Amplify

Amplify is podcast dedicated to helping accounting firms grow and thrive. Each season focuses on a particular issue or topic for accounting firm growth. Every episode features expert guests from across the accounting industry with expertise in marketing, business development, HR, strategy, and leadership. Amplify is a production of the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM).

Making Your Case: Gaining a Seat at the Table with Courtney Kiss - Amplify S6E8 09/23/2024

Proving Your Worth: Lighting Interviews from AAM Summit 2024 Part 2 - Amplify S6E7 09/23/2024

AI in Marketing: Revolutionizing Strategies for Growth with Blake Oliver - Amplify S6E6 09/23/2024

Becoming a Visible Expert: Crafting Content that Proves Your Expertise with Karl Feldman- Amplify S6E5 09/23/2024

Proving Your Worth: Lightning Interviews from AAM Summit 2024 Part 1 - Amplify S6E4 09/23/2024

One-Person Powerhouse: Self-Advocacy for Solos and Small Teams with Amanda Simmonds - Amplify S6S2 09/23/2024

Small Firm, Big Impact: Finding Value Through Niching with Kelly Schuknecht - Amplify S6E3 09/23/2024

Standing Up and Standing Out: Building Brand Authority and Challenging Stereotypes in Accounting with Gilbert Vasquez - Amplify S6E1 09/23/2024

How to Handle Web Leads With Stacy Dreher of James Moore - Amplify S5E7 04/10/2024

Digital Advertising Success With Sean Smith of Schneider Downs - Amplify S5E6 04/10/2024

Successful Digital Campaigns With Apoorv Dwivedi of Fixyr Marketing - Amplify S5E5 04/10/2024

Content that Converts With Anna Khayet of KMG Advisors - Amplify S5E4 04/10/2024

Lead Gen MarTech For Accounting Firms with Danny Estrada of Rare Karma - Amplify S5E3 04/10/2024

SEO Today and Tomorrow with Brian Swanson of Flashpoint Marketing - Amplify S5E2 04/10/2024

The Digital Lead Gen Process For Accounting Firms With David Toth of Winding River Consulting - Amplify S5E1 04/10/2024

Comparing Legal and CPA Firm BDEs – Amplify S4E7 11/17/2023

Managing a Sales Person or Team for Accounting Firms – Amplify S4E6 11/17/2023

Building a Business Development Culture That Drives Growth for Accounting Firms – Amplify S4E5 11/17/2023

How Business Developers Work with Marketing – Amplify S4E4 11/17/2023

How Business Developers Work with Firm Leadership – Amplify S4E3 11/17/2023

Compensating a Business Developer – Amplify S4E2 11/17/2023

What a Business Development Executive Does - Amplify S4E1 11/17/2023

The Power of Showing People They Matter in Accounting Firms with Heather Esposito, Director Learning, Development and Colleague Engagement at BPM - Amplify S3E6 10/27/2023

The Power of Showing People They Matter in Accounting Firms with Heather Esposito, Director Learning, Development and Colleague Engagement at BPM - Amplify S3E6 In the latest season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM, we’re diving deep into the various industry trends in accounting firm growth. In this episode, host Mike Jones, Managing Partner of Resound - a brand consultancy - talks with Heather Esposito, Director Learning, Development and Colleague Engagement at BPM. Their discussion centers on the power of showing people they matter in accounting firms. Listen in. This is a must-not-miss episode! About Our Guest Heather Esposito Director Learning, Development and Colleague Engagement, Heather Esposito is a Director of Learning, Development, and Colleague Engagement at BPM, working remotely. She has twenty-five years of experience in the industry and leads the Learning and Development program for BPM. Heather has worked as a coach with a variety of leaders, seeking to provide transformative change and accelerating their leadership effectiveness. Her approach centers around deep self-exploration to gain insights and self-awareness for leaders, moving them forward in their growth and development. For the last six years, Heather has focused much of her work around the neuroscience of quality conversations, growth mindset, psychological safety, and building a culture of coaching. She backs this up with over 2500 hours of coaching experience with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Heather holds several degrees, including a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a Masters in Special Education, and a Masters in Human Resource and Leadership Development. Heather lives in New Orleans with her husband and three children, and enjoys sipping on iced coffee while relaxing with a good book, listening to podcasts, or being creative. About Your Host: Mike Jones Managing Partner, Resound Remarkable brands require authenticity and a die-hard commitment to values & purpose. Mike passionately preaches these beliefs as author of the book, as well as two podcasts he hosts and produces: and the . He works directly with clients to unlock their remarkable brands through his award-winning brand consultancy, - established in 2009. (He also founded his own apparel brand devoted to American political history, called Taftly. But that’s a whole other story.) He has supported the Arizona entrepreneurial community through his co-directorship of Phoenix Startup Week, co-founding the startup-supporting non-profit Thrive PHX, and serving on the boards of Conscious Capitalism Arizona and The Center for Habilitation. In recognition of the work he’s done, this Arizona native has been named one of the state’s top business leaders under the age of 40 by the Phoenix Business Journal as well as a 35-Under-35 entrepreneurial award from the Arizona Republic. Mike lives in the very sunny vale of Mesa, AZ with his wife and three kids. If you want to connect, LinkedIn’s usually where you’ll find him – . /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436864

The State of the Industry - Micro Interviews from AAM Summit 2023 - Amplify S3E5 10/27/2023

The State of the Industry - Micro Interviews from AAM Summit 2023 - Amplify S3E5 In this 3rd season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM, we’re diving deep into accounting industry trends and how firms can maximize their growth as they plan for the future. In this episode, host Mike Jones, Managing Partner of Resound - a brand consultancy - talks with 15 MORE attendees of AAM Summit 2023 about their take on the state of the accounting industry. Each micro-interview dives into an aspect of the accounting industry - from digital marketing to upcoming trends to key challenges facing accounting firms. You don’t want to miss this special episode. About the Guests: , Marketing Manager at Johnson Lambert, LLP , Senior Growth Manager at HCVT , Marketing Director at Larson & Company PC , Vice President of Consulting at Rare Karma , Founder & Managing Director at Client Experience Group , Internal Communications Specialist at Johnson Lambert, LLP , Director, Software & Services Marketing at Armanino , Director of Strategic Partnerships at Your Part-Time Controller , Co-Founder and President at The Whetstone Group , Managing Editor at The Growth Partnership , Head of Brand at Armanino , Marketing Manager at Armanino , Senior Channel Marketing Manager at Sage , CMO at YHB , Marketing Pursuit Coordinator at YHB About Your Host: Managing Partner, Resound Remarkable brands require authenticity and a die-hard commitment to values & purpose. Mike passionately preaches these beliefs as author of the book, as well as two podcasts he hosts and produces: and the . He works directly with clients to unlock their remarkable brands through his award-winning brand consultancy, - established in 2009. (He also founded his own apparel brand devoted to American political history, called Taftly. But that’s a whole other story.) He has supported the Arizona entrepreneurial community through his co-directorship of Phoenix Startup Week, co-founding the startup-supporting non-profit Thrive PHX, and serving on the boards of Conscious Capitalism Arizona and The Center for Habilitation. In recognition of the work he’s done, this Arizona native has been named one of the state’s top business leaders under the age of 40 by the Phoenix Business Journal as well as a 35-Under-35 entrepreneurial award from the Arizona Republic. He lives in the very sunny vale of Mesa, AZ with his wife and three kids. If you want to connect, LinkedIn’s usually where you’ll find him – . /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436774

The State of the Industry - Micro Interviews from AAM Summit 2023 - Amplify S3E4 10/27/2023

The State of the Industry - Micro Interviews from AAM Summit 2023 - Amplify S3E4 In this 3rd season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM, we’re diving deep into accounting industry trends and how firms can maximize their growth as they plan for the future. In this episode, host Mike Jones, Managing Partner of Resound - a brand consultancy - talks with 13 attendees of AAM Summit 2023 about their take on the state of the accounting industry. Each micro-interview dives into an aspect of the accounting industry - from digital marketing to upcoming trends to key challenges facing accounting firms. You don’t want to miss this special episode. About the Guests: , Director of Business Development at Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC , Director of Marketing & Communications at Anglin Reichmann Armstrong, PC , Marketing Manager at Whitley Penn , Digital Marketing Manager, Sassetti , Marketing Director at Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz , Digital Marketing Specialist at Brown Edwards , CGO at Herbein + Company , Senior Marketing Manager at Lane Gorman Trubitt , Director Of Marketing And Business Development at Kernutt Stokes , Director, Alliance Marketing Leader at RSM US LLP , President and CEO at Penheel Marketing , Director of Practice Growth at MCM CPAs & Advisors , Creative Marketing and Communications Manager at Mize CPAs About Your Host: Managing Partner, Resound Remarkable brands require authenticity and a die-hard commitment to values & purpose. Mike passionately preaches these beliefs as author of the book, as well as two podcasts he hosts and produces: and the . He works directly with clients to unlock their remarkable brands through his award-winning brand consultancy, - established in 2009. (He also founded his own apparel brand devoted to American political history, called Taftly. But that’s a whole other story.) He has supported the Arizona entrepreneurial community through his co-directorship of Phoenix Startup Week, co-founding the startup-supporting non-profit Thrive PHX, and serving on the boards of Conscious Capitalism Arizona and The Center for Habilitation. In recognition of the work he’s done, this Arizona native has been named one of the state’s top business leaders under the age of 40 by the Phoenix Business Journal as well as a 35-Under-35 entrepreneurial award from the Arizona Republic. Mike lives in the very sunny vale of Mesa, AZ with his wife and three kids. If you want to connect, LinkedIn’s usually where you’ll find him – . /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436762

The Impact of Marketing on Firm Operations with Kathleen O’Toole, Partner & CMO of PKF O’Connor Davies - Amplify S3E3 10/26/2023

The Impact of Marketing on Firm Operations with Kathleen O’Toole, Partner & CMO of PKF O’Connor Davies - Amplify S3E3 Welcome to the 3rd season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM! This season is all about accounting industry trends and how firms can maximize their growth as they plan for the future. In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies talks with Kathleen O’Toole, Partner and CMO of PKF O’Connor Davies about the impact of marketing on accounting firm operations. Kathleen is a multifaceted marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in driving market share and revenue increases at leading financial and professional services companies. You don’t want to miss this insightful conversation and learn from an accomplished accounting firm leader. About Our Guest: Kathleen O’Toole is Partner and CMO of PKF O’Connor Davies. She is a multifaceted marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in driving market share and revenue increases at leading financial and professional services companies. Her proven ability to initiate creative marketing, communications and business development programs has delivered immediate results for her firm. She has expertise in both B2B and B2C strategy, analysis and solutioning. She is described as a frequent company “firefighter” with demonstrated success in building and leading teams to achieve and exceed performance objectives. Kathleen is a leader, collaborator, relationship and consensus builder, entrepreneurial, comfortable with ambiguity, persistent, and enthusiastic. Connect with Kathleen - About Your Host: Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development. Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry. Connect with Angie - /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436741

Strategic Planning with a Focus on Advisory with Josh Beck, Managing Partner of MarksNelson - Amplify S3E2 10/26/2023

Strategic Planning with a Focus on Advisory with Josh Beck, Managing Partner of MarksNelson - Amplify S3E2 We are thrilled to announce the 3rd season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM! This season is all about accounting industry trends and how firms can maximize their growth as they plan for the future. With this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies talks with Josh Beck, Managing Partner of MarksNelson about the importance of strategic planning with advisory services as a focus for the growth-minded accounting firm. Josh Beck has led MarksNelson since 2020 and has applied his expertise in leading clients’ own growth to guide MarksNelson. Prior to taking over the Managing Partner role he served as a Partner in MarksNelson’s advisory services area. You don’t want to miss this fantastic discussion and learn from a true industry leader. About Our Guest: Prior to assuming the role of Managing Partner in 2020, Josh Beck served as a Partner in MarksNelson’s advisory services area, member of the firm’s Executive Committee, and leader of the Real Estate industry niche. He joined MarksNelson as leader of the Location Strategies practice after merging-in the St. Louis-based corporate site selection and economic development consulting firm he founded. In addition to his responsibilities as Managing Partner, Josh regularly provides site selection, credits and incentives, and economic development counsel to companies and communities of all sizes. His experience, holding key positions for economic development organizations at both the state and local level, along with private-sector sales and marketing, provides Josh with the unique experience to help his clients shape and implement plans for growth. Connect with Josh - About Your Host: Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development. Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry Connect with Angie - /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436606

Making Employee Experience a Strategic Priority with Cheryl Foster - Amplify S3E1 10/26/2023

Making Employee Experience a Strategic Priority with Cheryl Foster - Amplify S3E1 We are thrilled to announce the 3rd season of the Amplify podcast - powered by AAM! This season is all about accounting industry trends and how firms can maximize their growth as they plan for the future. In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies sits down with Cheryl Foster, Chief Growth Officer for HCVT, to discuss why employee experience must be a strategic priority for accounting firms and how to get there. Cheryl’s a key advisor to the partnership and other key team members at HCVT and she and her team are an integral part of helping the firm realize its vision and achieve its strategic goals. This is a fascinating inside look from an industry leader in employee experience. Don’t miss this episode! About Our Guest: Cheryl is the Chief Growth Officer for HCVT where she leads the development and implementation of the firm’s Growth strategy. A key advisor to the partnership and other key team members, Cheryl and her team are an integral part of helping the firm realize its vision and achieve its strategic goals. Prior to joining HCVT, Cheryl was Director, Demand Generation—Industry for Armanino where she led a team of marketers focused on developing and implementing demand generation marketing strategies for the firm’s strategic industries. Cheryl began her professional services marketing career at Brown Smith Wallace a former Midwest-based, top 100 firm. As Director of Practice Growth, she led the firm’s growth marketing strategy and business development support function to drive revenue growth and enhance the reputation of the firm. Cheryl also held marketing roles at Build-A-Bear Workshop, start-up toy retailer RIDEMAKERZ, and GroupM Search, formerly the search marketing specialist division of GroupM—a WPP company. Cheryl holds Bachelor’s and Master of Arts degrees from the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri—Columbia. Connect with Cheryl - About Your Host: Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development. Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry. Connect with Angie - /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/28436570

Mergers, Acquisitions and Private Equity in Strategic Planning for Accounting Firms with Allan Koltin - Amplify S2E6 04/07/2023

Mergers, Acquisitions and Private Equity in Strategic Planning for Accounting Firms with Allan Koltin - Amplify S2E6 We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by ! In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of sits down with Allan Koltin, CEO of , to discuss how mergers, acquisitions and private equity should be considered in the strategic planning of accounting firms. Allan's expertise and extensive experience are well known across the accounting industry. He helps firms with numerous services ranging from strategic planning to mergers and acquisitions. He has even been referred to as the Master Jedi in CPA firm consulting. Tune in as Angie and Allan dive into the changes in the industry and what we should be considered as accounting firms plan for the future. About Our Guest Highly sought for his ability to engage and inspire audiences, enjoys delivering keynote addresses at conferences throughout the professional services industry. His passion is facilitating retreats and providing coaching for firm leadership and partners. His specialties include strategy, governance, profitability, compensation, growth, human capital, succession, and mergers and acquisitions. For twenty-one consecutive years, Allan has been named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the accounting profession. For the past five years, he was recognized as one of the “10 Most Influential” in the profession and in 2021 he was ranked #5. Koltin was also voted one of the 10 Most Recommended Consultants for the nineteenth straight year in the “Annual Survey of Firms” conducted by INSIDE Public Accounting. For the past eight years, Allan has also been named by CPA Practice Advisor as one of the Top 25 Thought Leaders in the profession. In 2016 CPA Practice Advisor inducted Allan into the Accounting Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first to be inducted into the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame by the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM). He has also been a recipient of the NACVA Instructor of the Year Award and winner of the Journal of Accountancy Literacy Award. Previously he was recognized by the Illinois CPA Society with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding service and commitment to the profession. A nationally recognized speaker and industry analyst, he has appeared on the CNN, WGN and Fox Television networks and has been quoted frequently in such media as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and New York Post, as well as Bloomberg News, BBC World Service, Business Week, Forbes and Reuters. He has also spoken nationally and internationally at hundreds of conferences including those held by the AICPA, international CPA associations and state CPA societies. Previously, Allan was the President and CEO of PDI, Global, Inc. which was the largest publisher of marketing materials for professional services firms. Allan originally sold PDI Global to H&R Block in 1998, buying it back in 2008, and then selling it again to Thomson Reuters in 2011. Prior to that, Allan was a Partner in the Chicago-based accounting and consulting firm of FERS, where he served as the leader of the Investment Banking Group, as well as the Law Firm Consulting Group. At age 27, Allan had the distinction of being named the youngest partner in the history of the firm and was also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. FERS was acquired by H&R Block in 1998. He is a founding member of The Advisory Board, a think tank for the accounting profession. For 20 years The Advisory Board has hosted the Winning Is Everything Conference. Allan has served on various advisory boards, including SS&G, Outsource Partners International (OPI), the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), H&R Block (HRB Business Services) and ComplyGlobal. Koltin is the author-editor of three books for professional services firms: CPA Firm Merger Strategies That Work, CPAs That Sell and the AICPA’s Marketing a Consulting Niche. He serves or has served on the editorial advisory boards of CPA Practice Management Forum, the Journal of Accountancy, Accounting Today, Public Accounting Report and Law Firm Management. Allan attended both the University of Wisconsin – Madison and the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and received degrees in accounting and marketing. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Sharon, his three children, Jack, Brian and Julia, and his two dogs, Bucky and Cody. His hobbies include travel, chess, and all sports. About Your Host Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development. Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry. /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/26458539

Making DEI a Strategic Priority for Accounting Firms with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor - Amplify S2E5 04/07/2023

Making DEI a Strategic Priority for Accounting Firms with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor - Amplify S2E5 We are excited to launch the 2nd season of our newly rebranded Amplify podcast - powered by ! In this episode, host Angie Grissom, Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of sits down with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CEO of to discuss the importance of making DEI a strategic priority for accounting firms. Tune in as Angie and Kimberly dive into DEI and it's importance in accounting firms' strategic planning. About Our Guest is a Global Technology and Finance leader with over 30 years of career achievements. She is the Chief Executive Officer of KET Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm focused on business growth, innovation, strategy, transformation and inclusive leadership. Ellison-Taylor is a sought after keynote speaker and has received many awards and recognitions for her expertise and leadership including Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and CPA Practice Advisor's 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting. For almost 17 years, Ellison-Taylor served in global leadership roles for Oracle Corporation. Kimberly advised C-Suite Executives on cloud solutions that innovate and transform business. Ellison-Taylor is also an adjunct professor for Carnegie Mellon University’s Chief Information Officer Certificate program teaching Emerging Technologies & Innovation. She is also an independent board director. Kimberly has volunteered in the profession for over 20 years including leadership positions as Chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, Chairman of the Association of Certified Professional Accountants, and Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Kimberly is also the Chair for the AICPA’s National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion and is also the incoming President-elect for Beta Alpha Psi. Ellison-Taylor is also the Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs Education Foundation. Kimberly is a member of the board of advisors for several business schools. About Your Host Angie Grissom is Owner and Chief Relationship Officer of The Rainmaker Companies. Angie leads the firm in building major strategic alliances and national networks to advance professional services. Her role involves high-level strategy, thought leadership, consulting, and program and curriculum development. She transforms clients’ lives through innovation, goal setting, coaching, training, and accountability development. Angie is a frequent speaker, writer, and contributor to the profession and is consistently recognized as one of the most influential people in the accounting industry. /episode/index/show/aamplify/id/26458515

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