosts Mo Arbas and Paul sit down with John Kriesel—combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and renowned speaker—to explore the power of perspective, resilience, and mindset. From surviving a life-altering explosion in Iraq to finding purpose in sharing his story, John brings powerful lessons that resonate far beyond the military.

Together, they connect those lessons to the everyday pressures professionals face—from unexpected challenges and industry change to the stress of “high-stakes” work that can feel overwhelming in the moment.

You’ll hear:

• Why perspective is the most powerful tool for navigating stress
• How to turn “bad days” into manageable ones with intentional mindset
• The importance of planning, preparation, and asking for help
• Practical habits to start your day grounded and focused
• Why what feels like a crisis often isn’t—and how to respond accordingly

This conversation is a reminder that while challenges are inevitable, how we respond is a choice—and choosing the right mindset can change everything.

Recorded live at the Thomson Reuters Advisory Symposium 2026 in Huntington Beach, CA on June 2, 2026, this special live episode of Pulse of the Practice features hosts Paul Miller (founder and owner of Business by Design, a firm specializing in advisory services and tax strategies for small business entrepreneurs) and Mo Arbas (Advisory Services Lead and thought-leadership presenter at Thomson Reuters events, passionate about challenge and change in the advisory space).

In this high-energy, audience-driven session, Paul and Mo tackle the most pressing challenges facing tax and accounting firms right now — and lay out a compelling vision for what's coming next. They walk through a firm life cycle framework built around three concurrent cycles: the client cycle, the firm cycle, and a pre-cycle focused on prospecting — including the often-overlooked reality that your existing clients are prospects too.

The conversation dives deep into three critical observations shaping the future of accounting firms:

1. Capacity vs. Complexity — Client and firm complexity is increasing faster than most firms can keep up with, creating a bandwidth crisis that no amount of hustle alone can solve.
2. The Knowledge Transfer Problem — Decades of expertise live in people's heads, and there's no easy way to transfer that institutional knowledge to new staff — until now.
3. The AI Inflection Point — AI is no longer a future concept. It is actively reshaping firm workflows, and the next wave of agentic AI will bring more advancement in the next six months than the past ten years combined.

Paul and Mo introduce the concept of Client Intelligence and Firm Intelligence — a framework for capturing unstructured conversational data, client context, and firm-specific knowledge to power smarter advisory workflows. They also preview Playbooks inside Ready to Advise, a feature designed to help firms standardize their advisory strategies by client persona, and discuss the vision of being able to speak a proposal into existence — letting AI do 80–90% of the scoping, pricing, and packaging work based on context gathered from real client conversations.

Whether you're a solo practitioner or running a multi-office firm, this episode will challenge you to rethink your firm's life cycle, reclaim lost revenue opportunities, and start building toward a scalable, intelligent advisory practice.

Topics covered:

• Firm and client life cycle frameworks
• Advisory prospecting for new and existing clients
• Bandwidth and capacity challenges in accounting firms
• AI and agentic workflows in tax and accounting
• Client Intelligence vs. Firm Intelligence
• Knowledge transfer and staff training with AI
• Advisory playbooks and client personas
• Speaking a proposal into existence
• Pricing strategy and scope definition
• Ready to Advise product updates
• Thomson Reuters Advisory Symposium 2026

Join Paul Miller and Thomson Reuters Advisory Consultants as they have real and relevant conversations to provide you with inspirational and actionable ideas to move your firm forward — covering leadership, client relationships, firm culture, staffing, technology, and much more.

🎙️ Pulse of the Practice | A Thomson Reuters Podcast | Live from Advisory Symposium 2026, Huntington Beach, CA

A few notes on the choices made here:

• The title leads with the core content themes (Client Intelligence, Firm Intelligence, AI) which are the most searchable and relevant terms for the target audience.
• "LIVE at Advisory Symposium 2026" signals event-specific content, which tends to perform well for community searches.
• The description front-loads the hosts' credentials, then unpacks the episode's value proposition in a structured way that mirrors how podcast platforms and search engines index content.
• The bulleted topic list at the end serves as a keyword-rich tag section that improves discoverability without feeling spammy.

What really happens inside a firm after April 15?

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas sits down with Paul Miller of Business by Design for an inside look at what forward-thinking accounting and advisory firms are doing once the tax deadline passes—but before the next one hits.

Paul breaks down how his 23-person firm uses the summer months to focus on what truly drives long-term success: training, standardization, staffing strategy, and technology adoption. They explore why tax returns are no longer “the event,” how firms are shifting bandwidth away from pure technical work and toward client experience, and why non-technical advisory support roles are quickly becoming essential.

You’ll hear practical insights on:

• How modern firms structure teams across client success, advisory, and technical tax roles
• What to look for when hiring non-technical staff—and why curiosity matters more than resumes
• Building a firm-wide “playbook” to replace one-off decision-making
• Why summer is the ideal window for training, internal resets, and process refinement
• How firm leaders should think about AI and technology adoption—and why delegating that responsibility can be a costly mistake
• The growing cost of “doing nothing” as the pace of industry change accelerates

If you’re a small to mid-sized firm owner, partner, or manager who feels busy all year but still wants to build something intentional, this episode is a clear reminder that the work between deadlines may matter most.

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas and Paul Miller are joined by Therese "T on the Street" to preview this year's Advisory Symposium in Huntington Beach, California, happening June 2–4. They share what attendees can expect, including more than 40 breakout sessions covering advisory, AI, new technology, and thought leadership, plus appearances from keynote speakers Tom Hood and John Kriesel. The team also highlights the event's live podcast kickoff, networking, and a Beach Boys-themed party that promises to make this year's symposium both insightful and unforgettable.

n this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas and Paul Miller dig into the real-world pressures of tax season — from the grind of long days and missed spring weather to the growing chaos of client document habits. They explore why multitasking is a myth, how time seems to “collapse” in modern firms, and why protecting your schedule has become essential.

But the conversation quickly expands to the bigger shift happening in the profession. Mo and Paul break down how technology, automation, and emerging AI-driven agents are rapidly reshaping tax prep, document handling, staffing needs, and client expectations. They discuss why traditional tax preparation is no longer the “bread and butter,” what firms must standardize to scale, and how the role of the accountant is evolving toward advisory and year‑round financial insight.

It’s an honest, forward‑looking conversation about the pressures firms face today — and the opportunities that lie ahead for those willing to rethink their workflows, client relationships, and service models.

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas and Paul Miller dive deep into the real challenges firms face during the busiest part of tax season—from extensions and deadlines to client expectations and team bandwidth. But the conversation quickly expands into something much bigger: how firms can scale smarter by building systems for knowledge sharing, pattern recognition, and staff development.

Mo and Paul explore how recorded meetings, AI tools, and intentional review processes can transform scattered expertise into a firm-wide advantage. They unpack how advisory work follows recognizable patterns, why client interactions often repeat across firms, and how identifying those similarities can dramatically speed up staff training and reduce burnout.

They also discuss:

• Why early, uncomfortable client conversations save time later
• How to use AI recordings to improve—not just document—client meetings
• The difference between memorizing steps and understanding core concepts
• How to build a “client intelligence” library that outlives any single team member
• Why transparency and shared knowledge strengthen firm culture and retention

Packed with insight and practical ideas, this episode connects the dots between workflow efficiency, advisory growth, team development, and long-term scalability.

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas and Paul Miller dive deep into what truly keeps an accounting firm running smoothly during tax season—clear processes, intentional workflows, and the right questions asked at the right time. From the realities of client data chaos to the importance of firm-wide standards, Paul breaks down how his multi-team firm handles data intake, “tax-ready” checklists, questionnaires, and internal workflow guardrails.

Mo compares this to the challenges solo practitioners face, sparking a conversation about scaling, staff development, knowledge transfer, and why younger team members learn differently today. The duo also discuss evolving technology, AI-powered knowledge bases, and the importance of documenting firm methodologies—one decision tree at a time.

Whether you’re a firm leader, a growing practitioner, or someone looking to streamline your processes, this episode offers a practical, behind-the-scenes look at building a more efficient, consistent, and scalable practice.

In this episode of Pulse of the Practice, Mo Arbas and Paul Miller sit down with Fady Hawatmeh, founder of Clockwork, to explore what advisory really means in today’s accounting landscape—and what it will take to scale it successfully.

Fady shares the origin story behind Clockwork, why he built an AI‑native FP&A platform from the ground up, and how firms can move from rear‑view reporting to forward‑looking insight. The conversation dives into mindset shifts, why most “AI hype” misses the mark, and how agentic AI will soon function as a true financial planning team—not just a tool.

If you’re an accounting firm looking to modernize advisory services, improve client experience, and understand where AI truly adds value, this episode is packed with practical insight and honest perspective.