The Independent CPA Firm Podcast: Your Source to Thrive in Today’s Market

Can independent CPA firms continue to grow without sacrificing their culture or control? In this episode of the  Independent CPA Firm Podcast ,  Dave Kells  sits down with  George Forsythe , Managing Partner of  WellsColeman , to discuss how his firm has grown organically while staying independent, investing in technology, and building a people-first culture that attracts both clients and talent....

Are independent CPA firms being left behind—or are they simply missing the right resources? On this episode of the  Independent CPA Firm Podcast ,  Dave Kells  is joined by  Denise Bethel  of the California Society of CPAs and  Derrol Moorhead  of the Colorado Society of CPAs to discuss how state societies are helping independent firms stay competitive through technology, collaboration, education,...

Why More CPA Firms Are Choosing Employee Ownership to Stay Independent What if you could grow your firm, reward your people, and maintain independence—without turning to private equity? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , Dave Kells sits down with Brian Lang, CEO of SSC CPAs & Advisors, to discuss SSC’s journey to becoming a 100% employee-owned CPA firm and how the ESOP mode...

How do you scale a CPA firm, invest in technology, and compete with private equity—without losing your culture? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , Dave Kells sits down with  Sara Dayton and Stephanie Wilkinson of Lumsden McCormick  to break down how they’re building a high-performing, people-first firm—while staying independent and growing fast. In this episode, you will be abl...

Are you confident your firm could withstand a cyber incident—or are there risks hiding in plain sight? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , Dave Kells sits down with Joseph Harford, President and Founder of Reclamere, to uncover the real cybersecurity gaps many CPA firms overlook—and what it takes to stay protected in a rapidly evolving landscape. In this episode, you will be abl...

Are you making decisions based on real data—or just gut feel? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells sits down with Don Kreye, Business Development Manager at ABDO , to unpack why data visibility is becoming a true competitive advantage for CPA firms. As competition increases and margins tighten, firms that can access, understand, and act on their data are the ones...

What truly keeps people at a firm—and what drives sustainable growth in today’s competitive market? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells is joined by Mark Kovaleski , Managing Partner, and Erika Stork , Senior Manager of MMB+CO, to explore how culture, flexibility, and intentional growth strategies are shaping the future of their firm. From talent retention to AI...

As CPA firms grow, complexity grows with them. More clients, more engagements, and more regulatory expectations mean that the old manual ways of managing risk and compliance can quickly become a bottleneck. In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , Dave Kells sits down with Jey Purushotham from Intapp to discuss how firms can rethink their processes and use technology to support smart...

How do you grow a CPA firm without losing the personal relationships that built it in the first place? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , Dave Kells sits down with Bobby Greco, Co-CEO of CSI Group, to discuss how their firm has expanded to more than 20 locations while staying focused on client service, culture, and strategic acquisitions. In this episode, you will be able to: •...

Are you future-proofing your firm—or falling behind the curve? AI and outsourcing aren’t just buzzwords—they’re survival tools. In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells sits down with the Chief Vision Architect of SPNX Consulting, Karan Gupta, for a game-changing look at what it takes to scale in 2026 and beyond. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand how of...

Can you really scale your CPA firm—without giving up control? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells is joined by Joel Cooperman, CEO of Citrin Cooperman, for a powerful conversation on how firms can build for long-term success. From reinvesting in talent to finding the right partners (not just deals), Joel shares the mindset, strategies, and hard-won lessons from s...

Tired of outdated succession models? In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells sits down with Michelle Hammond, Chief Strategy Officer at SSC CPAs and Advisors, to explore how their ESOP structure, offshoring strategy, and people-first culture fuel sustainable growth—without giving up control.   In this episode, you will be able to: • Learn how ESOPs can support succes...

What does it really take to grow—and stay strong—in today’s accounting landscape? In this episode, host  Dave Kells  talks with  Steve McDonald , Managing Partner at  ABDO , about building a thriving firm without losing sight of culture, people, and long-term strategy. From navigating growth and technology to leadership development and succession planning, Steve shares how ABDO continues to evolve...

Thinking About Wealth Management? Start Here. In this episode of  The Independent CPA Firm Podcast , host Dave Kells sits down with Dennis Covington, Managing Partner at Savant Wealth Management , to explore how CPA firms can expand their services—and deepen client relationships—by integrating wealth management through a TAMP model. From time leverage to tech integration and compliance, this conve...

Does your firm treat learning as a checkbox—or a growth strategy? In this episode, host  Dave Kells  is joined by learning and development experts  Mary Ardath  and  Jason McKeever  for a deep-dive into how accounting firms can use L&D to boost retention, improve performance, and build future leaders. From onboarding and technical upskilling to soft skills and succession planning, this episode...

In this episode of the Independent CPA Firm Podcast, host David Kells sits down with Jin Chang, CEO and Co-Founder of Fieldguide, to explore how AI is reshaping the role of CPAs and transforming both audit and advisory practices. This episode gives you an inside look at Fieldguide’s newly released AI Maturity Framework (AMF)—a first-of-its-kind industry guide designed to help firms benchmark where...

Thinking about offshoring but don’t know where to start? In this episode, host  Dave Kells  speaks with  Laurence Whittam  of Impact Global Solutions about how offshoring can help firms create capacity, reduce burnout, reinvest in talent, and scale smart. From pilot programs to full-scale BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) models, they break down how firms of all sizes can approach offshoring strategica...

Are you undercharging clients—or undervaluing your own expertise? In this episode, host  Dave Kells  sits down with  Tavi Meketon , Managing Director at Whitman Transition Advisors and member of the WTA Profit Team, to explore how independent CPA firms can grow smarter and more profitably—without sacrificing client relationships or control. In this episode, you will be able to: Learn how to raise...

Struggling to keep up with tech—but don’t have a massive IT budget? In this episode, Dave Kells is joined by  Michael Roglen , Director of Sales at SysCloud, for a deep dive into how independent CPA firms can use technology strategically—not just for security, but to drive growth, efficiency, and smarter decision-making. From cloud-based backups to data insights and discovery, this episode covers...

We’re excited to kick off our very first episode of The Independent CPA Firm Podcast: Your Source to Thrive in Today’s Market! Host Dave Kells is joined by Tavi Meketon from the Profit Team at Whitman Transition Advisors to explore how firms can grow, evolve, and stay fiercely independent—without needing private equity. From offshoring and tech to partner alignment and talent strategy, this episod...