Rise and Stride

Whether you're a seasoned CPA or a budding accountant aiming to make a mark in the profession, we go beyond the numbers with Katie Thomas, CPA and owner of Leaders Online , in this podcast with advice and tips to unlock and grow success through leadership and branding.

We all know the importance and value of skills and knowledge when it comes to success, but even more important is mindset. In this episode, leadership trainer and coach George Griffin explains how the ability to believe in yourself, embrace challenges as opportunities and persist in the face of setbacks are keys to developing peak performance. And he should know. After failing out of college and b...

The challenge with looking for fraudsters, says CPA, author, professor and filmmaker Kelly Richmond Pope, is that anyone can be one. You can even see what type of fraudster you’d be by taking Pope’s online quiz. In this episode, Pope explains the key role CPAs play in detecting fraud, how the profession can better explain its “why” to attract the next generation and the responsibility leaders have...

On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be much of a connection between improvisation and the business world. Yet aspects of improv like collaboration, being unscripted and learning to be tolerant, even comfortable, around ambiguity can easily be laid upon our daily lives. Colleen Murray Peyton ,  founder of Overjoy Creative and improv performer, dives deeper into her work facilitating workshops for...

In this wide-ranging interview, CalCPA member Okorie Ramsey, vice president of Sarbanes/Oxley for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, discusses his role as chair of the AICPA and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and brings his insights from public accounting, industry and nonprofit accounting, as well as adjunct educator, on tren...

With all the beeps, pings and other notifications—not to mention meetings—battling for our attention, it’s challenging to stay focused and productive. But with the use of the right tools, knowing the difference between interruptions and disruptions, and other tips, productivity expert Sarah Tetlow, founder and CEO of Firm Focus , explains how you can stay organized, focused and accomplish what nee...

As technology advancements like ChatGPT and business imperatives like ESG gain footing, there are lots of opportunities for the CPA profession to step in and add value to their clients or companies in terms of strategy and story. Listen as Todd Rahn, Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting , explains more. 

Innovation may sound daunting to most people, but Simone Ahuja, CEO of Blood Orange, an innovation and strategy consulting group, explains how innovation is not always about bright, shiny objects. It’s about adding value in new ways and is connected to the things we do every day. 

Beyond the debits, credits and tasks CPAs perform, there’s a calling to protect the public—a purpose and a meaning that people can rally around and aspire to make an impact. Listen as Christina Ho, CPA and board member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, discusses the value of accounting, how CPAs are context experts and the importance of lifelong learning.

With the face of the workplace changing—literally and figuratively—how can leaders and organizations ensure everyone is engaged and pulling in the same direction? Listen as Sarah Sladek, CEO and chief strategist of XYZ University, offers insights and strategies about talent recruitment and retention, leadership development and what each generation can learn from each other.

Having a firm grasp on your finances and knowing where your money is coming from—and where it’s going—can be challenging and sometimes scary. In this episode of Rise and Stride, Larry Pon, CPA and chair of the CalCPA Financial Literacy Committee, outlines some strategies to help build a solid financial foundation. Resources: CalCPA Financial Literacy https://www.calcpa.org/public-resources/financi...

There are a lot of characteristics that go into being a good leader that go beyond knowledge and expertise, including things like empathy, taking the questions and giving before you get. Listen as Michelle Russo, chief communications officer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, discusses strategies organizations can take to keep their workforce informed and engaged. 

From blockchain to cryptocurrency, the digital economy is here to stay. Listen as Gabriella Kusz, CEO of the Global Digital Asset and Cryptocurrency Association , discusses what this means for the financial sector—and how CPAs can best prepare.  Resources discussed: Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System (Satoshi Nakamoto)  Management and Disclosure of Climate-Related Financial Impacts for...

From data science to blockchain to robotic process automation, the accounting profession is taking on a different look. In this episode, Mike Wetklow, Deputy CFO and Division Director for Financial Management at the National Science Foundation, https://www.nsf.gov, talks about the importance of lifelong learning, how CPAs fit into the data picture and the importance of including accounting among S...

From manufacturers needing parts to individuals looking to stock their pantries, everyone has experienced supply chain issues. So what’s changing to make sure disruptions are kept at a minimum and where do CPAs fit into the strategy? Listen as Tom Derry, CEO of the Institute of Supply Management (https://www.ismworld.org) explains.

AI, Big Data, XBRL … the profession is moving fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Mike Willis of the U.S. SEC discusses changes occurring—and coming—to the profession, and how curiosity can help you succeed.

It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now when it comes to investing, but CalPERS Managing Director James Andrus stresses it’s a long game you want to play—whether as an institution or an individual.

One thing is always constant when it comes to California’s business environment—change. CalChamber CEO Jennifer Barrera discusses what’s top of mind for business, as well as what issues business should be on the watch for.

CalCPA member, attorney and award winner Shannon Nash, CPA—CFO of the on-demand, drone delivery service Wing—shares her experience on bringing Google’s Alphabet technology from the skies to your doorstep; what she’s learned from her relationship with the multi-talented Debbie Allen; insights and work on diversity, equity and inclusion; the story of her work as a documentary filmmaker. 

Michael Savoy, CalCPA member and president of the California Board of Accountancy, shares his thoughts on licensure pathways to the evolving CPA profession to how he remains a San Francisco Giants fan living in LA.

NABA CEO Guylaine Saint Juste says the time is now to have fierce conversations about this important topic—and that means people have to be OK with hearing something they’ve not heard before.