Mike Maksymiw, better known as Mike Max, lives for change. On Episode 249 of The Unique CPA, he talks to Randy about how in a profession often defined by tradition, he's been willing to "poke the bear" and challenge long-held assumptions. His leadership at Aprio Firm Alliance is marked by a drive to create real progress on issues like DEI, work-life harmony, and value-based work, and he shares candid reflections on what it takes to move an entire profession forward. Whether it's questioning the status quo or finding creative solutions where others see roadblocks, Mike's passion for helping others and his belief in the power of collaboration shine through, and this episode offers a glimpse into the mindset of someone determined to leave the accounting world better than he found it.

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Heath Alloway, growth partner at Sorren, returns to The Unique CPA on Episode 248 for a dynamic conversation with Randy about the evolving landscape of accounting firms and the power of intentional culture. Heath shares the story behind Soren's formation, a merger of thirteen firms driven by a vision for people-first leadership and meaningful growth. Although heavily focused on business development in his own role, Heath's focus here is on how advisory, leadership retreats, and an "attitude of gratitude" can sustainably transform both firms and individuals. Reflecting on the profession's capacity to give back more than you put into it, Heath and Randy mull over the challenges of integrating distinct cultures as well as the importance of vulnerability and connection, with their unifying trait being a genuine passion for helping others thrive in accounting and beyond.

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Shawn Minard and Jeremy Jones join Randy Crabtree to pull back the curtain on Frazier & Deeter's approach to growth, culture, and leadership on Episode 247 of The Unique CPA. As the firm expands through private equity and acquisitions, the conversation moves beyond numbers to the real work of integrating people and ideas. Shawn describes how "stay interviews" and a flexible, opt-in leadership program have become cornerstones of their people-first philosophy, while Jeremy discusses the challenges of maintaining high standards, embracing flexible work, and prioritizing entrepreneurial thinking. Together, they weigh the value of emotional intelligence against technical skills, and consider how a flat leadership model can thrive in a 700-person firm. The result is a candid look at how culture and adaptability shape the future of accounting.

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Mark Koziel's first year as AICPA President and CEO has been anything but quiet. He tells Randy Crabtree on Episode 246 of The Unique CPA that nine days into his tenure, Ohio became the first state to roll back the 150-hour requirement, setting off a chain reaction across the profession. Then came the "Big Beautiful Bill" with provisions that could have devastated pass-through entities, followed by Florida's deregulation attempt, IRS commissioner turnover, and a 43-day government shutdown. Through it all, Koziel maintains an infectious optimism about accounting's future. He pushes back against the narrative that AI will replace accountants, pointing to decades of similar fears about calculators, spreadsheets, and blockchain. The real challenge? Telling a better story about a profession that touches every corner of the economy. From his perspective on value-based pricing to his vision for the Rise 2040 initiative, Koziel makes the case that accountants remain the trusted guardians of financial information, and that this legacy is worth protecting.

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Kathleen Burns Kingsbury joins Randy Crabtree on Episode 245 of The Unique CPA for a candid conversation about the hidden forces shaping how professionals, particularly women, perceive and communicate their worth. Drawing on her journey from FDIC bank examiner to wealth psychology expert, Kathleen unpacks the cultural and personal barriers that keep so many from asking for what they deserve. The author of Breaking Money Silence, now in its second edition, Kathleen shows you how building confidence, embracing value-based pricing, discovering the power of niche expertise, and shifting one's mindset can transform both career and personal fulfillment. Weaving in stories of her own missteps and breakthroughs, Kathleen's passion for empowering others shines through a conversation that's as energizing as it is insightful.

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Adam Lean's journey from disenchanted accountant to entrepreneurial advisor takes center stage as he reveals how a simple desire to help business owners understand their numbers sparked the creation of the CFO Project on Episode 244 of The Unique CPA. Follow Adam from late-night e-commerce hustle to the formation of a productized CFO advisory service, designed to eliminate scope creep and empower accountants to deliver real value. As Randy's prompts unpack the pitfalls of commoditized compliance work, the "Accountants Trap," and the mindset shifts required to move from tax prep to trusted advisor, Adam shares a candid look at the challenges, and most importantly the rewards, of advisory work.

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Kaitlin Borncamp left a promising Big Four accounting career to become a certified nutritional therapy practitioner, but she didn't just change jobs, she redefined what it means to thrive in a demanding profession. Kaitlin joins Randy Crabtree on Episode 243 of The Unique CPA to share how her own struggles with burnout and unhealthy habits led her to champion the brain as an accounting professional's greatest asset. From the realities of stress, to the hidden costs of ignoring your wellbeing, and the practical steps professionals can take to fuel both body and mind, Kaitlin's journey offers a blueprint for anyone ready to trade exhaustion for energy and purpose, one that is simple enough in scope to start following today as you gain a holistic understanding about how to sustainably focus on your health.

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Alan Whitman, former CEO of Baker Tilly, returns on Episode 242 of The Unique CPA to share the hard-won insights behind his new book, Break the Mold: How to Achieve Transformational Change, Scale and Grow Simultaneously. In a candid conversation with Randy Crabtree, Alan unpacks the real challenges of leading a firm through rapid growth and cultural reinvention, where trust and transparency mean everything and can ultimately make or break a vision. He reveals why strategy must be more than a buzzword, and how shifting from vertical silos to a unified, horizontal organization unlocks potential. "Cross-selling" is such a limiting concept, and Alan stresses that delivering true client value is what firms need to be focusing on. His stories, from tough retirement plan decisions to building engines for organic growth, offer a rare, practical roadmap for leaders ready to reimagine what's possible in the accounting profession.

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Dominic Piscopo didn't set out to disrupt the accounting world, he just wanted to know if he was being paid fairly. That simple question led him from pen-and-paper salary surveys at Deloitte to building Big 4 Transparency, a crowdsourced database now relied on by countless people in accounting. On Episode 241 of The Unique CPA, Dominic talks to Randy about how a weekend project snowballed into a vital resource for accountants, empowering individuals to advocate for themselves and helping firms confront the "loyalty tax" that drives talent away. He outlines the surprising power of open data, with openness a key to why he refuses to put a paywall between accountants and the information they need. Dominic has pushed through the challenges he's faced in the project with trust and accuracy in the data and has ultimately forged a truly useful tool for the profession.

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President and CEO of the Illinois CPA Society Geof Brown returns to The Unique CPA for Episode 240, bringing with him the results of a bold research initiative that set out to map the "readiness divide" between new accountants and their managers. Geof describes the moment when scattered frustrations from firm leaders, young professionals, and academics converged, prompting his team to launch a survey to cut through assumptions and capture real, useful, hard data. The results reveal a landscape where early-career accountants overestimate their skills, especially in communication and professionalism, while managers struggle to deliver feedback that is actually feedback and not just criticism. Generational friction, missed signals, and the surprising gap between digital fluency and workplace tech are at the forefront of Geof's findings, and he explores how mentorship, intentional onboarding, and a shift toward real-world skill-building can transform the profession, offering a blueprint for growth that's as much about empathy as expertise, particularly as "soft skills" become ever more important tools.

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