ACCOUNTING INFLUENCERS

Don’t Let AI Sound Smarter Than You | Accounting Influencers

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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.

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Stay or Go? Rethink Job Hopping | Accounting Influencers

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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.”

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Big 4 Layoffs Reveal New Jobs Reality | Accounting Influencers

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Industry turbulence opens doors for smaller firms, but only those that clearly define and communicate value.

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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.

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DEI Pullback Risks Pipeline | Accounting Influencers

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Firms scale back initiatives even as governing bodies warn diversity is key to the profession’s future.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

The accounting profession is facing a turning point as major firms scale back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, raising concerns about how the shift could affect talent recruitment, retention, and competitiveness.

KPMG recently discontinued its “Accelerate 2025” program, which aimed to expand leadership diversity. Deloitte pulled back last year, joining other global corporations—including Goldman Sachs, Meta, and Google—that have pared down similar efforts.

The shifts come as political and legal pressures mount. States such as Florida and Texas have rolled back DEI policies in higher education, and a Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action has sent ripples across corporate America. Firms that once championed DEI are now weighing compliance risks and financial implications against potential reputational and workforce consequences.

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Pushing into Law? A Seismic Shift for Firms | Accounting Influencers

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AZ opens the door to multidisciplinary firms, and Big Four competitors are watching closely.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

Accounting and law have long existed in parallel, separated by strict professional boundaries. That wall may be crumbling. KPMG is moving to become the first Big Four accounting firm in the United States to own a law firm, a step that could reshape the profession.

The opening occurred in Arizona, which recently amended its rules to permit non-lawyers to own law firms under alternative business structures (ABS). KPMG seized the opportunity, announcing plans to launch KPMG Law US. The firm will not enter courtroom litigation but instead focus on contract management, legal project support, and M&A contract harmonization.

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How Smart Firms Handle DEI | Accounting Influencers

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Accounting leaders face pressure to choose a path that could reshape talent pipelines and firm culture for years to come.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

Deloitte’s decision to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program for 173,000 U.S. employees is sending shockwaves through the accounting profession, exposing deep divisions on a global scale and forcing firm leaders to weigh politics against talent priorities.

The move—ending DEI goals, disbanding related departments, eliminating annual reporting, and ordering staff to remove pronouns from email signatures—came just hours before Deloitte UK issued a memo affirming its commitment to DEI.

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Meet Your New Boss: Gen Z | Accounting Influencers

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Zoomers expect clarity, equity, and purpose—and they’re not afraid to walk if firms don’t deliver.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

By 2025, one in 10 managers will be from Generation Z. That’s right—the so-called “lazy, entitled” group born between 1997 and 2012 is already leading teams in accounting firms. But instead of wrecking the workplace, Gen Z might be exactly what the profession needs to survive its crossroads.

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On Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown explores the rise of Gen Z and what their entry into the accounting workforce means for leaders, firms, and the profession at large.

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The Truth Behind Accounting’s RTO Push | Accounting Influencers

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Firms blame culture and training, yet AI, real estate, and talent pressures tell a different tale.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

The push to bring accountants back to the office is gaining momentum, echoing trends at corporate giants like JPMorgan, Amazon, and Meta. While firms frame return-to-office (RTO) policies as a way to boost collaboration, mentorship, and culture, industry observers question whether the real motivations include cost control, talent reshaping, and even quiet workforce reductions.

In the latest episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown examines the drivers behind RTO in accounting, from Big Four mandates to real estate obligations, and explores whether being in the office truly advances careers or simply serves firm agendas.

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Why P.E. Is Winning the Talent Wars | Accounting Influencers

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PE-backed firms are luring top performers with faster promotions, equity stakes, and career paths that traditional firms rarely offer.

This is a preview. The complete video episode, with commentary and transcript, is first available exclusively to PRO Members | Go PRO here
Sponsored by “It’s NOT Just the Numbers: How to Move Beyond the Numbers and Deliver REAL Value for Your Clients.”
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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

Private equity’s influence on the accounting profession is shaking up more than firm valuations — it is rewriting the rules for attracting and retaining talent. A staggering 70% of top performers at traditional firms say they would move to a PE-backed competitor right now if given the chance, according to new industry insights.

And it’s not just about bigger paychecks. Private equity firms have zeroed in on what motivates high performers — opportunity, impact, and accelerated growth — and are building career models to match.

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Change=Hard. Obsolescence=Worse. | Accounting Influencers

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Turn disruption into opportunity and lead with confidence.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

As disruption reshapes the accounting profession, a harsh reality is emerging: the vast majority of firms are not keeping pace. In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown warns that more than 70% of accountants globally are unprepared for the seismic changes sweeping through the industry, from AI and automation to evolving client expectations and a volatile talent marketplace.

“Disruption isn’t coming. It’s already here,” Brown says. “Those who don’t make the shift in time are going to get left behind—plain and simple.”

The show explores how outdated processes, resistance to change, and lagging leadership development are putting firms at risk. Leaders can no longer afford to rely solely on technical skills. Today’s environment demands influence, adaptability, and a willingness to tackle uncomfortable change head-on.

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In 3 Years, 1/2 of Accounting Leaders Will Be Irrelevant | Accounting Influencers

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Private equity is redefining influence, and only agile, change-ready professionals will survive.


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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

In the next 36 months or so, nearly half of accounting leaders could find themselves labeled as legacy problems. That’s the stark prediction in the latest episode of Accounting Influencers, where host Rob Brown unpacks how private equity is fundamentally reshaping the rules of leadership, authority, and influence in the profession.

MORE Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown

As private equity (PE) firms continue to invest heavily in accounting, they’re accelerating transformation—and not everyone is keeping up. “This is not just about writing big checks,” says Brown. “It’s a power shift that rewards adaptability, speed, and strategic boldness over patience and technical seniority.”

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How Accounting Leaders Build Influence Without a Big Four Resume | Accounting Influencers

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…And the 8 emerging leadership paths that can help you rise to the top…


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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

In the world of accounting, influence is no longer the exclusive domain of Big Four alumni or Ivy League pedigrees. Each December, Accounting Today releases its Top 100 Most Influential People list, highlighting leaders who shape the profession. The surprising truth behind many of these selections? Over 70% started from modest beginnings, without elite credentials, but with a clear strategy for building career capital.

In a recent episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, host Rob Brown delves into the evolving landscape of leadership in accounting. “This isn’t about popularity or vanity metrics,” Brown says. “It’s about curating influence—the kind that drives innovation, fosters relevance, and moves the profession forward.”

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Stay Employable in the Age of AI | Accounting Influencers

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Plus, get 20 key takeaways, including life after layoffs.

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Accounting Influencers
With Rob Brown

As technology transforms the accounting profession, jobs are being redefined—or eliminated altogether. In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown unpacks the wave of layoffs sweeping through the Big Four and leading software providers and what it means for the future of accounting careers.

Layoffs at PwC, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and Intuit are a wake-up call. These aren’t just belt-tightening moves—they’re signs of a larger shift driven by AI and automation. PwC cut 1,500 jobs in May, EY let go of over 1,400 employees, and Deloitte laid off “an unspecified number.” Meanwhile, Intuit laid off 1,800 employees to invest more heavily in AI.

As Brown puts it: “This isn’t just about cutting costs. These firms are pivoting to hire people who can drive tech-enabled growth.” The message is clear: jobs are disappearing, but new ones are emerging—for those with the right skills.

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