Journal of Accountancy Podcast

Making a run to the Super Bowl never gets old. That's one of the messages that Dan Crumb, CPA, CGMA, the CFO of the Kansas City Chiefs, shares in this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast. The team has qualified for the Super Bowl three of the past four seasons, and Crumb encourages the members of his finance team to "step back and soak this moment in" — in between doing extra work in advance of Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.

Steve Ursillo, CPA/CITP, CGMA, is a partner in the Risk & Accounting Advisory Group at Cherry Bekaert and the firm's national leader of information assurance and cybersecurity. He explains much about digital assets and the threats that digital asset owners must guard against. Cyberattacks are on the rise, including attacks focused on digital assets In this podcast episode, Ursillo explains the threat landscape and offers advice on the safeguards that organizations should have in place to prevent the theft of digital assets.

Jody Grunden, CPA, the co-founder and CEO of Summit CPA Group, isn't afraid to fail — he says he's done it many times over the years. The firm, now part of Anders CPAs + Advisors thanks to a 2022 merger, is an innovator in several aspects of client billing and payment, from getting away from paper checks to escaping the "rat race" of hourly billing. Grunden, the author of two books, explains on this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast some about Summit's journey, why his co-founder at first was against a move to remote work, and why his approach to risk is more about developing a workaround than deciding to retreat.

Consternation and chaos are two of the words used to describe some of the reactions to IRS updates related to Schedules K-2 and K-3. On this collaboration episode with the Tax Section Odyssey podcast, CPAs Tim Chan of KPMG and David Sites of Grant Thornton talk about the particulars with April Walker, CPA, CGMA, lead manager–Tax Practice & Ethics for AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Orumé Hays, CPA, CGMA, didn't follow a traditional path to owning an accounting practice. From Africa to the Big Apple, she blazed a trail all her own. Raised in Nigeria, Hays moved to Miami with a college degree in sociology and anthropology and a budding career in modeling and acting. Her pursuit of Hollywood stardom peaked with appearances in the 1996 movie The Birdcage. She then discovered a new passion. Pursuing education and experience, she built her accounting career and launched her own firm in New York City.

On Wednesday, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins delivered an annual report to Congress, saying that the IRS is in better shape than at this time a year ago. Now, to talk more about those issues and offer advice for taxpayers and tax practitioners, Collins is appearing on the Journal of Accountancy podcast. The interview was recorded Dec. 20.

In November, Paul Young, CPA, CGMA, senior executive vice president and CFO at Liberty Bank, was part of the formal recognition by the Department of Labor of the AICPA's Registered Apprenticeship for Finance Business Partners program. His company has been an early adopter of the program, and he's an advocate of its value. On this episode of the Journal of Accountancy podcast, Young speaks about the program, the questions he's getting from other CFOs, and what he sees as the program's future in addressing talent concerns.

Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA, chief transformation officer at the firm BPM, reflects on two recent conferences and shares thoughts on what might be next for remote work. The conversation also touches on her hopes for 2023, including the importance of addressing change fatigue and rebuilding relationships. Here are links to Stevenson's previous appearances on the JofA podcast: "You Can't Transform Without Missteps" in May 2022. "How to Keep Fear From Short-Circuiting Your Career" in June 2019.

When Jeannine K. Brown was a Journal of Accountancy podcast guest in September, she talked about the need for organizations to create a sense of psychological safety for employees. A few weeks back, after she had spoken at the Future of Finance Summit in Austin, Texas, Brown said that personal well-being and professional development were two vital activities that at times were neglected by people and organizations the past few years. Brown, the founder and CEO of Everyday Lead, hopes that neglect can be changed in the coming year, with employers taking the lead by showing they care about the lives and development of employees.

With the pace of change accelerating on numerous fronts, finance leaders are aiming to stay ahead on trends such as hybrid work, lack of talent, and other issues. A group shared ideas and hopes for the future at the Future of Finance Summit last week in Austin, Texas, and this podcast episode summarizes the key thoughts that emerged from the event. The speakers in this episode are, in order: Shifra Kolsky, CPA, CGMA, the chief accounting officer and controller at Discover Financial Services; Barry Melancon, CPA, CGMA, the CEO of AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants; Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA/CITP, CGMA, the founder of KET Solutions and a former AICPA chair; and Tom Hood, CPA/CITP, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA's executive vice president–Business Engagement & Growth.