On The Books

Does feedback really matter?

That sentiment is best expressed by four accounting industry experts who have spent the past two years giving targeted product feedback to Intuit. Meet Matt, Lisa, Korey, and Ben - all members of Intuit Accountant Partner Council, all have spent time with product teams to shape the future of Intuit products that are critical for accountants.Ted and Jessica talk with the group about their time on Council, their experiences in giving tough but necessary feedback, and what encourages them about the future technology in the accounting industry. For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Ask us Anything - You asked, we (attempt to) answer

In this slightly off-the-rails (books?) episode, Ted and Jessica answer your listener-submitted questions. We tackle Intuit’s investment in direct-to-client services, the relationship between QuickBooks Online and AI over the next 5-10 years, how does Inuit really respond to accountant feedback; and we give an update on innovations announced at Intuit Connect 2024. And if Ted and Jessica had to switch jobs with each other for a week, who would crack under pressure first? For full show notes, visit firmofthefuture.com

Know your niche with Chris Macksey, CEO of Prix Fixe Accounting

Solving the accounting talent shortage, industry expertise, restaurant recommendations - we have a little bit of everything. In this episode of On the Books, Ted and Jessica are joined by Chris Macksey, CEO of Prix Fixe Accounting, to talk about the growing importance of client industry expertise, the growth of niche firms, and why knowing more about a client’s macro environment is as important as knowing their books. Chris shares his journey from working in the restaurant industry to leading a specalized accounting practice and details the challenges and opportunities of serving the hospitaling industry. And listen in for the way Prix Fixe is addressing accounting industry talent shortages and their innovative approach to onboarding new employees. Listen to the end of the episodes to hear more about Chris’ most recommended restaurants. For full show notes, check out firmofthefuture.com/podcast

Meet the new leader of Intuit's accountant team—Introducing Simon Williams

Meet Simon Williams, the new vice president of the Accountant Segment at Intuit. 
 
In this episode of On the Books, Simon shares his experience at Adobe and the BBC (he is originally from Wales, as you will hear), setting up partner groups, and navigating the first wave of AI adoption. Simon talks about his vision for strengthening the partnership between Intuit and accountants, emphasizing a customer-first approach and transparency, especially during times of significant industry transformation.
 
Simon and host Jessica McCracken discuss his view on feedback from the accounting community and repairing reputational damage with transparency.
 
For full show notes, check out firmofthefuture.com 
 

Celebrating Black Accountants with guest hosts Nayo Carter-Gray and Tony Proctor

In a special episode of On the Books, guest hosts Nayo Carter-Gray and Tony Proctor welcomed Kevin Smoot and Hope Brown, and Al-Nesha Jones, to discuss their personal and professional journeys in the accounting field as Black accountants. Hear how all got their start in the industry, some of the challenges they face in their business, and the importance of mentorship and intentional networking. The panel also offers advice for young students considering a career in accounting, emphasizing the diverse opportunities and the importance of building a supportive network.Come celebrate the unique experiences and contributions of Black accountants in this fun and poignant episode. For full show notes, check out firmofthefuture.com

The 2025 Small Business Index Annual Report

Part of an accountant’s work is to know the financial health of their clients. In this episode, we explore the latest Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Index Annual Report, which provides insights into the current state and future prospects of small businesses in the US, Canada, and the UK. 
Ted and Jessica talk with Intuit’s Simon Worsfold and KC Eames of Dark Horse  about the findings which highlights the significant impact of rising interest rates on small business growth, increase in credit card use among small businesses, and findings on digital technology in improving business performance and confidence. 
The group also discusses broader themes from the report, such as the strong recovery in employment in sectors like construction and the higher likelihood of women-owned businesses being highly digitized. Overall, the report underscores the critical role of digital adoption in driving small business success and resilience in the face of economic challenges.For more information and full show notes, check out firmofthefuture.com 

Get Rid of the Seams

Have you ever thought “Intuit is a confusing place. I’m not sure who I need to talk to about my issues,”? We know it can be hard navigating the inner workings of a tech company to get the solutions you and/or you clients need.
 
In this episode of On the Books, we introduce you to two Intuit leaders trying to solve this problem. Rony Branch and Jorge Olavarrieta lead our Accountant Sales and Partner team and Professional Tax Group respectively and have been working together to create a better experience for accountants as they interact with Intuit. Roney and Jorge talk about the pain points they are working to address, the steps Intuit is taking to move from individual products to a cohesive platform, and what accountants can expect from their Intuit teams this year. 
 
For more information:
On the Books Books-to-Tax episode

New Year, New Plan with Kenji Kuramoto

Happy New Year! Welcome 2025. Let’s set some goals for your firm.
Kenji Kuramoto, Acuity Founder and CEO, joins us today to talk about all things new year planning. Kenji and Acuity’s firm leaders have implemented a thorough elevation process to look back on the past year and goal-setting standards into the next. Kenji details their process, talks about timing (January?!), and the benefits he's seen in his firm and personal life. Kenji talks about giving yourself grace and why accountants need time to adjust to ways of evaluating their processes. 
Ted and Jessica also share their goals intentions for 2025. For full show notes, check out Firm of the Future https://www.firmofthefuture.com/podcast/on-the-books/x

On The Books - Close the Books - A year-end wrap with Dave Talach

“You have one company Intuit trying to serve a diverse set of customers, we are going to have blind spots, we are going to get things wrong. We don’t know everything. So if we operate under the context of that, then it immediately frames that dialogues are so important - open candid dialogues are so important because only through those are we going to be able to course correct and adapt.” In this episode of On the Books, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken welcome Dave Talach, the Senior Vice President of QuickBooks end-to-end experiences at Intuit. Dave discusses his upbringing in Detroit and how it shaped his passion for financial services and small businesses. He talks about the importance of empathy in product development and his dedication to creating human-centered experiences. Dave shares his approach to leadership and his vision for enhancing the QuickBooks platform, emphasizing the importance of connecting with the accountant community. And he gives a peek into innovations coming to the QuickBooks platform in 2025. For full show notes, check out Firm of the Future, https://www.firmofthefuture.com/podcast/on-the-books/

Merry Books-to-Tax Season!

 ‘Tis the season for clean books ready for compliance!Join us as we talk with Amy Walker and Paul Glantz. Amy is a client advisory services accountant. Paul spends his time on the tax side. They joined forces in 2021 to form Walker Glantz CPA to give their clients a more cohesive approach to both accounting and tax advisory and filing.Paul and Amy discuss the challenges of CAS and tax practices working together and how their firm was formed to address those challenges. The group also offers helpful advice on how to leverage technology to provide a better client experience during this season of handing clean books over to for tax preparation. And Paul and Amy offer encouragement for all accountants as busy season approaches.“I am on a mission to change public accounting. CAS was the first the first step towards it. CAS was the first service public accounting could offer that doesn’t require a busy season. Maybe a little extra work in January but you could still head a lot of that off. We’re going to do it for tax too,” Amy Walker.For full show notes, check out Firm of the Future, https://www.firmofthefuture.com/podcast/on-the-books/