You made it through another year. Another busy season, another round of client deadlines, another stretch of wondering if there’s a better way to do this work you care about so deeply.
If you’ve been listening to The Accountant’s Flight Plan this year, you know we’ve been having different kinds of conversations.
Not just about tax strategy or practice management tactics, but about the bigger questions:
These five episodes resonated most with our listeners in 2025, not because they offered easy answers, but because they reminded us that the future of this profession belongs to the people willing to ask better questions and imagine something different.
1. The Future of Accounting Firms: Embracing AI, Advisory and Finding a Balanced Life with Seth Fineberg
Seth Fineberg has covered the accounting industry long enough to spot the difference between trends and true transformation. His message? The profession is evolving toward something better: more advisory-driven, more human-centered, more balanced. And that punk band he was in? Proof that life outside the office isn’t just allowed, it’s essential.
2. Building a Scalable Firm with Offshoring, AI, and Talent Strategy with Wayne Findlay
Wayne Findlay looked at the talent shortage and decided to build a solution instead of just complaining about it. Through The Back Room, he’s showing how offshoring, smart tech adoption, and intentional team development can help firms scale without sacrificing the quality or culture that made them successful in the first place.
3. Navigating the Future of Accounting Through AI and Adaptation with Dan Hood
Dan Hood has seen every “game-changer” come through this industry, and he’ll tell you: AI is different. But the firms winning with it aren’t the ones trying to overhaul everything overnight. They’re the ones starting small, learning as they go, and positioning themselves for long-term success. Plus, his reminder that accounting work is genuinely interesting? We needed to hear that.
4. Hiring Smarter, Not Harder: How Testing Transforms CPA Firm Recruitment with Giles Pearson
After years of hiring candidates who looked perfect on paper but struggled in reality, Giles Pearson built Accountests to help firms make better decisions from the start. His structured approach to assessing both technical skills and cultural fit is changing how forward-thinking firms approach recruitment, and it’s working.
5. Using Your Passion to Find Your Niche within the Accounting Industry with Ryan Pulice
Ryan Pulice stumbled into accounting, discovered he loved it, then built a thriving practice by aligning his personal passion for real estate investing with the clients he serves. His journey is a reminder that when you find the intersection between what you’re good at and what genuinely excites you, work stops feeling like work.
Looking Ahead to 2026
This year showed us what’s possible when we’re willing to question old assumptions and try new approaches. Next year, we’re building on that momentum.
We’re bringing you fresh perspectives, deeper conversations, and practical strategies for building the kind of firm (and life) you actually want. Whether you’re navigating succession, strengthening your team, integrating new technology, or simply creating more space to breathe, we’re here with stories and insights that will help you move forward with confidence.
The accounting profession is changing, and you’re part of shaping what comes next.
Thank you for trusting us with your time this year. We’re grateful you’re here, and we can’t wait to continue this journey with you in 2026.
Here’s to building something that lasts and enjoying the process along the way!
Happy New Year from our team to yours!
