Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

What does the data actually say about where accounting firms are headed? Blake Oliver talks with Chelsea Summers of Inside Public Accounting about the real numbers behind firm performance, pricing, staffing, offshoring, advisory growth, and AI adoption. You’ll hear why top firms aren’t just working people harder, how offshore teams are boosting margins, and why hourly billing may be the biggest obstacle to using technology well.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 112 (04:45) - Advisory vs compliance mix (09:40) - Capacity and burnout signals (18:27) - Pricing models and billable hour (25:08) - AI ROI and adoption blockers (29:37) - About IPA and closing Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Chelsea SummersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseasummers620/Learn more about Inside Public Accountinghttp://insidepublicaccounting.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Blake sits down with Lawrence Zlatkin, VP of Tax at Coinbase, to unpack the state of crypto taxation. From how the IRS treats digital assets as property to the new 1099-DA, stablecoin reporting burdens, and the policy changes Coinbase is pushing for in Washington, this episode covers what tax pros need to know now and where the rules may be headed next.Chapters(00:00) - EAP 111 (02:11) - What is Form 1099-DA (03:08) - Reconciling 1099 data (03:53) - Why cost basis matters (08:29) - IRS use of gross proceeds (12:44) - Crypto tax basics (14:07) - Staking and 1099-MISC (15:36) - Stablecoins as property (17:43) - Reporting thresholds and privacy (22:42) - Policy priorities in DC (23:47) - De minimis and admin burden (28:34) - Charity and appraisal rules (30:15) - Foreign investment safe harbors (32:20) - Why Congress moves slowly (34:56) - Wrap-up and thanks Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest Lawrence Zlatin https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-zlatkin-880417bLearn more about Coinbasehttps://www.coinbase.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

What really happens after private equity buys your CPA firm? ParkerGale partner Devin Mathews joins Blake to unpack why partners cheer while staff chafe, how PE drives returns (bill rates, utilization, acquisitions), and what managers should demand: a clear value‑creation plan and a path to upside. They also dig into AI’s true impact—raising the ceiling, squeezing entry‑level work—and why this might be your cue to start an AI‑first firm.Chapters(00:00) - Private Equity Meets AI (02:04) - Survey Shock Partners vs Staff (04:18) - How PE Boosts Profits (06:17) - Culture Clash and KPIs (09:29) - The New Owner Speech (23:15) - Lessons From Vets and Dentists (25:50) - Pricing Power and Workload (26:39) - How Firms Decide to Sell (27:12) - Deal Tensions Surface (27:25) - LOI And Data Deep Dive (28:20) - Pricing Pressure And Client Cuts (29:48) - Spreadsheet Management Shock (33:20) - Career Paths And Trust (35:02) - Demand The Value Plan (37:13) - Three Problems To Fix (40:00) - AI Threat Or Tailwind (41:35) - AI Reality Check (45:17) - Entry Level Gets Harder (48:47) - Start An AI First Firm (50:56) - Podcast And Farewell Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Devin MathewsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinmathewsLearn more about ParkerGalehttps://www.parkergale.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Elizabeth Biestrom, President of Tax and Accounting Professionals at Thomson Reuters, and Kirat Sekhon, Head of Product Engineering for Tax, discuss the future of tax automation. They cover how AI is transforming workflows, emphasizing the shift from desktop to cloud and the importance of customer-centric technology. The conversation reveals plans to automate document intake and how tools like SafeSend enhance efficiency. They also explore turning tax prep into advisory opportunities and the role of AI in empowering young accountants to deliver insights sooner.

In this discussion, Kyle Ashcraft, CPA and founder of Maxwell CPA Review, explores how accountants can harness AI, specifically Cursor and Python, to supercharge their Excel workflows. He highlights the gap in AI adoption among professionals and introduces vibe coding—a simplified coding approach. Kyle provides live demonstrations, showing how to clean messy spreadsheets and automate tasks while addressing data privacy concerns. He shares ready-to-use scripts, empowering listeners to reclaim valuable hours in their workweek.

Are you auditing at the speed of risk? Richard Chambers—50-year internal audit veteran and AuditBoard advisor—joins Blake to map the path forward. Hear why AI now ranks as risk #1, how to build continuous risk monitoring, and what “independence, not isolation” means for the three-lines model. Learn where CAEs should start with AI (risk assessment, analysis, reporting), how to audit culture and AI governance, and how to earn audit committee trust with no surprises.Chapters(01:37) - Richard Chambers' Career Journey (03:15) - Evolution of Internal Audit (05:34) - Emerging Risks in Internal Audit (08:13) - AI and Cybersecurity Challenges (10:51) - Continuous Risk Monitoring (25:30) - Connected Risk and AI Integration (27:42) - Introduction to the Three Lines of Defense (30:01) - Evolution to the Three Lines Model (31:18) - Connected Risk and Collaboration (32:08) - AI's Impact on Risk Management (35:20) - AI in Internal Audit: Opportunities and Challenges (40:32) - The Human Element in Internal Audit (44:40) - The Future of Internal Audit and AI (54:00) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Richard ChambersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chambers-a5108914/Twitter: https://x.com/rfchambersWebsite: https://auditboard.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Live from Boston on the final stop of the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with James Erving from Fathom and Chris Macksey from Prix Fixe Accounting to explore what advisory services really mean beyond bookkeeping and compliance. Chris shares how his firm requires advisory for all restaurant clients, using industry expertise and operational metrics to guide decisions on everything from menu pricing to expansion timing. The conversation covers the difference between delivering information versus being integral to decision-making, with insights on forecasting, benchmarking, and why visual KPIs help clients with low financial literacy understand their business performance.Chapters(00:22) - Welcome to the Earmark Podcast (01:15) - Prix Fixe Accounting: A Niche in Hospitality (02:25) - Advisory Services in the Restaurant Industry (06:20) - Forecasting and Budgeting for Restaurants (06:59) - Getting Started with Advisory Services (13:40) - Defining Advisory Services (17:35) - The Value of Metrics and Visuals (25:24) - Advice for Firms Starting Advisory Services (27:40) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests: James ErvingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameserving/Learn more about FathomOfficial website: http://fathomhq.comChris MackseyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmacksey/Learn more about Prix Fixe AccountingOfficial website: https://prixfixe.accountants/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

On the fifth stop of the Advisory Amplified tour in Atlanta, Blake sits down with Lisa Gilreath of Acuity and Valerie Heckman of OnPay to discuss what empathetic leadership actually looks like in an industry notorious for long hours and tight deadlines. The conversation covers everything from recognizing when team members are struggling to handling toxic high performers, with real talk about building slack into capacity planning and why unused PTO is a red flag. Lisa and Valerie share concrete steps for creating a culture where people feel supported enough to lean in when it matters most.Chapters(01:17) - Defining Empathy in Accounting (02:24) - Implementing Processes to Reduce Stress (03:26) - Balancing Workloads and Mental Health (10:15) - Client Relationships and Empathy (16:42) - Adapting to Change and Hiring for the Future (19:07) - Using Data to Spot Problems Early (24:35) - Handling Toxic High Performers (26:22) - Practical Tips for Leading with Empathy (30:55) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Valerie HeckmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieheckman/Learn more about OnPayOfficial website: https://onpay.comLisa GilreathLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-gilreath-2ba506a/Learn more about SorrenOfficial website: https://sorren.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Live from Austin on the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with Madeline Reeves of Fearless Foundry and Wesley McDonald of Relay to explore what it truly means to be a renegade in accounting: firms that lead clients to somewhere new rather than settle for "the way things have always been done." The conversation explores why top firms aren't afraid to say no to the wrong clients, how transparency in compensation and career pathways can address the talent crisis, and the hard-won lessons learned about building cultures of collaboration over competition.Chapters(00:37) - Defining a Renegade Firm (02:18) - Innovative Client Experiences (03:56) - Modern Banking and Accounting (08:03) - Aligning Business Values (10:47) - Renegade Firm Values (12:55) - Innovative Leadership and Career Paths (26:57) - Mistakes and Lessons Learned (32:57) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Madeline ReevesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/Learn more about Fearless FoundryOfficial website: http://www.fearlessfoundry.comWesley McDonaldLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmcdonald48/?originalSubdomain=ca Learn more about RelayOfficial website: https://relayfi.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Blake sits down with Mary Delaney, CEO of Karbon, and Kenji Kuramoto, co-founder of Acuity, to explore how standardizing workflows can unlock growth without sacrificing the artistry of advisory work. They discuss Karbon's acquisition of Aider, the power of time studies to identify automation opportunities, and why getting senior advisors to embrace process requires framing workflow as empowerment rather than micromanagement. Kenji shares lessons from building Acuity's advisory practice and why workflow due diligence became critical during their 14-firm merger with Sorren.Chapters(01:14) - Introducing the Guests: Mary Delaney and Kenji Kuramoto (01:31) - Big News: Carbon's Acquisition of ER (02:41) - Defining Workflow Revolution in Small Firms (04:35) - Kenji's Journey: From Big Four to Acuity (07:03) - Challenges in Building Advisory Workflows (08:59) - Empowering Teams Through Workflow (17:46) - The Importance of Time Studies (19:14) - Kenji's Hands-On Approach to Workflow (25:16) - The Role of Workflow in Mergers and Acquisitions (28:08) - AI and the Future of Workflow in Accounting (30:39) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Mary DelaneyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marywdelaney/Learn more about KarbonOfficial website: http://karbonhq.comKenji KuramotoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenjikuramoto/Learn more about AcuityOfficial website: https://acuity.coConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/