Common Threads

Macy Smetzler learned the numbers before she learned the industry, entering QuickBooks for her parents' small business in southeast Idaho years before she ever sat in an accounting class. That early apprenticeship in hard work carried her through college soccer and into public accounting, but it also nearly burned her out before she made partner at Sorren. On Episode 17 of Common Threads , she tal...

Julie Cummings didn't set out to build a career in public accounting, instead stumbling into it while helping her husband find work after a restructuring. What followed was two decades of leading HR functions inside some of the profession's most complex firms, navigating mergers, culture clashes, and the slow work of turning many offices into one. Now, three months into launching Sorren's Human Ca...

Cheryl Guiddy has a world baton twirling championship title to her name, which turns out to be a surprisingly apt lens for her three-decade career in public accounting. On Episode 15 of Common Threads , she tells Heath Alloway that the same self-driven quality that had her practicing in the street every day after school became the engine behind her rise to Chief Practice Officer at Sorren, but tha...

Heath Alloway is joined by Maynard Maduli and Ariel Orio from Sorren PH in the Philippines, who bring decades of experience to their roles overseas. The conversation on Episode 14 of Common Threads ranges from burnout and the importance of recharging—with Ariel's Japan trip getting a mention—to what keeps both of them genuinely passionate about the profession after all these years. A significant t...

Tyler Horn stumbled into accounting almost by accident. He chose Legacy Acuity over a Charlotte firm in 2015 largely because the other job required a suit and Acuity didn't. Eleven years later, he's one of the few people at Sorren whose entire focus is bringing in new clients, and his approach to that work is shaped less by traditional sales instincts than by a genuine obsession with helping peopl...

OJ Laos joins Common Threads five weeks into his tenure at Sorren and jumps straight into the question hanging over nearly every professional field: what happens when AI stops being a novelty and becomes part of the way work gets done? He talks to Heath Alloway on Episode 12 about how he's drawn on a career that runs from law school to software, consulting, and the founding of an AI lab, making th...

Ryan Gregory didn't plan to become a CPA, but a chance visit to a campus recruiting event changed his trajectory entirely. Now, as Sorren's National Assurance Managing Partner, he's drawing on three decades of experience at Ernst & Young, CBIZ, and beyond to build something he never quite found elsewhere: a firm that actually functions as one. On Episode 11 of Common Threads , he talks candidly ab...

A quick phone call about tariffs turned into a half-hour conversation about supply chains, overseas partnerships, and the real challenges keeping a client up at night. Renae Davis didn't wait for the client to reach out, she spotted the moment and acted on it. That's the difference between being busy and being present. On Episode 10 of Common Threads , she talks to Heath about growing up in rural...

Elliott Tracy didn't set out to specialize in dental practices, but his wife's stories from working in dental offices opened his eyes to a group of professionals who desperately needed business guidance. Now, as a Sorren director with over 15 years of experience, Elliott has built a thriving practice serving solo dental offices across multiple states, with a vision to scale the model firm-wide. On...

Heath Alloway takes a different approach on Common Threads Episode 8, diving deep into what separates firms that thrive from those that merely survive. Drawing from his experience through the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID era, he examines a number of topics: Why do so many accounting firms find themselves with their "foot off the gas pedal" when it comes to business development? What does th...

W.G. Spoor's path from a family-run accounting firm in St. Petersburg to leading Sorren's national tax strategy is anything but conventional. On Episode 7 of Common Threads, he reflects on the values shaped by his upbringing, like presence and a deep commitment to people, and tells Heath Alloway about how those principles have guided him through mergers, cultural shifts, and the evolving demands o...

Matthew May, Sorren's National CAS Managing Partner, brings a blend of humor, candor, and strategic vision to the firm's evolving landscape. In this conversation with Heath Alloway on Episode 6 of Common Threads, Matthew traces his career path from a practical start in accounting to leading the integration of multiple firms and scaling a national client accounting services team. He reflects on les...

Jessica Espaillat's journey weaves together the worlds of mental health counseling and HR leadership, revealing how empathy and intentionality can shape a thriving workplace. She sits down with Heath Alloway on Episode 5 of Common Threads, starting with her unexpected career pivot, where she found herself at the heart of a growing firm, championing a culture where people feel valued and supported....

Heath Alloway leads a candid conversation with Matt Aycock and Steve Bunch on Episode 4 of Common Threads. Reflecting on the winding paths that led them into public accounting, Matt and Steve reveal how chance, competition, and a healthy dose of fear shaped their careers. The realities of building a practice, such as navigating mergers and weathering setbacks, come into focus, and turning pressure...

Jim Hickey didn't set out to become a Chief Human Resources Officer, but on Episode 3 of Common Threads , his accidental path becomes a lens for exploring what it really means to build culture in a fast-changing setup like Sorren's. He tells host Heath Alloway about his working-class roots in Columbus, the turns in his career path that eventually led to Sorren, and how mergers, legacy loyalties, a...

From a childhood shaped by her father's lessons in frugality to a leap-of-faith move from Maine to Tampa, Alexia Pappas's path is marked by bold decisions and unexpected turns. On Episode 2 of Common Threads, she talks to host Heath Alloway about the anxiety of starting over in a new city, the relief of finding a mentor who valued her drive over her résumé, and the challenge of building trust with...

Josh Tyree's story began before dawn, delivering newspapers through Idaho winters, a thread that weaved through his rise from small-town jobs to the accounting profession to president of Sorren. Host Heath Alloway guides the conversation as Josh reflects on the unexpected turns that shaped his career, particularly his decision to return home to Idaho to join Harris, which ultimately led to helping...

Connections. Conversations. Common Threads . A podcast that seeks to explore what brings us and keeps us together. One conversation at a time, we share stories of struggle, triumph, and leadership that leave a lasting impact. Join host Heath Alloway as he highlights the ways guests have touched the lives of others in their communities, and tackles the big questions we all face. How can I make an i...