Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

You open Excel daily, but are you using AI to make it work for you? While 58% of professionals have tried AI, only 17% use it regularly—a missed opportunity. Join CPA Kyle Ashcraft in this hands-on webinar to learn vibe coding—a no-programming approach using Cursor AI to automate repetitive Excel tasks. Watch Kyle transform messy spreadsheets, organize GL data, and reconcile transactions with simple AI prompts while keeping data secure. You'll get three ready-to-use scripts plus a framework to automate countless tasks and reclaim hours weekly.(Originally recorded on October 20, 2025, on Earmark Webinars+)Chapters(02:18) - Meet Kyle Ashcraft and His AI Journey (02:31) - The Importance of AI in Accounting (03:30) - Kyle's Background and CPA Review (04:38) - Live Webinar and Audience Interaction (05:12) - Kyle's AI Projects and Cursor Introduction (07:39) - Data Privacy Concerns with AI (17:18) - Practical AI in Excel: Examples and Demonstration (20:03) - Getting Started with Cursor (23:55) - First Cursor Project: Cleaning Up Excel Data (31:38) - Jumping into Financial Document Verification (32:50) - Exploring Cursor's Privacy Settings (33:48) - Understanding Data Retention Policies (36:23) - Comparing Excel Files with Cursor (36:48) - Analyzing Complex GL Details (42:22) - Using Cursor for Recurring Accounting Tasks (49:20) - Leveraging AI for Audit and Analysis (50:53) - Practical Tips for Implementing Cursor (53:56) - Q&A: Advanced Cursor Features (59:04) - Conclusion and Next Steps Earn CPE for this episode: https://www.earmark.app/c/2854Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appResourcesIntro to Cursor PDF Guide - https://mcusercontent.com/02dbcae4a3e3f15021db25a0c/files/deff5647-e0a3-51d7-4225-cf8b3a48532d/Cursor_AI_Quick_Guide.pdfWebinar presentation - https://ai.maxwellstudy.com/Connect with Our Guest, Kyle Ashcraft, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-ashcraft-cpa-7638a42aLearn more about Maxwell CPA Reviewhttps://maxwellcpareview.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

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 Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guest, Richard ChambersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-chambers-a5108914/Twitter: https://x.com/rfchambersWebsite: https://auditboard.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

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 Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests: James ErvingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameserving/Learn more about FathomOfficial website: http://fathomhq.comChris MackseyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmacksey/Learn more about Prix Fixe AccountingOfficial website: https://prixfixe.accountants/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

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 Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Valerie HeckmanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieheckman/Learn more about OnPayOfficial website: https://onpay.comLisa GilreathLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-gilreath-2ba506a/Learn more about SorrenOfficial website: https://sorren.com/Connect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

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 Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcasthttps://earmarkcpe.comhttps://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.appConnect with Our Guests:Madeline ReevesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinefearless/Learn more about Fearless FoundryOfficial website: http://www.fearlessfoundry.comWesley McDonaldLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wmcdonald48/?originalSubdomain=ca Learn more about RelayOfficial website: https://relayfi.comConnect with Blake Oliver, CPALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliverTwitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/