The Fun CPA Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

 Michael Eckstein isn’t like most accountants.
 
 He doesn’t talk like most accountants. Or think like them.
 
 And he certainly doesn’t approach building a business the same way as them, either.
 
 In this episode, Yuri and Michael sit down to discuss topics big and small – from client horror stories and biggest tax “beefs” to how Michael started his firm and why he built it around one central thing.
 
 Additionally, they tackle some hot topics that come up again and again in LinkedIn and elsewhere: minimum fees, taking on more (or less) clients and designing your business around your life (and not the other way around).
 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Intro 

0:36 - Episode beginning 

3:16 - Mike’s journey and background 

9:14 - What made Mike a “travelling accountant” 

11:02 - Taking on clients and protecting your time 

15:39 - LinkedIn, tech and getting business 

18:11 - LinkedIn cringe stories 

21:20 - Minimum fees, setting it and increasing it 

26:43 - Mike’s goal for LinkedIn 

34:45 - A day in the life of Michael Eckstein 

37:46 - Biggest ‘beef’ with taxes 

43:35 - Perfectionism in the industry, value-pricing 

51:41 - Network building, client horror stories 

1:03:11 - Wrap-up 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL ECKSTEIN 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michael-eckstein 

Website: https://restingbusinessface.com/about/#about 

 This week’s guest has achieved what many in the industry dream of.
 
 A successful firm AND a successful exit.
 
 Kenji Kuramoto is the founder and former CEO of Acuity, a pioneering outsourced accounting and fractional CFO firm that built and maintained financial functions for thousands of innovative entrepreneurs.
 
 Kenji sits down with Yuri to discuss creating and growing his company – what he learned, what he would change and the central theme of the episode: 
 
 Should every firm scale?
 

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:37 - Episode beginning, Top-5 rappers

3:12 - Meet Kenji

8:17 - What made Kenji want to leave

13:46 - Taking the leap

23:29 - The early days of Acuity

28:57 - “would you do it the same way?”

31:14 - Where is the bottleneck?

36:13 - “Should everyone scale?”

42:45 - Balancing your life + the business/scaling

51:35 - Kenji’s post-exit mission

53:58 - If you’re an early-stage founder…

56:16 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH KENJI

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenjikuramoto/

On today's episode we got a real interesting and unique guest - Robert Nordlander. Robert is a former IRS Criminal Investigator who worked with the Service for 21 years.


Today's episode is chalk full of value where we learn all about

 ✅ IRS CI procedures and how cases are selected

✅What happens when you receive a subpoena and how to act

✅How to keep yourself and your client out of trouble

✅Social media and the IRS

✅much much more 

In today's episode we have Erica Goode, AKA The 15 Hour Accountant, sharing her journey and career in accounting. 

We discuss everything from 

✅ Private vs public accounting careers
✅Challenges woman face in the profession
✅Launching a firm centered around YOUR lifestyle
✅Deep burnout and its impacts
✅Raising kids while working 

I am truly humbled to be able to bring you this incredibly valuable episode and a big thank you to Erica for joining us today 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH ERICA GOODE 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-goode-cpa-00205616/

Erica's FREE Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/ericagoode/15hr-email-referral

CPA + yogi Amy Vetter joins the Fun CPA Podcast to share how she built a career across KPMG, CAS (before it had a name), and Intuit. THEN created the B3 Method (Business + Balance = Bliss) to help firms rethink culture, burnout, and what “success” looks like now.
 
 We dig into how COVID accelerated tech and remote work, why belief systems at the top shape everything, and practical ways new staff, seniors, and emerging partners can build meaningful careers without losing themselves.
 
 
 
 

Episode Highlights: 

0:00 - Introduction 

0:38 - Episode beginning and intro to Amy 

2:09 - How Amy got started in accounting 

7:55 - Amy’s big pivot 

12:25 - Where the profession has gone 

25:36 - The ‘B3 Method’ and getting your joy back 

34:00 - Assessing whether firms are open to the process 

37:59 - “Do you have a favorite conference?” 

40:24 - Episode wrap-up 

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH 

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/ 

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/ 

CONNECT WITH AMY VETTER 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyvettercpa/ 

Website: https://www.amyvetter.com/ 

It’s one of the biggest problems in the accounting profession – and this week’s guest is right on the front lines fighting it.

Lynette Oss Connell, or “The Burnout Bestie” is a Burnout Prevention and Recovery Strategist. She works with individual CPAs and firms to reframe old narratives and ways of thinking.

Lynette joins Yuri to discuss her unique career destination and what she’s seeing among her peers and in her own experience working hands-on with firms. She also shares her own burnout story, the dangers of letting this negative cycle continue and of course, some advice for those of you ‘deep in it’ who have trouble prioritizing and making time for yourself.


Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction
1:02 - More about Lynette and becoming the “burnout bestie”
9:22 - Exploring the decision to go private
16:38 - Task switching (and how it leads to burnout)
23:32 - Managing stress
30:23 - How to begin prioritizing yourself
38:33 - Advice for someone ‘deep in it’
45:02 - Episode wrap-up


ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH LYNETTE OSS CONNELL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnette-oss-connell-cpa/

Website: https://www.burnoutbestie.com/

This week, Yuri is joined by John Fenton – AKA “The CEO Sensei”.
 
 Following a successful 30+Year career as a Managing Partner and CPA in one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting firms, John launched his business in 2013 in executive coaching and consulting to help busy executives be the best leaders they can be.

John sits down with Yuri to talk about the pitfalls of the corporate world and how consistently it will try to bleed into your personal and family life. Additionally, they focus in on how John ‘climbed’ his way to the top and what he learned from a leadership perspective, as well as a peer-to-peer POV.
 
 And as always on The Fun CPA, Yuri explores the accounting world with John to see where it’s failing, and most importantly: where it can be improved and made better.
 
 
 
 

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Introduction

0:36 - Episode beginning

1:04 - Introduction to John and his background

3:40 - The challenges John faced ‘climbing up’

6:47 -“What was the hardest level for you?”

9:02 - Advice for those who get a big promotion?

18:35 - Then vs. now

20:45 - Coaching the generational gap

32:34 - Mixing public accounting and family

40:14 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end. 

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all. 

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH JOHN FENTON

Website: https://www.johnjfenton.com/aboutjohn

Welcome back to yet another episode of.. The Fun CPA!

This week, Yuri invites Daniel Steinberg – speaking, communications, marketing extraordinaire and Rabbi..

Daniel combines his comedic and religious background to create an approach that is uniquely him, which is to say, authentic and attention-grabbing.

Daniel joins Yuri to discuss his unusual journey from funny man, to marketer, to Rabbi and how that has informed his current business and outlook on communication. Daniel shares the basics to storytelling, shares some of his biggest flops, drops some tips on self-assessement and much more!

Episode Highlights:
0:00 - Teaser
0:37 - Episode beginning and intro to Daniel
6:15 - Daniel’s time with SNL, what drew him to comedy
12:56 - “How do you recover from a flop?”
16:23 - Public speaking deep dive
23:11 - Storytelling, advice to be a better communicator
27:24 - Self-assessment
32:30 - Authenticity
37:48 - Present day, Daniel’s business, public speaking
47:51 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/
Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH DANIEL STEINBERG
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealdanielsteinberg/
Website: https://maggidmethod.com/

This week on The Fun CPA, Yuri is joined by Nate Sosa, CPA, MST, Manager of the National Tax Department and Audit Defense Division at Hall CPA – for a deep dive into the “BBB” (a.k.a. the Big Beautiful Bill).

Nate brings his trademark clarity and technical depth as they unpack what this new bill brings to the table for high income earners, home owners, business owners, those in real estate and more.

They also cover some of what’s changing and staying the same with the bill and what you (the tax pro) can do to better serve clients or a business owner trying to navigate the latest policy changes.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Teaser
1:06 - Episode beginning and intro to Nate
4:21 - What’s changed?
6:01 - State and property tax changes (explained)
11:07 - What’s stayed the same
12:36 - Depreciation and the real estate space
17:45 - Tax rates in general
22:22 - If you’re tax planning…
27:09 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/
Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

Mentors Count: https://mentorscount.com/ 

CONNECT WITH NATE SOSA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathansosacpa/
Website: https://www.therealestatecpa.com/

Welcome back to yet another episode of.. The Fun CPA!

This week, Yuri is joined by Dominic Piscopo the founder of Big4Transparency.com, a widely used resource for salary transparency in the accounting industry, reaching nearly 250,000 accounting professionals. This data source was developed by Dominic himself, and helps professionals across the industry navigate the job market, pick the right employer and get paid what they’re worth.

Dominic joins Yuri to share what drove him to create such a game-changing tool – and why he felt the need to create more clarity in an industry that is notorious for being slippery on the details of compensation.

Dominic also covers his time as an entrepreneur, the challenges (and benefits) he’s
experienced and the secret sauce behind his slightly unusual, yet potent marketing strategy.

Episode Highlights:
0:00 - Teaser
0:41 - Intro to Dom
2:43 - Dom’s early journey with firms
8:05 - Working on exciting projects
9:55 - The main driver behind going private
12:23 - “Jumping” firms and how it relates to your salary
17:10 - Dom’s take on people “jumping ship”
21:07 - Asking for a raise
27:37 - How Dom is helping increase pay clarity
34:27 - Being an entrepreneur full time
38:14 - Social media
45:41 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

Recently, Yuri also launched Mentors Count a community for accountants struggling to find true mentorship in the profession. With tax technical and soft skills we cover it all!

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/
Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

Mentors Count: https://mentorscount.com/

CONNECT WITH
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dopiscopo/
Website: Big4Transparency.com