Greg Tirico
Episode #598 Preview - Magnifica Humanitas: ...
Episode #598 Preview - Magnifica Humanitas: Second interview with Father Vincent DeRosa
Greg Tirico
Episode #597 - Rise 2040: A conversation with ...
Episode #597 - Rise 2040: A conversation with Tom Hood
Greg Tirico
Episode #596 - Should Government Fund Science - ...
Episode #596 - Should Government Fund Science - Interview with Terence Kealey
Greg Tirico
Episode #595 - Second interview with David ...
Episode #595 - Second interview with David Barrett
Greg Tirico
Episode #594 - The Declaration at 250
Episode #594 - The Declaration at 250

Politics

Episode #598 Preview - Magnifica Humanitas: Second interview with Father Vincent DeRosa

Father Vincent DeRosa returns to The Soul of Enterprise to examine Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical and a landmark reflection on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. Building on our earlier conversation about Rerum Novarum, we explore how Catholic social teaching continues to evolve while remaining rooted in timeless principles.

Ron, Ed, and Father Vincent discuss why the Church sees AI as a defining challenge of our era, drawing compelling parallels between today’s technological revolution and the Industrial Revolution that inspired Rerum Novarum 135 years ago. Together they unpack themes including the common good, human dignity, work, innovation, and the ethical responsibilities of business leaders as AI reshapes organizations and society.

Whether you’re religious or not, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for asking one of the most important questions of our time: How do we ensure that technology serves humanity—rather than the other way around?

About Father Vincent DeRosa
Father Vincent DeRosa is a Catholic priest, educator, and thoughtful commentator on the intersection of faith, ethics, technology, and economics. Returning to The Soul of Enterprise after his popular discussion of Rerum Novarum, Father Vincent helps translate centuries of Catholic social teaching into practical insights for today’s business leaders. His work explores how enduring principles of human dignity and the common good can guide decision-making in the age of artificial intelligence.

Join us every Friday at 3pm ET / 12pm PT

  • You can watch us live at https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/live (the podcast is available just a few hours after the show airs live)

  • You can also chat with us during the live stream on your preferred social network. Say hello on Facebook, YouTube, X/Twitter, or LinkedIn

  • Prefer email? Shoot us a note at asktsoe@verasage.com

As always, please check our website for upcoming and previous show notes and recordings, use Twitter to find the show at @AskTSOE or find us on Facebook.

The Soul of Enterprise show hosts, Ron Baker and Ed Kless, are on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) at @ronaldbaker and @edkless, respectively (and obviously).

Episode #597 - Rise 2040: A conversation with Tom Hood

The accounting profession has always adapted to change—but what if it could actively shape the future instead of simply reacting to it? In this episode, Ron and Ed welcome Tom Hood, EVP of Business Engagement & Growth at AICPA & CIMA, to discuss Rise2040, the profession-wide initiative designed to help accountants and finance professionals envision—and create—the future of the profession.

Tom explains why AI, automation, shifting client expectations, and changing talent models require a new mindset centered on foresight rather than hindsight. The conversation explores the key themes emerging from the Rise2040 project, including how trust becomes even more valuable in an AI-powered world, why accountants must evolve into strategic advisors, and what firms and finance leaders can do today to prepare for the next 15 years.

Whether you’re in public accounting, industry, or simply curious about where the profession is headed, this discussion offers a compelling look at how accountants can move from reacting to disruption to leading it.

About Tom Hood
Tom Hood, CPA, CGMA, CITP, is Executive Vice President of Business Engagement & Growth at AICPA & CIMA. A longtime thought leader on the future of accounting, he previously served as CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and is a LinkedIn Top Voice with more than 700,000 followers. Tom leads initiatives including Rise2040, helping accounting and finance professionals prepare for an AI-driven future through innovation, leadership, and strategic foresight.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

  • The biggest finding from Rise2040? “What is the one thing that we absolutely can’t use. Consistently, across the world, […] responses were trust, ethics, and integrity.” —Tom Hood

  • What does the profession need to most unlearn? “You have to go from being experts to being learners.” —Tom Hood via a conversation with Ms. Brown

  • Which hard trend do you think the accounting profession is still dramatically underestimating? “I think it’s AI. That speed factor [and impact of AI]” —Tom Hood

  • “In Rise2040 we talk about the idea of AI as a force multiplier for finance and accounting professionals, both in public practice and in corporate finance.” —Tom Hood (more at this link https://www.aicpa-cima.com/advocacy/landing/rise2040)

Segment three

Segment four

  • On private equity in the accounting industry: “As we look at it, it’s just another form of capitalization.” —Tom Hood

  • Let’s end with some great news: “80% of our members are somewhat to highly optimistic about our future” —Tom Hood

  • A big THANK YOU to Tom Hood for joining us today. The Rise2040 vision report is available now at this link https://www.aicpa-cima.com/advocacy/landing/rise2040  

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #596 - Should Government Fund Science - Interview with Terence Kealey

For decades, we’ve been told that scientific progress depends on government funding. But what if that assumption is wrong?

In this episode, Ron and Ed welcome Dr. Terence Kealey—physician, biochemist, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, and Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute—to explore one of the most controversial questions in science and public policy. Drawing on his research and books The Economic Laws of Scientific Research and Sex, Science and Profits, Kealey argues that markets, private institutions, and the scientific community itself are more than capable of driving innovation without government direction.

The conversation examines the economics of scientific discovery, the incentives created by public funding, the role of universities, and whether today’s research ecosystem encourages breakthrough innovation or bureaucratic conformity. Whether you agree with Kealey’s conclusions or not, his arguments challenge deeply held assumptions about how knowledge advances and who should pay for it.

If you’ve ever wondered whether science flourishes because of government—or despite it—this episode will give you plenty to think about.

About Dr. Terence Kealey
Dr. Terence Kealey is a British physician, biochemist, and economist of science. He served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham from 2001 to 2014 and previously lectured in clinical biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. Now an Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute, he is the author of The Economic Laws of Scientific Research, Sex, Science and Profits, and numerous works examining the relationship between scientific innovation, markets, and public policy.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • Our guest today, Dr. Terence Kealey, has quite a depth of writings at Cato Institute. More at this link: https://www.cato.org/people/terence-kealey 

  • Regarding government funding of science, Dr. Kealey penned this article for Cato - “NIH’s Lost Mission” https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-podcast/nihs-lost-mission 

  • Not all government science funding is bad. “Government’s are surprisingly good at mission science.” —Dr. Terence Kealey

  • “[Universities] want government funding. And, you know, you can’t blame them. We all want government funding. People who go swimming want government funding.” —Dr. Terence Kealey

Segment two

  • “Until 1957, the American government funded only a tiny amount of mission science. The rest was all done by the private sector, and there’s no sense of important science not being done in those days.” —Dr. Terence Kealey

  • “Industrial science isn’t peer-reviewed. […] Peer-reviewed science is science that’s removed from reality.” —Dr. Terence Kealey

  • On peer-reviewed vs industrial science: “It’s technology that keeps science honest.” —Dr. Terence Kealey

  • One of Dr. Kealey’s recent features is called “Rescuing Science: Recovering Science as Civic Virtue”. More here: https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/terence-kealey-featured-lecture-rescuing-science-recovering-science 

Segment three

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #595 - Second interview with David Barrett

What happens when you refuse to build your company the “right” way?

Ron and Ed welcome back David Barrett, founder and CEO of Expensify, to discuss the unconventional thinking that transformed a simple expense reporting app into a publicly traded fintech platform. From bootstrapping product-led growth and rejecting traditional enterprise sales models to building a culture around engineering, experimentation, and long-term thinking, David shares why questioning accepted business wisdom has been central to Expensify’s success. The conversation explores innovation, leadership, AI, remote work, company culture, and why sometimes the best strategy is to ignore conventional advice and solve the problem that’s actually in front of you. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, accountant, or business leader, this episode offers a fresh perspective on building companies that last.

About David Barrett
David Barrett is the founder and CEO of Expensify, the expense and financial management platform he launched in 2008. A lifelong programmer and computer engineer, David previously led engineering at Red Swoosh before its acquisition by Akamai. Under his leadership, Expensify has grown into a global fintech company serving millions of users and became a publicly traded company on Nasdaq in 2021. He is widely recognized for his unconventional approach to technology, leadership, and product innovation.

SHOW NOTES

  • Our guest today, David Barrett, founded Expensify and is still the CEO today. More at this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expensify 

  • David Barrett’s main-stage appearance at Scaling New Heights 2026 in Orlando on June 14 focused primarily on what genuinely useful AI should look like inside accounting and expense-management software.

  • This was almost a throwaway quote from David but there is a GOOD bit of prescience in here: “In an AI world what functionality do you need as a platform, versus what can the AI build for you.”

  • “We think the part that sucks about expense management is trying to beg your team for information. That’s why we rebuilt Expensify around this notion of collaboration, around meeting the salesperson where they are.” —David Barrett, CEO of Expensify

  • Episode 102 was our first interview with the amazing David Barrett, CEO of Expensify https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/102 

  • Great conversation today about the difference between Claude and ChatGPT. Here’s the (really) quick hit: Claude is more niche-focused. ChatGPT is AI for anybody.

  • “AI-driven expense management […] is the inevitable future of expense management.” —David Barrett, CEO of Expensify

  • In economics, the Jevons paradox, or Jevons effect, is said to occur when technological improvements that increase the efficiency of a resource's use lead to a rise, rather than a fall, in total consumption of that resource. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox 

  • On AI and our general involvement, the phrase “human in the loop” has become common. GREAT perspective from our guest today: “Fundamentally, it can’t just be humans in the loop. It should be humans in the lead.” —David Barrett, CEO of Expensify

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #594 - The Declaration at 250

The Declaration of Independence is far more than a historical document. It is a statement of principles that has inspired generations to pursue a more perfect union. In this special Independence Day episode, Ed brings portions of the Declaration to life with a dramatic reading before Ron and Ed explore its enduring influence on America’s greatest speeches.

From Frederick Douglass’s searing critique in What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July? to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural, Calvin Coolidge’s Sesquicentennial address, and Martin Luther King Jr.‘s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, the conversation traces how each generation has wrestled with and renewed and expanded the Declaration’s promise of liberty, equality, and human dignity.

Join us for a thoughtful discussion on the power of words, the ideals that continue to shape the American experiment, and why the Declaration still has something profound to say nearly 250 years later.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • On America’s 250th, go back to “Democracy in America” from The Economist https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/06/11/on-americas-250th-go-back-to-democracy-in-america 

  • Tim Berners-Lee via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Lee

  • “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript 

  • “We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable” — Jefferson’s original rough draft https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/ruffdrft.html

  • Patrick Henry from the famous “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech: “No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.” https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/patrick.asp 

Segment two

Segment three

  • “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July?” This is Frederick Douglass’s Fourth of July speech from 1852 https://loveman.sdsu.edu/docs/1852FrederickDouglass.pdf 

  • We will have the original Jefferson draft and the final language of the Declaration of Independence on the website for comparison. Here is the full PDF.

  • Read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech in its entirety https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety 

  • “But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check.” —Martin Luther King, Jr 

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #593 - Pricing AI Credit: Activity-based costing in a hoodie

Artificial intelligence vendors love to talk about tokens and credits, but are these pricing models really helping customers—or simply obscuring the true cost of AI? In this episode, Ron and Ed take aim at the growing trend of token-based pricing, arguing that it shifts uncertainty and risk from providers to customers while creating unnecessary complexity. Drawing on insights from pricing experts, recent industry commentary, and their own experiences, they examine why cost-based pricing has long been discredited and why customer value—not vendor costs—should determine price.

The conversation explores alternative approaches to AI pricing, including tiered models based on speed, complexity, and service levels. Along the way, Ron, Ed, and Greg discuss the rapid decline in AI infrastructure costs, the emergence of lower-cost large language models, and why today’s premium-priced AI services may face the same economic pressures that have driven technology costs downward for decades. If you’ve ever wondered whether AI credits are the modern equivalent of arcade tokens, this episode offers a provocative look at where AI pricing is headed—and why customer experience should be at the center of it.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

  • AI Credit Monetization: From Hype to Concrete Blueprint by Michael Mansard of Zuora https://www.zuora.com/resource/ai-credit-monetization-from-hype-to-concrete-blueprint/

  • One of the big takeaways from the Zuora white paper: Many companies are adopting AI credits because competitors are doing it, not because their business actually needs them.

  • “Activity based accounting is just cost accounting with its own wacky assumptions. It’s all bad math.” —Ron Baker 

  • “I’ve spent decades arguing against cost-plus pricing, and token-based pricing is simply cost-plus. So when I say token-based pricing makes sense right now, I want you to understand how much it pains me to type that.” The Case for Token-Based Pricing by Mark Stiving, Ph.D. (friend of the show) https://impactpricing.substack.com/p/the-case-for-token-based-pricing 

Segment three

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #592 - Smart People, Silly Systems: With Debra Kilsheimer

Debra Kilsheimer joins Ron and Ed for a lively discussion about leadership, culture, AI, persuasion, human nature, and the curious ability of professionals to simultaneously complain about a problem and defend the system causing it.

We'll also explore what wisdom comes with experience, why logic is a surprisingly ineffective tool for changing minds, and whether the accounting profession is finally approaching an inflection point—or just finding new ways to avoid one.

And yes, at some point we'll probably talk about the Pink Cadillac.

Debra's Bio
Debra Kilsheimer is what happens when you combine a CPA, a stand-up comic, a leadership coach, a technology enthusiast, and enough energy to power a small city. A longtime champion of helping accountants become better leaders, communicators, and human beings, Debra has spent years challenging firms to stop doing things simply because "that's the way we've always done it." 

She's a speaker, consultant, podcaster, AI enthusiast, former Mary Kay superstar, and one of the few people who can simultaneously make you laugh, think, and question your entire business model. She's a friend of the show, and recently returned from Scaling New Heights, where she was recognized for her work in AI innovation.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • Debra just returned from Scaling New Heights where she was a main stage speaker https://www.woodard.com/speaker-listing-scaling-new-heights-2026 

  • On resistance to change in the accounting industry: “What’s the WORST thing that can happen if you make a mistake as an accountant? You pay a fine.” —Debra Kilsheimer

  • As a CPA, Debra did the tax returns for a Mary Kay salesperson. Thinking about leaving the accounting industry, Debra made the transition to Mary Kay early in her career. And yes, a pink Cadillac was involved.

  • Today I learned, on the basis of sales commissions, Mary Kay claims to have created more female millionaires than any other organization in the United States

Segment two

  • Why did Mary Kay choose pink? In the 1960s, most American bathrooms were white. So pink was chosen for the Company's packaging to give women beauty products they could keep conveniently on their bathroom counters.

  • Interesting conversational theme from Scaling New Heights this year: It mostly focused on AI and the reticence or fear around adoption. In other words, many accounting professionals are excited but do not know where to begin.

  • On magic vs logic work (with a hat tip to Tim Williams): “How are we creating additional value for those that we serve, and how can we use AI to do that?” —Ed Kless

Segment three

  • Ron: “We spend hardly any time discontinuing obsolete practices. Why do you think that is?”
    Debra: “Well, they’re easy. I’m used to doing it like that. Making a change is hard.”

  • Did you see new tech at Scaling New Heights that excited you? “People are getting really excited about the AI GLs that are coming out.” —Debra Kilsheimer

  • Rise2040: Co-creating our profession’s future https://www.aicpa-cima.com/advocacy/landing/rise2040 

  • How do we recruit new accountants with a message on a wrapped car? “If you want to make someone’s dreams come true, follow me!” —Debra Kilsheimer

Segment four

  • GetBlazr is a new venture from Debra Kilsheimer. Check it out here: https://getblazr.ai/ 

  • “I love being an accountant. I love it. I do think we change lives. So, I just want to make it more fun for the people on the side, the customers.” —Debra Kilsheimer 

  • A big THANK YOU to Debra Kilsheimer for joining us today. You can find her on LinkedIn at this link https://www.linkedin.com/in/debliberate 

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #591 - Revolutionary Roundup: John Adams, the Semiquincentennial, and a Few Asides

Ron and Ed turn their attention to the upcoming Semiquintcentennial, with a little theatrical flair thrown in from Ed and his turn as John Adams in 1776. Along the way, they reflect on the ideas, personalities, and historical drama surrounding America’s 250th anniversary—and what those themes might still teach us about leadership, liberty, and public life today. If time permits, they’ll also weigh in on a few timely developments in the accounting profession and the ever-fascinating world of pricing.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

  • The actor who played John Adams in the original Broadway production of 1776, William Daniels (later famous as Mr. Feeny on Boy Meets World), was nominated for a Tony Award—but he actually declined the nomination because he felt the entire cast deserved recognition rather than just him. It's one of the rare instances of a performer turning down a Tony nomination.

  • The Americans Who Risked Everything https://www.101bananas.com/library2/limbaugh.html 

  • 18 were under 40 years old, 3 were under 20. What are we talking about? The signers of the Declaration of Independence 

  • Evidence heavily points to Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a delegate from New Jersey, as the designer of the American flag. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/betsy-ross-likely-didnt-sew-the-first-us-flag 

Segment three

  • “A land, perhaps, the only one in the universe, in which political or civil liberty is the very end and scope of the constitution.” —Sir William Blackstone

  • “The American, is the Englishman left to himself.” —Alexis de Tocqueville

  • Liberty “can be lost, and it will be, if the time ever comes when these documents are regarded not as the supreme expression of our profound belief, but merely as curiosities in glass cases.” —Harry Truman

  • “The President himself is no more than a representative of public opinion at the time of his election; and as public opinion is subject to great and frequent fluctuations, he must accommodate his policy to them; or the people will speedily give him a successor; or either House of Congress will effectually control his power.” —John Quincy Adams https://lonang.com/library/reference/jqadams-jubilee-constitution-1839/ 

  • The "original" First Amendment passed by Congress in 1789 was an unratified proposal detailing a formula to continuously increase the size of the House of Representatives as the population grew. Because it failed to secure enough state ratifications, the "third" proposed amendment regarding religious, speech, and press freedoms became today's First Amendment to the United States Constitution. https://archivesfoundation.org/newsletter/10-bor-facts/ 

  • “What the Founders’ Drinking Habits Have to Do with Gun Rights” by Charles C. W. Cooke https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/03/what-the-founders-drinking-habits-have-to-do-with-gun-rights/ 

Segment four

  • Timeline of the American Revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_American_Revolution 

  • Lifelong frenemies Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day—July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence

  • “It had about it nothing of the lawless and disordered nature of a riotous insurrection. It was maintained on a plane which rises above the ordinary conception of rebellion. It was in no sense a radical movement but took on the dignity of a resistance to illegal usurpations.” —President Calvin Coolidge's 1926 speech on the 150th Anniversary

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #590 - Security, Scale, and Trust: A Conversation with Summit’s Shannon Kaiser

As part of our new partnership with Summit, Ron and Ed welcome Shannon Kaiser, a technology leader whose career spans cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, application hosting, and managed services. Shannon shares how Summit helps organizations navigate the increasingly complex world of IT while maintaining the security, reliability, and performance businesses depend on every day.

About Shannon Kaiser
Shannon Kaiser is General Manager of Application Hosting at Summit and a veteran technology executive with extensive experience in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, application delivery, and managed services. Having led engineering, operations, and technology teams throughout his career, Shannon focuses on helping organizations build secure, scalable environments that support business growth while reducing operational risk.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • Welcome to The Soul of Enterprise, Shannon Kaiser! Shannon is General Manager of Application Hosting at Summit. https://summithq.com/ 

  • What belief about business did Shannon hold in his 20s and has now completely abandoned? “That business was only about the dollars and cents.”

  • What do most accounting firm leaders consistently get wrong about technology? “That they think they can consume it as individual tools.”

  • What business or technology cliche would you like to see retired immediately? “That technology makes us more efficient”

  • What’s your approach to AI? Do you see this as utopia, or dystopia? “I think that the amount of productivity we will get from these tools will be amazing. […] We are not prepared for what is actually happening in real time today.”

Segment two

  • “Technology is a way to build trust, continuity, operationally, and the ability to continue to service.” —Shannon Kaiser, Summit

  • “The biggest misconception is that risk is a technology problem. Hollywood has taught us that there are hackers behind keyboards in dark rooms typing furiously at their keyboard.” —Shannon Kaiser, Summit

  • On why ransomware attacks are prevalent: “It isn’t the people per se. It’s the status quo and policy that the people are following and the lack of rigor in reviewing it.” —Shannon Kaiser, Summit

Segment three

Segment four

  • From Ed Kless on project management: “The number one reason for project failure is that very rarely is a project actually properly initiated.” 

  • From Ed again on project management: “Most people want to compress the planning process into a shorter time period because they want to get to execution. Then they execute. Then after that, there’s this really long phase called fix-it.”

  • A big THANK YOU to Shannon Kaiser for joining us today! Shannon is the General Manager, Application Hosting at Summit. Learn more at this link https://summithq.com/ 

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #589 - Last Branch Standing: a conversation with Sarah Isgur

Ron and Ed welcom Sarah Isgur to discuss her book "Last Branch Standing," which explores the Supreme Court's role in American government, its counter-majoritarian function and its independence from partisan politics. Contray to popular belief, very few cases are decided along ideological lines and Sarah will emphasize the need to protect the court's independence and criticized Congress for failing to act on key issues. We will ask her about billing by the hour and red her thoughts on political strategy and the importance of aspirational goals in politics.

Sarah Isgur is lawyer, political analyst, and professional constitutional sparring partner, who has the ability to make Supreme Court procedure sound like a cross between stand-up comedy and a bar fight involving the Federalist Society. She’s a senior editor at The Dispatch and SCOTUSblog, co-host of one of Ed's favorite podcasts, Advisory Opinions with David French, and a survivor of many polical campaigns and the Department of Justice.

Her new and first book, Last Branch Standing: A potentially surprising, occasionally witty journey inside today’s Supreme Court is New York Times bestseller and currently #1 on Amazon in the Courts & Law category.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

Segment three

  • Fun bingo fact about The Soul of Enterprise: “I ran against Ken Paxton for Texas State Senate in 2012 as a Libertarian, and Angela Paxton in 2022.” —Ed Kless

  • The Professional’s Guide to Value Pricing by Ron Baker https://www.amazon.com/Professionals-Guide-Value-Pricing-Ronald/dp/0156072246

  • On the billable hour: “It’s why I decided I couldn’t work at a law firm.” —Sarah Isgur

  • “If you really think about it, the billable hour is based on the labor theory of value….which is actually Marxism.” —Ed Kless

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #588 - Pricing Update: AI, Discounting, and the Future of Value

This week, Ron and Ed deliver a wide-ranging pricing update, exploring the latest thinking shaping both accounting firms and the broader business world. Drawing from recent articles, posts, and commentary, they examine how AI companies like GPT, Claude, and Perplexity are positioning and pricing their offerings, including the growing role of token-based pricing models and what they signal about the future of value measurement.

The conversation also dives into the dangers and unintended consequences of discounting, inspired by recent insights from pricing experts in the PPS community. Along the way, Ron and Ed connect these ideas back to accounting firms, professional services, and the practical challenges businesses face when trying to price for value in rapidly changing markets.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

  • Value Protection is Not Optional by Jon Hubbard https://www.boomer.com/post/value-protection-is-not-optional 

  • “Time is not a resource because you can replenish a resource.” —Ron Baker

  • On the billable hour: “Ron, have you ever sat at your desk and was just thinking about something? And didn’t have your hands on the keyboard actually doing something? Don’t we want our professionals to think?!!?!?” —Ed Kless

Segment three

  • Byron Johnson, a CPA in Canada, sent in a great note to the show about three-tier pricing. Ron and Ed talked about this during the start of the third segment.

  • Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play by Mahan Khalsa https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Get-Real-Not-Play/dp/1591842263 

  • Quote from the show today: “How you sell is indicative of how you solve” (attributed to Mahan Khalso)

  • On offering three tier pricing to customers: “When you’ve got to sit down and come up with your three choices, you are effectively thinking through competing with yourself. And that’s important.” —Ed Kless

Segment four

  • If this intrigues you, LISTEN to segment four of the show today: “How do you change a service into an experience? You customize a service, and then that turns it into an experience. And we think the best way to do that is with subscriptions.” —Ron Baker 

  • Shameless plug: Threshold has a transformation class for those wondering about turning a service into an experience. https://thresholdnow.com/ 

  • On confident pricing: “You are 2-3 times any of your competitors” “Huh, that’s odd, because usually it’s like 5-6 times.”

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #587 - Ron's Rummage: Clearing Ron's Stack of Stuff

In another installment of our fan-favorite miscellany series, Ron digs into the ever-growing stack of articles, ideas, trends, and observations he’s been collecting—and finally clears the deck. From developments in technology and AI to economics, business strategy, professional skepticism, and the occasional offbeat tangent, this episode is a rapid-fire tour through the topics that caught Ron’s attention but didn’t yet have a home of their own.

Along the way, Ron and Ed connect seemingly unrelated dots, challenge conventional wisdom, and share practical insights for entrepreneurs, accountants, and knowledge workers navigating a world changing faster than ever. Expect sharp commentary, unexpected connections, and plenty of classic TSOE banter in this wide-ranging conversation.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

Segment three

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #586 - Convergence Is Here: What AI Means for Your Future with Greg Tirico

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed welcome back Greg Tirico to explore the accelerating convergence of technology, especially AI, and its profound implications for professionals. Drawing on insights from the “Convergence 2026” report, Greg unpacks how traditional firm boundaries are dissolving as tech, talent, and capital increasingly intersect.

The conversation dives into what this shift means for knowledge workers, from evolving skill expectations to the redefinition of value in professional services. As AI reshapes workflows and client expectations, firms must rethink not only how they operate, but what they offer.

If you’re trying to understand where the profession is headed and how to stay relevant in an AI-driven world—this episode provides a clear, informed perspective on the forces shaping the future.

SHOW NOTES

There are 10 total convergences identified by the FTSG methodology. We don’t have time for all of them :) 

ONE: Human augmentation

In the past this was eyeglasses and vaccines

Today:

These devices are not for the mobility challenged. They are meant for the able bodied.

What if your company requires augmentation for extremely physical roles?

TWO: Unlimited Labor

In the past:

  • Gutenberg printing press

  • Ford assembly line

  • VisiCalc 

Today:

  • AlphaEvolve from DeepMind: Algorithms automatically derived from basic inputs

  • Quite obviously, AI Agents

“The next internet isn’t being made for you. It’s being made for Agents. Pretty soon we won’t be the interface between decisions and execution anymore.”

So what happens when agents collide with robotics?

THREE: Automated factories or “lights-out industrialism”

This isn’t retrofitting factories with robots. These are first principle designs. Think, Adam Smith’s pin factory. 

Unlimited labor inverts the idea that labor is the engine for growth

  • Scale without population

  • Output without wages

  • Production without people

Most datacenters employ fewer than 35 people. 

Will we see an economy with an increasing GDP AND a high level of unemployment? In other words, what do we call an economy that is thriving and has no use for you?

FOUR: Emotional outsourcing

In the past:

  • Therapists

  • Meditation

  • Family and friends

Today:

What about the shift of comfort and companionship from people to machines?

  • In 2014, Microsoft launched a chatbot called Xiaoice (wikipedia link)

  • Character.ai

  • In the Convergent Report presentation, Amy Webb used an AI generated video to manipulate feelings and didn’t tell the audience until the end.

FIVE: The Corporate Panopticon

In the past:

  • showing a passport at a border

  • swiping a credit card at a checkout

  • entering a password at login

Today:

  • Wi-Fi Sensing: Commodity Wi-Fi hardware can now be used as a room-scale physiological sensor. Systems like Pulse-Fi can estimate heart rates, respiration, and gait by analyzing how signals reflect off a body

  • Ambient Audio Context: Microphones in smart devices do more than listen for voice commands; they analyze background "acoustic signatures" like HVAC rhythms, traffic patterns, and room echoes to infer your exact location

  • Payment Metadata Analysis: Even without seeing itemized receipts, payment networks analyze transaction timing and vendor codes to infer highly personal details, such as pregnancies, chronic illnesses, or addictions

  • Biometric Signatures: Identity is verified through markers you cannot "leave at home," such as the way you hold your phone, your gait, or your thermal signature

    • You can reset your password. You cannot reset your biometric signature

“We traded China’s iron fist for Silicon Valley’s velvet glove—same surveillance, better branding.”

SIX: Living Intelligence

In the past:

  • Most systems have operated in three distinct phases: collect data, analyze what they’ve gathered, wait for humans

Today:

  • Sensors track biological signals, environmental conditions, and behavioral patterns in real time. 

  • Adaptive AI models interpret what’s happening. 

  • Then the system acts, adjusting insulin doses, rerouting shipments, tweaking production lines, without pausing for human approval.

MIT engineers have designed capsules containing biodegradable radio frequency antennas that can confirm when a pill has been swallowed. These biosensors address a

major health care challenge: patients failing to take medication as prescribed.

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #585 - Conversations from the Chaminade Leadership Summit

In this special episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed welcome a panel of speakers from the Chaminade Leadership Summit (CLS), an event focused on developing principled leadership and purposeful organizations.

Joined by Bro. Thomas J. Cleary and fellow summit speakers, the conversation explores the intersection of leadership, values, and organizational culture. Drawing from their diverse experiences, the panel discusses how leaders can foster trust, inspire accountability, and navigate complexity in today’s rapidly changing environment.

From practical leadership frameworks to personal reflections on mission-driven work, this episode offers insights for anyone looking to lead with clarity and purpose—whether inside a firm, a team, or a broader community.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • One of the best-known Marianist schools in the United States is Chaminade High School on Long Island. The school was founded in 1930 in Mineola, New York, at a time when the surrounding area was still largely farmland and undeveloped suburban land. The Marianist brothers opened it as an all-boys Catholic college preparatory school focused on academics, faith formation, discipline, and community.

  • The original Chaminade High School class was 130 students. Today, there are 62 classrooms and 1,700 students. 

  • Louis V. Gerstner Jr. is one of Chaminade High School’s most notable alumni, graduating with the Class of 1959. Gerstner is best known for becoming the CEO of IBM in 1993 during one of the company’s most difficult periods. At the time, many analysts believed IBM would need to be broken apart, but Gerstner led a major turnaround that is often considered one of the most successful corporate recoveries in business history. He shifted IBM toward integrated services and enterprise computing rather than just hardware manufacturing.

  • “What drives any institution is the culture within that institution.” —Brother Thomas Cleary, S.M. ’81

Segment two

  • The Chaminade Leadership Summit (CLS) is a relatively new leadership and professional development conference created by Chaminade High School on Long Island. The inaugural summit launched in 2025 as part of the school’s broader vision leading up to its 100th anniversary. https://cls.chaminade-hs.org/ 

  • The 2026 Chaminade Leadership Summit (CLS) theme is “Connected Leadership,” emphasizing authentic relationships, collaboration, and values-driven leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.

  • It’s hard to overstate the impact of the Chaminade Leadership Summit. CLS in the future MIGHT include small regional events and virtual options. You heard it here first :) 

Segment three

  • We are joined by the Chief Academic Officer of Chaminade High School. A Chief Academic Officer (CAO) is the senior leader responsible for the overall academic vision, quality, and performance of a school, college, university, or education organization.

  • If you have a kid or know anything about high school AP classes, this stat is amazing. At Chaminade High School last year 27 kids took AP Advanced Calculus. 26 out of 27 received a 5 on their AP test!

  • School AI is an example of an AI tool in use at Chaminade High School. And it really gets to how they are integrating AI where appropriate and using it to help guide the overall education of students. https://schoolai.com/ 

Segment four

  • Mr. Robert Paul '92 is the current principal of Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York, named as the 12th principal in the school's history. He took over the role after Bro. Joseph Bellizzi, S.M. stepped down in June 2024 following 25 years of service.

  • HSD = High Satisfaction Day. Ron and Ed touched on this during episode 173 https://www.thesoulofenterprise.com/173 

  • The motto at Chaminade High School is “Fortes in Unitate” (Strength in Unity) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaminade_High_School 

  • A big THANK YOU to Chaminade High School and the Chaminade Leadership Summit for hosting Ed Kless and Ron Baker today. The podcast will be available in just a few hours, the show notes will be at TheSoulOfEnterprise.com on Monday, and a series of short videos will go out on YouTube next week.

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #584 - Accrual Intentions: Interview with Alexis Kingsbury

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ed Kless and Ron Baker speak with Alexis Kingsbury about a rather audacious experiment: running an entire accountancy practice staffed almost entirely by AI.

The firm—Accrual Intentions—had eleven AI “team members” and one human: Alexis. What began as a curiosity about the real capabilities of AI quickly became something far more interesting. The AI team produced accounts, onboarded clients, and developed surprisingly human-like dynamics—personalities, accountability, even a kind of culture.

But the experiment also ran into limits, particularly around compliance and professional judgment. The result is Kingsbury’s new book, a fascinating mix of business experiment, comedy, and serious reflection on what AI actually means for professional services.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • Here is some background on our guest today, Alexis Kingsbury https://alexiskingsbury.com/#about 

  • “I started the world’s first, 100% AI accountancy firm. But it’s probably important to say from the start that it was very much set up as an experiment, arguably even a parody.” —Alexis Kingsbury

  • On the AI accountancy experiment: “I turned it into a book because I wanted to help other people go through the intellectual, but also emotional, journey that I went through.” —Alexis Kingsbury https://accrualintentions.com/ 

  • Meet the team behind the AI accountancy firm. Alexis is the only human and Grace Ledger (clever!) is the Managing Partner https://accrualintentions.com/#team 

Segment two

  • Great achievement for Alexis in 2025: “I’m incredibly proud (and still a bit stunned) to share that last night I was named Neurodiverse Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards.” https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexkingsbury_neurodiversity-entrepreneurship-adhd-activity-7396471129848193025-cm9W 

  • Regarding the book, Accrual Intentions, by Alexis Kingsbury….he has a review from a rather familiar person: “I loved it. A huge and important contribution. This is not a warning. It is a summons." — Ronald J. Baker https://accrualintentions.com/ 

  • Ron asked Alexis if he, the human in the loop, was always the bottleneck in the first 100% AI accountancy firm. The answer from Alexis? “Yes, absolutely.”

  • The conversation today about confidence (and being overly confident) is one of the most important lessons. The 100% AI accountancy firm from Alexis Kingsbury accidentally claimed it had professional indemnity insurance that didn’t exist, highlighting how confidently AI can invent information if not monitored carefully.

Segment three

  • “Everyone is about to become a manager. Not in the form of managing people in a corner offer. […] In terms of managing output, directing work and thinking about what’s the outcome I want.” —Alexis Kingsbury

  • The 100% AI accountancy firm created by Alexis came up with their OWN ideal client profile. One of the requirements? It must be a client that can communicate via email only because “we” can’t answer the phone

  • “The biggest sin in the economy today, in business today, is wasting your customer’s time.” —Ed Kless

  • Regarding AI: “It’s unfair to say it can’t do any innovation, because I think innovation is a spectrum.” —Alexis Kingsbury

Segment four

  • What’s a big mistake firms are making with AI right now? “It’s always been a good idea for any firm to document their business, to be clear on what their vision and values are, who their ideal customer is, what the process is for how they assess a get a new customer [and so on]. That becomes SUPER CRITICAL with AI.” —Alexis Kingsbury

  • I don’t think I could have said this better myself. Regarding AI: “This is a profoundly weird technology.” —Ron Baker

  • A big THANK YOU to Alexis Kingsbury for joining us today. The book, Accrual Intentions, is available today! Check it out here https://accrualintentions.com/ 

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #583 - The AI Tools Changing Accounting: Fourth Interview with Hector Garcia

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ed Kless and Ron Baker sit down with Hector Garcia, one of the most recognizable educators in the accounting profession thanks to his hugely popular YouTube channel. Known for translating complex technology into practical insight, Hector joins the show to discuss the rapidly evolving ecosystem of AI tools for accounting professionals. The conversation moves beyond the hype to explore which tools are actually useful today, how AI is reshaping workflows, and what accounting professionals should be experimenting with right now if they want to stay relevant in an AI-augmented profession.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere in accounting right now. But separating the genuinely useful tools from the endless parade of demos, buzzwords, and vendor hype can feel like a full-time job. That’s why Ed and Ron invited Hector Garcia to the show.

Hector has become one of the most influential educators in the profession through his wildly popular YouTube channel, where hundreds of thousands of accounting professionals follow his explanations of emerging technologies, workflows, and software tools. His specialty is cutting through the noise and showing practitioners what actually works.

In this episode, Hector walks Ed and Ron through the latest generation of AI tools available to accounting professionals—what they can do, where they fall short, and which ones are worth experimenting with today.

But the discussion goes deeper than just tools. The trio also explores how AI is reshaping the role of the accounting professional, from automation of routine work to the emergence of new advisory opportunities.

For anyone trying to keep up with the pace of technological change in the profession, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at what matters—and what doesn’t.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

  • From Hector: The comments on this video about reaching limits are funny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_LBECIQQqs 

  • Regarding tax information in AI tools: “ChatGPT and Claude, they tend to go to tangential sources, non-authoritative sources.” —Hector Garcia 

  • “Should people just use the API?” —Ed Kless. Hector’s answer was hilarious! “API.com is not something people are going to be able to use.”

  • “The solution right now is for all firms to build their own custom software. And they create their own customized needs around the UI, so the AI uses the things that they need them to.” —Hector Garcia

Segment three

  • “Taking care of oneself is the one thing you cannot delegate.” —Hector Garcia

  • How does Hector think about the word TRANSFORMATION? “To make a significant change in which you cannot go back. A lot of us seek that.”

  • “I did not know what it felt like to be a father until my daughter was born. [Regarding business transformations as a comparison], our best approach is to say we help you transform. We are just short for words. I don’t think we have the language.” —Hector Garcia

  • “I’m in love with the idea of being a numbers guy; of being the numbers Sherpa for my clients.” —Hector Garcia

Segment four

  • What’s the latest and greatest on AI, Hector? Opus 4.7 (the models are getting better and better), OpenAI came out with a competitor to Claude Cowork, also Dispatch in the Claude app

  • But I don’t code, Hector. Why should I use Claude Code? “Everything in your computer is code. You’re working in code. That means the lowest common denominator here is code.”

  • Something else Hector is excited about just launched today. It’s called Claude Design https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-design-anthropic-labs 

  • A big THANK YOU to Hector Garcia for joining us today. His YouTube channel has HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of subscribers. Are you one of them? https://www.youtube.com/c/HectorGarciaCPA 

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #582 - Agencies After AI: Reinvent or Decline - Fifth interview with Tim Williams

Ron and Ed welcome back strategy expert Tim Williams to explore a hard truth: AI is not just a new tool for professional firms, it is a structural shock to their traditional business model.

For decades, most firms have relied on time-based billing, headcount leverage, and labor-intensive processes. But when AI compresses project time and automates execution, what happens to a model built on hours? Tim argues that professional firms — from ad agencies to law firms — must rethink not just how they work, but how they price, position, and define value.

This conversation will dive into why AI accelerates the decline of cost-plus thinking, why intellectual capital is the real asset, and how professional firms can redesign their economics before the market does it for them. While Tim’s particular expertise is in the advertising/marketing business, the principles and practices he teaches apply to professional firms across the board.

If your revenue model depends on selling time, this episode may feel slightly uncomfortable. That’s the point. The future of the professional business won’t be determined by how much AI they adopt, but by whether they have the courage to change the way they get paid.

SHOW NOTES (AI GENERATED AS WE GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED GREG TO TAKE PTO)

  • AI is accelerating a major shift away from the billable hour toward outcome-based and value-based pricing models

  • Agencies must transition from selling effort and outputs to selling outcomes and business transformations

  • “Results-as-a-Service” is emerging as a new pricing paradigm enabled by AI-driven accountability and analytics

  • AI dramatically reduces time required for strategic work, shifting value from execution to thinking and problem-solving

  • Four agency value models were outlined: Busy by Design, Scaling with Strain, Expertly Undervalued, and Distinctly Scalable

  • The most successful firms (“distinctly scalable”) productize expertise into repeatable solutions and decouple revenue from headcount

  • Custom “scope of work” thinking keeps agencies trapped in labor-based pricing and limits scalability

  • Most professional services work is actually repeatable (known problem/known solution), enabling standardization and packaging

  • AI is pushing agencies back into strategic advisor roles as execution becomes automated and commoditized

  • Large global firms (e.g., major holding companies) are now publicly committing to outcome-based pricing models

  • Subscription and recurring revenue models (analytics, reporting, dashboards) are key to future agency stability and valuation

  • Agencies that build intellectual property and scalable solutions can command significantly higher valuations

  • AI enables smaller, leaner firms (even solopreneurs) to compete with large agencies using advanced tech stacks

  • The future agency model may split into two layers: AI-driven execution platforms and high-value strategic advisory services

  • Despite ad avoidance, highly targeted and relevant advertising (e.g., social platforms) proves the power of data-driven personalization

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #581 - Every Decision You Make: Second interview with Tim Naddy

This week, we welcome Tim Naddy, CFO of the Savannah Bananas—a team that has redefined what it means to create value for fans (and, not incidentally, built a wildly successful business doing it). But this conversation goes well beyond yellow tuxedos and sold-out stadiums.

At the center is Tim’s book, EDYM: Every Decision You Make, a deceptively simple premise that turns out to be anything but: every choice—large or small—carries weight, compounds over time, and ultimately shapes both outcomes and identity.

We explore how this philosophy plays out inside an organization famous for breaking every conventional “rule” in baseball. From pricing and fan experience to internal culture and leadership, Tim shares how intentional decision-making—not spreadsheets alone—drives extraordinary results.

Along the way, we challenge the notion that financial leadership is about control and compliance, and instead reframe it as stewardship of choices, trade-offs, and consequences.

Because in the end, every decision you make… makes you.

If you think being a CFO is about reporting the past, this episode might just convince you it’s really about designing the future.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

Segment two

Segment three

  • “Our job as CFOs is to make sure that the math works. But in addition to that, we also have to be the best storytellers on the planet because what comes into our office are a bunch of different rivulets of all these different things that need to be managed. What comes out of our office needs to be a consistent message — a consistent framework — so people can trust what’s coming out of our office.” —Dr. Tim Naddy of the Savannah Bananas

  • THIS is why people love the Savannah Bananas: “We are always talking about enhancing the fan experience. So what can we do to help fans and remove friction points?” —Dr. Tim Naddy of the Savannah Bananas

  • Dr. Tim Naddy’s new book, EDYM (Every Decision You Make), teaches you to think like a CFO: understand the numbers, protect your cash, and make smarter calls so your business (and dreams) actually survive. https://www.amazon.com/EDYM-Every-Decision-You-Make/dp/B0GSSND5Q3 

  • “At the end of the day, numbers have to make sense. There also is the other side of it. There’s so much more value that the number is not really telling you.” —Dr. Tim Naddy

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #580 - The Business of Civic Leadership: Interview with Tim Riordan

Ron and Ed welcome Tim Riordan, president of BIPAC (Business-Industry Political Action Committee), for a conversation at the intersection of business, civic engagement, and public policy. BIPAC works to educate and mobilize the business community around the political process — equipping leaders with the tools and insight needed to participate thoughtfully and effectively in American democracy.

Tim brings decades of experience helping organizations navigate the often-murky waters of public affairs, grassroots advocacy, and leadership development. In a time when politics and business are increasingly entangled, sometimes constructively, often chaotically, he offers a perspective grounded in education, participation, and long-term institutional thinking.

As a Soul of Enterprise guest, Tim fits squarely into the show’s deeper inquiry: What responsibilities accompany enterprise? How should leaders engage the broader culture without being consumed by it? And how do we preserve institutions that allow free people to flourish?

This conversation explores not partisanship, but participation and why the health of the republic depends in part on whether business leaders choose to show up.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • Welcome Tim Riordan! First question: What is BIPAC? A community built on member and partner success. Delivering Educational Programs, Curated Resources, and Political Analysis. https://bipac.org/ 

  • Founded in 1963, BIPAC is widely considered one of the first political action committees representing business interests in the U.S. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIPAC 

  • The stated mission of BIPAC is to advance economic growth by engaging private-sector employees as voters and advocates. In other words, BIPAC helps companies activate employees politically, not just lobby directly. https://bipac.org 

  • Tim brought back a great quote today on the show: “Congress is dysfunctional, except for my member.”

Segment two

Segment three

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits. 

Episode #579 - Leading a Modern Advisory Firm: Interview with Matt Armanino

Ron and Ed welcome Matt Armanino, CEO of Armanino Advisory, for a conversation about what it really takes to lead a modern professional services firm in an era of relentless change. Under Matt’s leadership, Armanino has pushed beyond the traditional boundaries of accounting — building advisory depth, embracing technology, and reimagining how firms create value for the businesses they serve.

In this episode, Matt shares his perspective on scaling culture, navigating growth without losing identity, and balancing innovation with institutional stability. They explore what leadership looks like when your firm is no longer “just” an accounting practice but a multidimensional advisory organization — and what it means to build something designed to endure.

As a Soul of Enterprise guest, Matt embodies the show’s core inquiry: how do we elevate the profession from compliance to contribution? This conversation goes beyond tactics to mindset — and what the next generation of firm leadership must understand if it hopes to thrive.

SHOW NOTES

Segment one

  • When thinking about advisory services, Matt had a great quote at the beginning of the show: “Most of us want to be a professional service. To serve other people.”

  • “Everyone one of our clients has a dream, something they want to accomplish.” —Andy Armanino, founder of Armanino

  • On private equity in the industry, “The trend to a more modern capital structure allows firms to make much bigger bets towards the future. Towards transformation.” —Matt Armanino

  • “Firms that are positioning themselves to be winners are the ones that are most agile right now, and are questioning things. I think that’s where Armanino sits.” —Matt Armanino

Segment two

  • Did PE cause Armanino to be inwardly focused? No. “Our entire strategy for where we’re investing is centered on the client. On the needs of the client.” —Matt Armanino

  • “The type of core middle market companies that we serve, that see us as a key relationship partner, actually value investments in technology.” —Matt Armanino

  • KPMG demanded a discount from its auditor for AI cost savings https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/kpmg-demanded-a-discount-from-its-auditor-for-ai-cost-savings-20260210-p5o117 

  • “If our clients perceive that we are the best firm to work with, because we are the only firm and they can’t get it from anyone else, then guess what? There’s a lot less focus on price. It’s a focus on value.” —Matt Armanino

Segment three

  • How does the shift to value pricing manifest itself at Armanino? “Making a shift to a pricing change? That is very simple. Sitting down and investing on the front end in your relationship and having a value-based discussion with a client. That’s important.” —Matt Armanino

  • “If you are only monetizing the value of what you do based on increments of time then, as you reduce time, you effectively reduce your pricing and impact.” —Matt Armanino 

  • As an example, Matt cited managed services and had this to say: “That’s an example of where you see the core external trends in the marketplace becoming a virtuous element of a recurring service model.” —Matt Armanino

  • “At the core of who we are—the core purpose of our firm—is the desire to be the most innovative and entrepreneurial firm. […] That is why our business was founded.” —Matt Armanino

  • Built to Last : Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras https://www.amazon.com/Built-Last-Successful-Visionary-Essentials/dp/0060516402 

Segment four

Bonus Content is Available As Well

Did you know that each week after our live show, Ron and Ed take to the microphone for a bonus show? Typically, this bonus show is an extension of the live show topic (sometimes even with the same guest) and a few other pieces of news, current events, or things that have caught our attention.

Click the “FANATIC” image to learn more about pricing and member benefits.