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Leaders of the Ledger from CPA Practice Advisor in partnership with Rightworks spotlights the people and ideas shaping the future of the accounting profession.
Each episode host Rob Brown interviews influential firm leaders, innovators and rising stars to uncover how they are tackling today’s biggest challenges whether it is client advisory services, AI and technology, talent strategy or firm growth through M&A.
Built on CPA Practice Advisor’s trusted recognition lists like the 40 Under 40 Influencers in Accounting and other collections of prominent professionals, this show goes beyond the headlines to share practical insights, personal stories and proven strategies from those moving the profession forward.
If you are a firm owner, leader or ambitious professional who wants to stay ahead of the curve Leaders of the Ledger is your inside track to the conversations and connections that matter most in accounting.
Subscribe now to hear from the voices redefining what it means to lead in the profession.
Speaker 2 (00:00.13)
Who are the influencers in accounting? Who are the people that shape in the future of this profession? Well, they are the influencers, whether they are nominated, whether they just do great things out there, we're shining a light on-
the accounting industry as a whole could really do better with gamification and gamifying the talent acquisition process and the recruiting and retention piece of it. Four accounting firm came to speak at the college and they thought that as an intern or a first year that we should actually be paying them giving us in that first year and all that stuff. And he was so serious and I was just like, you are insane.
This Leaders of the Ledger, the podcast brand new coming out from CPA Practice Advisor. I'm your host,
Brown. Understand what your passion is. Research on how you can enter into that space as an accountant or as a finance person and then go hard in it. Don't be afraid.
international show so you've got an English voice and I'm thrilled to have with us today from Los Angeles, Kendall Kane. day sir.
Speaker 2 (01:06.858)
are the influencers in accounting? Who are the people that shape in the future of this profession? Well they are the influencers whether they are nominated, whether they just do great things out there. We're shining a light on them. This is Leaders of the Ledger the podcast brand new coming out from CPA practice advisor. I'm your host Rob Brown. This is an international show so you've got an English voice and I'm thrilled to have with us today from Los Angeles kendale Kane. day sir. We're doing splendid wonderful to have you with us kendale.
How you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:33.814)
Tell us a little bit about your role right now, your firm, your job.
Yeah, so right now, again, I'm a CPA. And I'm actually turning, I don't say turning the corner, but, you know, really refining what, you know, my actual go to market, all that's the strategy itself, but I'll talk about what that will be and what that is. And so essentially, I'm moving into business management services. Okay.
CPA, know, accounting, all that stuff. But usually when you look at entertainers or act like actors, musicians, right, you know, they get an agent, they get a lawyer and they say they get an accountant. But usually that accountant is more of what's called a business manager who is looking over their agreements, you know, processing their payroll, know, setting the business up, know, doing the APA, AR. And so
that's essentially effectively managing their business, financial stuff. But usually it kind of go, that's really what it is. It's just that piece, they get their percentages. Again, depending on the level you're at, you're probably not really getting tax planning. They probably would get a separate CPA for that. And the actual business manager,
sometimes isn't always helping with bringing in money or optimizing costs and stuff like that. so for me specifically, I love the entertainment space. I work a lot with content creators, entertainers of all types. And I really determined and saw that the business management aspect for content creators and gamers and stuff like that, that is not there.
Speaker 1 (03:33.134)
The goal is to really fill in that space and into that pocket to have somebody to help them with their financials. Especially now when people can hop on a stream and make $100,000 without really trying too hard. And so it's really important now.
Sounds like you're going to shake that space up Kendall!
I'm trying, I'm trying.
I thought what you were gonna say agents and things like that my personal brand is getting so big that I need an agent I thought that's what you were gonna tell me but you are influential you've been recognized as such how does that that handle influencer feel with you do you feel like one do you act like one
I see plenty of influencers and I would say I don't act like them.
Speaker 2 (04:17.794)
Well you see celebrity influencers don't you and serious content creators. For a CPA you're a little bit more famous than some.
Right.
Yeah, I agree. It's like when it's funny because in that world, know, the people who like in the content creator or entertainment, you know, production space, people know me, you know, but you know, I wouldn't say I'm an influencer out there yet. But definitely in the CPA, you know, accounting, you know, industry, I, you know, I'm up there a little bit, you know. Yeah, yeah.
You're recognised by your peers right? That's an element of influence for sure.
Yeah, then I really appreciate that,
Speaker 2 (04:54.804)
Well there's an audience of your clients where you want to be influential in those, that external world, but within your sphere, your peers, your other accountants or their accounting firms you've got some recognition there too. It's interesting you say you're pivoting from the traditional accountant in practice role, having a book of business there, doing the general compliance type stuff. The accounting qualification is good for a lot of things, Kendal, isn't it?
Yeah, it is and I think that when especially getting the actual CPA I know there's been conversations about the actual usefulness of a CPA nowadays.
Big conversations about the license too sure as well.
Exactly and and I in some aspects I agreed like, know, we could find better ways to make it more useful I think historically, you know, historically it's been more about You get the CPA now you can sign off on all it right? But that's really the main thing that kind of differentiates and maybe you can sign off on some other you know things from the bank or something like that, but I've had a conversation about this where I feel that
If we really wanted to make the CPA more valuable, know, maybe heighten up the requirements for anybody who can file a tax return, you know, because you don't need to, you know, have a CPA to do that, right? But what if you did, you know, now the CPA becomes a lot more valuable. And if, you know, we can obviously keep going down the line of like what, you know, what a CPA could really, you know, kind put some more power into it, but.
Speaker 1 (06:33.602)
But yeah, it's more than just the compliance. And I personally hate the compliance. I like talking and executing new ideas and opening up new pathways of revenue and realizing that I made an actual contribution in value to the business at the end of the day, instead of, you know, just kind of documenting what happened in the past.
that's presumably evolved for you when most people get into accounting they recognize it's probably going to be a compliance based career. The spreadsheets, the debits and credits, everything else you're technically strong, you're mathematically able and that's where you go in but then maybe all these things open up on the more advisory consulting side.
Yeah, honestly for me, I actually was introduced into accounting back in high school. Well, was taking a, you know, college courses at that time and it just made sense to me. So yes, a hundred percent understanding the foundation was one thing, but where I really was like, all right, I love this is in college. When I went to Morehouse, I did a case study competition with Deloitte and that wasn't necessarily about compliance. That was like, all right.
you know, if I have more advisory services, let's look up the, the, the classification, let's make sure we're doing this right. presented to, to, you know, your, to your board or whatever, you know, whatever scenario was. And I really enjoy that type of advisory advisory stuff, and consulting. And then when I went into Deloitte and I was doing the audit, it was cool for a minute because obviously I'm lying.
For a minute, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:10.03)
4 minutes because I'm learning. I'm learning it's all good information. I'm okay, I haven't done this before. Once you've got that and then next year you're doing the exact same thing. the year after that you're doing the exact same thing. You know, for me, I am like, all right, I mean, I say exact same thing, but you know, there's obviously some nuances that get thrown in and maybe you get opened up to different parts of the audit. But honestly, it's still kind of just checking the boxes. But
And then for me specifically, I just felt like I wasn't providing the client being the audit client at that point, much value. When you're on the audit side of it, and I know that there is value in it, and our end-all client is really the investors who are reading the financials, right? But when you look, when you're at the...
you know their workplace and you're asking them questions you almost feel like the enemy. You don't feel like you're really welcomed or you that they want you to be there. And so I went actually into consulting right after that a place called the SIGFREE group and that was totally different because they are requesting you. You know they're like hey we have a need here and we need your help and we want you to come in here and do this and it's just a totally different value proposition and it just feels way better for
the person that I am and I like, you know, helping people. like being there, you know, to solve an issue or solve a problem.
Yeah, how long have you been in the accounting game?
Speaker 1 (09:38.222)
I was doing accounting, was even doing the vital clinics and stuff back in, I did accounting at my college doing work study programs. So if you really want to go back, I would say for sure at least back into 2020, 2012. So, okay.
So 10 years or so, 12 years. How much has the game changed in that time? Because there's a lot going on isn't there?
Yeah, there is a lot going on. I feel that the game changing is more people waking up and realizing that, you know, the assembly line doesn't have to be followed, you know. It's like, you can, there's other paths out there that you can take. And it's one of the main reasons why a lot of people are, know, why this whole accounting crisis is occurring to me because people are waking up and realizing, and maybe it's the advent of social media.
So you're able to see so many different things all at once where in the past you really couldn't. You know, can only really see what was in front of you, you know, back before social media, right? Or who was around you. And so now with that being here, it's just like, all right, now I can see that I can do X, Y, or Z, or I'm not limited to just doing this because that's all I saw. And so I think that's the biggest thing is that people are realizing that there's more out there.
and therefore are like going into it. And I think the business as a whole has been like leaning a lot more to that advisory thing, trying to provide that different type of value instead of just the compliance work that we all were so used to.
Speaker 2 (11:19.97)
Yeah that makes sense. People say compliance is dead but of course it isn't. It's the bread and butter, it's the backbone of accounting and audit and tax. But yeah there is downward pressure on compliance fees, everyone knows that, it's not where the value is so it's exciting for accountants to be able to embrace that more advisory side of things. You used the phrase accounting crisis and I hear it a lot when I interview people in this space. What is the accounting crisis from your perspective?
In my opinion, again, I think it just goes right back to the people waking up. People waking up to realize that this machine that was created a long time ago by people we don't even know, the regime of the different audit firms collaborating with the colleges and, you know, just getting the process where, all right, you create them and spit them into this and, you know, rotating it out. And I think that
that people have woken up to, all right, I don't have to do this. I don't want to do this anymore. I still say this all the time. I remember when I was in college and a partner from a Big Four accounting firm came to speak at the college and they were saying how they thought that as an intern or first year that
We should actually be paying them because of the knowledge that you know, they're giving us in that first year and all that good stuff And I he was so serious and I was just like you are insane You are very insane to like really believe that and
But that is a mindset and that's the mindset of this machine that was created to say, look, we don't make money off of you for the first few years or something, so you owe us. You should, you owe us your loyalty. You owe us to be here. And that's the main way that they're okay with, we're overworking people for...
Speaker 1 (13:16.558)
Like a hundred hundred forty plus hours a week depending on where you're at, you know, I've done this busy season I know the the times that we we show up and we didn't leave and so it's just like I think that this accounting Crisis is born from the fact that people realizing that there's other things out there There's other paths to success because you know if you went to college they would tell you this is the only way like, know back in the day like either you go into big four or you go into banking that was like your to
know, pathways once you, you know, get out of accounting or as a business administration major. So, but now it's like, that's not the case. And this day and age, so many people can kind of do it on their own. There's so many tools and resources out there. And I think that historically the accounting industry as a whole hasn't needed to really focus on the marketing of accounting.
because it was just so necessary. So like you needed it and people knew it was a stable job. they didn't necessarily care to market or to figure out how do I get acquisition of people, talent acquisition. They just knew that it was a whole machine that was already doing it. it wasn't really, nobody really cared about the marketing, the branding of accounting as a whole. And I think that that's the big thing that is shifting right now and needs to be focused on.
is how to effectively update the branding and stuff for know for you know accounting.
That's very well put. I see it a lot. That's back in the day, you were privileged to be an accountant. You will come and work for us and we've got so many people that want to work for us and so if you don't want to that's it. Goodbye. But now there's a talent crisis. Now there's a pipeline shortage and and people are not queuing up to go and work in accounting practices. So they've got to work a lot harder with the brand to get them taking the degrees and coming up through and taking internships and everything else to fill.
Speaker 2 (15:17.9)
those spaces in their firms to deliver to very demanding and complex clients. So yeah, the game is changing. What one thing the accounting industry or profession could do to be more attractive do you feel?
I feel that, and I talk about this all the time, I go to different conferences to speak about it, it's about gamification. And I personally, me specifically, I just love games, I love competition, I love just thinking and just being there. And so for me, the thing that I talk about all the time is about gamification, where when you think about you as a customer,
and you go to a store, there's a loyalty program most likely, right? And for me specifically, like even gas, I have a Tesla, so I don't even get gas, but my wife has a Jeep. And so I put gas in her car. But for me, so when I was doing that, was like, you know what, now I'm gonna get rewards program with Exxon mobile, so that every time it is one right down the corner.
So anytime I need to fill up gas, am making sure I go to Exxon and I have the app. So I open up the app. It's just an easy access. You can literally just start the, you know, the, gas pump on your phone. Um, you know, that's how connected it is. And when you use the gas, you get points. And I think I got even like $14 worth of gas, you know, already saved up right now that I could use. And so is that mindset.
that gamification you know even the way that it looks in the app looks like you're all right you're at this milestone here's the next thing and i think that for me specifically that that game those gaming dynamics really really do help and it breeds loyalty is like look i want no matter what if if the gas needs to be in that car i'm going to make sure to go to it next time if
Speaker 1 (17:11.584)
If I'm at the grocery store, you know, I'm probably trying to find a routes, you know, to make sure that, you know, or bonds to make sure, cause I have, you know, programmed with them. And so I think that the accounting industry as a whole could really do better with gamification and gamifying the, the talent acquisition process and the recruiting and retention piece of it. so that we are, you know, properly motivating.
our talent to stay, to be in here, to want to make this a year long, like a lifetime career for them. And that's why one of the main things that I've done to help contribute to that other than speaking is I created CPACon, which is a, almost like a gamified career fair source where I got students coming in, I got professionals coming in and.
You know, we have panels throughout the day, we also are the main draw there and focus is that we have actual games, know, actual game shows, actual game focused, you know, activities that, you know, both test your ability and accounting, but then also it just provides that team dynamic, that competitiveness. And for me, I'm thinking, what would it look like if
we all really experience this as like a sports team. know, everybody has a favorite sports team. If you watch it, you know, that you're rooting for and you would die for type of thing. You know, so like I'm from Cleveland, Ohio and the Browns suck. Most of all of our teams are terrible, but I'm going to always root for them. You don't know no matter what. And I think that that type of loyalty, that type of, you know,
Brand alignment is really important and I think that's the biggest thing right now in this day and age that can really help the accounting space is gamifying and figuring out a way on how to You know make sure to ensure brand and talent alignment. Make sure the culture meets and then when the culture meets you continue motivating people to do What you want them to do so?
Speaker 2 (19:19.746)
Well, CPA.com. CPA.com, we hear it here. That's amazing. And you're so passionate the way you speak. Kendall, you clearly got a crusade. You've got a cause and you're building a platform so that you can talk about that. It's important, isn't it? Otherwise you're just a voice or a noise in a vacuum.
See you
Speaker 1 (19:38.654)
Yes, that for a while, you know, I was kind of that, you know, I was just a voice in my wife's ear and now, you know, I have made steps and strives to kind of, you know, speak that out into the into the accounting industry void and it got picked up on, know, and it resonated with people and, you know, you know, starting to hear more and then obviously other people are really interested in just understanding the path that I took, you know, and the opportunities that exist out there.
And I really, you know, taking, you know, really, really love the fact that I've been able to be in this position. No, I got a lot, I got way farther to go. You know, this is, kind of, I feel like I'm just kind of barely scratching the surface of what I really want to do, but, what the, you know, what the real goal is. But, you know, I'm glad that, you know, this has already been such a, a widely received, you know, sentiment that people want to support.
Yeah. What excites you most about accounting right now and where it is?
I'm a I was you for the underdog. So I like the fact that you know, the cars are kind of stacked against us, you know, people do think that you know, this is boring and everything is because I feel like we have so much more we have this this brand again the story that we haven't really told that once it is told I feel like it's gonna be a huge like, you know, like what what's going on here, you know, I really I really enjoy the fact that
we are kind of being looked down on right now because that just gives us that opportunity to see how we all collaborate and get past it.
Speaker 2 (21:20.674)
I love that that's great. A couple more questions here Kendale. I'm going to ask you in a minute for a prediction what you feel is coming up in the accounting world over the next few years. You can put any time scale you like on there and then I'll ask you if you wouldn't mind just to finish with two or three tips you would give to people that want to be more influential in the accounting world, want to utilize their qualification a little bit more, want to make more of a difference, want to be heard more vocal, more visible so...
thinking about that for us but let's hit that prediction if you are going to Las Vegas and putting everything on black or red what's definitely going to happen over the next few years in our world?
For me, I've been saying this for a few years now, I think, so I'm say maybe in five, 10 years maybe, but I really think that we're gonna see a shift from the big accounting firms and move more to what I call the solo firm methodology, which is somebody like me who has a CPA and maybe they have...
a employees but not nothing nothing too huge. think also with the event advent of like AI this is even one to to to speed this up but I feel like there's going to be a lot of CPAs who are actually really going to put up their own shingles and not necessarily just go into you know the big four or you know other big accounting firms. I feel that there's going to be because there's so much work out there that like literally you know there's not even enough CPAs and and people to even
to do all the work, you know, and so I really do think that it's going to be a bone of really accounting being looked at as a self-employment opportunity, right? Like that's your building your business as an accountant. Like that's going to be one of the things to think about when you want to be your own business owner is thinking about a CPA, which it has always technically has been, but it hasn't really been the message. And I think that
Speaker 1 (23:15.726)
You you'll find all these solo firms and maybe they work together on certain projects so like if I only focus on entertainment and creators but I find a specific issue like maybe payroll like I don't like doing payroll I'll connect with some you know somebody who wants to do payroll and we'll just you know transact businesses that way like business that way instead of trying to
build this huge conglomerate of, you know, that this is just becomes super huge and big. It's just like, I think it's going to be a lot more of the smaller solo firms and just people working together.
The rise of the entrepreneurial accountant. I love it.
There you go, that was very nice way to it.
There you go. Kenda, last question then. What advice would you give to people watching, listening? They've got passion like you have, they've got a cause, they've got ideas, they want to be breaking out from where they are right now. Maybe they feel a little bit shackled in their role. They might be more senior and looking for more meaning. What advice would you give to them?
Speaker 1 (24:20.622)
First things don't be afraid you got to take a you got to take a leap you got to take that step that jump Whatever that is going to be that's number one But also do your research and figure out like what do you really want to do what you really want to be? What what's your passion? One of the things that I say a lot, know to help with accountants who stay in this industry accounting industry as a whole and like really have longevity is that you should be aligning your actual job with
a passion of yours. So for me, my passion is entertainment, gaming, know, movies, film. like, I just have a passion, but I just love it. Like you, don't have to even pay me to do some of the stuff that I do in this, in, in this space. And accounting is just the way that I show up, you know, in this space. And so I think that's number one is understanding and finding what your passion is. And then, you know, taking the steps, do your research, figure out how to get into there. Like we're accountants. We are not.
you know, shy and we're not shy to understanding that you need to research. Sometimes yes, accounts are very sharp, but you have to understand that what it is you actually want first and foremost, and then you got to take the step. Don't be afraid to ask somebody for help. Like for me, I'm an open book. It was like a few people who hit me up on LinkedIn and I'm terrible at responding sometimes, but I just followed up and we're gonna plan some meetings and calls this week.
because they just want to pick my brain. It's like, how do you do this? And I think that there's a lot, most of the people out here in the accounting space are the same way. Obviously we're all busy and we're trying to manage our time properly, but I think that most people would be happy to have that conversation. And most people would be happy to, you know, to spend that time to help and guide and build the community. So the, steps are again, just to sum them up is,
Understand what your passion is research on how you can enter into that space as an accountant or as a finance person and then you know go hard in it and don't be afraid and you know utilize you know people who are in that space or you know to ask some questions and I think if you also mentioned like being an influencer in the space is just you know post you know right now this day and age is a huge about social media and I think that
Speaker 1 (26:45.582)
We would be behind the eight ball if we don't take advantage of social media because it's out there for everybody.
Yeah that's really well put and I'm just thinking there are some risks too. It sounds like you've moved from Cleveland, Ohio and gone over to LA because that's where your people are. That's your tribe isn't it? That's the hub of the creative world over there. So you've got to sacrifice some things, you've got to say no to some things in following your dreams. Would that be fair?
Yeah, no, that's very fair. That's the huge thing. Like, because even from leaving Cleveland and I went to Atlanta and then I went to Florida. But each of those places didn't really feel right for me at those times until I moved to LA. And then it's like, yes, this is it. This is the energy. This is the space for me. So I've been here ever since. now it but now also this day and age is the world.
as whole is also becoming, like the barriers are kind of being lifted where it's not necessarily geo locked anymore and other states are also kind of getting more production, more entertainment, know, stuff like that. And so it's actually been opening up a little bit more now. But LA, Hollywood is still, you know, a place to be for sure. It's struggling a little bit, but it's still.
still a place to be and again you want to be align yourself in the place so if you were you want to do cars then you know maybe Michigan Detroit this is a solid place for you Oregon Texas you know depending on what type of car maker you look for but but yeah
Speaker 2 (28:26.062)
Well kendale King you've got the Hollywood name for sure and you are definitely living the dream. You are the accounting influencer to the influencers. It's been a joy having you on today and laying a little bit about your world. Thank you so much for your passion and your insights.
Thank you.