The State of Business with the Ohio Society of CPAs

How a newly created Ohio office will help small businesses during the coronavirus

In this episode we spoke with Lydia Mihalik, the Ohio Director of the Development Services Agency and the newly appointed Director of the Office of Small Business Relief, to learn more about how this office will help small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. We talked about the mission of the office, how accountants can help, advice the director has for small businesses during this time and much more.

List of resources Director Mihalik mentions during this episode: 

Office of Small Business Relief: coronavirus.ohio.gov/businesshelp

Email to contact the office or sign up for mailing list: businesshelp@development.ohio.gov

Toll free number to connect with local small business counseling center: 1-833-BIZ-OHIO

How one firm leverages technology to stay ahead during the coronavirus pandemic

In this episode we spoke with Margaret Jordan, Director of Business Development for Sikich’s Northeast Ohio office, about how Sikich dealt with the evolving disruptions to work because of the coronavirus. We talked about the value of having technology in place ahead of tough situations, connecting with coworkers, what remote work looks like for Sikich and their clients and much more. 

How this CPA professor teaches during a pandemic

In this episode I spoke with Jessie Wright, CPA, a member of OSCPA’s executive board team, manager at Schroedel, Scullin & Bestic, LLC in Canfield and a professor in the Accounting and Finance Department at Youngstown State University.

 Jessie teaches financial accounting, managerial accounting and the auditing section of the CPA review course for the Masters program. We discussed what it’s been like to teach during the coronavirus pandemic, adjustments she’s had to make, how her students are handling it and much more. 

8 steps businesses need to take to survive the coronavirus crisis

In this episode we spoke with Crystal Faulkner, CPA, the incoming Executive Board president of the Ohio Society of CPAs and the Cincinnati market leader for MCM CPAs & Advisors. Crystal told us about the eight steps businesses can take to survive the coronavirus recession, as Ohio is currently under a stay-at-home order and non-essential businesses everywhere have closed their doors while others are scrambling to deal with the fallout.

You can go to ohiocpa.com/coronavirus for our latest reporting and resources during this time. 

The nuts and bolts of a successful merger

In this episode we spoke with Greg Skoda, CPA, and senior partner of assurance and Dani Gisondo, CPA, office managing partner, assurance, of Skoda Minotti’s merger with Marcum LLP. We discussed the work that went into the merger from the beginning, what made the timing right, the biggest changes they anticipated and more. 

How manufacturers can fight cyberattacks

In this episode we spoke to Tom Skoog, principal and IT Risk & Advisory Practice Leader at Blue & Co. about cybersecurity in the manufacturing industry. Tom discussed why some manufacturers believe it will never happen to them, how cybercriminals find their targets, how manufacturers can protect themselves and much more.

Weaving D+I into the fabric of your business

In this episode LaFern Batie, leadership consultant at The Batie Group, discusses the importance of making diversity and inclusion a “leadership imperative” and not just something your business does on the side. She also talks about the sessions she will lead at the upcoming OSCPA Crossing Bridges Summit in August and how attendees will develop the skills they need to start weaving D+I into the fabric of their businesses.

Crossing Bridges Summit registration: https://ohiocpa.com/cpe/major-conferences/crossing-bridges-summit

Insight into fee-only firms

In this episode we spoke with Jamie Menges, CPA, and principal of PDS Planning, a fee only firm in Columbus. Menges is also a member of the OSCPA Executive Board and  discussed his OSCPA experience, the primary objective of fee only firms, where he sees the future of fee only firms going, basic principles for success and much more.

The career-making difference of thinking like a tactical CFO

In this episode we spoke with Richard Karwic, a consultant with more than 40 years of financial and managerial experience and more than 15 years of experience as CFO for businesses in a variety of industries. We talked about what CFOs struggle with, what it actually means to be tactical, how to increase efficiency in teams and much more. And later in the episode we’ll hear from Kyle Bickhart, CPA and chief operating officer at OSCPA. Kyle started at OSCPA as CFO and has an inside perspective on the value of thinking tactically and developing strategies that pay off in the short and long-term. 

*Special offer for podcast listeners* Get $35 off using the code "TacticalCFO" when registering for the Strategic Accounting and Finance Summit here:http://ohiocpa.com/cpe/major-conferences/strategic-finance-accounting-summit

Where do you want to be five years from now?

In this episode we spoke with Marc Ehrenreich, talent manager at Marcum LLP on professional development and the dreaded "Where do you want to be five years from now?" question. Although it’s now become a cliché, whether you’re an entry-level employee or consider yourself a seasoned pro it’s a question that is still beneficial to think about when considering your career goals and ambitions. 

We discussed the value of planning your development as an accounting professional, what that looks like depending on what stage of your career you’re in and how to tackle the dreaded five year question when your answer is “I don’t know.”