Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

Are you auditing at the speed of risk? Richard Chambers—50-year internal audit veteran and AuditBoard advisor—joins Blake to map the path forward. Hear why AI now ranks as risk #1, how to build continuous risk monitoring, and what “independence, not isolation” means for the three-lines model. Learn where CAEs should start with AI (risk assessment, analysis, reporting), how to audit culture and AI governance, and how to earn audit committee trust with no surprises.

Chapters

• (01:37) - Richard Chambers' Career Journey
• (03:15) - Evolution of Internal Audit
• (05:34) - Emerging Risks in Internal Audit
• (08:13) - AI and Cybersecurity Challenges
• (10:51) - Continuous Risk Monitoring
• (25:30) - Connected Risk and AI Integration
• (27:42) - Introduction to the Three Lines of Defense
• (30:01) - Evolution to the Three Lines Model
• (31:18) - Connected Risk and Collaboration
• (32:08) - AI's Impact on Risk Management
• (35:20) - AI in Internal Audit: Opportunities and Challenges
• (40:32) - The Human Element in Internal Audit
• (44:40) - The Future of Internal Audit and AI
• (54:00) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Live from Boston on the final stop of the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with James Erving from Fathom and Chris Macksey from Prix Fixe Accounting to explore what advisory services really mean beyond bookkeeping and compliance. Chris shares how his firm requires advisory for all restaurant clients, using industry expertise and operational metrics to guide decisions on everything from menu pricing to expansion timing. The conversation covers the difference between delivering information versus being integral to decision-making, with insights on forecasting, benchmarking, and why visual KPIs help clients with low financial literacy understand their business performance.

Chapters

• (00:22) - Welcome to the Earmark Podcast
• (01:15) - Prix Fixe Accounting: A Niche in Hospitality
• (02:25) - Advisory Services in the Restaurant Industry
• (06:20) - Forecasting and Budgeting for Restaurants
• (06:59) - Getting Started with Advisory Services
• (13:40) - Defining Advisory Services
• (17:35) - The Value of Metrics and Visuals
• (25:24) - Advice for Firms Starting Advisory Services
• (27:40) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On the fifth stop of the Advisory Amplified tour in Atlanta, Blake sits down with Lisa Gilreath of Acuity and Valerie Heckman of OnPay to discuss what empathetic leadership actually looks like in an industry notorious for long hours and tight deadlines. The conversation covers everything from recognizing when team members are struggling to handling toxic high performers, with real talk about building slack into capacity planning and why unused PTO is a red flag. Lisa and Valerie share concrete steps for creating a culture where people feel supported enough to lean in when it matters most.

Chapters

• (01:17) - Defining Empathy in Accounting
• (02:24) - Implementing Processes to Reduce Stress
• (03:26) - Balancing Workloads and Mental Health
• (10:15) - Client Relationships and Empathy
• (16:42) - Adapting to Change and Hiring for the Future
• (19:07) - Using Data to Spot Problems Early
• (24:35) - Handling Toxic High Performers
• (26:22) - Practical Tips for Leading with Empathy
• (30:55) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Live from Austin on the Advisory Amplified tour, Blake sits down with Madeline Reeves of Fearless Foundry and Wesley McDonald of Relay to explore what it truly means to be a renegade in accounting: firms that lead clients to somewhere new rather than settle for "the way things have always been done." The conversation explores why top firms aren't afraid to say no to the wrong clients, how transparency in compensation and career pathways can address the talent crisis, and the hard-won lessons learned about building cultures of collaboration over competition.

Chapters

• (00:37) - Defining a Renegade Firm
• (02:18) - Innovative Client Experiences
• (03:56) - Modern Banking and Accounting
• (08:03) - Aligning Business Values
• (10:47) - Renegade Firm Values
• (12:55) - Innovative Leadership and Career Paths
• (26:57) - Mistakes and Lessons Learned
• (32:57) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Blake sits down with Mary Delaney, CEO of Karbon, and Kenji Kuramoto, co-founder of Acuity, to explore how standardizing workflows can unlock growth without sacrificing the artistry of advisory work. They discuss Karbon's acquisition of Aider, the power of time studies to identify automation opportunities, and why getting senior advisors to embrace process requires framing workflow as empowerment rather than micromanagement. Kenji shares lessons from building Acuity's advisory practice and why workflow due diligence became critical during their 14-firm merger with Sorren.

Chapters

• (01:14) - Introducing the Guests: Mary Delaney and Kenji Kuramoto
• (01:31) - Big News: Carbon's Acquisition of ER
• (02:41) - Defining Workflow Revolution in Small Firms
• (04:35) - Kenji's Journey: From Big Four to Acuity
• (07:03) - Challenges in Building Advisory Workflows
• (08:59) - Empowering Teams Through Workflow
• (17:46) - The Importance of Time Studies
• (19:14) - Kenji's Hands-On Approach to Workflow
• (25:16) - The Role of Workflow in Mergers and Acquisitions
• (28:08) - AI and the Future of Workflow in Accounting
• (30:39) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts