Humans in Accounting

Victoria Vita came to the United States in 2004 and took her first job as a dishwasher. Twenty-two years later, she's a CPA and controller with two decades of experience in corporate America, as well as a life coach and energy healer focused on the human side of accounting.

Two years ago, on an eight-hour drive home from a women's networking retreat, she decided to start a podcast. She had the name before she had a microphone: You Are Not Alone.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Victoria joins Alex Roman to talk about what...

Davis Starling grew up in a South Carolina town of about 290 people, kept bees, raised frogs, and earned the nickname Coach Barkley on a high school basketball court. At 12, a YouTube channel about failing companies had him reading balance sheets for fun.

Today, Davis is based in New York, has spent five years working in accounting, and is pursuing his CPA license while staying deeply involved in AI and technology.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Davis joins Alex Roman to talk about choosing accounting at a time when the profession is facing a...

Tyler Otto and Alex Roman have been playing chess for about two years, usually taking a day or three to make each move. For the Season 4 premiere of Humans in Accounting, they finally played a game live, and talked business between moves.

Tyler runs a 16-person accounting firm that now operates day to day without him, co-hosts the Unaccountable podcast, and does his best work the same way he plays chess: fast, and on the fly.

In this episode, Tyler and Alex play a 10-minute game while exploring what chess can teach business owners: when...

Ryan Page’s path to building Backpocket CPA wasn’t a straight line. After starting his career at PwC, working in financial reporting and FP&A, and experimenting with different businesses along the way, he spent years building his accounting firm on the side before finally going all in.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Ryan joins Alex Roman to talk about what his first year as a full-time firm owner has really looked like, from landing large clients to navigating concentration risk, losing a key team member, and rebuilding with a more sustainable appr...

Ian Maxwell has always looked at business a little differently: instead of building a life around work, he believes your business should help create the life you actually want.

Today, Ian is an executive coach and founder of Mindset Magic, working with small business owners while intentionally making room for another major part of his life: music.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Ian joins Alex Roman to talk about the mindset behind building a business without letting it consume everything else.

They discuss why successful business...

Chris Williams didn’t start his career in accounting. He came from finance and investing, looking for an entrepreneurial path that eventually led him to acquire System Six.

Since then, System Six has grown from 20 to 65 team members, expanded through organic growth and acquisitions, and stayed focused on one principle: putting its people first.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Chris joins Alex Roman to talk about what it really takes to grow an accounting firm without losing the culture that made it successful in the first place.

What does it take to go from working inside some of the world’s largest financial institutions to building your own accounting firm?

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Jabree Brooks, Founder and Principal at Four Palm Advisory, to talk about his journey from EY, UBS, and JPMorgan to CFO roles and, eventually, entrepreneurship.

Jabree shares what pushed him to start Four Palm Advisory, how the firm grew from fractional CFO services into a broader accounting offering, and what he has learned while building a te...

Building a business isn't about following a perfect plan.

It's about building one that evolves as your life does.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Eman Abdur-Rahman, Founder & CEO of Your Virtual Keeper, to discuss her journey from business operations to building a successful virtual accounting firm.

Eman shares how she found her niche, built a remote team, created systems that scale, and why documenting processes became one of the biggest turning points in her business. She also opens up about...

Building an accounting firm takes more than technical expertise.

It takes confidence, relationships, a clear business model, and the willingness to bet on yourself.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Mike Payne, Chief Growth Officer at Haga Kommer, to discuss his journey from the Big Four to building his own accounting and law firm from scratch.

Mike shares the lessons he learned from starting with zero clients, why accountants consistently undervalue themselves, how strong client relationships become your greatest competitive advantage, and...

Building an accounting firm is one challenge.

Scaling it—and eventually selling it—is another.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Sharrin Fuller, founder of Glass Wallet Ventures and Clone & Conquer Hub, to discuss the lessons she learned from building multiple accounting businesses, documenting systems, overcoming self-doubt, and creating firms that can grow beyond their founders.

Sharrin shares her unconventional path into accounting, why doing things right the first time saves years of frustration, and how strong systems became the foundation for...

What if the biggest milestone in your accounting firm wasn't adding another client, but taking a 17-day vacation?

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Karen McConomy, Founder of Your Numbers Person, to discuss building systems that allow business owners to step away without everything falling apart.

Karen shares how she went from starting her firm on Upwork to leading a growing remote team, why saying "no" is sometimes the best way to help clients, and how mentors accelerated her growth as a firm owner.

Will AI replace accountants?

Miguel Centeno doesn't think so.

He believes the firms that thrive won't be the ones avoiding AI—they'll be the ones learning how to use it better than everyone else.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Miguel Centeno, Managing Partner at Centurion Firm and host of Beyond the Bottom Line, to discuss building an accounting firm, finding the right clients, pricing based on value, and why AI is changing the profession without replacing it.

Miguel also sh...

Every successful CPA has technical skills.

Not every CPA has a mentor.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Nancy Benet, CPA, entrepreneur, and CEO of Fix It Accounting, to discuss the lessons she learned from building her firm after multiple failed businesses, crushing debt, and starting over from scratch.

Nancy shares why mentorship completely changed the trajectory of her business, how she built a recognizable accounting brand, and why helping the next generation of firm owners has become one of her...

Most business owners think payroll is their biggest expense.

Monica Siciliano sees it differently.

She believes people are a company's greatest opportunity.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Monica Siciliano, Partner at De Novo HR Consulting and Zinman & Company, to discuss leadership, business advisory, human resources, and what really drives long-term business success.

Monica shares how she transitioned from business operations into HR consulting, why accounting and human capital naturally overlap, and what entrepreneurs often underestimate when...

Most accounting firm owners focus on technical expertise. Seth Kamens believes that's the wrong place to start.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Seth Kamens, founder of Kamens & Associates, to discuss how he grew a firm from a handful of clients into a practice serving more than 2,000 clients across the world.

Seth shares why he left corporate accounting, what he learned from Big Four culture, and how listening became one of the most valuable skills in his career.

They discuss building trust...

Remote work wasn't trendy in 2012.

For most accounting firms, it wasn't even an option.

But that's exactly when Josh Zweig decided to build a virtual accounting firm.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Josh Zweig, Co-Founder and CEO of LiveCA, to discuss how a simple desire for location freedom led to one of Canada's first fully virtual accounting firms.

Josh shares his journey from PwC to entrepreneurship, how he built a remote practice using Skype and QuickBooks Desktop, and what it was...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Josh Schneider, CEO of Multiply Advisors, to talk about entrepreneurship, culture, personal growth, and what it really means to build a business with purpose.

Josh shares his journey from leaving the CPA firm world behind to becoming an entrepreneur, the struggles of building from scratch, and how a painful experience with his own accountant ultimately led him to launch Multiply Advisors.

The conversation dives deep into topics that go far beyond accounting — including fear of success, le...

Most entrepreneurs think growth comes from working harder.

Nicole Rose Yen believes it comes from better processes.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Nicole Rose Yen, Founder of Aerial Core, to talk about building systems that actually support growth.

Nicole shares how her background in software and medical businesses led her into accounting, why she pivoted from healthcare into construction and manufacturing, and how helping small businesses became her mission.

They also discuss why processes should exist from...

Most businesses don’t fail because of bad ideas.

They fail because they run out of cash—or underestimate how long growth actually takes.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Michael Coronado, President of Pronto Advisors, to talk about building a firm that has evolved over 35 years.

Michael shares how his father started the business after getting laid off, how they adapted through multiple industry shifts, and why they transitioned from a tax-focused firm to a full advisory model.

They...

43% of professional women in the U.S. leave the workforce to raise children. But 97% would return—if flexible work existed.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Ashley Connell, CEO of Prowess Project, to talk about the real problem behind talent loss—and how she built a business to solve it.

Ashley shares how she started with a simple insight, tested her idea by working for free, and eventually built a model that helps CEOs match with fractional operations leaders who can run the business.

Most accounting firms don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because nothing gets executed.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, James Bohan shares how he built his firm starting from one client—and why taking action early mattered more than having everything figured out.

From preparing tax returns by hand to becoming a CFO and eventually launching his own firm, his path wasn’t linear—and that’s exactly the point.

They talk about hiring before you feel ready, building systems as you grow, and how “d...

What if something as simple as your name affected how people saw you professionally?

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Astrid Daniela Galvez, Founder of Accounting Specialist & Business Solutions, to talk about building a firm from scratch—and the identity challenges that came with it.

Astrid shares how she started her firm with no clients and only six months of savings, how she landed her first opportunities, and why she made the decision to change how she introduced herself professionally.

They di...

What makes an accounting firm valuable—and what actually determines how much it sells for?

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Geoff Bruskin, Managing Partner at White Tiger Connections, to break down how accounting firms are built, scaled, and ultimately sold.

Geoff shares his journey into the accounting space through M&A, recruiting, and consulting—and how private equity is reshaping the industry.

They dive into what most firm owners get wrong about valuation, why being involved in day-to-day operations can hurt your...

Scaling an accounting firm sounds simple—until you’re the one stuck doing everything.

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Chase Damiano, Founder & CEO of Human at Scale, to break down why so many accounting firm owners struggle to scale—and what actually needs to change.

Chase shares his journey from Accenture to building and scaling a coffee business, and how that experience led him to work closely with accounting firms as an operations partner.

They dive into the real reasons firms get stuck...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Tracy Brantingham, CEO of Building Profits LLC, to explore how she built her firm from just three clients into a growing business — and the decisions that shaped that journey.

Tracy shares her background in construction accounting, how she transitioned from employee to business owner, and the role networking played in getting her first clients and scaling early on.

We also talk about why she chose not to niche down, how her firm approaches client relationships and technology, and what it...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Chris Meyers, Partner at Welch LLP, to explore how a career in accounting can evolve across industries — and why human relationships still matter more than ever.

Chris shares his journey from starting at Welch as a student to working in government, including roles at the Bank of Canada and as CFO within public finance, before returning to the firm as a partner.

We also dive into how accounting firms are evolving, the role of client relationships in a world sh...

In the Season 3 premiere of Humans in Accounting, Alex Roman sits down with Greg Verchick, owner of Verchick Accounting Services, and Wayne Herring, founder of Business Builder Camp, for a conversation about resilience, mentorship, and building a business centered around helping people.

Greg shares the personal journey that led him to rebuild his life and launch his accounting practice after overcoming alcoholism — and how mentorship, community, and referrals helped him grow a successful bookkeeping and accounting business.

Wayne explains how entrepreneurs grow faster when they learn from business owners ou...

In this season finale of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman sits down with Irene Seelig, CEO & Co-Founder of Account Groove — a platform helping accountants automate proposals, pricing, and client management.

They talk about:

✅ Selling her first tech firm and discovering the gaps in the accounting industry

✅ Building a founder-funded SaaS from scratch

✅ The shift from compliance to advisory work in accounting ✅ Launching Account Groove’s CRM and community for accountants

✅ Irene’s love for home-grown food, goulash 🥘 and pumpkin pie 🥧

✅ Her advice for new founders: Just start — and build system...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman sits down with Jacob LaCour, founder and owner of Expert Bookkeeping, to talk about the power of purpose, the importance of saying yes to helping others, and how to build a successful business rooted in passion and service.

Jacob shares his inspiring story from growing up in a small Louisiana town and volunteering as a firefighter to owning his first business at 20 and eventually launching Expert Bookkeeping. He discusses how the pandemic transformed his business, why AI is a tool (not a threat), and why understanding your “wh...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman welcomes Kate Josephine Johnson, founder of Heritage Business Services and creator of the Bookkeeping Side Hustle community.

Kate shares her inspiring journey, from being a military spouse with no accounting background to building a thriving virtual bookkeeping business, becoming one of the world’s top FreshBooks experts, and leading a community of nearly 40,000 bookkeepers.

She talks about the power of leveraging your unique gifts, the realities of switching from QuickBooks to FreshBooks, and why your past experiences — even the unexpected ones can shape your greatest stre...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman welcomes Corry Jankowski, founder of Digit Squid Accounting.

Corry shares her inspiring journey—from starting bookkeeping at age 14, to launching multiple businesses, to building Digit Squid into a thriving firm alongside her husband. She talks about the lessons learned from failure, the importance of community in accounting, and how she now helps startups and bookkeepers succeed.

We cover:

Starting bookkeeping as a teenager.

Launching multiple businesses (including a cloth diaper service).

Lessons from failed ventures and why so many bu...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman chats with Yuri Kapilovich, managing partner at Kapilovich & Associates and creator of The Fun CPA brand.

Yuri opens up about his journey from big firm accounting to building his own practice, the role of contracting as a bridge to financial freedom, and how sharing content on LinkedIn transformed his career—leading to networking events, speaking gigs, and his own Fun CPA Podcast.

We cover:

Why contracting gave him stability while launching his firm.

How “The Fun CPA” brand started by accident and gr...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman sits down with Justin Lund, founder of PropelYour.com.

Justin’s story is one of resilience and reinvention—from struggling with addiction in his 20s, to building multiple businesses (including one that hit 7 figures in its first year), to creating PropelYour, a platform that helps entrepreneurs scale with systems, assistants, and clarity.

We cover:

His journey from sales and addiction to launching a marketing agency.

The painful lessons of a failed partnership that cost millions.

How he rebuilt from scra...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman talks with Chad Folse, owner of ABT Financial Consultants.

Chad shares his family’s legacy in accounting, his own path from physics to entrepreneurship, and how he grew ABT into a firm that supports virtual companies, SaaS businesses, and expats around the world. From moving between Arizona and Spain to launching his own podcast, Chad’s journey is a true mix of sprinting at the start and learning to run the marathon of business.

We cover:

The story of ABT Financial Consultants, founded by h...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman talks with Anne-Sophie Baribeau, founder of MyTechtal.

Anne-Sophie shares her journey from social work and recruiting to building a company that bridges deep tech, accounting, and human-centered hiring. She opens up about her experience working in Canada, South Korea, and the U.S., and why she believes AI in recruitment must keep humans at the center.

We cover:

Her path from recruiting accountants to specializing in deep tech and blockchain talent.

Lessons from living and hiring in South Korea.

...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman talks with Tony Proctor, founder and principal of Proctor & Associates Tax, Accounting and Payroll Services.

Tony shares his inspiring journey from IT management to building a full-service accounting firm. From running his practice as a side hustle for 8 years, to going all-in, acquiring a firm in the middle of tax season, and growing into a respected leader in the industry—Tony’s story is full of lessons on faith, resilience, and action.

We cover:

Starting his firm in 2007 while working in IT.

Go...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman welcomes Melissa Armstrong, CPA, founder of Steady Hand Accounting & Advisory and host of the podcast No se habla taxes.

Melissa shares her journey as a third-generation accountant and why she launched her own firm just a year ago. She opens up about creating No se habla taxes to educate solopreneurs, her love for cats 🐱, and her passion for helping clients truly understand their numbers.

We cover:

From public accounting to launching Steady Hand Advisory.

Why Melissa started the podcast No se hab...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman talks with Jaime Rodríguez, CEO and owner of Bookkeepers.com, founder of Paralledger, and author of Beyond the Books.

Jaime shares his inspiring journey: from being stuck in a draining 9–5 job, to building his own bookkeeping business, to ultimately becoming the CEO and owner of Bookkeepers.com, one of the most influential platforms in the accounting space.

We cover:

Why Jaime left the traditional 9–5 path to start a bookkeeping business.

The challenges of getting his first client and how Bookkeepers.com c...

In this special episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman sits down with K.C. Eames, Director of Client Accounting Services at Dark Horse CPAs.

K.C. shares her professional journey from Big Four audit to client advisory services, and how her lifelong passion for sports—beach volleyball, soccer, pickleball, and cycling—shapes her approach to teamwork, leadership, and business.

We cover:

Transition from Big Four audit to Dark Horse CPAs.

Why sports like volleyball, futsal, and pickleball sharpen focus and resilience.

The parallels between team chemistry in spor...

In this episode of Humans in Accounting, host Alex Roman talks with Katie Rhodes, founder of Coal Creek Ledgers. Katie shares her journey from working in healthcare to building her own bookkeeping and advisory firm. She opens up about:

Why she left the healthcare industry to pursue bookkeeping.

The challenges of balancing family life with entrepreneurship.

How she found her niche in healthcare clients and concierge medicine practices.

Key milestones, including her first CFO advisory client.

The importance of networking, industry conferences, and community in accounting.