The Modern CPA Success Show

Hosted by Summit Virtual CFO by Anders

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Oct 2026

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Are you the owner of an accounting firm? Do you want to make your firm more profitable? Are you interested in providing Virtual CFO services to clients?Dedicated to perfecting Virtual CFO Services since our inception in 2002, Summit CPA Group, now Summit Virtual CFO Services by Anders, serves as Virtual CFOs for over 100 clients throughout North America. While most accounting firms focus on the past, our Virtual CFO team focuses on the future. This podcast seeks to help accounting firm owners like you learn how to provide successful Virtual CFO Services and become profitable. Tune in bi-weekly as our hosts Tom Wadelton, Virtual CFO, and Adam Hale, Partner at Anders CPAs + Advisors, interview industry-leading experts to share knowledge, as well as Adam’s experience acquired from more than 20 years as the lead provider of Virtual CFO services in North America. We'll answer some of the most common questions like how do I provide accounting services virtually? What's it like running a distributed team? And much, much more.

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October 27, 202635 min

Best Halloween Candy Ranked: The Ultimate Trick-or-Treat Candy Draft

The podcasters are back for their third holiday draft, and this time it’s Halloween candy. The Anders VCFO team held a team retreat last week and the entire team voted on who had the best candy picks. Adam Hale, Jamie Nau, Joey Kinney, and Hannah Hood bring Roxanne Raynor into the room for six rounds of snake-style drafting. Everyone gets to stick a rival with one candy, and at the end they trade for a better bag. Expect strong opinions, questionable taste, and at least one person who refuses to admit he lost. Key Takeaways: Black licorice is still the most divisive candy in the room. Adam opens the draft by sticking Joey with it, and Joey defends it with a root beer argument nobody else buys. A good teammate knows your weak spot. Hannah sticks Jamie with Now and Laters because she knows exactly how he feels about his fillings and his twice-a-year dentist visits. Efficiency applies to candy, too. Adam eats both sides of the Twix at once, and Joey makes the case that a fun size Snickers beats a king size every time. Draft for your voters. Jamie rounds out his board with Mounds for the grandmas and Swedish Fish for the teenagers who raid his pantry. Every good negotiation needs a three-way trade. Jamie, Hannah, and Joey swap Hot Tamales, Twizzlers, and Smarties so everyone walks away happy. Episode resources: ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at podcasts@anderscpa.com . Quotes: Joey Kinney: “Who hurt y’all? Do you not like root beer? It’s the same flavor, just in licorice.” Hannah Hood: “I don’t like black licorice either, but this is a little harsh.” Adam Hale: “It’s about maximum efficiency. Everything all at once.” Jamie Nau: “I tell my life in timelines, and those timelines are the two dentist appointments I have every year.” Roxanne Raynor: “Y’all know I’m behind the scenes. I’m just here to lift you guys up.” About the Guest Roxanne Raynor is an Events Marketing Manager at Anders, where she leads the firm’s podcast strategy by identifying topics, securing guests, and developing content that strengthens Anders’ thought leadership. She also manages strategic partnerships and vendor relationships for events, connecting Anders professionals with key audiences and industry organizations. Roxanne holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from East Carolina University. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/roxanne-t-raynor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-raynor-913b4412/ About the Hosts Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/ Jamie Nau, CPA, Director of Virtual CFO Services/ Virtual CFO, is a seasoned financial expert with a deep understanding of business growth stages. Jamie has worked extensively with middle-market and large companies, providing key financial insights. His experience as an auditor has given him firsthand knowledge of how critical financial data is in strategic decision-making. Website: https://anderscpa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamienau/ Joey Kinney, CPA, is a Virtual CFO at Anders who helps business owners navigate an ever-changing business landscape. Coming from an accounting family, Joey started learning basic accounting principles from his parents as a teenager. Before moving into Virtual CFO work, he built his experience in tax, financial planning, and as a financial controller in commercial real estate. Joey is a graduate of Kansas State University and co-hosts the Young CPA Success Show. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-kinney-cpa-60658188/ Hannah Hood is a VCFO Principal at Anders, leading practice operations, onboarding, capacity planning, and team development for the Virtual CFO division. With 20 years of accounting experience spanning bookkeeping, controllership, and public accounting, Hannah brings a ground-level understanding of what it takes to grow accounting professionals into high-performing advisory practitioners. She also co-hosts the Young CPA Success Show. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/hannah-c-hood/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahchood/ About the Show The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Join us for a free ethics webinar exploring what historic accounting and business scandals can still teach us about ethical decision-making today. Attendees can earn up to 2 CPE credits. Register now at anderscpa.com/news-events #HalloweenCandy #CandyDraft #AccountingPodcast

October 13, 202647 min

How CPA Firms Can Reduce Real Estate Costs in a Hybrid Workplace with Christopher Burke

Office space is the second biggest cost in almost every service business, and most firm owners can't say how it's being used. Christopher Burke, an Australian CPA and founder of the workplace management platform Hybrid Hero, joins Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale to talk about how CPA firms can reduce real estate costs in a hybrid workplace, close the gap between hybrid policy and actual behavior, and use office data to decide how their teams should really work. Key Takeaways: Owners feel this cost the most. At a big corporate, the person evaluating office costs isn't spending their own money. At accounting and law firms, the owners are paying the bills, and most don't know what they're spending. The data can pay for itself fast. A medium-sized U.S. insurer looked at its utilization, sublet one of its four floors, and cut 25% of its real estate costs overnight. Know your benchmark. Tom tells professional services clients to spend 3 to 5% of revenue on office costs. One 40-person client with two leases ending soon is spending about 12%. A policy nobody monitors isn't a policy. Chris sees firms set two or three in-office days, then never check whether it's happening. Policies can also vary by team and role instead of one rule for everyone. Showing up isn't the same as working together. One law firm found its partners and juniors in the same building but never near each other. The bigger question is how you want your team to work, and whether you can see it happening. Episode resources: ● Hybrid Hero: https://hybridhero.com/ ● Christopher Burke: http://www.chrisburkeexec.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at podcasts@anderscpa.com Quotes: Christopher Burke: "So I think the biggest thing we're finding is people just don't know what they're spending." Adam Hale: "The reality of the situation, though, is hybrid is very much necessary, just with work-life balance." Tom Wadelton: "I came in thinking, do I have the right kind of office space? And what it turned into was more, how do I really want my team to work?" About the Guest Chris Burke is the founder of HybridHero, a workplace operating platform used by enterprises in 40+ countries, including Dyson, BMW, and Pepsi. He works with COOs, CFOs, and senior leaders to fix hybrid work that cuts productivity, raises costs, and lacks visibility. Having built and scaled both a global consulting firm and a SaaS platform, Chris turns hybrid work from a policy into a measurable system covering workforce behaviour, office utilisation, and real estate cost. His focus is execution: how workplace decisions affect financial outcomes, performance, and efficiency at scale. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram, or visit HybridHero. Connect with Christopher Burke: Website: http://www.chrisburkeexec.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-burke-uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburkeexec/ X: https://x.com/ChrisBurkeExec Visit Hybrid Hero: Website: https://hybridhero.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hybridheroos/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hybridheroos/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HybridHero-HH About the Hosts Tom Wadelton is a Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/ About the Show The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Join us for a free ethics webinar exploring what historic accounting and business scandals can still teach us about ethical decision-making today. Attendees can earn up to 2 CPE credits — register now at anderscpa.com/news-events . #VirtualCFO #HybridWork #CPAFirmGrowth

September 29, 202652 min

Why AI Will Make CPAs More Human, Not Replace Them, with Jody Padar

Most firms think their competition is the CPA office down the street. Jody Padar, co-founder of XcelLabs and the original Radical CPA, says that is not even close. In this episode, she joins Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale to talk about why AI's real job in accounting is making CPAs more human, not replacing them, and how her company built a coaching tool that scores advisors on authenticity and clarity instead of billable hours. Key Takeaways: The real competition isn't another firm. Jody says most CPAs are still comparing themselves to the firm down the street, when the actual threat is a FinTech or a VC-backed startup building a firm from a blank sheet of paper. Navi coaches the human, not the workflow. Jody's company, XcelLabs, built Navi to listen to advisory calls and score CPAs on authenticity, clarity, and impact instead of billable hours. Practice the hard conversation before you have it live. Navi lets CPAs rehearse a pricing conversation or advisory pitch against an AI client before ever picking up the phone with a real one. Humanness is the differentiator for 2030. As AI takes over routine compliance work, Jody argues the CPAs who thrive will be the ones who lead with authentic, well trained client relationships. Episode resources: ● XcelLabs Academy: http://www.xcellabsacademy.com ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes: Jody Padar: "It is going to be our humanness." Jody Padar: "Most CPAs don't realize their competition isn't another firm. It's a FinTech or a VC-backed startup that just got a bazillion dollars to build a new firm with a blank slate of paper." Adam Hale: "We have to move to more of a simulation, just like flight. If you learn to fly, they're not throwing you in the airplane and saying, hey, figure it out. They're putting you in something where you can get hands-on experience." Tom Wadelton: "Tons of people are going to come and say, I can give you better-looking dashboards and data, but it's the person who's saying, yeah, but we'll have the conversation in the wisdom." About the Guest Jody Padar, CPA, known as The Radical CPA, is a leading voice in accounting transformation. She pioneered the cloud firm model and has been named to Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People list for more than a decade. A three-time author and sought-after advisor, Jody has helped firms evolve across traditional practices, cloud models, and fintech startups, including Botkeeper and April. Today, she co-founded XcelLabs, where she leads AI-X, an AI-powered firm model helping CPA firms move beyond automation and build future-ready leadership. Website: http://www.xcellabsacademy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jody-padar-18a9711/ About the Hosts Tom Wadelton is a Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/ About the Show The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo #VirtualCFO #AccountingAI #CPAFirmGrowth

September 15, 202651 min

No Timesheets, Fixed Fees, and a Concierge CPA Model with Jason Ackerman

Most CPA firms still run their billing off a timesheet nobody trusts. Jason Ackerman's firm hasn't tracked one since 2013. In this episode, Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale sit down with Jason Ackerman, Co-Managing Partner at BNA CPA Advisors and Co-Founder & CFO of WealthRabbit. Jason shares how BNA moved to fully fixed-price billing, uses a simple three-tier cleanup pricing model, and measures profitability per employee without timesheets. They also discuss balancing recurring Virtual CFO work with project-based services like M&A, key growth inflection points at 15, 35, and 50 employees, and how BNA keeps onboarding seamless for clients. They close with where the industry is headed, including Jason’s straightforward take on AI: “How you beat the robots is for you to be human.” He explains why relationships matter more than automation and why BNA is staying nimble rather than betting on one AI platform. If you’re rethinking how your firm prices, staffs, and measures profitability, this conversation offers a practical blueprint. ▶️ No Timesheets, Fixed Fees, and a Concierge CPA Model with Jason Ackerman. Episode resources: ● Website: https://www.bnacpa.com/ ● WealthRabbit, Jason's platform for CPAs to set up client retirement plans: https://www.wealthrabbit.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes: Jason Ackerman: “How you beat the robots is for you to be human” Jason Ackerman: "If you spend 4 days trying to figure out the price, you've just lost $15,000 right there." Adam Hale: "Right around 35 to 50 people seems to be a natural sweet spot in terms of profitability, the ability to have redundancy and structure." Tom Wadelton: "I've got a couple of choices. I can start accrual based and go forward in your price, or if you want me to clean up, it could be this and do it as a project." About the Guest Jason Ackerman, CPA, CFP®, CGMA, is Co-Managing Partner at BNA CPA Advisors in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Co-Founder & CFO of WealthRabbit. He joined BNA, the firm his father founded in 1977, in 2012, and now helps lead a team of 35 on the CPA side doing close to $8 million in revenue. He earned his BS in Accounting from NYU and is a member of the AICPA and the SC Association of CPAs. Website: https://www.bnacpa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlackerman/ About the Hosts: Tom Wadelton is a Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/ About the Show The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo #VirtualCFO #AccountingAI #CPAFirmGrowth

September 1, 202644 min

Why Smaller CPA Firms Have the AI Advantage with Joey Kinney and Adam Hale

Most accounting firm owners assume the big, PE-backed players have an unbeatable head start on AI. In this state-of-the-industry conversation, Joey Kinney, Virtual CFO at Anders, pinch-hits for Tom Wadelton and sits down with Adam Hale, Partner at Anders, for an unscripted look at where AI is actually changing accounting advisory work right now. Fresh off a live Basis AI conference with the top 100 firms in the room, Adam explains why smaller, faster-moving firms may have more room to close the gap than anyone expects. From there, the conversation covers what happens when clients start showing up with their own AI-built financial analysis, why tracking 50 KPIs is the same as tracking none, how the COO role is quietly folding into the CFO seat, and why Adam believes the traditional CPA firm staffing pyramid is about to flip into a diamond. They also get into an honest conversation about trust: what it actually takes for a young, AI-fluent advisor to be believed in the room. If you're trying to figure out how AI changes your firm's pricing, staffing, and advisory model over the next year, this episode is a working session, not a keynote. ▶️ Why Smaller CPA Firms Have the AI Advantage with Joey Kinney and Adam Hale. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes: Adam Hale: "One of the biggest takeaways is they're not very far ahead either, in this entire space. Smaller firms really have an opportunity here to make up a lot of ground." Joey Kinney: "If you're tracking 50 KPIs, you're tracking no KPIs, because you don't have any KPIs at 50." About the Hosts Joey Kinney, CPA, pinch-hits as host for this episode. He's a Virtual CFO at Anders. Coming from an accounting family, Joey began learning about basic accounting principles from his parents as a teen. From there, he continued to build his experience by taking on a variety of roles in the accounting and financial industry. Joey enjoys helping business owners navigate the ever-changing business landscape. He loves being a trusted advisor who can help his clients achieve their personal and professional goals. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-kinney-cpa-60658188/ Adam Hale, CPA, Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, is dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#adam-hale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/ Tom Wadelton is out this episode, back next time. About the Show The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo #VirtualCFO #AccountingAI #CPAFirmGrowth

August 18, 202651 min

How to Build a CPA Firm That Attracts Buyers with Brannon Poe

Most CPA firm owners know their revenue. Far fewer know how a buyer would value the business behind it. Brannon Poe, founder of Poe Group Advisors, joins Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale to break down the factors that make an accounting practice more attractive to buyers. After working on hundreds of CPA firm sales and acquisitions, Brannon has seen which operational decisions strengthen value and which ones create risk during a transition. He explains why profitability and owner dependency are the two metrics firm owners should watch most closely. He also shares why virtual firms can attract a wider buyer pool, why headline offers can be misleading, how niches and technology influence value only when they improve results, and what owner hours reveal about the strength of the team. Tune in now and hear insights that shift the way you think about building a firm that's ready to sell. ▶️ How to Build a CPA Firm That Attracts Buyers with Brannon Poe. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ ● Explore Poe Group Advisors: https://poegroupadvisors.com/ ● Email Poe Group Advisors: info@poegroupadvisors.com Quotes Brannon Poe: “The things that you can control are the profitability of the practice and the owner dependency.” Adam Hale: “It is about creating that competitive market, not just for the best price, but the best fit.” Brannon Poe founded Poe Group Advisors and has been guiding accounting practice transitions since 2003. He pioneered the firm's consulting-based approach, now known as The Seamless Succession™. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young, then spent several years in auditing and tax preparation at the regional firm Elliott, Davis & Company, before becoming a shareholder in a family-owned business and a founding shareholder in a manufacturing startup. He's the author of "Accountant's Flight Plan: Best Practices for Today's Firms" (published by the AICPA and CPA Canada) and "How to Prepare Your CPA Firm for Sale," among other books. He speaks regularly at national and regional accounting conferences and hosts The Accountant's Flight Plan Podcast. Brannon Poe, has been helping accounting firm owners navigate major transitions since 2003, pioneering the firm's consulting-based approach known as The Seamless Succession™. Visit poegroupadvisors.com to learn more, email him at info@poegroupadvisors.com , or connect with him on LinkedIn . Learn More About Poe Group Advisors: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poegroup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoeGroupAdvisors/# X: https://x.com/poegroupadvisor Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCniu-SWqezXDabYtGMXK9Iw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/poe-group-advisors/ The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Tom Wadelton is a Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#thomas-d-wadelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#adam-hale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/

August 4, 202648 min

How AI Is Forcing Accounting Firms to Rethink Pricing with Shawn Yeager

AI is changing more than the speed of accounting work. It is changing what firms can sell and how clients measure value. Shawn Yeager, founder of Upshift, joins Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale to discuss how AI is reshaping pricing and service design across professional services. After three decades commercializing emerging technology, including work on Microsoft’s first browser team, Shawn now helps firms turn AI from an internal efficiency project into a commercial strategy. Shawn explains why the billable hour as a unit of value is changing, how firms can separate routine work from judgment and trust, and why advisory should be packaged around specific outcomes rather than broad labels. He also shares a four-quadrant approach for reviewing service lines, a product-market fit process for testing new offers, and why firms should build their context and workflows instead of chasing every new AI tool. Accounting firm owners concerned about margin compression, commoditization, or where to invest next will find practical direction in this episode. Tune in to How AI Is Forcing Accounting Firms to Rethink Pricing with Shawn Yeager. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes Shawn Yeager: “Billing by the hour will likely outlive us all, for good or bad, but the billable hour as a unit of value is forever changed.” Adam Hale: “I think now we’ve got to move from insights to action.” Shawn Yeager is the founder of Upshift, where he helps professional services firms commercialize AI. He has spent three decades commercializing emerging technology, beginning on Microsoft’s first browser team and continuing through cloud infrastructure, IoT, digital payments, and AI. Along the way, he has generated more than $300 million in revenue and now advises founders and startup boards. Learn more about Upshift and explore their free assessment and pricing calculator at upshiftco.com . LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnyeager/ The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Tom Wadelton is a Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#thomas-d-wadelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Managing Director of Advisory at Anders dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#adam-hale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/

July 21, 202645 min

Advisory Skills for CPAs: Moving from Bookkeeping to CFO Services with Hannah Hood

Most accounting firms have the talent to deliver real CFO-level advisory work. They just have not built the path to get there. In this episode, Tom Wadelton sits down with Hannah Hood, VCFO Principal at Anders, to talk about what it actually takes to grow accounting talent from senior accountant to trusted CFO. Hannah has lived the full journey from bookkeeper to controller in industry, to VCFO Principal at one of the fastest-growing advisory practices in the country. You’ll hear how Hannah made the mindset shift from doing the work to advising on it, why staying in the weeds is the most common trap for newly promoted CFOs, and how weekly cash flow conversations can become one of the most powerful advisory touchpoints a firm offers small business clients. For any firm owner thinking about building stronger teams, pricing subscription services, or moving clients up the advisory value curve, this episode delivers the blueprint. Press play on Advisory Skills for CPAs: Moving from Bookkeeping to CFO Services and hear what intentional firm growth looks like from the inside. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes Hannah Hood: "We are selling trust to our clients more than we are selling accounting work." Tom Wadelton: "The best value in advisory comes from asking really good questions, not from telling the client what you already know." The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://anderscpa.com/learn/podcasts/the-modern-cpa-success-show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Tom Wadelton is a Partner and Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#thomas-d-wadelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Hannah Hood is a VCFO Principal at Anders, leading practice operations, onboarding, capacity planning, and team development for the Virtual CFO division. With 20 years of accounting experience spanning bookkeeping, controllership, and public accounting, Hannah brings a ground-level understanding of what it takes to grow accounting professionals into high-performing advisory practitioners. She also co-hosts the Young CPA Success Show. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/hannah-c-hood/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahchood/

July 7, 202648 min

Future-Proof Your Business Before AI Wins with Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale

The accounting profession is opening up. The firm owners who see that clearly right now are the ones who will come out ahead. Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale share key takeaways from the LEA (Leading Edge Alliance) North American Regional Conference 2026, one of the top CPA firm conferences in the industry. They cover what the profession's biggest thinkers are saying about where accounting firms are headed. Tom and Adam discuss how large firms are quietly shifting their workforce offshore and upskilling those teams to handle higher-level advisory work. You’ll hear why the traditional apprenticeship model is breaking down and what it means for hiring, training, and the future of intern classes at CPA firms. On the AI front, Tom and Adam go beyond the hype. They talk about using AI to improve client deliverables, how meeting transcripts and AI-generated summaries are changing financial storytelling, and why human expertise still has a clear edge over AI knowledge alone. Tune in to the full episode of Future-Proof Your Business Before AI Wins with Tom Wadelton and Adam Hale. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes Adam Hale: "Double down on your value proposition. In any big seismic shift, that is where you should be spending your time." Tom Wadelton: "When information becomes abundant, trust becomes scarce. That is where firm owners have to step up." The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://anderscpa.com/learn/podcasts/the-modern-cpa-success-show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Tom Wadelton is a Partner and Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#thomas-d-wadelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/ Adam Hale, CPA, is a Partner and Virtual CFO Practice Leader at Anders, dedicated to transforming traditional accounting practices through innovative Virtual CFO services. With over 20 years in public accounting, Adam has been instrumental in the ideation and development of CPA training courses. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#adam-hale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhalecpa/

June 9, 202646 min

How to Master Cash Flow With AI and Value Pricing with Mark Wickersham

AI is shrinking the time it takes to do accounting work and for firm owners still billing by the hour, it is quietly shrinking their revenue, too. Mark Wickersham, mentor to over 400 accountants at Value Pricing Academy Ltd, tackles the two skills separating profitable accounting firms from overworked ones: value pricing and AI. Mark has spent 25 years teaching accountants how to stop trading hours for dollars. He has also spent the last few years showing nearly 600 accountants how to use AI to do more with less. Mark explains the psychology of price anchoring and how firm owners can frame their value so clients see it clearly. He also makes the case for why AI makes value pricing non-negotiable because when AI cuts delivery time, hourly billing cuts revenue right along with it. From there, Mark walks through how to start with agentic AI without getting overwhelmed and how to keep the human connection strong while using AI in advisory work. Firm owners who are tired of tight cash flow, long hours, and pricing that feels like a ceiling will find real, actionable direction in this episode. Press play on How to Master Cash Flow With AI and Value Pricing with Mark Wickersham. Episode resources: ● Website: https://anderscpa.com/ ● If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.com ● Check out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://anderscpa.com/virtual-cfo-services/vcfo-playbook/ Quotes Mark Wickersham: “AI lets firms create more value for clients in less time, which means stronger margins and healthier cash flow.” Tom Wadelton: “If AI helps us spend less time explaining numbers and more time advising clients, that’s where the real value starts.” Mark Wickersham is a mentor to over 400 accountants at Value Pricing Academy Ltd. With over 30 years in accounting, he built and sold his own firm, authored multiple books on value pricing, and has spent 25 years teaching firm owners how to price for value, not time. Today he mentors nearly 600 accountants on using AI to automate work, boost productivity, and move up the value curve. LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwickersham1/?isSelfPro Value pricing: SkoolValue Pricing Academy AI and ChatGPT: SkoolAI Community AI Academy: SkoolAI Academy Mark's eBook: The-ai-communityThe 5 AI Tools Smart Accountants Are Using — Free eBook The Modern CPA Success Show is the go-to podcast for accounting firm owners eager to enhance profitability and master Virtual CFO services. This podcast leverages combined expertise in delivering top-tier Virtual CFO services across North America. Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2458888 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndersCPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anders-cpa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anderscpa/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andersvcfo Tom Wadelton is a Partner and Virtual CFO at Anders, bringing over 20 years of financial expertise from his tenure at a Fortune 500 company. He has extensive experience spanning financial management, accounting operations, and information technology integration. Tom specializes in delivering strategic Virtual CFO services, helping businesses optimize their financial performance through advanced accounting solutions. Website: https://anderscpa.com/about/your-anders-team/#thomas-d-wadelton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomwadelton/

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