On The Books

Let’s talk to the man that metaphorically decides to move your cheese. Why do buttons move in QuickBooks? Who decides when, how, and why Intuit changes how the software works?This episode focuses on the vital role of design in the QuickBooks and how it shapes the way accountants and small businesses interact with technology. We are joined by Alastair Simpson, Vice President of Design for the QuickBooks Ecosystem at Intuit. Alast...

If you are experiencing mental health challenges, please consult local resources for assistance. This episode is intended to offer encouragement, but is not intended to provide medical advice. See below for resources to help you in your mental health journey. This episode is part two of our discussion on mental health and burnout in the accounting industry. Part 1 with Randy Crabtree is available on all podcasts feeds. For this e...

If you are experiencing mental health challenges, please consult local resources for assistance. This episode is intended to offer encouragement but is not intended to provide medical advice. See full show notes for resources to help you in your mental health journey. In this episode, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken dive into a critical conversation on mental health, burnout, and the evolving culture of the accounting in...

Technology is constantly evolving, but people don’t change. In this special crossover episode of On the Books and Intuit Connect On, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken sit down with Dave Olsen, founder of Nimbl. Dave shares his journey from working at one of the Big Four accounting firms to becoming a fractional CFO, and eventually founding Nimbl. He dives deep into the philosophy of "wide experimentation and narrow adoption,...

In this episode of On the Books, we talk about one of the hottest topics in the accounting industry: the talent and skills shortage. Joining us are Katie Rosenberg and Lynn Letukas from the Intuit for Education team to talk about Intuit’s bold mission to upskill the next generation, the impact of AI on early-career roles, and how modern accounting is currently one of the most tech-forward professions In This Episode, We Discuss: In...

"I believe we live in a world of confidence... AI will eliminate almost all the drudgery and manual work over time, but it will not change the importance of human interaction." — Sasan Goodarzi In this landmark episode, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken are joined by Sasan Goodarzi, the Chairman and CEO of Intuit. Sasan shares his unique leadership philosophy, the future of the "human-to-AI" connection, and how Intuit is rev...

In this episode of On the Books, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken head north to explore the global accounting landscape, starting with the Canadian market. They are joined by Mike Libbey, Partner and COO at YBL (formerly Your Bottom Line) and co-founder of Edgeflow. Mike shares his journey of scaling a 26-year-old family-run firm in Oshawa to a team of 33, while navigating the rapid technological shifts currently transformi...

In this episode, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken reflect on the transformative year of 2025 and look ahead to the future of the accounting profession. The episode features panel discussion from Intuit Connect, featuring industry leaders Dixie McCurley, Kim Blascoe, Greg Landers, and Liz Mason. The conversation moves beyond the buzzword of "advisory" to define the "augmented advisor"—a professional who leverages the power o...

In this final episode of 2025, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken are joined by two exceptional guests to reflect on the year in accounting and look ahead to 2026: Becky Munson, a Partner in the Advisory Group at EisnerAmper, and Michael Hitchcock, Vice President of Product for Accounting and Accountants at Intuit. The four talk about the notable AI perception shift within the accounting community, the accelerating pace of c...

The Working Families Tax Cut, signed into law earlier this year, introduces several compliance changes that will impact payroll and tax filing for the 2025 tax year. This episode features Tanner Arnold, Staff Program Manager on the Intuit Payroll team, who dives into the specifics. Learn about the provisions for "no tax on tips" and "no tax on overtime," understanding the critical distinction between qualified and non-qualified tip...

This episode of the "On the Books" podcast celebrates its one-year anniversary and dives into the exciting launch of the Intuit Accountant Suite. Directors Karla Uribe and Jaclyn Anku join us to discuss the new firm-level product, which aims to be a single destination for all of your firm's work. Karla details how the suite was co-built with accountant feedback and introduces powerful features like Client Insights and enhanced user...

At Intiut Connect, Jaclyn Anku, Principal Program Manager of ProAdvisor, was able to catch up with Professor David Waite of Utah Valley University who brought a group of accounting students to this year’s event. In Episode 14, we profiled Professor Waite and accountants Brittany Brown and Dan Luthi and their first-of-its-kind Client Advisor Services course at the university. Check out episode 14 for their initial story, then list...

Tune in to this episode of On The Books as host Jessica McCracken gives a sneak peek at the upcoming Intuit Connect conference in Las Vegas. Learn about what to expect at the tentpole event, including the main stage lineup featuring Intuit leaders, Queen Latifah, Brene Brown, John Foley, Vanessa Van Edwards, and Carla Hall. Jessica also details new event features like the Intuit Theater and Intuit-led breakout programming, as well...

On this episode of On the Books, hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken welcome Dan Hood, Editor-in-Chief at Accounting Today, to discuss the biggest trends and disruptions facing the accounting profession, particularly as firms look ahead to 2026. Dan shares his take on the multiple crossroads the industry faces, focusing on the significant impact of technology (especially AI), ongoing staffing and capacity issues, and the influ...

In episode 21, Chris Willams, CEO of System Six summarized the key focus areas of any merger or acquisition as “get the keys to the technology and focus on the people.” Practically, what is entailed in‌ getting the keys to the technology? Erin Hutton and Janelle Fox have lived this experience. Both were accounting firm leaders at a large top 40-firm and now work at Intuit helping firms navigate technology changes necessitated by a...

Private equity and accounting. Let’s talk about it. Hosts Ted Callahan and Jessica McCracken talk with Jacob Schoeder, founder and CEO of Asecend Consulting about what private equity investment means for accounting, if this is a phase or a durable reality in the industry, and other growth strategies available for firms. The trio talks about what role innovation plays in determining growth strategies and what firm leaders must ...

In this episode of On the Books, Ted and Jessica sit down with Chris Williams, the founder of System Six, a fully remote outsourced accounting business with 50 team members across three countries, to talk about the human side of mergers and acquisitions. The group talks about best practices in identifying firm goals before stepping into an M&A conversation, the right mindset for those conversations, and how to truly put staff a...

Here is a much-needed dose of accountant wisdom. Get ready for a deep dive into the evolving world of Client Advisory Services (CAS). In this episode, Ted and Jessica are joined by special guest Kane Polakoff, Partner and Practice Leader at CohnReznick and a pioneer in the CAS space. The trio talk about the increasing demand for CAS and its rapid growth, with CohnReznick experiencing over 60% practice growth last year. The group...

In our latest On the Books episode, we explore the insights gathered from the 2025 Intuit QuickBooks Accountant Technology Survey. The survey sheds light on accountants' perspectives on the current technology landscape, including the benefits and challenges you face, as well as the evolving nature of your work. Key findings include insights into technology standardization, the integration of AI in accounting practices, and the stat...