AI isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s rewriting budgets, internal controls, and even how long leadership has to make decisions. In this episode, Dr. Sean Stein Smith breaks down what’s changed fast, why traditional GAAP reporting struggles with AI’s intangible commitments, and how investors and executives alike can cut through hype by focusing on cash flow and footnotes. Join us for a practical, finance-first roadmap for navigating what’s coming next—and where the real ROI will (and won’t) show up.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Balancing the Future Ep. 34 - Accounting in the AI Era: What CPAs Need to Know with Dr. Sean Stein Smith

What does a Big 4-trained CPA have in common with stilt-walkers and viral baseball? Dr. Tim Naddy breaks down how he went from public accounting to academia, entrepreneurship, and ultimately CFO of the Savannah Bananas—where games are full-blown shows and every decision is filtered through a “does this make it better for the fan?” mindset. He also discusses trusted-advisor skills, why creatives need financial armor, and how to avoid burnout while building a career with purpose. If you think accounting is boring, this episode will change your mind.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 33 - Bananas and Balance Sheets: The Business of Making Baseball Fun with Dr. Tim Naddy

Thinking about leaving a traditional finance or accounting role? Britt Clark joins host Mike Potenza to explain how he went from earning his CPA a decade into his career to becoming a corporate controller to leading FP&A at Aflac—then making the leap into fractional CFO work. He breaks down how he landed his first clients, why relationships beat cold marketing, and how to set boundaries so the work doesn’t become a 60-hour grind again. Britt also shares practical ways he uses AI to speed up analysis and communication while keeping human judgment in the driver’s seat.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 32 - Turning Experience into Freedom: Becoming a Fractional CFO with Britt Clark

In this episode of Tax News Now, Mark Gallegos and his guest, Terry Lemons, Public Relations Director at Frost Law and former Communications and Liaison Chief at the Internal Revenue Service, takes listeners inside the IRS, exploring how the agency is structured, how it operates, and what really happens when major tax legislation gets passed and implemented. Topics covered include the IRS's internal decision-making process, the ongoing challenges of staffing reductions and processing backlogs, and the critical role that tax professionals play in keeping the tax system functioning.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Tax News Now Ep. 17 - Behind the Curtain: How the IRS Really Works and What It Means for Your Practice with Terry Lemons

This episode is a true case study of a cannabis operator that looked “buttoned up” on paper—SOPs, cameras, and compliance staff—until regulators showed up. What began as a routine, anonymous mold complaint escalated when inspectors found predated sanitation logs and started pulling supporting records. The deeper they looked, the more control gaps surfaced: no documented monthly inventory counts, finished product left unsecured, and security footage that wasn’t being reviewed—until it revealed repeated employee theft. Naomi Granger explains the red flags and the checkpoints accountants can use to prevent enforcement action.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

BAP Ep. 2 - One Red Flag: A Cannabis Controls Wake-Up Call with Naomi Granger

What if the biggest risk in your firm isn’t a technical accounting issue—but a quiet licensing and mobility misstep you didn’t know you were making? In this episode, CPA QualityPro CEO Lindsay Patterson shares how she went from journalism to the AICPA, earned her CPA while working full-time and raising kids, and then built a platform to help firms stay compliant across 55 jurisdictions. You’ll hear practical insights on mobility myths, common renewal and registration pitfalls, and what the 120-hour pathway—and even potential 90-hour degrees—could mean for substantial equivalency, multi-state practice, and your talent pipeline.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 31 - The 120 Pathway: New Licensure Mobility Rules and Hidden Pitfalls with Lindsay Patterson

Rescheduling could be the biggest tax shake-up the cannabis industry has ever seen—but the hype may be ahead of the facts. In this interview, CPA Bruce Andersen explains what President Trump’s recent executive order actually does (and doesn’t do), why 280E relief isn’t immediate, and how operators should plan spending, depreciation, and estimated payments while the industry waits for agencies—and potentially Congress—to act. You’ll also hear what “protective claims” really mean, why “federally legal” is a myth, and how hemp policy could complicate the path forward.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

BAP Ep. 1 - The Executive Order Heard ’Round Cannabis: What Happens Next? with Bruce Andersen

In this episode of Balancing the Future, marketing leader Toi Eshun shares how purpose-led organizations can build trust, sharpen their identity, and inspire action through strategic branding. She breaks down the “science” of marketing—psychology, data, and audience insight—alongside the creative craft of messaging and visuals. Using examples from nonprofit work and the accounting profession, Toi explains why rebrands succeed or fail based on stakeholder buy-in and timing. She also offers a practical perspective on AI: powerful for efficiency and analysis, but not a substitute for human emotion, expertise, and judgment.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Balancing the Future Ep. 33 - The Science Behind Story-Driven Marketing with Toi Eshun

In this episode Mark Gallegos, Tax Partner at Porte Brown, and his guest, Mark “Coach” Mirsky of Aprio, LLP, discuss Mark’s career path towards becoming a trusted advisor known for a coaching-first mindset. The conversation then goes deep on partnerships and other flow-through entities: why they’re so often misunderstood, the common compliance red flags, and how advisors can add real value by thinking long-term and aligning tax strategy with client goals.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Tax News Now Ep. 16 - Developing a Coaching Mindset and Navigating Clients Through Partnership Complexity with Mark Mirsky

Former Ole Miss offensive lineman Christopher Cola shares how football shaped his career in accounting and beyond. He discusses how lessons from the trenches—preparation, teamwork, and consistency—carried him through public accounting, the CPA Exam, and a wide-ranging business career. Today, he teaches, writes, and advises student-athletes navigating NIL and financial literacy. Cola connects “doing the things that take no talent” (showing up, discipline, and effort) to professional success, and explains why mentorship and a personal “board of directors” can be a game changer for students and young professionals.

Earn CPE by listening to this podcast through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Listen to this episode through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer?  Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for this podcast however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Cool Careers in Accounting Ep. 30 - SEC Football Meets the CPA World: NIL and Beyond with Christopher Cola

Earn CPE by listening to Becker Accounting Podcasts through a Becker Prime CPE subscription.

Stream episodes through your Becker LMS platform to complete practice questions, pass the final exam, and earn CPE credit.

Already a Becker Prime CPE customer? Login here. [https://cpelearning.becker.com/]

Have access to Becker CPE through your employer? Earn CPE credit for Becker Accounting Podcasts however you consume Becker CPE, either through your company’s LMS or via the Becker platform. Not sure where to log in? Check with your CPE admin.

Learn more about CPE Podcasts from Becker: https://www.becker.com/cpe/becker-podcasts

Ruth Berry

Shows