William LeFew: The Best AI Professionals Think Like Humans | ARC

 Technology changes quickly, but critical thinking remains the most valuable skill accountants can develop. 

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Accounting ARC
With Donny Shimamoto

Center for Accounting Transformation

Artificial intelligence is changing accounting faster than almost anyone predicted. But according to William LeFew, Ph.D., the professionals who benefit most from AI are not necessarily the ones with the strongest technical skills—they are the ones who know how to think.

In this episode of Accounting ARC, Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP, CGMA, founder and managing director of IntrapriseTechKnowlogies LLC and founder and inspiration architect for the Center for Accounting Transformation, welcomes LeFew, chief technology officer at FirmPro, for a conversation that goes beyond software features and into the mindset required to succeed in an AI-enabled profession.

MORE Accounting ARC: The Feedback Mistake That Costs You Your Best People | Is Your Boss Really the Problem? | Most Accountants Are Missing This AI ShiftAI Can Fix Your Workflow—or Break It in Seconds | Efficiency Is the Wrong Goal for AI | Accounting’s Hidden Talent Risk: The Sandwich GenerationBuilt Fast. Sold Faster. Broken Later? The Truth About Accounting Tech | Recognize When You Need to Recharge Before You Burn OutValuing More Than the Balance Sheet

LeFew approaches accounting from an unusual perspective. Trained as an applied mathematician with experience at NASA and multiple technology startups, he intentionally looks for industries where technology can remove friction instead of creating it. Accounting, he says, stands out because of the people.

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Peter McCarroll: Rethink the Ladder | MOVE Like This

AI changes how pros gain experience, forcing teams to reinvent leadership development.

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MOVE Like This
With Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk
For CPA Trendlines Research

Artificial intelligence has dominated conversations throughout the accounting profession, but much of the discussion remains focused on efficiency. In this episode of MOVE Like This, Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk sits down with Peter McCarroll, founder of The AI Accountant and partner at Fuel Accountants, to explore a much bigger question: How will AI reshape careers, leadership, and the future of accounting firms?

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McCarroll argues that many firms are looking at AI through too narrow a lens. While automating routine work will certainly improve productivity, efficiency alone will not be enough to remain competitive. Firms that thrive will use AI to strengthen strategic thinking, develop new services, deepen client relationships, and create additional value rather than simply reducing costs. Waiting for technology to stabilize or treating AI as just another software implementation may leave firms behind as change accelerates over the next few years. READ MORE →

Hiring Strategies for Your Dream Team

Woman and man shaking hands across a desk

Who do you bring on first?

By Jackie Meyer

“A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.” – Simon Sinek, “Start with Why”

Building a successful advisory practice isn’t a solo endeavor. Yes, you might start as a one-person shop, but to truly scale your business, reclaim your time, and achieve the Balanced Millionaire lifestyle, you’ll eventually need a strong, capable team. Otherwise there’s a cap, or ceiling, on your revenue generation while you also burn all of your time.

MORE: The AI Revolution: Embracing Artificial Intelligence in Your Practice | Leverage Technology for Growth | Streamline Your Operations with Systems and Processes | Craft Tiered Service Packages for Maximum Impact | Master the ROI Method: Price for Value, Not Time | From Compliance to Advisory: Shifting the Value Proposition | Niche Down to Scale Up | How to Define Your Vision | How I Became an Accidental Entrepreneur | Build a Seven-Figure Firm in Four Hours a Week
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This article focuses on the critical process of hiring a team that aligns with your vision and values. We’ll explore how to identify what roles to hire for, craft compelling job descriptions to attract the right talent and conduct effective interviews to vet candidates.
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Marketing Success Depends on Curiosity, Collaboration, and Client Experience | Capstone Conversations

Understanding the full picture delivers higher ROI.

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Capstone Conversations
By Jean Caragher
For CPA Trendlines

In this episode of Capstone Conversations with Jean Caragher of Capstone Marketing, Alex Miller, marketing manager at Lanigan Ryan and the Association for Accounting Marketing’s 2025 Volunteer of the Year, shares powerful insights about the evolving role of marketers in accounting firms. Her two top takeaways? Curiosity and collaboration drive career success, and client experience and artificial intelligence (AI) offer the profession’s biggest opportunities and challenges.

Follow Jean Caragher on CPA Trendlines here. | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | Catch Jean Caragher’s other show, Gear Up for Growth, here. | And browse all the shows in the CPA Trendlines broadcast network here

“Curiosity has opened so many doors for me,” says Miller. “You have to ask questions – about your firm’s services, your teammates’ work, and your goals. When you understand the full picture, you can market more effectively and bring real value to your team.”

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Crosby, Johnston: A Human-First, Tech-Forward Future | Holistic Guide to Wealth Management

Research shows that money activates more areas of the brain than sex, death, politics, or religion.

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By Rory Henry CFP®, BFA™
For CPA Trendlines

A recent McKinsey study found that the demand for holistic financial advice increased 60% from 2018 to 2023. Meanwhile, another McKinsey study projected a shortage of 100,000 financial advisors by 2034. That gap is leaving a massive opportunity for CPAs to step up as holistic advisors. 

MORE Rory Henry and The Holistic Guide to Wealth Management

BUY the Holistic Guide to Wealth Management

A recent Holistic Guide to Wealth Management book panel discussion with two industry luminaries showed that CPAs who are in the best position to thrive as holistic advisors are those who use technology to deliver deeper planning and relationship-driven advice. 

“Traditional econometric models were all predicated on this idea that people were rational,” notes psychologist, author, and behavioral finance expert, Dr. Daniel Crosby. “What we actually know is that it is perhaps least true of us when it comes to money.”  

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