U.S. accounting is changing fast. Offshoring, AI, and private equity are reshaping careers in real time.

Mario Castro joins me to pull back the curtain on what firms won’t say out loud: hollowed training pipelines, billable-hour games, delayed start dates, and why the partner “cruise ship” may never come back to the dock for seniors and MDs.

We also cover some paths that do work – well as Mario’s journey to accounting and how his career has evolved from those beginnings.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Teaser

0:55 - Meet Mario

3:12 - The difficulty of the ‘first venture’

6:58 - What made Mario go out on his own

12:01 - Offshoring

18:24 - How do we fix hollowed-out pipelines?

27:45 - Mario’s take on billable hours

33:53 - Work stress and the grind starting out

40:12 - The realities of moving to tax (and your own firm)

41:24 - Mario’s take on private equity

50:52 - Why forward-thinking boutiques can win

51:30 - Closing thoughts and wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH MARIO CASTRO

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

Website: https://castrocpas.com/

From “BDO to builder” to launching a platform for entrepreneurial CPAs.

Marcus Rien joins Yuri to unpack public vs. private realities, the 150/120 debate, and why the profession’s future depends on changing the narrative and the model.

We get into his journey, the creation of Waves CPAs—a marketplace + back office for CPAs who want flexibility and ownership—and how PE roll-ups, AI, and small-city growth are reshaping opportunities.

Marcus also shares the story behind his motto “Belief Inspires Success” and how this mentality levels up CPAs and non-CPAs alike.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

0:35 - Episode beginning, meet Marcus

10:24 - Moving from public to private

13:23 - Marcus’ take on the talent shortage

18:20 - Lack of ‘direct ROI’

19:58 - A more flexible path

28:26 - Is there a tax component to ‘Waves’?

31:03 - Client and talent distribution and how ‘PE’ factors in

35:20 - Belief inspires success

40:54 - More about Marcus (and more about ‘Waves’)

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH MARCUS RIEN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-rien/

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-rien/

In today's episode we do a deep dive into buying and selling accounting firms with Daniel Talbott

Daniel is the owner of RightExit helping firms sell and helping buyers find the right match when it comes to their firm purchase.

If you are considering starting your accounting entrepreneurship journey and are not sure if you should buy an accounting firm this is the episode for you where we cover so much about the journey

✅How to value an accounting firm?

✅What it takes to buy a firm?

✅Which SBA programs are out there?

✅Should I build a firm or should I buy a firm?

✅So much more

On today's episode we got a real interesting and unique guest - Robert Nordlander. Robert is a former IRS Criminal Investigator who worked with the Service for 21 years.


Today's episode is chalk full of value where we learn all about

✅ IRS CI procedures and how cases are selected

✅What happens when you receive a subpoena and how to act

✅How to keep yourself and your client out of trouble

✅Social media and the IRS

✅much much more

In today's episode we have Erica Goode, AKA The 15 Hour Accountant, sharing her journey and career in accounting.

We discuss everything from

✅ Private vs public accounting careers
✅Challenges woman face in the profession
✅Launching a firm centered around YOUR lifestyle
✅Deep burnout and its impacts
✅Raising kids while working

I am truly humbled to be able to bring you this incredibly valuable episode and a big thank you to Erica for joining us today

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH ERICA GOODE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-goode-cpa-00205616/

Erica's FREE Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/ericagoode/15hr-email-referral

CPA + yogi Amy Vetter joins the Fun CPA Podcast to share how she built a career across KPMG, CAS (before it had a name), and Intuit. THEN created the B3 Method (Business + Balance = Bliss) to help firms rethink culture, burnout, and what “success” looks like now.

We dig into how COVID accelerated tech and remote work, why belief systems at the top shape everything, and practical ways new staff, seniors, and emerging partners can build meaningful careers without losing themselves.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

0:38 - Episode beginning and intro to Amy

2:09 - How Amy got started in accounting

7:55 - Amy’s big pivot

12:25 - Where the profession has gone

25:36 - The ‘B3 Method’ and getting your joy back

34:00 - Assessing whether firms are open to the process

37:59 - “Do you have a favorite conference?”

40:24 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH AMY VETTER

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

Website: https://www.amyvetter.com/

It’s one of the biggest problems in the accounting profession – and this week’s guest is right on the front lines fighting it.

Lynette Oss Connell, or “The Burnout Bestie” is a Burnout Prevention and Recovery Strategist. She works with individual CPAs and firms to reframe old narratives and ways of thinking.

Lynette joins Yuri to discuss her unique career destination and what she’s seeing among her peers and in her own experience working hands-on with firms. She also shares her own burnout story, the dangers of letting this negative cycle continue and of course, some advice for those of you ‘deep in it’ who have trouble prioritizing and making time for yourself.


Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction
1:02 - More about Lynette and becoming the “burnout bestie”
9:22 - Exploring the decision to go private
16:38 - Task switching (and how it leads to burnout)
23:32 - Managing stress
30:23 - How to begin prioritizing yourself
38:33 - Advice for someone ‘deep in it’
45:02 - Episode wrap-up


ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH LYNETTE OSS CONNELL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnette-oss-connell-cpa/

Website: https://www.burnoutbestie.com/

This week, Yuri is joined by John Fenton – AKA “The CEO Sensei”.

Following a successful 30+Year career as a Managing Partner and CPA in one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting firms, John launched his business in 2013 in executive coaching and consulting to help busy executives be the best leaders they can be.

John sits down with Yuri to talk about the pitfalls of the corporate world and how consistently it will try to bleed into your personal and family life. Additionally, they focus in on how John ‘climbed’ his way to the top and what he learned from a leadership perspective, as well as a peer-to-peer POV.

And as always on The Fun CPA, Yuri explores the accounting world with John to see where it’s failing, and most importantly: where it can be improved and made better.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Episode beginning

1:04 - Introduction to John and his background

3:40 - The challenges John faced ‘climbing up’

6:47 -“What was the hardest level for you?”

9:02 - Advice for those who get a big promotion?

18:35 - Then vs. now

20:45 - Coaching the generational gap

32:34 - Mixing public accounting and family

40:14 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

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

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH JOHN FENTON

Website: https://www.johnjfenton.com/aboutjohn