Join us on this bonus episode where Matt talked to Jessie Gu, Business Development Manager for Sage Intacct Advisory, about how firms can package and price client advisory services, build the right tech stack to scale, and put AI to real use in CAS delivery. Matt draws on 20 years running TydeCo to explain why verticalization and industry specialization (think nonprofit, healthcare, and financial services) separate firms that turn CAS into real recurring revenue from those still stuck doing transactional work. They also dig into Sage's AI close and financial agents and how firms can practically deploy AI without losing the human judgment behind it.

• (00:00) - Welcome and Agenda
• (01:12) - Meet Matt and TydeCo Story
• (03:59) - What Sets SIA Apart
• (05:21) - Packaging CAS for Value
• (09:24) - Vertical Niches and Fit
• (11:59) - Client Readiness Signals
• (19:31) - Nonprofit Success Story
• (22:27) - Pricing Models and Value
• (30:11) - Why Sage Intacct Works
• (33:56) - Program Benefits and Enablement
• (38:14) - Dashboards and Reporting Layers
• (41:16) - Beyond Implementation Support
• (44:02) - AI That Actually Matters
• (48:36) - New AI Agents Explained
• (50:41) - Will AI Replace Accountants
• (52:33) - Live Q&A Change Management
• (56:27) - What to Automate First
• (57:29) - Wrap Up and Credits

Download the Earmark App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Donny Shimamoto, founder of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies and the Center for Accounting Transformation, joins Matt, Doug, and Emily to talk about why time, not technology, is the real bottleneck slowing down firms. He breaks down what firms actually ask for when they bring in a transformation consultant, why the profession needs to revive its apprenticeship roots as AI automates entry-level prep work, and what he's seeing on international standard-setting boards shaping AI guidance for audit quality.

• (00:00) - Podcast kickoff
• (00:41) - Meet Donny Shimamoto
• (03:09) - Foodie side quest
• (06:31) - Why standards matter
• (08:56) - Who sets global rules
• (11:23) - US vs international standards
• (13:19) - Sage Intacct in midmarket
• (15:21) - Global rollout challenges
• (17:28) - Firms struggle for time
• (19:26) - Transformation roadmap calls
• (22:38) - Serving firms of all sizes
• (24:14) - Automation and new roles
• (26:10) - Triaging Firm Issues
• (27:06) - AI and Career Pathways
• (27:43) - Reviving Apprenticeship Training
• (29:21) - Fixing Onboarding and Curriculum
• (31:57) - Burnout and Busy Season
• (32:35) - Why the Center Exists
• (34:50) - Evaluating Software That Fits
• (38:56) - AI in Accounting Products
• (43:34) - Purpose and Leading Change
• (47:05) - Capacity Through Technology
• (48:41) - Dad Joke and Farewell

Download the Earmark App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

Ellen Choi, founder of Edgefield Group and former Awin chief product officer, breaks down what actually separates firms making real AI progress from those stuck experimenting. She walks through her firm maturity scorecard, why "return on investment" is harder to pin down than most partners assume, and why the biggest AI decisions have to start at the top. The conversation also covers token costs, on-prem alternatives, and why an outdated AI policy might be a bigger risk than no policy at all.

• (00:00) - Podcast intro
• (00:38) - Meet Ellen Choi
• (02:22) - Meditation and retreats
• (05:07) - Who Edgefield serves
• (08:19) - AI adoption shifts
• (11:40) - What triggers change
• (13:21) - How firms implement AI
• (16:43) - Cutting through AI noise
• (22:03) - Edgefield AI Foundations
• (23:41) - AI maturity scorecard
• (27:20) - Vendor ROI hype
• (28:16) - ROI Investment Reality
• (29:24) - Hidden AI Enablement Costs
• (30:16) - Turning Time Into Revenue
• (31:43) - Measuring Qualitative Returns
• (33:03) - Why 20 Minutes Daily
• (36:50) - Big Firm Spending Headlines
• (39:31) - Rising AI Costs And Tokens
• (42:21) - Open Source On Prem 2.0
• (44:26) - Where To Start With AI
• (45:51) - Copilot First And Policy
• (47:02) - Who Owns AI Rollout
• (49:22) - Keeping The Human Touch
• (51:04) - Final Takeaway And Wrap

Download the Earmark App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app