CPA Life

Neil Barrow returns for part 2 of his special double CPA Life episode to unpack the realities of business development beyond buzzwords. John steers the conversation from the pitfalls of hiring for growth without a plan, to the delicate dance of balancing capacity and opportunity within your firm, and Neil's philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: keep things simple, focus on relationships, and don't lose sight of w...

John Randolph returns to the mic to sit down with Neil Barrow, founder of EnabledBD, on Episode 84 of CPA Life. Together, they unravel the real mechanics of business development in CPA firms, as Neil draws on his journey from structured software sales to the unpredictable world of accounting firm growth. Challenging the myth that business development is just about sales or personality, Neil frames it as a skill: one th...

We look back at John Randolph's conversation with Roman Villard, co-founder of Full Send Finance, on Episode 83 of CPA Life. Sharing his journey from finance major to starting his own firm, Roman emphasizes the importance of a culture-forward approach and how that helped Full Send shoot out of the blocks, growing from zero to 12 full-time employees in just over two years. Roman leveraged technology to great effect, par...

Tired of endless 80-hour weeks? Chris Vanover is the President and Chief Auditor at CPAClub, formerly AuditClub, and on this special CPA Life Rewind Episode 82, he talks to John Randolph about how he and his team aim to give firms flexible access to experts on demand. Having started AuditClub in January 2022, Chris rebranded to CPAClub in November 2023 as the available services expanded, but the commitment remains the ...

Zane Stevens co-founded Protea Financial, an accounting firm focused on the wine industry, and it was remote from the beginning. We look back on his conversation with John Randolph on this special CPA Life Rewind Episode 81 about how this allowed him to treat employees like adults and provide flexibility in their roles. He also emphasizes the benefits of niche focus, arguing that firms that try to be everything to ever...

We take a look back at John Randolph's conversation with Liz Farr, host of The Disruptors Podcast on CPA Trendlines, on CPA Life Rewind Episode 80. Liz's insights on innovative practices in accounting, the talent pipeline, modern methods and more, are things you simply don't want to miss. So whether you caught Liz's appearance the first time around or not, stay tuned for expertise on the profession that you're not like...

For Episode 79 of CPA Life, a different sort of show: John Randolph and producer Justin Grant take a candid look at the evolution of the podcast itself. John, inspired by his recent break from social media, reflects on the boundary setting, creating margins for yourself, finding joy both inside and outside of work, and what productivity actually is and means. From stories about aligning personal values with professiona...

Check out this edition of CPA Life Rewind, as we reflect on John Randolph's conversation with Matt Patrick, the president and founder of Patrick Accounting and Whirks. They discuss the vision Matt has executed to build a modern, efficient, people-centric accounting firm. While focusing on the importance of retaining great employees, creating a family-friendly work environment, and developing a sustainable business mode...

John Randolph picks up part 2 of his conversation with Nate Goodman, founder of Goodman CPA, on Episode 77 of CPA Life. Diving deeper into the bold decisions and core values shaping his firm's future, Nate discusses the challenges and rewards of moving away from traditional tax compliance work, the importance of building the right team, how faith and family guide every step, and more. Nate is candid about letting go of...

Nate Goodman's path from church ministry to leading a fast-growing accounting firm is anything but ordinary. Episode 76 of CPA Life kicks off part one of John Randolph's two-part sitdown with Nate, the founder and president of Goodman CPA, to unpack how his faith, passion for helping others, and commitment to God's purpose have shaped his mission to challenge the status quo and build a people-first, purpose-driven prac...

What happens when a CPA firm ditches tradition and builds everything around people, purpose, and possibility? Sarah Jones, founder of Sarah Jones CPA, joins John Randolph on Episode 75 of CPA Life, and she reveals how a small-town mindset, bold leadership, and a dash of hot pink can transform the accounting world. From rethinking value to embracing remote work and radical clarity, this conversation is a candid look at ...

We look back at John Randolph's conversation with Anshul Chawla, Director of Corporate Development at Chawla & Chawla, on CPA Life Rewind Episode 74. From working at Big Four firms and in private equity, to returning to his family-run CPA firm, Anshul has a deep, varied perspective on accounting, and he is full of useful thoughts about what you can do to improve your firm's efficiency, culture, and talent acquisition a...

CPA Life Rewind features accounting firm coach Geraldine Carter this week, as we look back on the highlights of her two-part conversation with John Randolph on Episode 73. With a background in engineering, Geraldine's experience in founding her own business led her to realize the challenges many CPAs face as business owners themselves. She talks about how to simplify your practice and create value for your clients that...

CPA Life welcomes Yuri Kapilovich, #TheFunCPA, back to the podcast to talk to host John Randolph about his newly created Mentors Count community. The managing partner of Kapilovich & Associates, Yuri saw the need for mentors in public accounting due to the decline of available time and the pipeline problem within the industry, so he founded Mentors Count to serve as a community where up and coming accountants could go ...

John Randolph sits down with Joy Lutz, founder and CEO of Aligned CPA in Lake City, Florida, on Episode 71 of CPA Life. Joy has been "right behind the trailblazers" in the profession as she's grown her firm from two to eight employees within the past four years, and the knowledge and experience she's gained are keys to this discussion. Joy has placed Aligned's focus directly on helping service-based businesses simplify...

Matt Patrick, the president and founder of Patrick Accounting and Whirks, has felt called to entrepreneurship since a remarkable sequence of events that occurred early on in his initially very traditional career. He joins John Randolph on Episode 70 of CPA Life to discuss the vision he's executed to build a modern, efficient, people-centric accounting firm. While focusing on the importance of retaining great employees,...

Ronnie Withaeger's journey in Accounting has led him to currently running five businesses, including a sauna, and he talks to John Randolph about doing things his way on Episode 69 of CPA Life. The owner and founder of Ronald Withaeger CPA in Las Vegas, Ronnie started his career at a traditional firm but ultimately established his own practice focused on family-friendly, sustainable growth, and he shares his insights t...

John Randolph dives deep into a discussion on reshaping the public accounting space with Chris Williams, owner and CEO of System Six, on Episode 68 of CPA Life. A remote, cloud-based accounting firm, System Six's culture-driven, employee-focused environment serves as a model for balancing employees' professional growth with their personal lives. They delve into the dynamics of private equity in professional services an...

John Randolph concludes his conversation with Rob Brown of Accounting Influencers on Episode 67 of CPA Life. Focusing on talent and leadership in accounting from multiple perspectives, they delve into the need for entrepreneurial spirit, and the importance of taking risks and overcoming the fear of judgment. They analyze the pandemic-induced shift to remote and hybrid working, noting that while it's clearly better for ...