The Job Crisis Is a Myth; the Job Remix Is Not | Accounting Voices
Automation deletes tasks, then dares accountants to create new value on purpose.
Accounting Voices
With Rob Brown
ACCOUNTING INFLUENCERS
The Dark Side of AI No Firm Can Ignore | Accounting Voices
Trust remains the profession’s currency, even in an automated future.
Accounting Voices
With Rob Brown
Being Good at the Job Is No Longer Enough | Accounting Voices
Influence is becoming career insurance for professionals.
Accounting Voices
With Rob Brown
5 Ways Accounting Pros Turn Events into Real ROI | Accounting Influencers
Turn networking, sessions, and follow-up into measurable outcomes—not just time out of the office.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
Seventy-six percent of professionals believe in-person conferences offer better networking opportunities than virtual events. But while accountants spend millions each year on registration fees, hotel rooms, and travel, only a fraction walk away with meaningful ROI. According to Rob Brown on Accounting Influencers, the problem isn’t the events—it’s the strategy.
“People go to conferences and just float,” Brown says. “They wander the expo hall, catch a few sessions, grab the swag—and then wonder why nothing changes.” With conferences back at full strength and offering multi-sensory experiences, deeper technical sessions, and richer networking formats, Brown says firms should treat them as strategic business opportunities, not passive learning days.
PE Pushes Partners Toward Extinction | Accounting Influencers
Two-thirds of current firm leaders risk being obsolete within three years.
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Originally published Sept. 3, 2025
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
A stark warning is shaking the accounting profession: 65% of current firm partners will be considered “digitally obsolete” within three years. The unsettling part? Private equity (PE) investors are not planning to retrain them—they are preparing to replace them.
On the latest episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown uncovers how private equity–backed firms are redrawing the profession’s leadership map. The digital divide is no longer theoretical. It is already defining who will lead the future of accounting and who will be pushed aside.
The Smart Accountant’s Guide to Choosing the Right Podcasts | Accounting Influencers
Podcasts now serve every level of the profession, and intentional listening helps professionals grow faster.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
The accounting podcast world is no longer a niche corner of the internet. It is a sprawling ecosystem of news briefings, exam prep guides, leadership conversations, and tech trend breakdowns. For today’s professionals—from students to senior partners—the shows they follow influence how they think, how they show up, and how they lead.
In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown breaks down the types of accounting podcasts in the market today and explains why some help you grow while others simply drain your time.
Not all accounting podcasts are built for the same audience. Some exist to help students pass exams. Others help partners stay current on regulatory changes. Some deliver tech deep dives. Others humanize the profession with personal stories.
Understanding these differences helps listeners choose wisely and avoid content that feels irrelevant or repetitive.
How Smart Listening Builds Clout | Accounting Influencers
Smarter, shorter, and more focused podcasts help firm leaders turn listening time into a competitive edge.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
In today’s crowded attention economy, time is the rarest currency. Every minute you spend consuming content needs to work for you. That’s why accounting leaders are turning to podcasts—not as entertainment, but as a professional advantage.
In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown explores how podcasting is evolving and what that means for accountants and firm leaders who want to stay sharp, visible, and ahead of the curve.
The podcast industry is booming—worth an estimated $47 billion globally and projected to triple in the next few years. But as Brown explains, this growth isn’t about quantity; it’s about quality.
“The best podcasts,” he says, “cut through the noise. They know who they’re for, and they deliver the goods.”
Listeners today average seven podcasts in rotation, but loyalty is increasingly tied to the relevance of the content. The most trusted shows focus on niche audiences and deliver actionable value. READ MORE →
5 Ways to Stay Ahead of the AI Curve | Accounting Influencers
Automation isn’t replacing accountants—it’s exposing who can’t evolve.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
Artificial intelligence isn’t a future disruptor—it’s already embedded in accounting. The profession’s survival depends on how quickly firms adapt.
“The robots are coming—scratch that—they’re already here,” says Accounting Influencers host Rob Brown. “AI literacy isn’t optional anymore. If you’re treating AI as tomorrow’s problem, you’re already behind the curve.”
The latest episode explores the seismic impact of automation on accounting and the urgent need for firms to transform their skills, strategies, and structures.
Citing a McKinsey report, Brown notes that nearly 80% of organizations already use AI in at least one core function. “It’s pervasive now,” he says. “Reconciliation, data entry, transaction classification—AI eats those jobs for breakfast.”
How to Fix the Broken Education Systems | Accounting Influencers
“The classroom is no longer a pipeline for work-ready professionals.”
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
Today’s accounting leaders are facing an alarming truth: the next generation of recruits may be the least “work-ready” in decades.
They know their algebra, their Shakespeare, and their chemistry formulas—but not how to introduce themselves in a job interview, meet a deadline, or handle feedback. That’s the provocative premise explored in the latest episode of Accounting Influencers Podcast, where host Rob Brown tackles the widening gap between what schools teach and what firms need.
“The classroom is no longer a pipeline for work-ready professionals,” Brown warns. “And accounting firms are starting to feel the pain.”
Brown, a former high school math teacher, speaks from experience. He spent years coaching students to pass tests—not preparing them for the real world. “The curriculum is built for exams, not for the workplace,” he says. “No one’s teaching children how to build trust, handle tough feedback, or develop emotional intelligence.”
Toxic Partners Kill Your Firm’s Future | Accounting Influencers
Gen Z won’t fix your firm culture problem – they’ll leave it.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
When the youngest professionals in accounting start saying “no,” leaders should start listening.
In this episode of Accounting Influencers, the conversation turns to the one thing that could make or break your firm’s future: how you treat your people, specifically, how you treat Gen Z.
They’re qualified. They’re confident. And they’ve watched what the generations before them endured—burnout, long hours, micromanagement, and “be grateful you’ve got a job” culture. Their conclusion? “No thanks.”
This isn’t softness. It’s a strategy.
Gen Z values mental health over martyrdom, meaning over money, and culture over compensation. They’ve seen the toll that toxic leadership takes, and they’re unwilling to sacrifice well-being for tradition.
Don’t Let AI Sound Smarter Than You | Accounting Influencers
Keep your own voice in charge.
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
In the race to stay relevant in accounting, artificial intelligence has emerged as both a powerful accelerator and a quiet threat. In this episode of the Accounting Influencers podcast, the conversation dives deep into how accountants can harness AI to amplify their visibility and credibility—without losing their authenticity.
AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Jasper have made it easier than ever for professionals to create content that showcases their expertise. Need a LinkedIn post, a client email, or a blog idea? You can generate it in seconds. But speed comes with a price. The danger, as host Rob Brown notes, is mistaking efficiency for originality.
“AI is fast. AI is smart. But AI has no soul,” says Brown. “It’s never sat with a client in crisis or led a team through busy season. It hasn’t lived your story.”
The temptation to let AI speak for you is understandable. Accountants are busy, and content creation can feel daunting. Yet, when AI-generated posts sound polished but generic, professionals risk blending into the background. The very tool designed to help them stand out could make them indistinguishable.
Stay or Go? Rethink Job Hopping | Accounting Influencers
Is the next big opportunity across the street…or right where you already are?
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
Post-pandemic, accounting professionals saw record pay increases just for changing employers.
However, as economic conditions tighten and median pay raises for job switchers fall from roughly 7% to just over 4%, the calculus is changing. The latest episode of the Accounting Influencers explores this new reality, urging professionals to look beyond paychecks and consider the broader picture of career satisfaction.
During the Great Resignation, switching jobs was practically risk-free. Firms desperate for talent offered 15–20% salary hikes to fill open seats. Today, however, that market has cooled. With inflation steadying and corporate budgets tightening, job hopping no longer guarantees the big payouts it once did.
As host Rob Brown explains, “The financial upside of switching jobs has narrowed, but the emotional and professional costs of moving may be higher than ever.”
Big 4 Layoffs Reveal New Jobs Reality | Accounting Influencers
Industry turbulence opens doors for smaller firms, but only those that clearly define and communicate value.
This is a preview. The complete video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to PRO Members | Go PRO here
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown
Between June 2023 and September 2024, several of the largest accounting firms announced significant workforce reductions and structural changes. KPMG disclosed a deeper round of auditor layoffs in mid-2023. Grant Thornton cut approximately 3% of its U.S. staff (about 350 employees) in May 2024. In September 2024, PwC announced one of its most significant reorganizations in years, resulting in the elimination of approximately 1,800 positions in its U.S. operations.
Since then, further reductions have continued. In May 2025, PwC laid off approximately 1,500 more U.S. employees (around 2% of its U.S. workforce), primarily in its audit and tax lines. Meanwhile, KPMG pursued additional cuts, including a round impacting roughly 4% of its U.S. audit workforce later in 2024. Grant Thornton also followed the earlier reductions with more targeted layoffs after its private-equity deal, trimming about 150 U.S. roles (1.5% of its domestic workforce) in late 2024.
These moves are not isolated. They signal a broader industry recalibration, leaving thousands of accountants uncertain about their future.
At the same time, some major firms are doubling down on mandatory office attendance. Industry observers say the combination of job insecurity and rigid workplace policies could push professionals to seek more flexible and stable opportunities.