Accounting Voices

Accounting Voices is a senior leadership platform hosted by Rob Brown that interprets the forces reshaping accounting firms across North America and beyond.This "AI Reality Inside Firms" series brings together influential accounting leaders to answer the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms.No hype. No vendor narratives. Just honest leadership perspective from someone navigating AI from the inside.Today’s special guest is Randy Johnston, Founder at K2 Enterprises.The five questions:Where is AI genuinely reshaping strategic direction for firms?What are firms still getting wrong about AI?Which AI-related leadership decisions will matter most over the next two years?Where is AI creating the greatest internal tension in firms?By 2027, what will separate leading firms from the rest?Five questions. One honest conversation. Part of a season that is building a definitive picture of AI reality inside accounting firms in 2026.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TV-p6NI6GyoThank you to our Season Partners for making this series possible.Fieldguide is the AI-native platform for audit and advisory enabling human and AI collaboration to scale capacity, improve quality and transform how firms operate. fieldguide.ioInstead is the first AI agent that owns end-to-end tax from research, planning, filing, and defense all in one system. It replaces CCH, GoSystems, UltraTax, Lacerte, ProConnect, Drake and many more. instead.comKarbon is the global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms. Their research into how technology is reshaping firm performance is essential reading for anyone leading a firm in 2026. karbonhq.comDigits is the world’s first AI-native accounting platform. It's accounting software that works for you to deliver real-time financials and automate the month-end close. digits.comFiled is the intelligent tax workspace for preparation and review automation and the only AI for prep, review and planning that runs inside your tax software especially made for high-volume firms. filed.comAccounting Voices is a senior sense-making platform for firm owners, managing partners and senior operators navigating the forces reshaping accounting firms. Host Rob Brown convenes structured conversations with leaders across the profession to interpret what AI, private equity, consolidation and leadership pressure mean in practice.This season, AI Reality Inside Firms, brings together senior accounting firm leaders answering the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms, separating execution from narrative.Find all episodes on your preferred podcast platform or on the Accounting Voices YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesTo find out more or to explore season partnership opportunities, connect with Rob on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Accounting Voices is a senior leadership platform hosted by Rob Brown that interprets the forces reshaping accounting firms across North America and beyond.This "AI Reality Inside Firms" series brings together influential accounting leaders to answer the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms.No hype. No vendor narratives. Just honest leadership perspective from someone navigating AI from the inside.Today’s special guest is Richard Kopelman, CEO at Aprio.The five questions:Where is AI genuinely reshaping strategic direction for firms?What are firms still getting wrong about AI?Which AI-related leadership decisions will matter most over the next two years?Where is AI creating the greatest internal tension in firms?By 2027, what will separate leading firms from the rest?Five questions. One honest conversation. Part of a season that is building a definitive picture of AI reality inside accounting firms in 2026.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/A7t1rgVBM5UThank you to our Season Partners for making this series possible.Fieldguide is the AI-native platform for audit and advisory enabling human and AI collaboration to scale capacity, improve quality and transform how firms operate. fieldguide.ioInstead is the first AI agent that owns end-to-end tax from research, planning, filing, and defense all in one system. It replaces CCH, GoSystems, UltraTax, Lacerte, ProConnect, Drake and many more. instead.comKarbon is the global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms. Their research into how technology is reshaping firm performance is essential reading for anyone leading a firm in 2026. karbonhq.comDigits is the world’s first AI-native accounting platform. It's accounting software that works for you to deliver real-time financials and automate the month-end close. digits.comFiled is the intelligent tax workspace for preparation and review automation and the only AI for prep, review and planning that runs inside your tax software especially made for high-volume firms. filed.comAccounting Voices is a senior sense-making platform for firm owners, managing partners and senior operators navigating the forces reshaping accounting firms. Host Rob Brown convenes structured conversations with leaders across the profession to interpret what AI, private equity, consolidation and leadership pressure mean in practice.This season, AI Reality Inside Firms, brings together senior accounting firm leaders answering the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms, separating execution from narrative.Find all episodes on your preferred podcast platform or on the Accounting Voices YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesTo find out more or to explore season partnership opportunities, connect with Rob on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

Five episodes. Five questions. One series.We started with the frame: 98% of firms are using AI, only 21% have a documented strategy, and that gap is where firms either differentiate or drift. We asked where AI is genuinely reshaping firm direction and what separates real transformation from surface adoption. We named four mistakes firms keep making and the strategic cost of each one. We identified three decisions that will matter most over the next two years. And in the last episode we went inside the firm and named the tensions that most leaders are managing around rather than leading through.Today is the final episode of the solo series.This is Part 6 of AI Reality Inside Firms on Accounting Voices, and it addresses Question 5: what will separate leading firms from the rest by 2027? I'm Rob Brown. And I want to be clear about what this question is and is not asking.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RtcjiD2yLuoThank you to our Season Partners for making this series possible.Fieldguide is the AI-native platform for audit and advisory enabling human and AI collaboration to scale capacity, improve quality and transform how firms operate. fieldguide.ioInstead is the first AI agent that owns end-to-end tax from research, planning, filing, and defense all in one system. It replaces CCH, GoSystems, UltraTax, Lacerte, ProConnect, Drake and many more. instead.comKarbon is the global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms. Their research into how technology is reshaping firm performance is essential reading for anyone leading a firm in 2026. karbonhq.comDigits is the world’s first AI-native accounting platform. It's accounting software that works for you to deliver real-time financials and automate the month-end close. digits.comFiled is the intelligent tax workspace for preparation and review automation and the only AI for prep, review and planning that runs inside your tax software especially made for high-volume firms. filed.comAccounting Voices is a senior sense-making platform for firm owners, managing partners and senior operators navigating the forces reshaping accounting firms. Host Rob Brown convenes structured conversations with leaders across the profession to interpret what AI, private equity, consolidation and leadership pressure mean in practice.This season, AI Reality Inside Firms, brings together senior accounting firm leaders answering the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms, separating execution from narrative.Find all episodes on your preferred podcast platform or on the Accounting Voices YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesTo find out more or to explore season partnership opportunities, connect with Rob on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

In this episode of Accounting Voices, host Rob Brown explores one of the most critical questions facing firm leaders today: how AI is changing not just technology choices, but the structural decisions that determine whether firms move ahead or fall behind.While 98% of accounting firms are already using AI, only 21% have a documented strategy. That gap is where competitive advantage is being created right now.Rob breaks down three leadership decisions that matter most in the AI era:✅ Choosing the right operating model (compliance-led vs advisory-led vs hybrid)✅ Deciding who truly owns AI strategy at the leadership level✅ Rebuilding the talent development pathway as automation replaces traditional training workWatch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/23t06uiQWxYThank you to our Season Partners for making this series possible.Fieldguide is the AI-native platform for audit and advisory enabling human and AI collaboration to scale capacity, improve quality and transform how firms operate. fieldguide.ioKarbon is the global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms. Their research into how technology is reshaping firm performance is essential reading for anyone leading a firm in 2026. karbonhq.comDigits is the AI-powered financial intelligence platform helping accounting firms and their clients make faster, smarter decisions with their numbers. digits.comAccounting Voices is a senior sense-making platform for firm owners, managing partners and senior operators navigating the forces reshaping accounting firms. Host Rob Brown convenes structured conversations with leaders across the profession to interpret what AI, private equity, consolidation and leadership pressure mean in practice.This season, AI Reality Inside Firms, brings together senior accounting firm leaders answering the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms, separating execution from narrative.Find all episodes on your preferred podcast platform or on the Accounting Voices YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesTo find out more or to explore season partnership opportunities, connect with Rob on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

AI is everywhere in accounting right now. Vendors claim transformation. Conferences promise disruption. Firms report adoption. But how much of this is real strategic change and how much is just efficiency improvement dressed up as transformation? In this episode, Rob Brown explores a critical leadership question: Where is AI genuinely reshaping accounting firm direction? This episode separates true structural change from surface-level productivity gains, helping firm leaders diagnose whether their AI adoption is strategic or accidental.Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nTC9Bk9Wf7MThank you to our Season Partners for making this series possible.Fieldguide is the AI-native platform for audit and advisory enabling human and AI collaboration to scale capacity, improve quality and transform how firms operate. fieldguide.ioKarbon is the global leader in AI-powered practice management software for accounting firms. Their research into how technology is reshaping firm performance is essential reading for anyone leading a firm in 2026. karbonhq.comDigits is the AI-powered financial intelligence platform helping accounting firms and their clients make faster, smarter decisions with their numbers. digits.comAccounting Voices is a senior sense-making platform for firm owners, managing partners and senior operators navigating the forces reshaping accounting firms. Host Rob Brown convenes structured conversations with leaders across the profession to interpret what AI, private equity, consolidation and leadership pressure mean in practice.This season, AI Reality Inside Firms, brings together senior accounting firm leaders answering the same five structured questions about how AI is actually landing inside firms, separating execution from narrative.Find all episodes on your preferred podcast platform or on the Accounting Voices YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesTo find out more or to explore season partnership opportunities, connect with Rob on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

There’s a deeper tension shaping the future of accounting firms and most leaders aren’t talking about it openly.In this episode of the Accounting Voices Podcast, Rob Brown dives into one of the most critical strategic questions facing firm leaders today:👉 Are you building short-term partner income… or long-term enterprise value?As AI, private equity, and industry consolidation reshape the profession, traditional partnership models are being challenged like never before. This episode explores the hidden forces behind these changes and what they mean for firm owners, leaders, and rising professionals.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why the traditional partnership model is under pressureHow AI is compressing career paths and reshaping firm structuresThe difference between lifestyle firms vs enterprise firmsWhy leadership capability matters more than technical expertiseThe real tension between short-term payouts and long-term valueHow client ownership is shifting to client stewardshipWhat private equity means for accounting firm leadershipWhether you're a firm owner, partner, or aspiring leader, this episode will challenge how you think about growth, leadership, and the future of accounting.Key takeaway:The biggest decision isn’t about technology or talent. It’s about what kind of firm you’re actually building.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/nd63ysaqIysCome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

This is Part 3 of the Leadership Under Pressure series on Accounting Voices.For more than a decade the accounting profession has repeated the same message. Advisory services represent the future.But AI and automation are now forcing a deeper questionIs advisory truly embedded in accounting firm operating models or is it still aspirational.In this episode Rob explores:1. Why advisory is not simply another service line2. The metrics contradiction facing accounting firms3. The identity shift required for advisory leadership4. The forty million dollar firm advisory scenario5. The PE backed advisory expansion challengeIf firms want advisory growth they must redesign pricing, incentives and leadership expectations.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/ACmxNM2mIp0Come and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

In this episode of Accounting Voices, Rob Brown discusses key predictions for the accounting profession in 2026 based on insights from 48 industry leaders. The conversation covers themes of automation, revenue shifts from compliance to advisory, the integration of AI in accounting practices, talent sustainability, and the ongoing trend of consolidation within the industry. The episode emphasizes the need for firms to adapt to rapid changes and prepare for future challenges, particularly during busy seasons.TakeawaysThe month-end close process will be automated by 2026.Audits will be completed in under five hours.Advisory revenue is set to surpass compliance revenue.Firms will budget for AI as they do for headcount.AI will become the first staff accountant in firms.50% of firms will use AI assistance systematically.Consolidation in the industry will intensify.Busy seasons will continue to be challenging for firms.Change is inevitable in the accounting profession.Firms must stay relevant and adapt to new trends.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/z-4VrkN3KscCome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

In this episode of Accounting Voices, we continue our Reflections 2025 series with a different kind of question:What moment actually changed how leaders think about the accounting profession?Across 48 conversations, a clear pattern emerged.2025 became the year the profession was forced to look in the mirror — and many leaders didn’t like what they saw.This episode explores the assumptions that quietly collapsed:The idea that technical excellence alone is enough to surviveThe belief that only accountants can run accounting firmsThe illusion that private equity is a guaranteed exitThe comfort of reactive advisory instead of proactive leadershipAnd the dangerous gap between AI experimentation and governanceFrom the Deloitte Australia AI scandal, to the rise of non-accountant COOs, to push-button data migrations eliminating long-accepted friction, this conversation maps the strategic fault lines now defining the profession.You’ll hear insights from leaders including:Alice Grey Harrison on the irony of firms failing to give themselves strategic adviceSagar Ahuja on the quiet death of partner consensusBecky Livingston on governance failures masquerading as AI failuresTrow Trowbridge on the cost of being reactiveIra Rosenbloom on the myths surrounding private equityBen Taylor on why long-held technology assumptions finally brokeAt its core, this episode asks a confronting question:If your firm were your own client, would you still be hired?2025 wasn’t about better tools.It was about better thinking.And once the mirror is held up, you can’t unsee what’s reflected.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/3NKN3q3dfsYCome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

In this powerful episode of Accounting Voices, Rob Brown reveals the findings from an ambitious project: interviewing 48 senior leaders across the accounting profession and asking them the same five questions about the year that changed everything.This episode focuses on Question 1: What defined 2025? And the answer is uncomfortable but critical: 2025 was not a year of progress. It was a year of separation.You’ll hear how:AI stopped being “innovation” and became baseline infrastructure.Private equity permanently changed the profession’s operating model.Legacy processes collided with modern technology.Talent pressure exposed broken cultures and outdated firm models.The profession entered a deep identity crisis.The “velocity gap” between firms is now a serious threat.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/01w0gDWxE6ECome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

In this episode of Accounting Voices, Rob Brown discusses the critical choices accounting firms must make as they navigate the evolving landscape of the profession. He emphasizes the importance of making intentional decisions regarding automation, client relationships, and specialization, highlighting the trade-offs that come with each choice. The conversation explores the four dominant strategic positions firms can adopt and the implications of these choices for their future success.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/42pAfXia5LwFuture Accounting Firm Models 2026 | The Strategic Trade-Offs Leaders Must FaceCome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.

In this episode, Rob Brown reflects on the significant changes and challenges faced in the accounting and finance sectors over the past year. He discusses the impact of private equity, AI, and shifting workplace dynamics on professionals' mental health and job satisfaction. Rob emphasizes the importance of recognizing these changes, reassessing career paths, and building personal brands to ensure stability and relevance in the evolving job market. He encourages listeners to reflect on their experiences and consider what they want to carry forward into the next year.TakeawaysThis year has brought unprecedented change in the workplace.Mental health and job satisfaction are crucial for professionals.Many are questioning if their current career aligns with their expectations.Stability comes from personal skills and relationships, not just employers.Silence in the workplace can lead to irrelevance.It's acceptable to seek more from your career without being ungrateful.Accounting offers diverse career paths and opportunities.Not every workplace deserves your best efforts.Clarity and context are essential for career success.Reflecting on the past year can guide future career decisions.You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/_Q-K-1vW5TUCome and join our Accounting Voices Collective on Linkedin to find out more about our shows and virtual networking events: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accounting-voices◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢The Accounting Voices Podcast serves accounting firm leaders, managers and partners looking to build their executive presence, influence and credibility both internally and externally. Host Rob Brown delivers insights to help professionals strengthen their personal brand, stay informed about industry changes and navigate disruptive forces affecting accounting business models and trends. Check out the show on your preferred podcast app or platform, or go to the Accounting Voices YouTube channel for all of the episodes in video format. https://www.youtube.com/@accountingvoicesRob works with consultants/experts in the accounting space via personal interviews to create video snippets and thought leadership pieces. If you have success stories, valued expertise or a brand that needs amplifying, but lack the time to create thought leadership or video content, chat with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrownIf you'd like to sponsor the show and elevate your brand with our audience, reach out to show host Rob Brown on LinkedIn and his team will reach out to fix up a chat to explore.