James Donovan

The Accounting Leads Now Podcast

Business EN ↓ 83 episodes

The accounting industry has a growth problem. This podcast is the solution. The ALN Podcast is the premier show for firm owners and financial professionals who are serious about building something significant. Hosted by James Donovan, this is where the most successful operators in the industry stop gatekeeping and hand you exactly what's driving their growth. Every episode is built to be the most valuable 30-60 minutes of your week. Solo episodes deliver James's unfiltered analysis, field-tested frameworks, and the insights most people in this industry never get access to. Interview episodes g...

Author

James Donovan

Category

Business

Podcast website

accountingleadsnow.com

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

The Tax Strategy Rich People Use (But Never Talk About) - With Daniel Lake 02.10.2025

$40,000,000. That’s how much Dan Lake’s clients have saved on taxes and most people have never even heard of the strategy. In this episode, Dan reveals how he helps CPAs and high-net-worth individuals shrink tax bills using solar tax equity deals most pros overlook. You’ll learn: • Why mortgages are one of the worst financial tools  • How W-2 earners can legally offset massive tax burdens  • The s...

Most Accountants Are Giving Away Their Most Valuable Work - With Jackie Meyer 25.09.2025

She sold her firm for 7 figures with just 56 clients. Here's how she did it. Jackie Meyer, CPA, founder of TaxPlanIQ and leader of the proactive accounting movement, is done watching firms burn out and undercharge. In this episode, she breaks down: • The ROI method that turns tax advice into a 5-figure service  • How to quote tax planning with confidence (even if you hate sales)  • What’s kil...

Stop Building a Business That Steals Your Freedom - Jaime Rodriguez 18.09.2025

He scheduled his wedding around payroll. That’s when he knew something had to change. Jaime Rodriguez, CEO of Bookkeepers.com, has helped over 17,000 students turn their skill into a scalable business. In this episode, he shares the real lessons that most freelancers and early-stage business owners miss: • The two personality types that sabotage their own growth  • The SOP mistake that stalled his...

AI Isn’t the Future of Accounting, It’s Already Killing Off the Old Way - With Daniel Moshe 11.09.2025

AI isn’t coming for accounting, it’s already here. And it’s quietly rewriting who wins and who falls behind. In this episode, Daniel Moshe , CEO of TechGuru, breaks down how smart firms are already using AI, cybersecurity, and modern tech stacks to: • Attract better-fit clients (and actually land them)  • Add capacity without burning out staff  • Win more proposals by proving security and complian...

Why Profit Isn’t Enough And What Most Founders Get Dead Wrong - With Daniel Dickeson 04.09.2025

Working 7 days a week. No vacations. $36K a year. Then a CFO stepped in and changed everything. In this episode, Daniel Dickeson , founder of Atlas CFO Solutions, breaks down how he turned a struggling salon into a 6-figure business without scaling chaos or hustle culture. You’ll learn: Why cash flow beats profit, every time How to spot silent killers in your pricing and expenses The shift from fi...

The One CFO Skill That Can Save (or Kill) Your Business - With Jack Weinstein 28.08.2025

Scaling doesn’t kill companies, confusion does. And most founders are flying blind. In this episode, Jack Weinstein , fractional CFO and former Fox exec, shares what he’s learned advising 50+ entrepreneurs, from zero to $25M in revenue: • The hiring trap that derails scaling teams  • What financial firepower really means (and why most businesses don’t have it)  • The difference between a controlle...

The Productivity Gap You Can’t See (Until It’s Too Late) - With Rhamy Alejeal 21.08.2025

Losing one hire can cost you 4+ months of productivity and most founders never see it coming. In this episode, Rhamy Alejeal , CEO of People Processes, breaks down the blind spots killing your team's efficiency and what elite companies do differently: • Why your onboarding is leaking revenue  • The math behind a single bad offboarding  • How to design people processes that scale without drama...

The Mistake That Nearly Bankrupted Him (And Is Quietly Killing Most Businesses) - With Mike Milan 14.08.2025

You're making money. So why are you always chasing cash? Mike Milan aka Cash Flow Mike has built 14 businesses and now teaches accountants and business owners how to stay cash-rich and debt-free. In this episode:  • Why 90% of businesses don't have 3 months of cash on hand  • How growing fast nearly bankrupted him  • The money rule that separates the broke from the stable  • The single s...

He’s Interviewed Hundreds of Accounting Leaders - This Is What They All Miss 07.08.2025

Most firms wait to adapt, Gary DeHart built a media empire by doing the opposite. As the publisher of Insightful Accountant and founder of the Top 100 ProAdvisor Awards, Gary shares: What 10+ years of ProAdvisor data reveals about firm success How small firms can punch above their weight at industry events Why AI is not optional (and where to start if you’re behind) Leadership lessons from militar...

He Spotted a $500K Payroll Leak. The Owner Had No Idea. 31.07.2025

Losing $100K/month and didn’t know it. Until Sonny Grappone showed up. In this episode, the founder of Precision Accounting & Consulting breaks down the real reason most businesses stall financially (hint: it’s not marketing or sales). 🎧 What you’ll learn: The $500K payroll spike a client missed Why 75% of contractors can’t track profit per job The #1 red flag Sonny sees on balance sheets How...

Burnt Out, Understaffed, and Scaling Anyway? Sharrin Fuller Has a System for That 24.07.2025

If your team disappeared tomorrow, would your business survive?  Most founders build fast, but not to last. Sharrin Fuller , founder of Glass Wallet Ventures , joins CFO Chronicles to share why even successful businesses stall (or collapse) when leadership ignores the endgame . Inside this episode:  • How Sharrin rebuilt everything after firing 10+ team members  • Why documentation, not hustle, de...

Founders, You’re Leaking Profit, Here’s Where It’s Going - With Tom Schultz 17.07.2025

You’re not broke, but you might be bleeding. What if your biggest profit leak isn’t your pricing or marketing… but the decisions you’re not even tracking? 🎙 In this episode, fractional CFO Tom Schultz (48+ clients, $1M - $80M businesses) breaks down:  • The hidden cost of founder “gut calls”  • What really happens when you scale without financial structure • Why money in the bank ≠ a healthy busin...

This Firm Ditched the Office and Doubled Team Retention - Rachel Phillips 10.07.2025

Rachel Phillips isn’t guessing. She built a remote-first accounting firm that now supports 40+ employees and most of them are moms.  Before remote work was normal, Rachel Phillips owner of Fully Accountable made it essential. In this episode, she unpacks how her team’s flexibility has become their unfair advantage and why the office is never coming back. What you’ll learn: Her strategy for sourcin...

Your Next Client is Literally Searching for You, But You’re Invisible - With Jeremy Estey 03.07.2025

88% of buyers start on Google, but if your firm isn’t showing up, you don’t exist.⚠️  Referrals won’t scale. SEO alone won’t save you. And “trying out” paid ads without a strategy? That’s just burning cash. In this episode of CFO Chronicles , we’re joined by Jeremy Estey of Amber Sky Marketing , a Google Ads strategist helping firms across North America get seen, clicked, and hired. We unpack the...

Your Firm Is Growing, But Not Scaling. Here’s Why - With Michael Straza 26.06.2025

Growth ≠ scale, and too many founders learn that the hard way. In this episode, I sit down with Michael Straza of Straza Consulting to unpack what actually holds back firms from reaching the next level and why more sales won’t fix a broken structure. They dive into: The difference between running a business and truly being in control Why poor delegation crushes growth (and team morale) How Straza...

2,600 CFOs. 1 Global Community. What Jack McCullough Learned from Leading Them All 19.06.2025

2,600 CFOs. 100+ interviews. One framework every advisory-first firm should know. Jack McCullough , founder of the CFO Leadership Council and host of the globally ranked Secrets of Rockstar CFOs podcast, shares what the best financial leaders do differently, and how to position your firm for where the industry is going. This episode covers: The CREATE Framework: 6 traits great CFOs consistently sh...

From 4.5 Years in Prison to a 7-Figure Multi-State Firm - With Patience Jackson Rose 12.06.2025

4.5 years in federal prison. $0 to 7 figures. One of the most powerful growth stories you’ll hear this year. In this episode, Dr. Patience Jackson Rose breaks down the exact mindset and strategies that took her from wrongful conviction to running multiple businesses across the U.S. What we cover: 💰 How she doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled her revenue in 3 years 📈 Took one client from $5M t...

Why 97% of Fractional CFOs Fail to Hit 7-Figures (Mark Gandy’s No-Nonsense Playbook) 05.06.2025

97% of CFO consultants never crack 7-figures Mark Gandy ’s been breaking the mold since 2001. With a 98% close rate, 250+ podcast episodes. He’s living proof that the “fractional CFO” label is killing your growth. In this episode, he shares:  🔑 The #1 sales secret that closes more deals than any pitch deck  ⚡️ Why recurring revenue might actually hurt your growth  🚀 How referrals alone fuel his...

From Layoff to FBI Whistleblower: The Wild Path to Success - with Andrew Jordan 29.05.2025

Fired. Depressed. Then tapped by the FBI.   Andrew Jordan’ s story isn’t a straight line - it’s a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and building a firm the right way. In this episode, we unpack: The real story behind a $20M fraud scandal (and Andrew’s whistleblower role) How getting fired sparked the growth of Jordan CPA What it takes to build a 12-person firm with EOS and zero burnout The s...

How This CFO Landed 7 Clients with 30 Instagram Posts - with Jeremy Davila 22.05.2025

7 clients. 30 posts. One phone. Jeremy Davila didn’t wait to “feel ready” - he built a client pipeline with raw, consistent content. In this episode, we break down: The exact content that brought in new clients Why 3 videos outperformed 10 cold emails The $10K mistake most firms make on Instagram How to use social without being “salesy” The easiest way to create 30 days of content in 1 hour If you...

I Spoke on Stage, Signed 100 Books, and Still Felt Like an Imposter 15.05.2025

I walked off stage and knew our business had just leveled up. This wasn’t just a marketing play,it was a career milestone, a systems test, and a visibility machine rolled into one. In this episode, I break down what really happened at GrowCon 2025, from battling nerves backstage to booking deals, meeting the team in real life, and learning where our systems still break. Here’s what you’ll learn: T...

Spreadsheet Killer: How to Dominate Sales with Zero Experience 08.05.2025

Most accountants run from sales - Vanessa ran toward it.  After 9 years behind the books, she pivoted into a full-time sales role and never looked back. In this episode, we unpack her journey from accountant to closer - and the mindset shifts that made it possible. We get into:  – How to make a career leap without starting over  – Why mindset > tactics in outbound sales  – What to do when the l...

From $0 to Baton Rouge’s #1 Accounting Firm in 3 Years - with John Roberts Jr. 01.05.2025

He scaled a firm 5x in 3 years—and didn’t burn out doing it. In this episode, James sits down with John Roberts Jr. of Attract Accounting to break down the mindset, systems, and strategy behind one of the fastest-growing firms in the country. You’ll learn: How John bought his first firm with no money down Why building SOPs before hiring paid off fast The masterminds that changed everything How his...

What Happens When a CFO Thinks Like a CEO - with Tom Dillon 24.04.2025

What if your biggest bottleneck… was you? In this episode, James sits down with Tom Dillon of Frak Finance , a former investment banker turned fractional CFO, to unpack the real reason most firm owners stall out- and what it takes to scale beyond the “one-man band” model. You’ll learn: Why hiring before you're ready is often the smartest move How to remove emotion from high-stakes financial d...

Why Cost Segregation Isn’t Just for Real Estate Investors — with Sean Graham 17.04.2025

What if you could cut your tax bill in half—just by owning your building the right way? In this episode, James sits down with Sean Graham of Maven Cost Segregation to unpack the most overlooked tax strategy business owners, CFOs, and firm leaders aren’t using—but should be. You’ll learn: How cost segregation turns depreciation into cash flow Why most accountants still don’t bring it up to clients...

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