Could Florida have quietly unraveled CPA licensure? In this episode, Blake Oliver talks with FICPA CEO Shelly Weir about the legislation that threatened to eliminate Florida’s Board of Accountancy, scrap CPE requirements, and weaken the CPA license. Shelly explains how the profession fought back, why mobility and interstate commerce were central to the case, and where CPAs can embrace smart modernization without giving up public protection.

Chapters

• (00:00) - EAP 116 Interview: Shelly Weir of FICPA on the Fight to Save the CPA in Florida
• (01:10) - Why Shelley Stayed Quiet
• (03:09) - What the Bill Proposed
• (07:23) - Why Deregulation Happened
• (09:33) - How FICPA Beat It
• (12:44) - Mobility and Modernization
• (15:54) - Threading the Needle
• (17:56) - Compromise Ideas Ahead
• (21:49) - Midnight Capitol Showdown
• (24:00) - CPE and Future Reforms
• (26:16) - Will It Return
• (27:55) - Closing Thanks and Call

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Connect with Shelly Weir

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellysiceloff

Learn more about the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants

https://www.ficpa.org/about

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Karl Paadam made partner at PwC Estonia at 26, spent a decade in tech, and came back to build United Accountants on a contrarian thesis: the future of accounting is human. He joins Blake to explain how a firm can hand bookkeeping, categorization, and reconciliation to an AI operating system that layers on top of whatever software a firm already runs, freeing CPAs to keep their local brand and focus on judgment and advisory work. They also get into outcomes-based pricing, what it means to build "the first big small firm," and why the accountant who ignores AI is the one who gets replaced.

Chapters

• (00:00) - Welcome Karl Paadam to the Earmark Podcast
• (01:51) - Building a Practice
• (02:40) - Leaving PwC for Tech
• (03:29) - Accounting Is Human
• (05:17) - Advisory Skills Shift
• (06:35) - AI Productivity in Practice
• (09:25) - United OS Walkthrough
• (10:34) - Partner Model Keep Brand
• (14:50) - Integrations No Rip Replace
• (18:44) - First Big Small Firm
• (21:48) - Outcomes Based Pricing
• (25:00) - AI Like Excel Era
• (28:05) - What AI Does Next
• (29:21) - Fear Traps and Controls
• (32:39) - Who United Fits Best
• (33:25) - Wrap Up and Contact

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Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guest, Karl Paadam

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/karl-paadam-39730214

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Is AI really replacing accountants—or just changing the job? Blake Oliver talks with Capterra analyst David Jani about new survey data showing where AI is gaining traction in accounting, from chatbots and data entry to forecasting and fraud detection. They unpack why 89% of users report ROI, why firms are still struggling to hire, and why weak AI data-handling policies could create serious security problems.

Accounting Trends in 2026: How AI is Changing Work, Skills, and Strategy
https://www.capterra.com/resources/accounting-trends-ai-software-changing-work/

Chapters

• (00:00) - EAP 114
• (01:26) - Survey Methodology
• (04:26) - AI Adoption Today
• (05:39) - Where AI Shows Up
• (19:57) - Staffing Crunch Data
• (24:10) - Manual Work and Spreadsheets
• (26:17) - Next 12 Months Ahead
• (28:11) - 2027 Predictions and Threats
• (32:04) - Where to Place AI Bets

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guest, David Jani

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jani-7627872b/

Learn more about Capterra

https://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

What if AI wipes out the entry-level accounting work firms have relied on for decades? Blake Oliver talks with Sikich managing principal Richard Lynch about the rise of the “super accountant,” why the pyramid-shaped firm may become a diamond, and how AI could force firms to rethink training, billing, and performance metrics. You’ll hear what firm leaders must change now—and what happens to those who don’t adapt.

Chapters

• (00:00) - EAP 112
• (07:41) - Training The Next Gen
• (09:39) - Rethinking Early Career Work
• (14:17) - Learning Review Without Doing
• (18:41) - Automated Tax Prep Reality
• (21:28) - Billable Hour Under Pressure
• (26:33) - Why Timesheets Persist
• (28:21) - Why Hours Persist
• (29:53) - Timesheets Trust and Control
• (30:53) - Preventing Burnout with Targets
• (32:30) - AI Breaks Time Productivity
• (34:39) - Shift from Production to Value
• (37:02) - New Metrics Client and Staff
• (39:13) - Revenue Incentives and Attribution
• (44:24) - Basketball Team Performance Model
• (46:33) - Hours Culture and Team Standards
• (51:34) - Leaders Choose Progression

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Richard Lynch, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardlynch/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

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

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guest, Chelsea Summers

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseasummers620/

Learn more about Inside Public Accounting

http://insidepublicaccounting.com

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: 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

Download the Earmark CPE App

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Connect with Our Guest

Lawrence Zlatin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-zlatkin-880417b

Learn more about Coinbase

https://www.coinbase.com

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: 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

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guest, Devin Mathews

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinmathews

Learn more about ParkerGale

https://www.parkergale.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

AI won’t replace accountants—but AI-enabled firms will outcompete them. Blake Oliver sits down with Thomson Reuters’ Elizabeth Beastrom and Kirat Sekhon to map the end-to-end tax workflow, from document intake and auto-population (SurePrep) to delivery and e-sign (SafeSend), and into year-round advisory with CoCounsel and Ready to Advise. Learn how to “kill the questionnaire,” free staff from data entry, build an open tech stack, and turn tax prep into subscription advisory.

Chapters

• (02:49) - Technology Expectations of New Accountants
• (03:38) - The Shift from Desktop to Cloud-Based Tax Software
• (05:14) - Thomson Reuters' Approach to Customer-Centric Tax Technology
• (05:55) - Automation and AI in Tax Workflow
• (10:58) - The Role of SurePrep in Data Entry Automation
• (18:34) - Advisory Services and Ready to Advise
• (24:53) - AI in Onboarding and Knowledge Transfer
• (25:35) - Empowering Junior Associates with AI
• (26:41) - AI in Education and Talent Attraction
• (30:40) - AI's Role in Tax and Accounting
• (33:58) - The Future of AI in Tax Preparation
• (41:59) - AI-Driven Advisory Services
• (47:41) - Practical Steps for Tax Firms to Embrace AI

Download the Earmark CPE App

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Connect with Our Guests

Elizabeth Beastrom

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-beastrom/

Kirat Sekhon

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirat-sekhon-2172022/

Learn more about Thomson Reuters

http://thomsonreuters.com/

Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/