The Fun CPA Podcast

 Mike Payne joins Yuri to talk about building BOSS Advisors, growing the firm to more than $2 million in revenue and eventually selling it. 

They discuss how Mike combined accounting and legal services under one roof, landed a major client during his first week in business and dealt with the pressure that came with the firm’s growth. Mike also shares what led him to sell, how he chose the right buyer and what life has looked like since the acquisition. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Working 36 hours straight and hitting burnout 

0:50 - Meet Mike Payne 

1:18 - Combining accounting and legal services 

8:28 - Starting BOSS Advisors and landing a major client 

15:07 - Reaching the firm’s next growth ceiling 

19:51 - The personal cost of building the business 

29:27 - Finding the right buyer and selling the firm 

36:13 - Making more time for family 

39:57 - Creating healthier boundaries with work 

43:04 - Building an audience and professional community 

50:22 - Where to connect with Mike 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH MIKE PAYNE 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpaynejdcpa/ 

Website: https://themikepayne.com/ 

Erin Pohan is the founder of Upkeeping, a bookkeeping and payroll firm, and Wave Seattle, a conference for women in accounting.

In this episode, Erin shares what it actually looked like to build her firm, grow a team, and figure things out without ever feeling completely ready. She and Yuri talk honestly about the pressure to scale, the challenge of hiring before there is enough work, and why success does not have to mean building the biggest firm possible.

The conversation also gets into a difficult season of burnout caused largely by one high-paying client. Erin explains how the work began affecting her health and family life, why walking away from the revenue felt terrifying, and how that decision ultimately gave her more freedom without hurting the business long term.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

1:57 - Erin’s background and the start of Upkeeping

3:21 - Going from employee to firm owner

10:46 - Why you may never feel ready to launch

14:42 - Hiring your first team member

19:47 - What does success actually look like?

23:42 - Setting boundaries with clients

27:22 - Erin’s vision for her firm

30:00 - Burnout, overwork, and one major client

36:11 - What burnout looked like physically and emotionally

39:52 - Letting go of misaligned clients

43:09 - The financial upside of owning a firm

49:11 - Building community through accounting events

54:20 - The hidden costs of hosting events

1:03:47 - Imposter syndrome and finding your lane

1:08:13 - Where to find Erin

1:08:46 - Episode wrap-up 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH ERIN POHAN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinpohan/

Website: https://www.upkeeping.co/

In this episode, Yuri reflects on the 2026 tax season, sharing the highs, lows, and lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a solo CPA or managing a growing firm, this episode offers practical insights into tools, workflows, and mindset shifts to navigate busy periods more effectively.

• Breakdown of the 2026 tax season experience and key challenges faced
• Document collection pitfalls and exploring new tech solutions
• Software considerations: Drake, ProConnect, Stanford Tax, Soroban, Truss
• Strategies for managing workload, burnout, and client communication

00:00 - Introduction and episode overview
 01:10 - Reflecting on the confidence at the start of the season
 04:00 - Highlights: $140K revenue and billing methods
 05:22 - Business entity handling: 60 S-corps, 93 1040s, and 60 1065s
 07:47 - Podcasting and balancing workload
 08:48 - The main issue: Document collection breakdown
 09:42 - Challenges with Tax Dome and new features
 11:23 - The importance of team access and oversight
 12:47 - Workflow issues: Tracking submission and missing documents
 13:42 - Burnout from managing incomplete document submissions
 15:18 - Exploring alternative software solutions
 16:55 - Comparing Drake, ProConnect, Stanford Tax, Soroban, and Truss
 21:21 - Features of Soroban and AI document integration
 22:23 - Truss: All-in-one platform with robust features
 25:09 - Stanford Tax’s efficient work paper generation
 27:02 - The power of automation and AI in modern tax prep
 28:28 - Concerns with multiple platforms and risk diversification
 29:23 - The importance of starting lean and growing with tools
 30:52 - The value of tackling challenges step-by-step
 33:01 - Considering ProConnect and its features
 34:23 - Potential benefits of ProConnect’s auto-import
 35:40 - Personal insights on transitioning software and managing risk
 37:57 - Evolution of the firm: From Google Drive to advanced PM tools
 40:04 - Final thoughts: Keep it simple, start small, grow smart
 42:13 - Upcoming projects and personal life updates
 43:11 - Closing remarks and thank you to listeners

In this episode of The Fun CPA Podcast, Yuri sits down with Isaac Perdomo, CEO and founder of Opzer, to talk about automation, AI, and where accounting firms should actually start. 

Isaac shares why firms do not need to overhaul everything at once, and why the best place to begin is usually with the painful, repetitive work they are already doing every day. From client reminders to workflow tracking to simple AI-powered daily prep, the conversation focuses on practical ways firm owners can save time without making things more complicated. 

They also talk about the challenge of getting teams to adopt new tools, how to test automations safely, and why small improvements can make a real difference during tax season. It’s a practical conversation for firm owners who know they need better systems but are not sure where to begin. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Intro 

0:46 - Meet Isaac Perdomo 

1:44 - How Isaac got into accounting automation 

3:08 - Where firms should start with automation 

4:44 - Why accountants tolerate broken processes 

6:32 - Tax season pain points and client intake 

8:59 - Using automation to improve follow-up and workflow 

11:23 - How to test automations without breaking things 

12:30 - Why DIY automation can feel overwhelming 

15:18 - Choosing what is worth automating 

16:15 - Simple AI use cases for email and daily planning 

18:28 - Setting up Claude tasks and meeting prep 

24:26 - Isaac’s process for finding automation opportunities 

27:04 - Conferences, relationships, and accounting communities 

31:14 - Content, YouTube, and sharing what he is learning 

32:44 - Where to find Isaac and Opzer 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH ISAAC PERDOMO 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-perdomo/ 

Website: https://opzer.co/ 

Credit card points can feel like a complicated game, but for business owners with regular expenses, there can be real upside if the math makes sense. 

Yuri sits down with Nadia Groen, founder of Points Advisors, to break down how business owners can turn everyday spending into flights, hotel stays, and better travel experiences. They talk through Yuri’s actual credit card setup, how to think about fees versus rewards, why sticking to one points ecosystem can make life easier, and when it may or may not make sense to put taxes, contractors, or payroll on a card. 

They also get into travel flexibility, booking strategy, premium card perks, and why points are only valuable if you actually know how to use them. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Introduction 

1:13 - Meet Nadia Groen of Points Advisors 

2:24 - Why most people leave points on the table 

3:15 - How Nadia got into the points game 

5:30 - Flexibility, flights, and getting better redemptions 

8:04 - Yuri’s business credit card case study 

13:37 - Choosing the right card ecosystem 

18:12 - Should you pay a mortgage, taxes, or contractors with a card? 

23:35 - How far ahead to plan travel with points 

26:08 - Capital One, Chase, AmEx, and premium card tradeoffs 

30:34 - Why families may want to stay in one points ecosystem 

34:54 - Using points for lay-flat seats and better travel 

37:16 - Hotel points, Hyatt, Marriott, and redemption strategies 

40:18 - Are credit card points taxable? 

41:11 - How to connect with Nadia 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH NADIA GROEN 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-volkova/ 

Website: https://www.points-advisors.com 

Most people do not put “accounting” and “creative” in the same sentence. Drew Carrick has built a career doing exactly that.

Yuri sits down with Drew Carrick, also known as The Rapping CPA, to talk about how a public accounting career turned into rap videos, conference hosting, content strategy, and a bigger conversation about where the accounting profession is headed.

They get into Drew’s path from audit to entertainment, the story behind the Public Accounting Anthem, why originality matters, and how creative skills can become a real advantage in a profession that is being reshaped by AI. The big theme: as technology becomes table stakes, client experience, human connection, and personality are going to matter more than ever.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

1:12 - Yuri introduces Drew Carrick, The Rapping CPA

5:20 - Drew’s early influences and how rap entered the picture

11:03 - Writing original accounting music instead of only doing parodies

18:32 - Blending accounting, creativity, and personal brand

25:56 - Why Drew is leaning into strategy and experience

27:48 - How AI makes client experience more important for CPA firms

36:37 - What actually makes events memorable

44:17 - How Drew and Scotty created “Accounting Buddies”

50:09 - Where to find Drew online 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH DREW CARRICK

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewcarrick/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRappingCPA

 Pricing is one of the hardest conversations in the accounting profession, but the problem usually starts before the client ever pushes back. 

Yuri sits down with Carlos Garcia, co-founder of Reframe, to talk about value, confidence, communication, and why so many accountants underprice themselves even when they know they are delivering real results. 

They get into the mindset behind pricing, how to handle fee increase conversations, why niche positioning makes selling easier, and what firm owners need to understand about clients who see accounting as a cost versus an investment. 

Carlos also shares the story behind Reframe, his work helping accountants communicate with more confidence, and why community matters so much for firm owners building something on their own. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Intro 

0:54 - Meet Carlos Garcia 

5:01 - The accounting profession’s pricing problem 

7:13 - Why accountants undercharge 

9:31 - How to communicate value to clients 

13:00 - Competing on price vs. positioning 

18:21 - Why niching down does not shut every other door 

21:39 - Raising fees with existing clients 

29:20 - A mock fee increase conversation 

38:48 - Simple tax returns, minimum fees, and client fit 

46:20 - What Reframe is building for accountants 

54:14 - Carlos’ book and learning how to fail forward 

57:39 - Where to connect with Carlos 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH CARLOS GARCIA 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/failblazer/ 

Website: https://reframeaccounting.com/ 

Scaling a CPA firm sounds exciting until you hit the messy middle.

Yuri sits down with Anomaly CPA owners John Malone and Greg O’Brien to talk about what it actually takes to grow from a solo firm into a 40-person, multi-million-dollar operation.

They get into the early decisions that shaped Anomaly, why Greg moved away from the traditional hourly model, how John’s non-accounting background became an advantage, and why the $1M to $2M range can be one of the hardest stages for firm owners.

They also break down hiring ahead of growth, building a marketing engine, qualifying leads, pricing with recurring packages, using AI inside the firm, and why owners eventually have to stop being the hero if they want the team to scale.

If you’re building a firm and trying to decide whether to stay lean or push for something bigger, this conversation gives a real look at the tradeoffs.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Why owners become the bottleneck
 0:46 - Meet John Malone and Greg O’Brien of Anomaly CPA
 3:46 - Starting the firm and moving away from the traditional model
 6:01 - Taking on early work without building the wrong firm
 8:42 - How John and Greg partnered up
 12:10 - Why a non-accountant perspective helped the firm scale
 14:18 - Growing to 40 people and $4M+ in revenue
 17:17 - The “awkward teenage stage” between $1M and $2M
 22:18 - Hiring ahead of growth and protecting payroll
 27:17 - Building a digital marketing engine
 32:56 - Qualifying leads and filtering out bad-fit prospects
 36:26 - Why Anomaly uses monthly packages
 39:23 - How the team is implementing AI
 40:56 - Tech stack, ClickUp, Drake, and change management
 51:08 - What’s next for Anomaly CPA

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH GREG O’BRIEN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-o-brien-cpa-88a3472b/

Website: https://www.anomalycpa.com/team

CONNECT WITH JOHN MALONE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-malone-019ba827/

Website: https://www.anomalycpa.com/team

Yuri sits down with Mike Mazzanna to talk about the real path from big firm tax work to launching a solo CPA firm. 

Mike shares the 109-hour billable week that pushed him toward firm ownership, why flexibility mattered more than simply working fewer hours, and how he built his practice with contracting revenue, LinkedIn relationships, and a clear focus on systems. 

They also get into tax software decisions, ProConnect vs. Access, TaxDome workflows, client onboarding pain points, pricing goals, and why connecting with other accountants can be one of the best ways to grow a firm. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Introduction
 0:56 - Mike Mazzanna joins the show
 2:00 - Mike’s background and path into accounting
 4:32 - Moving from internal audit into tax
 6:25 - The 3 a.m. California return meeting
 8:16 - Why Mike wanted to start his own firm
 11:45 - Launching with a plan and avoiding bad clients
 14:38 - The LinkedIn post that brought early momentum
 18:17 - Moving from Drake to ProConnect
 20:47 - Why Mike started looking at Access
 25:50 - How to think about tax software decisions
 29:10 - Mike’s first full tax season as a solo firm owner
 31:33 - Practice management, TaxDome, and billing
 35:45 - Building workflows before automations
 37:07 - AI tools, Juno, and tax season pain points
 44:00 - Revenue goals and client retention
 45:51 - The value of accounting communities
 50:50 - Where to find Mike 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH Mike Mazzanna 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mazzanna-cpa/ 

Website: https://www.mazzcpa.com/ 

AI isn’t coming for tax. It’s already changing how tax professionals research, review, and deliver advice. 

Yuri sits down with Benjamin Alarie, tax law professor at the University of Toronto and founder of Blue J, to talk about the future of tax research, why AI became an existential question for him, and what it took to build a tax technology company long before AI became the thing everyone was talking about. 

They get into the differences between U.S. and Canadian tax systems, the reality of building a startup from academia, how Blue J raised a $122 million Series D, why culture matters so much in a growing tech company, and how small firms can use AI as a second set of eyes on tax work, advisory opportunities, and client questions. 

This is a nerdy tax conversation in the best possible way. 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Intro
 1:04 - Meet Benjamin Alarie
 3:12 - How Ben got into tax law
 6:18 - U.S. vs. Canadian tax systems
 11:49 - Why Ben started Blue J
 19:39 - Leaving academia to build a tech company
 29:15 - Raising capital and scaling Blue J
 32:26 - Building culture in a growing company
 43:02 - How Blue J is changing tax research
 53:03 - How small firms can use AI in tax work
 56:25 - Security, planning, and what’s next for Blue J
 1:00:45 - Where to find Ben and Blue J 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH BENJAMIN ALARIE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aitaxman/?originalSubdomain=ca 

Website: https://www.bluej.com/