today's features

grow leaders to transform accounting

letter blocks flip between the words "lead" and "learn"

create a culture where leadership can be learned and practiced.

by donny c. shimamoto

series note: this article is part of a series of articles inspired by “joy, inc.”, written by richard sheridan, cofounder and ceo of menlo innovations. while his book is about the software industry, there are many direct analogies applicable to the accounting profession. we must #transformaccounting and bring joy back into the work we do to sustainably address our profession’s people crisis.

when we talk about leadership in accounting, we often think about the partners in accounting firms, the controller or cfo of a finance department, or the chief audit executive of an internal audit department. we also talk about “young leaders” or “emerging leaders” when referring to those we think have “leadership potential” and could aspire to the positions described above.

more: transform accounting by fighting fear and embracing changetear down towers of knowledge to transform accounting
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however, i have always held the belief that everyone in an organization can be a leader, and we need to equip people within our organizations to lead when an appropriate situation arises. part of empowering employees is enabling them to take action or make a decision, even when “the leader” isn’t present. the organization’s values, policies and culture should help employees make the right decisions – or know who to escalate an issue to make the decision. what we don’t want is total inaction.
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put people without degrees on your audit team

four businesswoman having a meeting around a table

plus best practices for year-round and remote audits.

by alan anderson, cpa
transforming audit for the future

firms these days are throwing technology at audit and calling it innovation. but if you try to roll out too much at one time, that’s a disaster. your people won’t have any time to talk to the client and figure out what’s going on in the business if they’re too busy trying to figure out how all the pieces of technology all work together.

more by alan anderson
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a better approach is to prioritize the technology rollouts and cut those in half. focus on the two or three that are the most important. if you try to do too much, your implementation will fail. a partial implementation won’t get you anywhere. partial implementations tend to result in complicated workarounds, so the new tech not only doesn’t save time or effort, but it actually makes it harder to get the work done.
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steve yoss: master excel integration and enhance productivity | quick tech talks

level up your skills with powerful lookup formulas.

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quick tech talk
with steve yoss
cpe today

for professionals wrestling with massive datasets, finding specific information in excel can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. whether it’s a customer id, transaction number, or check number, pinpointing related details like totals, names, or dates can be daunting without the right tools. enter excel’s powerful lookup formulas.

more steve yoss
more tech
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among the trio of essential lookup functions—vlookup, index-match, and the modern xlookup—the latter emerges as the star. while vlookup and index-match have long been staples for data retrieval, xlookup combines their strengths with enhanced features, offering users a faster, more versatile solution.

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maybe the pipeline problem is technology

bar chart
the percentage of accounting, finance and other business majors working in each occupation. the occupations chosen are the five most common for finance majors, according to the census. the sample period spans 2009 to 2021.

 

advances may have had an unintended effect.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

alarms have long been sounding over the dearth of new accounting professionals entering the field. the pipeline of talent running from colleges to entry-level jobs has been trickling just as it needs to gush.

more: what if the staffing shortage is just a myth? | staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | five ways to fill the staffing gap | top 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | arc | deals 2024: over 100 cpa firm mergers and acquisitions | barry melancon: private equity and the partnership | gear up for growth | does your firm suffer cultural deficiencies? | audit fees continue to climb | cfos see ai as top risk and opportunity | does accounting belong in stem? | accounting arc | opportunity awaits incoming aicpa ceo
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since 2015, the number of graduates with accounting majors has been in steep decline. the number of incoming professionals is by no means keeping up with those who are retiring or switching professions. the vectors point toward an imminent crisis in available talent.
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how wealthtech is reshaping the future of holistic advice 

portrait of david knoch
knoch
david knoch has 20+ years of high-profile leadership in the financial advice industry. he joined docupace as ceo in april 2020 and has spearheaded the company’s strategic transformation – marked by double-digit revenue growth, product/capability expansion, multiple acquisitions and numerous industry accolades.

five key areas where firms can make inroads; three areas in which wealthtech has a disproportionate impact.

by david knoch and ryan george
the holistic guide to wealth management

leveraging the power of technology has never been more accessible, or more important, for wealth management firms. as client priorities and goals shift, old delivery models and outdated tools are no longer enough to keep up in the current market.

so how does a wealth management firm differentiate itself? they lean toward technology and embrace the right wealthtech solutions to deliver holistic advice.

 

portrait of ryan george
george
ryan george is the chief marketing officer at docupace and a leader in both financial services and marketing communications. he is a member of the forbes communications council, an invitation-only, fee-based organization of senior-level communications and public relations executives and the cmo council.

more: seven tech keys to a holistic service model | profile of a modern firm: putting the vision into practice | toward a 21st-century cpa: a dynamic vision | what multiples mean to accounting firms | tsunami of m&a, pe is disrupting the accounting profession | how wealth management has evolved | introducing you to a fulfilling return on relationships
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read on as we break down the context, problems and solutions of wealthtech in the financial services space.

why wealthtech?

the last few years have brought a world of change to the financial advice and investment industry. between volatile markets, shifting client demands and an ever-growing technology landscape, the entire wealth management ecosystem is evolving.
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mark fritz: leadership lessons for today | accounting influencers

“you don’t get to choose the leader you need to be. your people tell you who you need to be to get the best out of them.”

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accounting influencers
with rob brown

leadership is in the spotlight like never before. in a recent episode of the accounting influencers podcast, global leadership expert mark fritz shares his insights on how leaders can navigate today’s complex environment. fritz emphasizes that the core principles of leadership remain timeless, but their application must adapt to the rapidly changing demands of the modern world.

drawing from his early career implementing enterprise systems globally, fritz highlights how his international experience shaped his understanding of business operations and leadership dynamics. “the principles of leadership are universal,” he explains. “but the key is adapting them to the specific needs of your people.”

fritz underscores that effective leaders must evolve based on the situation. “your people tell you who you need to be to get the best out of them,” he notes, stressing the importance of flexibility and understanding diverse team dynamics.

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irs sluggish on identity theft

bar chart with line chart

and slow isn’t all that’s wrong.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

victims of identity theft suffer plenty enough without the irs making a rotten situation worse.

but that’s what’s been happening.

more: check these 41 items on business tax returns | irs must speed up tax return processing | first tax filing reports are in | cut down your tax work in progress | steve yoss: unlocking business insight with power bis | quick tax tip | more than 1 million erc claims still not processed | art werner: the godfather and tax issues | quick tax tip | advanced tax preparers need managing, too | the top ten problems the irs still needs to fix
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the national taxpayers advocate’s 2024 annual report to congress says, “these victims are still experiencing unconscionable delays waiting for the irs to process their returns and pay their refunds with no immediate resolution in sight.”

congressional concerns

how unconscionable? how about an average of 556 days – nearly 19 months – to process a case and issue a refund?
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tim allen: serendipitous specialization leads to success | gear up for growth

full commitment is critical in niche accounting.

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gear up for growth
with jean caragher
for 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

in the world of accounting, niche specialization is often a deliberate strategy. for tim allen, cpa, however, his journey into winery finance was more serendipitous than strategic. with over 30 years of experience—including time at a big 4 firm, leadership roles at multiple wineries, and now managing a successful boutique firm exclusively dedicated to the wine industry—allen has carved out a unique space for himself and his team.

“i didn’t set out to specialize in wineries—it just happened,” allen says. “but looking back, every step led me here.”

gear up for growth spotlights the best strategies for smart and efficient growth in today’s competitive landscape. more gear up for growth every friday here | more capstone conversations with jean caragher every monday | more jean caragher here | get her best-selling handbook, the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms, here | more 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 videos and podcasts here

allen’s accounting came unexpectedly during his tenure at deloitte’s san francisco office. while his colleagues gravitated toward high-profile clients, tim found himself drawn to wineries—clients that others overlooked. the opportunity allowed him to work closer to his family in santa rosa while developing a deep understanding of the industry’s financial intricacies.

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tax preparers share advice for your clients

man and woman at table in client meeting

help them prepare for what’s to come.

join the busy season barometer. get the results.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

accountants sound worried. when the 2025 busy season barometer survey asked if anyone had advice on how small businesses should prepare for the next 12-18 months, almost half took the time to respond.

more barometer: staffing, tech, prices top tax pros’ concerns | tax pros gear up for a better busy season
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here’s a list of some of the more meaningful responses. which would apply to your clients? which should you share with them?

___ figure out which labor-intensive functions they can automate asap. (andrew schwartz)

___ take advantage of near-term opportunities with post-tax cuts and jobs act legislation (as they become clearer) and provide services/planning for more probable changes in taxes/economy for 3-5 year, 5-10 year and 10 year+ timeframes. (anthony aleta) read more →

the single biggest key to firm success

man looking at five giant keys on the ground

plus the three stages of evolution.

by marc rosenberg
the rosenberg practice management library

“wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” – doug larson

when i began my cpa consulting career, our industry used one word – management – to describe similar but different terms: management of the firm, leadership and governance. but our profession has grown more sophisticated. today, firms understand the important differences between these three terms:

more by marc rosenberg
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management: the execution of strategies, decisions, policies and procedures to operate the firm. this includes implementation of strategies and goals, planning, managing people and improving their performance, holding them accountable and ensuring continuous increases in growth and profitability. management is the process of making sure everyone knows what to do and managing them to make sure it gets done. my thanks to charles hylan, cpa, a partner of st. louis-based the growth partnership, for the bulk of this paragraph.
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student turns tables on thought leaders | arc

in a special episode, student arpan grewal asks questions future cpas and business leaders need answered.

 

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accounting arc
with liz mason, byron patrick, and donny shimamoto
introducing special guest arpan grewal
center for accounting transformation

in an episode that flips the script, accounting arc  features a fresh voice in business: arpan grewal, a high school junior and state officer for indiana business professionals of america. in this inaugural episode of arc: student-led conversations, grewal takes on the role of interviewer, leading a discussion with donny shimamoto, cpa.citp, cgma; liz mason, cpa; and byron patrick, cpa.citp, cgma—three industry leaders with diverse career paths in accounting. 

more arc: analysis, reaction, comedy

 

more accounting arc: how coaching can unlock professional successdemystifying accounting governancetop 10 red flags to watch for in accounting offices | jeremy dubow: private equity as a catalyst for growth | break the burnout cycle in accountingaccounting in transition: 2024 reflections & the road ahead | ron baker: visions for the accounting professionangie grissom: next gen inspo for accountantsdoes accounting belong in stem?rose wang: where numbers meet strategy and creativitytiktok fraud exposes gaps in financial literacy | how accounting pros own the stage in public speaking | greg kyte: being a cpa is like being the marie kondo of numbersrachel bashore: a lawyer’s case for reinventing accounting | beyond the basics in ethics eduction | bailey lenart: from ledger sheets to transformational change

grewal comes prepared with questions that high school and college students often ask when considering careers in business. the conversation covers the realities of the profession, the importance of career flexibility, and why accounting is anything but boring. 

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