Join host John Randolph on Episode 55 of CPA Life, as he talks to James Rainwater, founder of RainwaterCPA, about his journey and unique approach to public accounting. James discusses his non-traditional career path, how he ultimately discovered he prefers the public accounting space over private, and the evolution of his fully remote firm, which is in its second iteration after James founded a much more traditionally focused firm over 20 years ago. Emphasizing the benefits of a nationwide client base, subscription-based pricing, and intentional communication within a geographically dispersed team, James also shares insights on incorporating social media for client acquisition and the importance of flexibility in building a successful, people-focused CPA firm.

Eric Joern started his accounting career at James Hamlin & Co., a traditional firm founded in the 1960s in Antioch, Illinois, right out of college. He joins John Randolph on Episode 54 of CPA Life to talk about his role in transforming that firm into Kaizen CPAs and Advisors, where he now serves as Partner. Doing away with traditional CPA practices to focus on team wellbeing, sustainability, and national impact, Eric shares his journey, the firm’s rebranding efforts, and strategies for maintaining a balanced work environment. With a roughly 50/50 split between in-office and remote workers, systems and processes are key to Kaizen’s success, and maintaining cultural cohesion within the firm, a top priority, highlighting the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and

John Randolph talks with Kelly Rohrs, owner and founder of Kelly A. Rohrs CPA, who shares her journey to building a sustainable and flexible accounting firm, on Episode 53 of CPA Life. Having been recognized by CPA Practice Advisors on their Top 40 Under 40 list, Kelly discusses her transition from a traditional firm to launching her own practice amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, implementing modern software solutions, and the importance of community in helping you navigate your journey, especially so you don’t end up bringing all the bad habits and inefficient processes over to your own venture. In order to grease the skids for accounting firm owners to do just that, Kelly established Fiscal Minds to help accountants network

Dominic Piscopo’s journey in accounting started at a Big Four firm in Canada, where he discovered his firm was paying its employees well below the average in his area. He talks to John Randolph on Episode 52 of CPA Life about how that experience, among others, led to him launching Big 4 Transparency, a platform which tracks salary data in the profession. Although Big 4 Transparency started as a community project, Dom has transformed it into a full-time venture, and he talks about what he feels is his social responsibility to supply this information for free to the community while taking on firm clients who want to understand where their offerings stand in the marketplace. Underscoring the strategic use of timely data to attract and retain talent, Dom talks about how

Chris Papin returns to CPA Life’s Episode 51 for Part 2 of his conversation with host John Randolph. Their discussion shifts focus towards effective communication, training, and adapting to new technologies in accounting firms. Touching on the challenge inherent in teaching communication skills in a technical field like accounting, Chris stresses the importance of aligning that pedagogy with both internal and client expectations. But underscoring everything, most importantly, is the human element, something that cannot and will not ever be provided by the tech tools that accountants nevertheless need to adopt. Indeed, fostering those connections has been made easier through technology, and they will be more important than ever as the profession continues to

CPA Life’s 50 episode milestone marks the beginning of a conversation between John Randolph and Chris Papin, owner and founder of Papin CPA in Edmond, Oklahoma. Discussing the transition from traditional to modern CPA practices, Chris prioritizes sustainability, employee well-being, and client needs. He shares insights into his firm’s growth, innovation in technology, and the challenges of balancing technical skills with client-facing roles. Looking to flexibility as a way to bridge those areas, Chris has looked to unorthodox schedules, remote work, and offshoring as solutions as he’s overseen his payroll doubling in size. Don’t miss part 1 of this two part discussion on how embracing modern practices and technological advancements can help you foster a successful firm

Veteran accounting journalist and consultant Seth Feinberg rejoins John Randolph for part two of their conversation on Episode 49 of CPA Life. They pick back up on the closing theme of the first episode, that accounting’s image problem is largely self-made, and changes need to be made to solve the pipeline issues and other pressing matters within the profession at the macro level. Seth also touches on more focused topics: purposeful marketing in the social media age, the importance of firm culture, and the necessity of stressing the value accountants bring to their clients. The thread throughout Seth’s insights is one of authenticity and trust: Two things that are vital in ensuring any individual accountant’s—or any firm’s—success in the market.

Seth Fineberg spent more than 20 years as an accounting journalist before founding Accountants Forward and consulting with professionals looking to improve their firm and career prospects. He and host John Randolph engage in part one of a dynamic conversation on Episode 48 of CPA Life, centered around going beyond raw numbers and looking at the reality of the landscape in public accounting. Emphasizing the need for cultural change and the importance of work-life balance, Seth highlights the profession’s shift towards more holistic development, including mental health and leadership, a shift which John states had to happen given the unique environment younger generations have grown up in. Seth makes conferences a focal point, Bridging the Gap in particular, which is where he

Part 2 of John Randolph’s special episode featuring Jeremy Clopton and Heath Alloway of Upstream Academy and the Upstream Leader Podcast continues, as the trio pick up their discussion of intentionality, a theme which runs through so many threads in the accounting profession. Intentionality is central to their discussions about creating firm culture, the value of deliberate planning, and the importance of effective mentorship. They emphasize that meaningful relationships and culture require intentional effort, even in a post-pandemic, hybrid work environment, also highlighting the importance of focusing on the right work, the right clients, and the right leadership style, best achieved through coaching and feedback. Among the ways to implement these themes successfully is by

Jeremy Clopton and Heath Alloway of Upstream Academy and The Upstream Leader Podcast join host John Randolph to discuss innovation and sustainable careers in public accounting on Episode 46, part one of a special two part episode. As influential thought leaders with more than a quarter of a century of accounting experience between them, Jeremy and Heath stress the importance of intentional leadership, creating a vision and culture that you actually stick to, and fostering a sense of community within your firm. John brings insights that connect with his Talent + Advisory offering, particularly focusing on the need for intentionality in leadership. They all emphasize how important it is for leaders to take ownership, be purposeful, and connect with their teams to drive engagement and

Episode 45 of the CPA Life Podcast features Anshul Chawla, Director of Corporate Development at Chawla & Chawla, PC, in conversation with John Randolph about his journey through public accounting and private equity. From working at Big Four firms and a private equity firm to returning to his family-run CPA firm after experience gained there as a child, Anshul discusses modernizing the firm, enhancing employee experience, the value of communication, and integrating younger talent. He also provides insights on navigating the influx of private equity into the profession, emphasizing the importance of maintaining firm culture amidst the potential for such rapid growth and change.

Liz Farr has had a remarkable life’s journey from a childhood where she learned accounting principles, to many years later taking a tax preparation class, then working as an accountant navigating chaotic tax seasons, to finally, becoming a successful ghostwriter and podcast host. Join John Randolph on Episode 44 of CPA Life as he gleans insights from Liz’s time in and around the accounting profession. She shares insights on modern accounting challenges, talent issues, and innovative practices for sustainable, people-centric firms in today’s world.

John Randolph and Ron Baker dive back into part 2 of their discussion on Episode 43 of CPA Life, covering the challenges faced by CPAs, such as the moral injury the profession inflicts, the shift from fee-for-service to the subscription model, client advisory services, and more. They discuss the importance of niche expertise, the value of transformations over transactional services, and strategies for retaining talent in your firm. Discover how advisory services are evolving and the potential for the subscription-based model to elevate the profession, with insights on improving the profession while enhancing client relationships.

Ron Baker is a pioneer in the field of modern accounting. He joins John Randolph for this first installment of a special two part episode of CPA Life, and the two delve deep into the groundbreaking topics of value and subscription-based pricing and client advisory services that are reshaping the landscape of public accounting. An advocate for getting free of traditional timekeeping since 1989, Ron has written eight books on this and other topics, and given his experience at a Big Four firm early in his career, he soon realized that the underpinnings of the issues facing the profession all come back to keeping time, what he calls “plunging a ruler into the oven to check the temperature—it’s the wrong measuring stick.” 

On Episode 41 of CPA Life, rejoin host John Randolph for part two of his conversation with Jeff Bartsch of Story Greenlight, as they delve deeper into the significance of storytelling within the accounting industry. Learn about the impact of crafting authentic narratives about you and your firm, and discover the benefits of being personal and intentional in your communication, with a focus on social media and creating human connection. Jeff shares invaluable insights into the learning processes of accounting professionals, revealing how embracing storytelling can elevate your firm’s internal and external branding.

Jeff Bartsch began his career in Hollywood before founding Story Greenlight, where he coaches CPA firms on how best to present the story of who they are. He joins John Randolph on Episode 40 of CPA Life, part one of a two part episode, to discuss how accounting professionals can differentiate themselves through communication and thought leadership, stressing the power of storytelling. Jeff emphasizes the importance of connecting with others and elevating messages from the ordinary to the extraordinary, highlighting the role of storytelling in creating trust and empathy. He provides insights into how to become an effective thought leader, also touching on the process of mastering skills and conveying messages authentically.

John Randolph resumes his conversation with Jason Blumer of Thriveal and Blumer CPAs on Episode 39 of CPA Life. Continuing their focus on strategies for firm growth, they tackle the complex problem of team management in the modern, often remote-based accounting world, stressing that leadership comes from the relationship leaders have with their charges, and that time spent cultivating that relationship has a far better return on investment in most cases than client work. Niching also plays a key role in maximizing any firm’s potential, while often being a rewarding, interesting path to take.

Jason Blumer, CEO of Blumer CPAs and Thriveal, joins John Randolph for part one of their conversation on Episode 38 of CPA Life. Discussing his journey of building a sustainable CPA firm and the importance of intentional leadership, Jason explains that he made a lot of mistakes and had a lot of wrong ideas about entrepreneurship, which informs his desire to guide entrepreneurs with intentionality so they don’t make those same mistakes. Jason stresses, and John agrees, that community-driven culture is a key to firm growth and employee satisfaction, the details of which they discuss at length, with a lead-in to part two, which airs May 22nd, 2024.