The Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast

Emily Madere, Matthew Lescault, Doug Lewis

The Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast is your inside track to the world of Sage Intacct and the broader accounting industry. Hosts Emily Madere, Doug Lewis, and Matt Lescault bring their unique perspectives and expertise to explore the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving space. In each episode, the trio explores topics like the power of the Sage ecosystem, best practices for CAS, new Sage product features, and the impact of artificial intelligence. They'll be joined by industry experts and Sage insiders who share unfiltered insights you won't find anywhere else. Whether you're an accountant looking to harness technology, a business exploring Sage solutions, or anyone fascinated by the future of finance, this is your show. Tune in for an unvarnished, unofficial look at the Sage heartbeat powering accounting today.

  1. 6d ago

    A CFO Who Chose Intacct on Day One (And Would Do It Again)

    David Westbrook, CFO of Robertson Stevens, joins Emily and Matt live at Sage Future 2026 to share what eight years as a Sage Intacct customer actually looks like from the inside. A former Deloitte auditor who chose Intacct when building the firm from scratch in 2018, David reflects on scaling from $500M to $9.5B in assets, how he's using AI to cut a week of quarterly close work down to a single day, and what he still wishes the platform would tackle. (00:00) - Live Stage Kickoff (00:47) - Meet David the Customer (01:41) - South Africa Roots (03:18) - Auditor to CFO Journey (05:27) - Robinson Stevens Story (07:06) - Choosing Sage Intacct (08:51) - Modules and Integrations (12:34) - Power Features Revenue AI (14:30) - AI Close and Copilot (16:32) - Finance as Business Partner (18:32) - Planning for Acquisitions (19:24) - Scenario Planning Goals (20:26) - Rolling Forecasts In Practice (21:12) - Under The Hood Improvements (21:31) - Vendor Onboarding Due Diligence (23:58) - Wishlist Investments And UI (25:18) - Top Loves And Bank Feeds (28:33) - Implementation And Reimplementation (32:12) - Advice For New Users (36:04) - Reporting For Non Accountants (37:22) - Closing Gifts And Life Advice Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    39 min
  2. May 27

    Trust Arrives on Foot: Sage's AI Philosophy with Manav Thiara

    Recorded live on the main stage at Sage Future in San Francisco, Emily and Matt sit down with Manav Thiara, SVP of Data & AI and Technical Fellow at Sage, to unpack the wave of AI announcements coming out of the conference. Manav breaks down the Sage AI Factory, the new AWS Agent Core partnership, and what the "black box to glass box" shift actually means for partners and customers navigating an increasingly noisy AI landscape. The conversation also tackles the bigger philosophical question head-on: will AI replace humans, and how close are we to mass adoption? (00:00) - Live at Sage Future (01:13) - Meet Manav Thiara (02:11) - Trust and Democratizing AI (03:48) - What a Technical Fellow Does (05:37) - One Platform Across Products (07:23) - Sage AI Factory Explained (09:46) - AI Announcements Breakdown (10:50) - Will AI Replace Jobs (15:31) - AWS AgentCore Partnership (17:22) - Agent Marketplace for Partners (19:03) - Trust Leaves on a Horse (22:34) - Trust First AI Strategy (24:29) - Cutting Through Market Noise (26:22) - When AI Becomes Normal (28:21) - Multimodal AI and Agents (31:54) - AGI Hype and Real Value (33:25) - Learn by Building (36:25) - Developer Portal and Academy (38:29) - Final Takeaways and Farewell Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    42 min
  3. Apr 27

    The 2026 Nonprofit Outlook: What the Data Actually Says

    Sage's nonprofit marketing lead Natalie Anderson joins alongside Julie Raskin, CFO of WMHT Public Media, to break down the findings of Sage's 2026 Nonprofit Outlook report — and what it actually felt like to live through the disruptions it documents. Julie shares how WMHT navigated a $1.5 million revenue hit, from hiring their first grants manager to accepting donations of cars, real estate, and parking spaces. The conversation covers why the smartest nonprofit finance leaders have stopped chasing certainty and started building for resilience instead. (00:00) - Welcome to the Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast (02:43) - Meet Today Guests (03:18) - Natalie's Role At Sage (04:59) - Nonprofit Outlook Report (06:54) - Julie WMHT Intro (08:18) - WMHT Programming Streams (13:24) - Report Impact And Funding Shock (20:14) - Diversification Ripple Effects (23:52) - Grants and Earned Income (28:04) - Budget Discipline and Net Focus (30:17) - Which Sectors Got Hit Hardest (32:05) - Tech as a Resilience Engine (33:44) - AR Automation Wins (37:02) - Forecasting and ROI Mindset (39:50) - Tools That Make It Easier (42:39) - Key Takeaways and KPI Advice (46:11) - Dad Joke and Farewell Download Sage's 2026 Nonprofit Outlook Report Here!https://www.sage.com/en-us/industry/non-profit/reports/responding-to-disruption-2026-nonprofit-outlook/Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    49 min
  4. Apr 22

    Mark Hickman on AI, Adoption, and Why 70% Right Isn't Good Enough

    Mark Hickman, Managing Director of North America at Sage, returns to break down what's driving Sage's fastest-growing region — from the company's AI strategy built around trust, transparency, and human control, to the upcoming Sage Future 2026 conference in San Francisco. The conversation covers what finance leaders are actually saying about AI adoption, what's coming in the keynotes and super sessions, and why Hickman argues that "70% right" might be fine for an essay but will never fly in accounting. (00:00) - Welcome to the Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast (00:41) - Hosts Life Updates (02:32) - Welcome Back Mark Hickman (03:33) - Sage North America Scale (05:22) - Life on the Road (09:16) - Sage Future Tease (09:31) - AI You Can Trust (13:10) - Finance Leader Feedback (15:12) - AI First Competitors (17:15) - Beyond AI Initiatives (20:46) - Adoption Reality Check (22:58) - AI Adoption Takes Time (23:22) - AI Hype and Rebrands (24:00) - Dotcom Comparisons (25:40) - Future Event Recap (28:12) - Keynotes and Speakers (30:37) - Super Sessions Explained (33:33) - Enablement Beyond Conference (34:15) - Baseball Banter Break (35:24) - Surprise Announcements Tease (36:20) - Experience and Sage Fest (38:20) - Marketplace and Sponsors (39:53) - ROI and Community (41:08) - Attendee Goals and Networking (45:29) - Wrap Up and Dad Jokes Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    48 min
  5. 10/31/2025

    Looking Ahead: Sage Partner Events, AI Reality Checks, and Predictions

    Doug, Matt, and Emily look ahead to Sage's upcoming Partner Summit in Orlando and discuss what to expect as the company kicks off fiscal year 2026. The conversation covers everything from AI implementation reality versus marketing speak to potential shifts in go-to-market strategy, price sensitivity in uncertain economic times, and why Sage is flooding construction conferences. Matt and Emily each make bold predictions about what might get announced at the closed-door partner event—and they'll be back to see who was right. SponsorsBluebook - https://unsage.promo/bluebook (00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast (05:49) - Discussion on Future Events and Partner Summits (12:12) - Focus on AI and Its Practical Applications (17:04) - Details on Sage Future for Partners Event (22:02) - Upcoming Events in the Sage Ecosystem (23:11) - Sage Intacct and Procore Relationship (24:30) - Artificial Intelligence and Copilot (28:20) - Economic Instability and Price Sensitivity (37:36) - Negotiation Session at Future for Partners (39:46) - Wild Predictions for Future for Partners (41:55) - Concluding Thoughts and Dad Jokes Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    45 min
  6. 10/17/2025

    From Chaos to Clarity: Transforming Healthcare Finance

    Ximena Maynard, CFO of Legacy Management Group, shares how she consolidated 30 separate QuickBooks files across 11 nursing facilities into a unified Sage Intacct system. She discusses the unique compliance challenges in healthcare finance, from managing resident trust funds to navigating complex Medicaid billing, and tackles the industry's biggest challenge of attracting and retaining quality staff. SponsorsBluebook - https://unsage.promo/bluebook (00:00) - Introduction and Casual Banter (03:02) - Introducing the Special Guest (04:48) - Guest's Background and Career (07:31) - Challenges and Solutions in the Nursing Home Industry (10:41) - Implementing Sage Intacct (15:13) - Current Tech Stack and Integrations (22:28) - Compliance and Fraud in the Healthcare Industry (25:39) - Building Renovation Challenges (26:38) - Managing Multiple Facilities (27:34) - Financial Transparency and Reporting (27:59) - Floor Spending and Budgeting (31:39) - Industry Trends and Scalability (42:03) - Staffing and Labor Challenges (45:15) - Advice for Healthcare Finance Professionals (48:18) - Closing Remarks and Dad Jokes Connect with Ximena Maynardhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ximena-velazquez-maynard-94429b53Learn about Legacy Management https://www.legacy-nursing.com/Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715Get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://www.earmark.appDownload the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    51 min
  7. 10/03/2025

    Why a $3M Construction Company Chose Sage Intacct

    Josh Smyser shares how he went from Big Four auditor to running his family's tuckpointing and restoration business after his father's death, growing TNT from $200K to over $6M in revenue. He explains why he chose Sage Intacct at just $3M in revenue, how he learned from a painful Sage 100 implementation to take control of his Intacct setup, and why he prioritizes best-of-breed software like Procore, Intacct, and Salesforce to prepare his company for AI integration. SponsorsAssembly - https://unsage.promo/assembly (00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast (00:19) - Introducing Josh Smyser (00:37) - Journey with Sage Intacct (05:05) - Josh's Background and Family Business (20:28) - Challenges and Growth in the Business (27:04) - Navigating Market Challenges (28:35) - Adapting to Market Changes (30:30) - Winning High-Value Projects (34:09) - Transition to Intacct (36:12) - Implementation Challenges (39:00) - Integrating Modern Systems (44:24) - Future Growth and AI Integration (48:43) - Final Thoughts and Future Plans Connect with Josh Smyserhttps://www.tnttuckpointing.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-smyser-91016015Connect with the Hosts:https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybmaderehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mattlescaulthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dlewis715 Get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://www.earmark.app Download the Earmark AppApple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app

    55 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Unofficial Sage Intacct Podcast is your inside track to the world of Sage Intacct and the broader accounting industry. Hosts Emily Madere, Doug Lewis, and Matt Lescault bring their unique perspectives and expertise to explore the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in this rapidly evolving space. In each episode, the trio explores topics like the power of the Sage ecosystem, best practices for CAS, new Sage product features, and the impact of artificial intelligence. They'll be joined by industry experts and Sage insiders who share unfiltered insights you won't find anywhere else. Whether you're an accountant looking to harness technology, a business exploring Sage solutions, or anyone fascinated by the future of finance, this is your show. Tune in for an unvarnished, unofficial look at the Sage heartbeat powering accounting today.

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