Earmark Podcast | Earn Free Accounting CPE

What if researching a client’s tax question could count toward your CPE requirement? Blake Oliver joins state CPA society leaders Shelly Weir, Boyd Search, Allen Lloyd, and Chris Jenkins to explore CLARKE, a framework designed to document learning during everyday work with AI tools. Learn how it aims to capture evidence without storing full conversations, why CPE providers are challenging the seat-time model, and what regulatory hurdles remain before on-the-job learning could earn credit. Chapters (00:00) - CPE Misses Real Learning (01:09) - Meet the Builders (03:21) - How the Idea Started (06:48) - Why Seat Time Fails (09:38) - Lessons From Medicine (11:58) - What CLARKE Does (15:14) - Privacy and Learning Records (18:28) - Tool Agnostic Framework (24:50) - Why Societies Built It (28:03) - Regulators and Adoption Path (30:54) - Timeline and Pilots (33:12) - Rethinking the Purpose of CPE (39:48) - Fixing Reporting Friction (42:49) - CPE in 10 Years (47:48) - Where to Learn More (48:12) - Closing Thanks Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://earmarkcpe.com https://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app Connect with Our Guests: Shelly Weir https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellysiceloff/ Boyd Search https://www.linkedin.com/in/boyd-search-2099356/ Allen Lloyd https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtcpaexecdir/ Chris Jenkins https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj52973 Learn more about Five Storm Systems and CLARKE: https://fivestormsystems.com/ Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Could one accountant manage $1 million in client fees? Pilot CEO Jessica McKellar joins Blake Oliver to explain that goal and how Meridian automates month-end production work while leaving people responsible for review. They explore accuracy checks, audit trails, and the shift toward judgment and client relationships. Learn what AI could mean for firm capacity, accountant pay, and the economics of a solo practice. Chapters (00:00) - Accountants Outearning Engineers (00:49) - Why Pilot Built In House (02:06) - Meridian Overview (03:51) - Close Checklist Automation (06:17) - AI Agents Under The Hood (07:14) - Autonomous Close In Practice (08:59) - Handling Missing Client Data (13:15) - Pilot Impact And Evolution (19:26) - Accuracy Guardrails And Proof (24:21) - Audit Trail And GL Limits (26:15) - Ledger Agnostic Abstraction (28:41) - Browser Only Ledger Tasks (29:14) - Autonomous Close With Automation (30:09) - MCP Connectors And Agent Workflows (31:42) - Two Ways To Use Meridian (32:40) - QuickBooks AI And Platform Threats (35:56) - Making The ROI Case (40:23) - Pilot Benchmarks And 1M Per Accountant (42:39) - How AI Changed Engineering (46:29) - What AI Wont Replace In Accounting (52:45) - Why Accounting Jobs Persist (54:59) - Relationships And Wrap Up Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://earmarkcpe.com https://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app Connect with Jessica LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesstess/ Learn more about Pilot: Website: https://meridian.pilot.com/tap Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

AI creates capacity, but it doesn’t create demand. CPA Echo Zhong joins Blake Oliver to explain how her firm uses Claude and Gusto to prepare payroll and update cash flow forecasts—and how automation helped her payroll manager move toward tax advisory. Learn why saving time is only the beginning, how to charge for owning the client’s problem, and why trust and human relationships still matter when software can do more of the work. This episode is sponsored by Gusto. Chapters (00:00) - AI Capacity vs Demand (00:30) - Meet Echo at Gusto Next (01:51) - Claude Automates Payroll (05:04) - Cash Forecast in Excel (06:13) - Time Savings and Scenarios (08:28) - Why Multi Client MCP Matters (10:06) - Email Triage and Self Training (12:20) - When Software Eats Compliance (14:54) - Advisory and Pricing the Work (17:29) - Staff Impact Payroll Manager Story (18:58) - Payroll Change Management (20:38) - Rethinking Software Skills (22:40) - Chat As The Interface (25:01) - Token Costs And Prototyping (27:21) - Capacity Versus Demand (28:39) - From Tools To Services (30:38) - Why Humans Still Matter (33:34) - Wrap Up And Where To Connect (34:32) - Thanks Gusto and Outro Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://earmarkcpe.com https://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app Connect with Echo Zhong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/echozhong Learn more about Zhong & Sanchez Official website: https://www.zhongsanchez.com/ Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

AI is taking on routine accounting work—but what should accountants do next? Blake Oliver talks with Mike DePrisco, CEO of the Institute of Management Accountants, about measuring AI’s payoff through faster closes, fewer errors, and better forecasts. They also explore corporate career paths, the shift toward strategic thinking and storytelling, and why case-based training matters. Learn how targeted skill-building and continuous learning can help you stay relevant as the work changes. Chapters (00:00) - AI Tops CFO Worries (02:19) - Rising AI Costs (04:21) - Measuring AI ROI (07:12) - What IMA Does (08:47) - Management Accounting Today (12:10) - Intangibles vs GAAP (18:18) - AI and Accounting Jobs (24:32) - Skills for the Future (26:27) - Training and Case Learning (32:07) - Mid Career Advice (35:27) - Wrap Up and Links Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://earmarkcpe.com https://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app Connect with Mike DePrisco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-deprisco/ Learn more about IMA® — the Institute of Management Accountants Official Website: https://www.imaglobal.org/ Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/

Could Florida have quietly unraveled CPA licensure? In this episode, Blake Oliver talks with FICPA CEO Shelly Weir about the legislation that threatened to eliminate Florida’s Board of Accountancy, scrap CPE requirements, and weaken the CPA license. Shelly explains how the profession fought back, why mobility and interstate commerce were central to the case, and where CPAs can embrace smart modernization without giving up public protection. Chapters (00:00) - EAP 116 Interview: Shelly Weir of FICPA on the Fight to Save the CPA in Florida (01:10) - Why Shelley Stayed Quiet (03:09) - What the Bill Proposed (07:23) - Why Deregulation Happened (09:33) - How FICPA Beat It (12:44) - Mobility and Modernization (15:54) - Threading the Needle (17:56) - Compromise Ideas Ahead (21:49) - Midnight Capitol Showdown (24:00) - CPE and Future Reforms (26:16) - Will It Return (27:55) - Closing Thanks and Call Sign up to get free CPE for listening to this podcast https://earmarkcpe.com https://earmark.app/Download the Earmark CPE App Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app Connect with Shelly Weir LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellysiceloff Learn more about the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants https://www.ficpa.org/about Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/