Amplify Association for Accounting Marketing

We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting, to discuss how mergers, acquisitions and private equity should be considered in the strategic planning of accounting firms.
Allan's expertise and extensive experience are well known across the accounting industry. He helps firms with numerous services ranging from strategic planning to mergers and acquisitions. He has even been referred to as the Master Jedi in CPA firm consulting.
Tune in as Angie and Allan dive into the changes in the industry and what we should be considered as accounting firms plan for the future.
About Our Guest
Highly sought for his ability to engage and inspire audiences, Allan Koltin enjoys delivering keynote addresses at conferences throughout the professional services industry. His passion is facilitating retreats and providing coaching for firm leadership and partners. His specialties include strategy, governance, profitability, compensation, growth, human capital, succession, and mergers and acquisitions.
For twenty-one consecutive years, Allan has been named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession. For the past five years, he was recognized as one of the “10 Most Influential” in the profession and in 2021 he was ranked #5. Koltin was also voted one of the 10 Most Recommended Consultants for the nineteenth straight year in the “Annual Survey of Firms” conducted by INSIDE Public Accounting. For the past eight years, Allan has also been named by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 25 Thought Leaders in the profession. In 2016 CPA Practice Advisor inducted Allan into the Accounting Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first to be inducted into the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame by the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). He has also been a recipient of the NACVA Instructor of the Year Award and winner of the Journal of Accountancy Literacy Award. Previously he was recognized by the Illinois CPA Society with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service and commitment to the profession.
A nationally recognized speaker and industry analyst, he has appeared on the CNN, WGN and Fox Television networks and has been quoted frequently in such media as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and New York Post, as well as Bloomberg News, BBC World Service, Business Week, Forbes and Reuters. He has also spoken nationally and internationally at hundreds of conferences including those held by the AICPA, international CPA associations and state CPA societies.
Previously, Allan was the President and CEO of PDI, Global, Inc. which was the largest publisher of marketing materials for professional services firms. Allan originally sold PDI Global to H&R Block in 1998, buying it back in 2008, and then selling it again to Thomson Reuters in 2011. Prior to that, Allan was a Partner in the Chicago-based accounting and consulting firm of FERS, where he served as the leader of the Investment Banking Group, as well as the Law Firm Consulting Group. At age 27, Allan had the distinction of being named the youngest partner in the history of the firm and was also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. FERS was acquired by H&R Block in 1998.
He is a founding member of The Advisory Board, a think tank for the accounting profession. For 20 years The Advisory Board has hosted the Winning Is Everything Conference. Allan has served on various advisory boards, including SS&G, Outsource Partners International (OPI), the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), H&R Block (HRB Business Services) and ComplyGlobal.
Koltin is the author-editor of three books f

We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CEO of KET Consulting to discuss the importance of making DEI a strategic priority for accounting firms.
Tune in as Angie and Kimberly dive into DEI and it's importance in accounting firms' strategic planning.
About Our Guest
Kimberly Ellison-Taylor is a Global Technology and Finance leader with over 30 years of career achievements. She is the Chief Executive Officer of KET Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm focused on business growth, innovation, strategy, transformation and inclusive leadership. Ellison-Taylor is a sought after keynote speaker and has received many awards and recognitions for her expertise and leadership including Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and CPA Practice Advisor's 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting.
For almost 17 years, Ellison-Taylor served in global leadership roles for Oracle Corporation. Kimberly advised C-Suite Executives on cloud solutions that innovate and transform business. Ellison-Taylor is also an adjunct professor for Carnegie Mellon University’s Chief Information Officer Certificate program teaching Emerging Technologies & Innovation. She is also an independent board director.
Kimberly has volunteered in the profession for over 20 years including leadership positions as Chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, Chairman of the Association of Certified Professional Accountants, and Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Kimberly is also the Chair for the AICPA’s National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion and is also the incoming President-elect for Beta Alpha Psi. Ellison-Taylor is also the Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs Education Foundation. Kimberly is a member of the board of advisors for several business schools. 
About Your Host
Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.
 

The Future of Strategic Planning: The Importance of Buy-In with Gary Thomson, Thomson Consulting
We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Gary Thomson, Managing Partner of Thomson Consulting, on the Importance of buy-in for strategic planning. 
Gary brings unique experience and a unique perspective on the topic due to his involvement in firm leadership and current consulting practice.
Tune in as Angie and Gary dive into the importance of buy-in for the strategic planning process in accounting firms.  
About Our Guest
Gary Thomson, Managing Partner, Thomson Consulting
Through mergers Gary became part of Dixon Hughes Goodman (“DHG”), a Top 20 CPA and Consulting Firm.  Gary served as a member of the Senior Leadership and Management Team, as a Regional Managing Partner of the Mid-Atlantic Region and as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee.  In those capacities Gary had key roles in strategic planning, M & A, growth, profitability, partner compensation, succession planning, talent development, communications, marketing, and culture development.  
Gary on Twitter: @garythomsoncpa
About Your Host
Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.
 

We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Gale Crosley, Owner and President of Crosley & Company to talk about how accounting firms can navigate the increased complexities to growth through strategic planning.
About Our Guest:
Gale Crosley is an award-winning strategic growth consultant who has worked with around 500 midmarket and large firms CPA and Chartered Accounting firms worldwide. For 16 years, Inside Public Accounting has named Gale one of the top Most Recommended Consultants in the Best of the Best Annual Survey. She has worked with many firms on their strategic growth planning.
About Your Host
Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.

We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Katie Tolin, President of CPA Growth Guides to discuss the
importance of making client experience a key focus in strategic planning.
Tune in as Angie and Katie dive into the role of Client Experience in Strategic
planning for accounting firms.
About Our Guest
Katie Tolin founded CPA Growth Guides after a decades-long in-house
marketing career that saw her named Accounting Marketer of the Year, one of
the Top 100 Most Influential People in Public Accounting and one of the Most
Powerful Women in Accounting. She was also inducted into the Accounting
Marketing Hall of Fame, is a former president of the Association for Accounting
Marketing and is a contributing author to "Bull's-Eye! The Ultimate How-To
Marketing & Sales Guide for CPAs." Throughout her career working with local,
regional, and national professional services firms, she has developed highly
successful programs notable for innovation, data-driven marketing strategies
and measurable success in moving firms forward. Today she works as a
consultant or an outsourced chief growth officer helping firms connect the dots
between strategy and action to ensure they receive a positive ROI in the areas
of marketing, business development, product management/innovation and
client experience. In addition, she runs mastermind groups focused on firm
growth through her other company, Rally Rounds, and teaches business
development leadership through Power Up Professionals.
About Your Host
Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.

We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by AAM!
In this first episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Dan Hood, Editor in Chief of Accounting Today to discuss how the future of strategic planning in the accounting and consulting space is changing. Dan discusses his observations and offers advice to firm leaders.
Dan has over twenty years of experience in the industry and has his finger on the pulse of the profession.
Tune in as Angie and Dan dive into the changes in the industry and what we should be considered as accounting firms plan for the future.
About Our Guest
Daniel Hood is editor-in-chief of Accounting Today.  He has been with the publication for over two decades, previously serving as managing editor. He has also served as a business editor for the New York Daily News Express, and as a production editor for The Wall Street Journal Europe.
About Your Host: Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.
About Your Host
Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development.
Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry.