Practice Success Podcast

Canopy

Have you wondered what it takes to thrive in the accounting industry? Or how the experts established their successful careers? Learn from industry experts with Canopy.  In each episode of the Practice Success Podcast, Canopy takes a deep dive with accounting professionals, exploring their career trajectory, extracting advice for firms, and discussing the latest trending topics.

  1. 6d ago

    The Software Mistake That's Quietly Costing Your Clients Money

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! The Software Mistake That's Quietly Costing Your Clients Money With Alicia Katz Pollock, Owner of Royalwise What happens when a business owner thinks QuickBooks is easy enough to run on their own, and it isn't? In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Alicia Katz Pollock, the "Queen of QuickBooks" and owner of Royalwise, breaks down the gap between what Intuit teaches and what firms actually need to know. She walks through the most common (and most expensive) QuickBooks mistake she sees, why certification only gets you to the fundamentals, and how she built a training business that goes far deeper than any 10-minute tutorial. The conversation covers how Royalwise evolved from in-person classes to a national training and coaching community, why firms are shifting from bookkeeping into advisory, and how AI-driven reporting tools are finally giving bookkeepers the data they need to have real advisory conversations. Alicia also makes the case for niching by client style or size, not just industry. Whether you're a bookkeeper looking to move into CAS, a firm owner deciding whether to train your clients or do everything for them, or someone who just wants to get more out of the software you're already paying for, this episode is packed with practical, real-world takeaways. What You'll Learn Why the banking feed and Undeposited Funds are where most QuickBooks errors start, and how they lead to duplicated income and overpaid taxesHow Royalwise grew from local, in-person classes into a national training and coaching businessWhy Intuit's official certification only teaches the fundamentals, and what a deeper, real-world curriculum addsHow custom-branded training portals let firms offer education as part of their service menu without building it themselvesWhy a niche doesn't have to be an industry, and how client style, size, or life stage can define your specialtyHow new AI-powered KPI boards and anomaly detection in QuickBooks Online Advanced are opening the door to advisory workWhat separates a pro advisor from someone who just knows which buttons to clickWhy hands-on practice, not just watching videos, is what actually builds confidence with the softwareConnect With Alicia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciakatzpollock Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    The Software Mistake That's Quietly Costing Your Clients Money

  2. Jul 22

    Jason Staats on What Firms Get Wrong About AI Security

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Why Firms Keep Falling for AI Hype, and How to Actually Use It Well With Jason Staats, Founder of Jason On Firms How does a firm separate real AI progress from another landing page dressed up as a breakthrough? In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, host Luke Frye sits down with Jason Staats, who ran a $5 million accounting firm before launching and selling a SaaS product and becoming one of the most trusted voices in accounting on AI strategy. Jason explains why validating new tools with peers beats trusting any coach, YouTuber, or vendor, and walks through the real security gap between consumer and business AI plans, including why redacting client data isn't the safety net most firms think it is. The conversation covers far more than tools. Jason and Luke dig into how firms can use AI to restore human touch points instead of replacing them, why cutting junior hires to lean on AI creates a talent pipeline problem down the road, and what the latest IRS guidance on AI in tax prep actually gets right. They also tackle capacity planning without toxic time tracking, why "protecting the client list" is the highest-leverage work an owner can do, and how PE, staffing shortages, and AI are reshaping the profession at the same time. Whether you're a partner deciding what to greenlight, a solo practitioner trying to learn without a team around you, or an operations manager trying to bring skeptical partners along, this episode offers a grounded, no-hype look at where AI actually helps and where it doesn't. What You'll Learn Why validating new AI tools and vendors with peers beats trusting coaches, influencers, or landing pagesHow consumer AI plans differ from business plans, and why that difference matters for client dataWhy redacting documents before uploading them to AI isn't a realistic firm-wide policyHow AI can restore client touch points that got cut during overcapacity, instead of replacing themWhy cutting junior hires to lean on AI creates a talent pipeline problem for the firm's futureHow to structure a weekly AI habit that builds a learning culture instead of a mandate people fakeWhy time tracking still matters for capacity planning, even if it's not used to police staffHow firms can protect and upgrade their client list instead of trying to serve everyoneConnect With Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstaats/ Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Jason Staats on What Firms Get Wrong About AI Security

  3. Jul 8

    Jennifer Witts: People, Process, or Tech: What Scaling Firms Need First

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Why Operational Infrastructure Matters More Than Chasing Growth With Jennifer Witts, Partner in Client Advisory Services at CohnReznick Most accounting firms treat growth as the goal instead of the outcome. Jennifer Witts, a CPA and Partner in Client Advisory Services at CohnReznick, has spent her career building the operational backbone that lets CAS practices grow without breaking their client service. Jennifer walks through why defining an ideal client profile comes before any conversation about sales, how verticalization lets teams build real expertise instead of learning fifteen different systems, and why the hardest skill in scaling a practice is learning to say no to the wrong client. She also breaks down the operational warning signs, poor retention and rising staff turnover, that signal a firm isn't ready for more growth, and why lifetime value is the metric most firms overlook. Whether you're trying to move upmarket, fix a retention problem, or just build the systems to support the growth you already have, this conversation gives you a practical framework for scaling responsibly. What You'll Learn Why chasing growth before fixing client service causes firms to lose the clients they just wonHow to use an ideal client profile to decide which clients to pursue, and which to turn downWhy verticalization helps your team build real expertise instead of spreading thin across systemsHow to say no to a bad-fit client without damaging a referral relationshipWhy onboarding is the most important process for setting up long-term client successWhat retention and staff turnover reveal about whether your firm is ready to growWhy lifetime value, not hours billed, should drive your pricing strategyConnect With Jennifer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferwittscpa/ Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Jennifer Witts: People, Process, or Tech: What Scaling Firms Need First

  4. Jun 24

    Facts vs. Stories: How Self-Awareness Makes Better Leaders

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Trust, Self-Awareness, and the Stories Leaders Tell Themselves With Lori Zukin, CEO and Founder of Zukin Leadership Most trust problems in accounting firms aren't interpersonal. They're structural. In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, organizational psychologist and executive coach Lori Zukin breaks down what trust actually is, why it breaks down in firms, and what leaders can do about it. Lori draws on 25 years of coaching executives across professional services, her work facilitating leadership programs for Simon Sinek's Optimism Company, and her experience running leadership immersions for high-potential accountants at Baker Tilly. The conversation covers the psychology behind trust, self-awareness, and the stories we tell ourselves about colleagues — including a deceptively simple exercise that separates facts from opinions and immediately reduces conflict. Lori also shares the framework she uses to help leaders understand their state of mind and why getting above the line before a hard conversation changes everything. Whether you're a partner navigating a PE transition, a manager stepping into a new leadership role, or someone who's wondered whether an executive coach might help — this episode gives you a clear and practical picture of what the work looks like. What You'll Learn Why most trust problems on accounting teams are structural, not interpersonalHow to break trust down into three components: capability, reliability, and intentionThe facts vs. opinions exercise that immediately reduces unnecessary conflictWhat "above the line" and "below the line" mean — and how to use it before a hard conversationWhen the right time to work with an executive coach actually isThe difference between executive coaching and life coachingWhy self-awareness outranks experience as the most important long-term leadership skillThe most overlooked leadership skill in accounting firm leaders todayWhy wisdom matters more than knowledge when it comes to long-term growthConnect With Lori LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lori-zukin-19a317a/?skipRedirect=true Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Facts vs. Stories: How Self-Awareness Makes Better Leaders

  5. Jun 11

    Why Timely Financials Are Table Stakes, Not the Destination, for CAS

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Why Timely Financials Are Table Stakes, Not the Destination, for CAS With Michelle Voyer, Director of Client Advisory Services at CohnReznick Advisory Most CAS firms exert everything they have just to deliver the monthly package. That's the problem. In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Michelle Voyer, CPA, MBA, and Director of Client Advisory Services at CohnReznick Advisory, shares why the race to produce timely, accurate financials is where too many practices stop — and how AI and automation are finally making it possible to go further. Michelle brings 17 years of building and scaling CAS across small firms, tech platforms, and national organizations. The conversation explores what it actually takes to move clients from basic financial reporting to real advisory relationships, how to build technology expertise without burning out your team, and why the right response to imposter syndrome is building the right network around you. Whether you're leading a CAS team at a large firm or scaling one from scratch, this episode offers an honest, practical look at what's working, what's overhyped, and what's worth your attention right now. What You'll Learn Why the desire to advise — not just the tools — is the true foundation of CASHow firms get stuck producing the monthly close instead of delivering advisory valueWhy AI and automation matter most for speeding up the close, not replacing the advisorHow to build technology expertise by staying hands-on with demos and client implementationsWhy knowing the systems you didn't select is just as important as knowing the ones you didHow to help your team embrace change instead of just endure itWhat it means to be a "shepherd" for clients when you don't have every answerWhy you're probably not as far behind on AI as you thinkConnect With Michelle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellevoyer/ Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Why Timely Financials Are Table Stakes, Not the Destination, for CAS

  6. May 28

    Blake Oliver: Why Busy Season Is Optional

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Busy season is brutal. The pay never feels like enough for the hours. The work gets repetitive. Most accountants accept this as the cost of the profession. Blake Oliver doesn't buy it. In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Blake Oliver, CPA and founder of Earmark, makes the case that virtually every problem plaguing the accounting profession is self-inflicted. From arbitrary tax deadlines to billable hours models that punish the people they're supposed to reward, Blake argues that the profession built its own cage, and that the way out is simpler than most people think. The conversation also covers the three types of data every accountant is missing, why bookkeeping is the most underrated foundation in the profession, and how Blake built a fully remote firm that evaluated people on output rather than hours — before that was common practice. Whether you're grinding through your tenth busy season or quietly wondering if there's a better way to run a firm, this episode gives you a framework and the permission to think differently. What You'll Learn Why Blake Oliver believes all the major problems in accounting are self-inflicted, including busy seasonHow the billable hours model creates a direct incentive for firms to overwork their staffThe three types of data every accountant needs to forecast a business: accounting, operational, and people dataWhy advisory services aren't a product you sell, but a regular meeting you get paid to show up toHow to build a fully remote accounting firm that measures output, not hoursWhy bookkeeping is the strongest foundation for high-value accounting workHow arbitrary deadlines like April 15th create workload crunches that firms can manage aroundWhat it actually takes to leave the traditional firm model and build something betterConnect With Blake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Blake Oliver: Why Busy Season Is Optional

  7. May 13

    Ali Bawi: Your Accounting Data Is Telling You Something — Are You Listening?

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Ali Bawi, an entrepreneur-turned-CPA, makes the case that firm owners are sitting on a goldmine of data they're not using. Ali has worked across the spectrum — from Fortune 100 corporate strategy to transforming small, traditional tax offices — and he's seen the same pattern play out every time: big companies use their numbers to drive decisions, while smaller firms use them to check a box. Ali walks through exactly what it looks like to apply a Fortune 100 mindset to a small firm. He breaks down a real engagement where he helped an overwhelmed, underpriced tax office escape $250-a-month retainers, cut unprofitable clients, and build a business model that actually worked. He also shares lessons from a creative small business client that loved trade shows — until the data showed the website was far more profitable, with a fraction of the effort. Whether you're buried in busy season or starting to think about what your firm's next chapter looks like, this episode is a practical guide to running your business with the same intentionality you'd bring to your best clients. What You'll Learn Why accounting is the language of business — and how to use it to make better decisions, not just file returnsHow Starbucks uses data to understand customer behavior, and what accounting firms can learn from itWhy a "good client" and a "profitable client" are not the same thing — and how to tell the differenceHow to break down your revenue streams by actual profitability, not just top-line revenueWhy fixed-fee pricing and task-based time tracking can replace hourly billing without losing visibilityHow one traditional tax office was transformed by building a practice management system with full owner visibilityWhy delegating work to the right skill level is both a profitability decision and a morale decisionHow to use Excel to find your ideal pricing — no expensive software requiredConnect With Ali LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-bawi/ Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    Ali Bawi: Your Accounting Data Is Telling You Something — Are You Listening?

  8. Apr 22

    The Right Tech Starts with Knowing Who You Serve

    Send us your thoughts or what you want to hear more about! Most accounting firms evaluate technology the wrong way. They start with the tool instead of starting with the client. In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Roman Kepczyk — one of the most respected firm technology consultants in the profession — lays out the three-step framework he uses to help firms build a tech stack that actually fits: understand your client base, evaluate how your work is allocated, and lean on your community before you ever open a demo. Roman explains why the same tax software can be the right answer for one firm and the wrong one for another, how post-season debriefs become the fuel for real improvement, and what firms consistently get wrong about AI. He also takes on the myth of throwing out your timesheets — and why the message has been misunderstood. Whether you're thinking about switching practice management software, introducing AI, or just trying to get the right work to the right people, this episode gives you a practical framework for evaluating where your firm stands. What You'll Learn • Why your ideal client profile is the foundation of every tech decision your firm makes • How to run a post-tax-season debrief that actually leads to change • Why senior-level people are often doing low-value work — and how workflow tools fix that • What AI vendors are getting wrong when they claim AI capabilities • Why community is the most underrated resource for evaluating accounting software • How to use the Lean Six Sigma premortem to identify risks before a project fails • What the "throw out your timesheets" movement actually means — and what it doesn't • How tiered pricing models eliminate the guesswork around billing and scope creep Connect With Roman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romankepczyk/ RightWorks: https://rightworks.com Subscribe to Canopy Practice SuccessIf you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and follow Canopy Practice Success wherever you listen to podcasts.

    The Right Tech Starts with Knowing Who You Serve
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About

Have you wondered what it takes to thrive in the accounting industry? Or how the experts established their successful careers? Learn from industry experts with Canopy.  In each episode of the Practice Success Podcast, Canopy takes a deep dive with accounting professionals, exploring their career trajectory, extracting advice for firms, and discussing the latest trending topics.

Information

  • Creator
    Canopy
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Practice Success Podcast
  • Show Website
    Practice Success Podcast

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