The State of Business with the Ohio Society of CPAs

The outlook on the restaurant industry in 2021

We spoke with Kristin Metzger, CPA, senior manager at William Vaughan Company, about the state of the restaurant industry. Kristin is the restaurant Practice Leader at William Vaughan and shared insight into assistance the industry has been able to apply for from government, how restaurants have adapted now that vaccinations are becoming more available, the outlook on restaurants for the rest of 2021 and much more.

High school focuses on building future community leaders

We're speaking with staff members of Cristo Rey Columbus High School, a college-preparatory high school with a Professional Work-Study Program. You’ll hear from Joe Patrick, CPA and president, Somers Martin, the Professional Work-Study Director of Sales and Kristin Mutchler, the professional Work-Study Director of Operations.

Students at Cristo Rey participate in the work study program all four years, where they’re able to explore different careers or interests. They go to work five days a month or about one day a week, and a team of students will share a full-time equivalent position.

We discussed the value in offering students these experiences, what it means to develop them as future community and business leaders, the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on their experiences and much more. 

Edward Mendlowitz on his career, seizing opportunity and the future of the profession

In this episode we're speaking with Edward Mendlowitz, CPA in New Jersey and New York and partner at Withum, an advisory and accounting firm. You might recognize his name not just because he has decades of experience in the profession but you’ve read his writing on AccountingToday, CPA Trendlines or one of many other publications where his byline appears. I spoke with Ed about the path his career has taken, including some of his favorite accomplishments, how he came to write regularly, unexpected opportunities he’s taken and how the profession has evolved.

What it's like managing a diverse & international team

Rob Whittall, CPA, is the managing partner at Dyke Yaxley and has a team of 14 people with a total of six different nationalities among them. The international experience of the staff is a huge benefit to the firm, as it provides business tax and advisory services to UK businesses looking to grow in the US and counsels US businesses looking to grow in the UK. 

We spoke with Rob about what it’s like to create a strong culture when people are working in different time zones and come from different backgrounds, how you ensure people feel like their authentic selves at work, the value in learning from your team members and more. 

How working with horses can reveal leadership abilities

In this episode we spoke with, Celia King of Arrants McSwain, a consultancy that helps businesses and individuals with leadership and team-building. In addition to private sessions, Celia offers professionals an opportunity to work with horses to gain a new perspective on their development goals .

We discussed the benefits of working with horses in a unique environment, how the accountants she’s worked with have grown from these experiences, how horses respond to leadership and much more. 

How to protect yourself from Social Security fraud

In this episode we're with the Social Security Administration, specifically Brandon Smith, Public Affairs Specialist in in downtown Cleveland and Robert Fenn, the Public Affairs Specialist in downtown Akron. For this episode, we’re taking about fraud and what it means to have your social security information stolen. We get into what you really shouldn’t do with your social security number, what CPAs should tell their clients when it comes to protecting their identity, how accountants can best use the Social Security Office as a resource and much more. 

 

And hear more from Robert and Brandon in our episode on March 10^th on what accountants should know about social security. Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-accountants-should-know-about-social-security/id1377649472?i=1000512405443

Firm CEO shares her perspective on leadership, fear, setting goals and more

March is Women’s History Month and in this episode we’re speaking with a particularly engaging and successful woman, Lori Kaiser, CPA, Founder and CEO of Kaiser Consulting and the Chair-Elect of OSCPA Executive Board.

We discussed the growth of Kaiser Consulting, how her leadership had to evolve to match the needs of the business, what it means to support women and girls in their aspirations and much more.

CPA writes children's book on growing up to be an accountant

In this week's episode we spoke with Adrian Mayse, CPA, who wrote “When I grow up I want to be an accountant,” a picture book that allows children of diverse backgrounds to see themselves on the pages and learn about the accounting profession.

Adrian is a tenured Associate Professor and Department Chair of Accounting at Howard University and he is very passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. We discussed his inspiration to write the book, what he learned during the process, how this book will benefit children and their families and much more. 

What accountants should know about Social Security

In this episode we spoke with the Social Security Administration, specifically Brandon Smith, Public Affairs Specialist in in downtown Cleveland and Robert Fenn, the Public Affairs Specialist in downtown Akron. We discussed the requirements to become eligible for benefits, working and receiving retirement benefits, how spouses factor in and much more.

How to achieve your goals in 2021

In this episode we spoke with Kristen Schmitt, founder of Thrive to Lead, LLC., a coaching and consulting firm, about setting and achieving your goals. We discussed what goal setting looks like if 2020 threw off your goals completely, how to set realistic goals, when to adapt and change your goals and much more.