Stay ConnectedHave you wondered what it takes to thrive in the accounting industry? Or how the experts established their successful careers? Learn from industry experts with Canopy.
In each episode of the Practice Success Podcast, Canopy takes a deep dive with accounting professionals, exploring their career trajectory, extracting advice for firms, and discussing the latest trending topics.
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Busy season is brutal. The pay never feels like enough for the hours. The work gets repetitive. Most accountants accept this as the cost of the profession.
Blake Oliver doesn't buy it.
In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Blake Oliver, CPA and founder of Earmark, makes the case that virtually every problem plaguing the accounting profession is self-inflicted. From arbitrary tax deadlines to billable hours models that punish the people they're supposed to reward, Blake argues that the profession built its own cage, and that the way out is simpler than most people think.
The conversation also covers the three types of data every accountant is missing, why bookkeeping is the most underrated foundation in the profession, and how Blake built a fully remote firm that evaluated people on output rather than hours — before that was common practice.
Whether you're grinding through your tenth busy season or quietly wondering if there's a better way to run a firm, this episode gives you a framework and the permission to think differently.
What You'll Learn
Connect With Blake
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
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In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Ali Bawi, an entrepreneur-turned-CPA, makes the case that firm owners are sitting on a goldmine of data they're not using. Ali has worked across the spectrum — from Fortune 100 corporate strategy to transforming small, traditional tax offices — and he's seen the same pattern play out every time: big companies use their numbers to drive decisions, while smaller firms use them to check a box.
Ali walks through exactly what it looks like to apply a Fortune 100 mindset to a small firm. He breaks down a real engagement where he helped an overwhelmed, underpriced tax office escape $250-a-month retainers, cut unprofitable clients, and build a business model that actually worked. He also shares lessons from a creative small business client that loved trade shows — until the data showed the website was far more profitable, with a fraction of the effort.
Whether you're buried in busy season or starting to think about what your firm's next chapter looks like, this episode is a practical guide to running your business with the same intentionality you'd bring to your best clients.
What You'll Learn
Connect With Ali
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-bawi/
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Most accounting firms evaluate technology the wrong way. They start with the tool instead of starting with the client.
In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Roman Kepczyk — one of the most respected firm technology consultants in the profession — lays out the three-step framework he uses to help firms build a tech stack that actually fits: understand your client base, evaluate how your work is allocated, and lean on your community before you ever open a demo.
Roman explains why the same tax software can be the right answer for one firm and the wrong one for another, how post-season debriefs become the fuel for real improvement, and what firms consistently get wrong about AI. He also takes on the myth of throwing out your timesheets — and why the message has been misunderstood.
Whether you're thinking about switching practice management software, introducing AI, or just trying to get the right work to the right people, this episode gives you a practical framework for evaluating where your firm stands.
What You'll Learn
• Why your ideal client profile is the foundation of every tech decision your firm makes
• How to run a post-tax-season debrief that actually leads to change
• Why senior-level people are often doing low-value work — and how workflow tools fix that
• What AI vendors are getting wrong when they claim AI capabilities
• Why community is the most underrated resource for evaluating accounting software
• How to use the Lean Six Sigma premortem to identify risks before a project fails
• What the "throw out your timesheets" movement actually means — and what it doesn't
• How tiered pricing models eliminate the guesswork around billing and scope creep
Connect With Roman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romankepczyk/
RightWorks: https://rightworks.com
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Why Most Accountants Stop at the Diagnosis — and What to Do Instead
With Geni Whitehouse, CPA and Founder of The Impactful Advisor
Most accountants are trained to be historians. They tell you what happened last month and how bad it looks. What they're rarely trained to do is help you fix it.
In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Geni Whitehouse — CPA, author, educator, and the force behind The Impactful Advisor — makes the case for a fundamentally different way of working with clients. Geni shares why accounting's biggest problem isn't technical skill, it's communication: the jargon, the unexplained financial statements, and the habit of delivering a diagnosis and walking out of the room.
The conversation covers how to shift from reactive tax work to proactive advisory, why clients come to accountants in a fear and shame-based state, and how a simple question — "where do you go to see if your business is on track?" — can change an entire client relationship. Geni also walks through the SCOPE grid, a five-dimension framework she uses with winery clients to surface what's really driving financial problems.
Whether you're just starting to offer advisory services or looking to make your existing approach more consistent, this episode gives you a concrete path from "random acts of consulting" to a repeatable method you can run with every client.
What You'll Learn
Connect With Geni
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evenanerd/
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Stop Reacting to Deadlines and Start Harvesting Profits.
Is your firm buried in returns, just waiting for April 15th to finally breathe? Most firm owners view tax season as a period of survival, but CPA and Tax Attorney Mark Kohler joins host Chad Saley to challenge that model. Mark argues that tax season isn’t just about compliance, it’s "Harvest Season."
In this episode of Canopy’s Practice Success podcast, Mark shares the exact roadmap he used to build a multi-million dollar firm by shifting from high-volume tax prep to high-value advisory. If you’ve ever wanted to work with fewer clients, make more money, and actually leave the office at 5:00 PM during tax season, this is a must-listen.
Inside this episode:
Key Takeaways:
About Mark Kohler:
Mark J. Kohler is a CPA, Attorney, and co-founder of KKOS Lawyers and Main Street Tax Pros. He is a national best-selling author and a leading expert on tax planning and wealth-building strategies for small business owners.
Resources Mentioned:
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How AI and Data Are Reshaping the Future of Accounting Firms
With Roman Villard, Founder of Full Send
What does the future of an accounting firm actually look like?
In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Roman Villard, CPA and founder of Full Send, shares how modern firms are evolving beyond traditional accounting services.
Roman explains why he removed “Finance” from his firm’s name and how Full Send has expanded into data strategy, automation, and AI-powered workflows. The conversation explores how technology is changing accounting, what services firms should focus on moving forward, and why advisory and client relationships will matter more than ever.
The episode also dives into the impact AI may have on the profession, how entry-level roles could change, and what firm owners should be thinking about as the industry evolves.
Whether you're running a firm or thinking about starting one, this episode offers a candid look at where accounting is headed.
What You'll Learn
• Why Roman Villard rebranded his firm from Full Send Finance to Full Send
• How accounting firms can expand into data, automation, and AI services
• Why advisory should be a mindset, not just a service offering
• How AI may reshape entry-level accounting roles
• Why low-value compliance work may disappear in the coming years
• What accounting firms can learn from startups and other industries
• How small improvements in client experience can create long-term loyalty
• Why go-to-market strategy matters more than most firms realize
Connect With Roman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdvcpa/
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In this episode, Dr. Kristy Short discusses the vital role of content in the accounting profession, emphasizing that content is not just marketing but a means of connection. She explains how businesses can leverage content to attract their ideal clients, engage them effectively, and build trust. The conversation also covers the importance of understanding the marketing funnel, the use of AI in content creation, and overcoming barriers to effective content marketing. Dr. Short encourages accountants to share their expertise and highlights the joy of connecting with clients through valuable content.
Takeaways
Content is essential for business identity and connection.
Understanding your ideal client is crucial for effective marketing.
Content should be targeted to engage the right audience.
The marketing funnel consists of awareness, interest, decision, and action.
Building trust through valuable content is key to client relationships.
AI can enhance content creation but should not replace the human touch.
Sharing knowledge builds trust and attracts clients.
Start small and gradually increase your content output.
Atomizing content can maximize its reach and effectiveness.
Marketing is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort.
Connect with Kristy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristyshortac/
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Thinking about selling your accounting firm or taking outside capital?
In this follow-up Q&A episode, Doug Lewis breaks down the most common accounting firm deal structures, including cash at close, earnouts, rollover equity, and what actually happens after a recapitalization.
You will learn:
If you are a firm owner, managing partner, or practice leader exploring succession, growth, or a liquidity event, this episode will help you understand both the upside and the risks.
Watch the full Webinar
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Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a system problem, and accounting feels it first.
In this episode, CPA and mindfulness leader Amy Vetter challenges the profession’s “always on” culture and explains why pushing harder is often the fastest path to disengagement.
Amy unpacks what burnout really looks like inside accounting firms, why high performers are most at risk, and how leaders unintentionally reinforce the behaviors they claim to want to fix. This isn’t a conversation about bubble baths or vague self-care. It’s about boundaries, leadership modeling, delegation, and the real business cost of ignoring mental health.
Drawing on decades at the intersection of accounting, technology, and mindfulness, Amy shows how firm culture actually changes, and why well-being and profitability are not opposites. If you’re a partner, manager, or advisor feeling stretched thin (or watching your team quietly burn out), this episode offers a sharper lens on what needs to change first.
You’ll hear:
Connect with Amy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyvettercpa/
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Feeling isolated running your firm, or building a career without the “perfect” path? In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, KC Brothers talks with Erin Pohan, founder of Upkeeping LLC and creator of Wave Seattle (Women in Accounting, Finance, Visionaries, and Entrepreneurs).
Erin shares how moving 10 times as a military spouse shaped her belief that you do not have to build your career, or your firm, alone. You’ll hear practical ways to protect yourself from loneliness, find peers, and grow with community-first leadership.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Connect with Erin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinpohan/
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