Monday Morning Audit

We explore the business side of sports through a behind-the-scenes look at forecasting, operations, and teamwork within the 49er’s organization. From revenue forecasting to inventory management, we discuss what fans don’t see and what students can learn about judgement and decision-making.

Winning organizations aren’t built only by the people in the spotlight. They’re built by people who take initiative, handle unglamorous tasks with excellence, and connect mission, culture, and execution, whether in a football organization, a nonprofit foundation, or a professional firm.

As the season for the 49ers wraps up, we step back from wins and losses to reflect on what truly lasts. Drawing inspiration from Ignatian reflection, we discuss how teams and professionals can discern what to carry forward and what to leave behind when a season ends.

Great teams are defined not by talent alone, but by character under stress. This episode uses the 49ers’ road win to explore how high-character teams adapt, stay aligned, and perform under pressure—on the field and in professional settings. Talent may win games, but character sustains success.

Some losses are debatable. Others aren’t. When a team is clearly outplayed — like the San Francisco 49ers in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday — the most important work happens after the scoreboard goes dark. This episode explores how strong teams respond when the losses are fair and square, and how those moments reveal leadership, culture, and readiness to improve.

The win by the San Francisco 49ers against the Chicago Bears wasn’t just about a great performance by Brock Purdy—it was a true collective win built on execution, trust, and preparation across the entire team. In this episode, we break down how invisible contributions and collective efforts drive success on the field and in professional teams. Because the best results don’t come from individual br...

Success is often built long before anyone notices—through consistent preparation, discipline, and trust within a team. Ricky Pearsall’s performance in the 49ers’ game against the Titans reminds us that staying ready, even without recognition, positions us to seize the moment when the opportunity arrives. 

With the 49ers on a bye week, we explore how teams use this crucial downtime to rest, recover, and reset, and why that same mindset matters in the auditing profession. From self-scouting to skill building, we break down what great teams and great firms do during quiet periods to prepare for the next big push. This episode highlights how intentional downtime can be a powerful driver of long-term pe...

Purdy’s three-interception game against the Panthers reminds us that there’s no such thing as a perfect game — in football or in professional life. In this episode, we explore how mistakes, adjustments, and resilience shape performance on the field and in the audit profession, and why imperfection is often the key to growth.

This episode uses the Cardinals’ penalty-heavy loss to the 49ers to show how lack of discipline—not lack of talent—often determines outcomes. We explore how avoiding unforced errors, maintaining emotional control, and adhering to systems are competitive advantages in both football and professional life.

Drawing on Brock Purdy’s recent return in the 49ers’ win over the Cardinals, we explore what makes a successful comeback possible and how teams and organizations maintain stability when key leaders are out and reintegrate smoothly when they return. We highlight that great comebacks, both on the field and in organizations, don’t happen by accidents; they are the product of preparation, culture, and...

A firsthand look at what it means to belong — through the eyes of fans. Drawing on Siqi’s experience sitting front row at the 49ers–Rams game, this episode explores how fan loyalty and shared identity mirror the teamwork and community that define great organizations.

Explore what  culture  really means in a football organization — how respect, communication, leadership, and shared expectations from top to bottom create consistent success. Then connect that to how organization culture shapes performance, ethics, and motivation for business professionals.

Use the Texans’ game against the 49ers to explore the balance between systems and adaptability. Great teams and professionals rely on structure and preparation — but when adversity hits (injuries, road games, bad breaks, surprises), the ability to stay flexible and make smart adjustments separates the good from the great.

Explore how referees exercise judgment under pressure, interpret complex rules in real time, and draw parallels to auditors and accountants who must make informed, ethical judgments amid ambiguity. Discuss bias, consistency, pressure, and whether technology can (or should) replace human decision-making.

Explore how strong systems — in football, business, and accounting — allow organizations to perform consistently even when key people are out. Use the 49ers’ “next man up” mentality as a metaphor for structured processes, mentorship, and culture in professional development. Building your own system (habits, mentors, learning routines) sets you up for long-term success.

Introduce my guest (Steve) and set the tone for the series. Use his personal journey (a former college football player, a former 49ers practice referee, and now an accounting professor) to connect lessons from football — discipline, teamwork, accountability, leadership, and resilience — to professional growth in accounting and business.