Michael Eckstein isn’t like most accountants. He doesn’t talk like most accountants. Or think like them. And he certainly doesn’t approach building a business the same way as them, either. In this episode, Yuri and Michael sit down to discuss topics big and small – from client horror stories and biggest tax “beefs” to how Michael started his firm and why he built it around one central thing. Additionally, they tackle some hot topics th...

This week’s guest has achieved what many in the industry dream of. A successful firm AND a successful exit. Kenji Kuramoto is the founder and former CEO of Acuity, a pioneering outsourced accounting and fractional CFO firm that built and maintained financial functions for thousands of innovative entrepreneurs. Kenji sits down with Yuri to discuss creating and growing his company – what he learned, what he would change and the central theme of the ...

Not all accounting journeys are the same, but most are similar. Today’s guest has done it all differently – and his rare, entrepreneurial drive is something you seldom see in an industry so focused on conformity. Shahram Zarshenas is the CEO of Financial Cents, an accounting practice management software – a company and idea that started when Shahram was just in college. Together, Yuri and Shahram discuss his software and what makes it unique, as well as their respect...

It’s the one big thing on everyone’s mind. A.I. This week’s guest has all the answers to your questions both hopeful and bleak. Chad Davis is the co-founder and partner of LiveCA LLP – and a self-proclaimed AI and automation geek. Yuri and Chad discuss the AI of it all – it’s application in firms that are both tech averse and those that may be too tech-eager. They also investigate some situations where AI may not be the right answer, as well as how you c...

Accounting students this one is for you! In today's special release episode, Yuri shares his presentation to a group of students at Rutgers Business School from October 30th, 2025. In this presentation Yuri helps college students understand what their journey will look like after graduating and how to best succeed in their accounting career. Here are a few highlights: ✅Yuri's journey after graduation ✅How to interview well ✅Audit Vs. Tax ✅How to succeed at the new job ✅Much more!

Steven Jarvis, “the least boring CPA”, joins Yuri in this week’s episode to talk real career moves, not LinkedIn fantasies. Steven is CEO and Head CPA at Retirement Tax Services – but at one time, he was *this* close to landing a partnership at a national firm. Instead, he built a tax + education company serving financial advisors so he could design his work around his life, and not the other way around. Additionally, Yuri and Steven discuss why most sales h...

From LinkedIn “beef”, to a real conversation about building modern accounting teams. This week, I’m joined by Connor Bland and Caleb Johnson of Cloud Accountant Staffing. Cloud focuses on building global careers for accounting professionals across the Philippines, South Africa, and Central/South America – and connecting these folks to firms here in the US. Connor and Caleb dive a little more into this process in this episode, why it’s not as scary as it sounds...

U.S. accounting is changing fast. Offshoring, AI, and private equity are reshaping careers in real time. Mario Castro joins me to pull back the curtain on what firms won’t say out loud: hollowed training pipelines, billable-hour games, delayed start dates, and why the partner “cruise ship” may never come back to the dock for seniors and MDs. We also cover some paths that do work – well as Mario’s journey to accounting and how his career has evolved from t...

From “BDO to builder” to launching a platform for entrepreneurial CPAs. Marcus Rien joins Yuri to unpack public vs. private realities, the 150/120 debate, and why the profession’s future depends on changing the narrative and the model. We get into his journey, the creation of Waves CPAs—a marketplace + back office for CPAs who want flexibility and ownership—and how PE roll-ups, AI, and small-city growth are reshaping opportunities. Marcus also shares the story b...

In today's episode we do a deep dive into buying and selling accounting firms with Daniel Talbott Daniel is the owner of RightExit helping firms sell and helping buyers find the right match when it comes to their firm purchase. If you are considering starting your accounting entrepreneurship journey and are not sure if you should buy an accounting firm this is the episode for you where we cover so much about the journey ✅How to value an accounting firm? ✅What it takes to buy a firm? ✅Wh...

On today's episode we got a real interesting and unique guest - Robert Nordlander. Robert is a former IRS Criminal Investigator who worked with the Service for 21 years. Today's episode is chalk full of value where we learn all about ✅ IRS CI procedures and how cases are selected ✅What happens when you receive a subpoena and how to act ✅How to keep yourself and your client out of trouble ✅Social media and the IRS ✅much much more

In today's episode we have Erica Goode, AKA The 15 Hour Accountant, sharing her journey and career in accounting. We discuss everything from ✅ Private vs public accounting careers ✅Challenges woman face in the profession ✅Launching a firm centered around YOUR lifestyle ✅Deep burnout and its impacts ✅Raising kids while working I am truly humbled to be able to bring you this incredibly valuable episode and a big thank you to Erica for joining us today CONNE...

CPA + yogi Amy Vetter joins the Fun CPA Podcast to share how she built a career across KPMG, CAS (before it had a name), and Intuit. THEN created the B3 Method (Business + Balance = Bliss) to help firms rethink culture, burnout, and what “success” looks like now. We dig into how COVID accelerated tech and remote work, why belief systems at the top shape everything, and practical ways new staff, seniors, and emerging partners can build meaningful careers without losing the...

It’s one of the biggest problems in the accounting profession – and this week’s guest is right on the front lines fighting it. Lynette Oss Connell, or “The Burnout Bestie” is a Burnout Prevention and Recovery Strategist. She works with individual CPAs and firms to reframe old narratives and ways of thinking. Lynette joins Yuri to discuss her unique career destination and what she’s seeing among her peers and in her own experience working hands-on with firms. She also shares her own burnout ...

This week, Yuri is joined by John Fenton – AKA “The CEO Sensei”. Following a successful 30+Year career as a Managing Partner and CPA in one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting firms, John launched his business in 2013 in executive coaching and consulting to help busy executives be the best leaders they can be. John sits down with Yuri to talk about the pitfalls of the corporate world and how consistently it will try to bleed into your personal and family life....

Welcome back to yet another episode of.. The Fun CPA! This week, Yuri invites Daniel Steinberg – speaking, communications, marketing extraordinaire and Rabbi.. Daniel combines his comedic and religious background to create an approach that is uniquely him, which is to say, authentic and attention-grabbing. Daniel joins Yuri to discuss his unusual journey from funny man, to marketer, to Rabbi and how that has informed his current business and outlook on communication. Daniel shares the basi...

This week on The Fun CPA, Yuri is joined by Nate Sosa, CPA, MST, Manager of the National Tax Department and Audit Defense Division at Hall CPA – for a deep dive into the “BBB” (a.k.a. the Big Beautiful Bill). Nate brings his trademark clarity and technical depth as they unpack what this new bill brings to the table for high income earners, home owners, business owners, those in real estate and more. They also cover some of what’s changing and staying the same with the bill and what you (the...

Welcome back to yet another episode of.. The Fun CPA! This week, Yuri is joined by Dominic Piscopo the founder of Big4Transparency.com, a widely used resource for salary transparency in the accounting industry, reaching nearly 250,000 accounting professionals. This data source was developed by Dominic himself, and helps professionals across the industry navigate the job market, pick the right employer and get paid what they’re worth. Dominic joins Yuri to share what drove him to create such...

Welcome back to yet another episode of.. The Fun CPA! This week, Yuri is joined by Jonathan Kern. Professor Kern is an instructor at the University of Oklahoma and is single handedly bringing enjoyment and passion to the next generation of accountants. With the pipeline issue being so prevalent in the industry, it’s important to understand where students are coming from and what we – as professionals – can do to not only entice more to join, but also make sure that those that do are happy w...

Welcome back to The Fun CPA Podcast! This week, host Yuri Kapilovich is joined by Scotty Scarano! Scotty’s journey is nothing shy of incredible from buying out a franchise firm to growing it to over $1M in revenue to fully stepping out of the day-to-day to become an accounting Rapper (That’s right! OKR himself) After performing at countless accounting conferences and experiencing some of the highest highs, Scotty realized that all the fame and glory meant nothing if he wasn’t spe...