The Big 4 Transparency Podcast

In Episode 15 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Yuri Kapilovich, the fun CPA and managing partner at Kapilovich & Associates LLC. Yuri aims to take on the accounting firm world in his own way, making it an enjoyable experience to work in public accounting. In our discussion, we cover his journey to being a firm owner, comparing modern firms to PE backed firms, the value of firm branding and advice for professionals to make the most of their careers. Follow YuriLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 14 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Mike Maksymiw, Executive Director at the Aprio Firm Alliance. Mike has worked in public accounting for nearly 20 years, and has seen it all - from being part of a firm being acquired, to operating as a principal at a top firm to now leading the Aprio Firm Alliance. Mike and I discuss learnings from his career, when it is time to sell a firm versus join an alliance, and how to fix the profession. This episode is sponsored by Liveflow, your software of choice for advanced reporting and consolidation for QuickBooks Online and winner of many G2 awards. Check them out at the link below to enjoy 25% your first three months! Check out LiveFlow here: https://bit.ly/lvflowFollow MikeTwitter: https://twitter.com/MikeMax32CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemaksymiwjr/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 13 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Zane Stevens, Founding Partner of Protea which is a niche firm serving the wine industry. We discuss what makes the wine industry unique and why being a niche provider in the space allows Protea to stand out and better serve their clients. Zane also talks about how their offshoring strategy is done through a wholly owned subsidiary in South Africa and how he integrates the staff there to be more part of the core team rather than an offshore resource as many other firms frame it.Follow Zane StevensTwitter: https://twitter.com/zane_stevens_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zane-stevens/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 12 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Mike Libbey, COO and Partner at Your Bottom Line. Mike has had a very unique journey, working his way up in a family accounting business as a non-CPA. Eventually, he took a keen interest to focusing on the firm’s operations and improving the systems and processes of the firm. Today, with the help from the Realize community, he is 95% removed from client work and working on the business rather than in it.Follow Mike LibbeyTwitter: https://twitter.com/mikelibbey_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-libbey-91b3122b/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 11 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Jaimie Nichols, founder of Mountain West Tax. She made the decision to start her own firm only a few months prior to this recording and is going through her first tax season as a firm owner, sharing how the experience measures up compared to what she expected, and sharing some early lessons she’s learned in starting her firm. She also talks about how TaxTwitter was instrumental in her journey as an accounting professional and how that community has helped her drive business for her new firm. Follow JaimieTwitter: https://twitter.com/mountainwesttaxCheck out her firm: https://www.mntnwest.com/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 10 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Roman Villard, founder of Full Send Finance and Co-Founder of Full Send Design. In this episode, we cover how branding can be a key differentiator for accounting firms who are looking to attract a certain kind of clientele as well as the role it plays in creating culture and attracting the right kind of talent. We also discuss Roman’s journey with starting his own firm, what makes CAS a great business model for new firms, and who should be considering going into entrepreneurship and launching their own firms.Follow RomanFull Send Design: https://www.fullsend.design/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdvcpa/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 9 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast, I am joined by Logan Graf, owner of The Graf Tax Co and one of my favorite content creators in the accounting space. In this episode, we dive into Logan’s journey of starting his own accounting firm a few years back, and share some best practices he’s learned along the way. Follow LoganSign up for Logan’s Community: https://bit.ly/498kNrKCheck out his YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@taxtelegrafLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logangraf/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 8 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast I am joined by Randy Crabtree, Co-Founder of Tri-Merit and host of The Unique CPA Podcast. Randy is a second-time firm founder and outspoken advocate for mental health in the accounting profession. In this episode, we discuss the common pitfall that firm owners and CPAs face, that is wanting to be overly involved in every aspect of client work and business operations, and how Randy found balance in his career. We also cover how Tri-Merit has grown so rapidly and why your firm should consider investing more heavily in business development from the start. Follow RandyCheck out the Bridging the Gap Conference here: https://bit.ly/btgconfThe Unique CPA Podcast: https://tri-merit.com/podcasts/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-crabtree-1945a67/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 7 of the Big 4 Transparency Podcast I am joined by Chase Birky, CEO and Co-Founder of Dark Horse CPAs. Dark Horse takes a different approach to the franchise model, having built incentives around elevating the group as a whole and sharing equity in the overall organization rather than a traditional franchise and fee model. Chase and I discuss many topics ranging from the limitations of the partnership model at scale, Employee Stock Option plans for firms, sale of secondary shares by employees, and how to offer an alternative to the traditional CPA firm model. This episode is sponsored by Pluvo, by rain technologies. Pluvo is a one-stop-shop for business owners and decision makers to plan, strategize and project their finances with unparalleled efficiency. Pluvo integrates directly with QBO, offering you a smoother process and includes a suite of FP&A tool supporting forecasting, scenario planning and financial reporting. Reduce the amount of time you are spending on manual tasks, and focus on strategic decision making instead. Pluvo is a great addition to your firm if you are looking to step up your game in virtual CFO services with clients or improve the internal finance function of your firm. Check them out in the episode’s show notes.Check Pluvo out here: https://bit.ly/pluvorainFollow ChaseLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasebirky/Dark Horse: https://abetterway.cpa/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In episode 6 of the Big 4 Transparency podcast, I am joined by Craig Hausz, co-founder and CEO of CMH Advisors. What makes Craig’s experience unique is that in addition to being a CPA, he is also a Certified Financial Planner, which allows his firm to offer both tax & accounting services as well as wealth management. In this episode we discuss the synergies in offering both services to clients, giving a more 360 coverage of clients’ financial wellbeing while maximizing profitability. We discuss the difference in pricing models in financial advisory versus accounting services and how accounting professionals can do a better job in valuing the services they offer. We also cover topics like the 150 hour rule, variable compensation based on billing, and the early days of launching CMH advisors. This episode is sponsored by Pluvo, by rain technologies. Pluvo is a one-stop-shop for business owners and decision makers to plan, strategize and project their finances with unparalleled efficiency. Pluvo integrates directly with QBO, offering you a smoother process and includes a suite of FP&A tool supporting forecasting, scenario planning and financial reporting. Reduce the amount of time you are spending on manual tasks, and focus on strategic decision making instead. Pluvo is a great addition to your firm if you are looking to step up your game in virtual CFO services with clients. Check them out in the episode’s shownotes.Check Pluvo out here: https://bit.ly/pluvorainFollow Craig:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craighausz/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CPATaxTeamCMH Advisors: https://www.cpataxteam.com/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 5 of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, we’re joined by Mike Manalac, Accounting manager at Google, and author of No Flux Given, the playbook on how to land your dream job in accounting.Mike shares learnings from his journey to landing his dream job at Google, and how years of preparation were needed in order to get him to where he is today. Mike shows the type of foresight, planning and determination that is needed to land the most competitive positions, and shares what he learned along the way so you can save years on your own journey.This episode is sponsored by Pluvo, by rain technologies. Pluvo is a one-stop-shop for business owners and decision makers to plan, strategize and project their finances with unparalleled efficiency. Pluvo integrates directly with QBO, offering you a smoother process and includes a suite of FP&A tool supporting forecasting, scenario planning and financial reporting. Reduce the amount of time you are spending on manual tasks, and focus on strategic decision making instead. Pluvo is a great addition to your firm if you are looking to step up your game in virtual CFO services with clients. Check them out in the episode’s shownotes.Check Pluvo out here: https://bit.ly/pluvorainFollow Mike:Website: https://www.mikefromaccounting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikemanalac/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 4 of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, we’re joined by Scott Scarano, President of Padgett NC and founder of Accounting High.Scott breaks the mold of what you picture when talking about an accounting professional. He may own his own firm doing roughly $2M in annual revenue, but he has implemented EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating system) to the firm and has been able to step back almost entirely and focus on more creative pursuits in life. Scott is passionate about rap music, psychedelics and teaching people how to have the success he’s had in balancing growth and lifestyle in the world of accounting. One of the initiatives accounting high runs is an annual bracket challenge where people vote on their favourite things in accounting. If you could take 2 minutes to go vote for Big 4 Transparency, that would be hugely appreciated. Just go to https://app.accountinghigh.com/. This episode is sponsored by Pluvo, by rain technologies. Pluvo is a one-stop-shop for business owners and decision makers to plan, strategize and project their finances with unparalleled efficiency. Pluvo integrates directly with QBO, offering you a smoother process and includes a suite of FP&A tool supporting forecasting, scenario planning and financial reporting. Reduce the amount of time you are spending on manual tasks, and focus on strategic decision making instead. Pluvo is a great addition to your firm if you are looking to step up your game in virtual CFO services with clients. Check them out in the episode’s shownotes.Check Pluvo out here: https://bit.ly/pluvorainFollow Scott:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottscarano/Twitter: https://twitter.com/scottscaranoAccounting High: https://www.accountinghigh.com/Vote for Big 4 Transparency in the bracket challenge: https://app.accountinghigh.com/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 3 of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, we’re joined by Andrea Davis, the founder of Linked Workforce, and former Director of Resource Management at Baker Tilly.  Andrea gives us a view of the conversations that are happening behind the scenes at some of the largest accounting firms, ranging from what is being done to address the talent crisis all the way to how COVID-19 has impacted the priorities and behaviors of the broader workforce. She also shares an emerging philosophy in resource management called the skills first approach which can help employees feel more fulfilled while also allowing employers to get more value out of their employees. Follow Andrea:LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-davis-rmcp-9a6147208/Linked Workforce: https://linkedworkforce.com/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 2 of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, we’re joined by Patrick Dichter, the owner of Appletree Business Services. As a non-CPA with more of a sales background, Patrick has acquired multiple accounting practices to form the firm he runs today. He provides a unique point of view on business practices in the industry and shares some actionable advice on how to improve firm operations. A big thank you to this episode’s sponsor Canopy. Check out Canopy here and see how they can help your firm operations: https://bit.ly/GetCNPYFollow Patrick:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdichter/Twitter: https://twitter.com/patrickdichterPersonal Blog: https://patrickdichter.com/articles/Get in touch with meWebsite: https://www.big4transparency.com/Newsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/B4TransparencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/

In Episode 1 of The Big 4 Transparency Podcast, we’re joined by Brandon Hall, CEO of Hall CPA PLLC. His non-traditional take on running an accounting firm has inspired many and unlocked impressive growth for his firm. Brandon is running a modern, remote-first CPA firm, projected to do over $10M in revenue this year. In this episode, he shares his journey, what’s involved in running his firm, and refreshing takes on the current state of the accounting industry. He shares insights on how his team is compensated, how he generates pipeline for his firm, and the benefits of not only being a content creator in the space, but also fostering the spark in your employees to become content creators themselves. Follow Brandon:Newsletter: https://brandons-newsletter-bcbda5.beehiiv.com/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5HVpWVrEhB8VHzEA0iVIgE?si=380aaf733ed24414LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonhallcpa/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhallcpaGet in touch with me: Website: https://www.big4transparency.com/Email: dom@big4transparency.comNewsletter: https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/B4Transparency

Your introduction to Big 4 Transparency (https://www.big4transparency.com/). In this episode, I will provide a brief overview of Big 4 Transparency, and what listeners can expect from this podcast going forward.