Most accounting firms don’t have a tech problem. They have a trust problem.

In this episode, Yuri sits down with Jonathan Shkolnik, a developer turned founder building Portali, an AI bookkeeping tool designed to take the pain out of cleanups and month-end work. They talk through why accountants are so change resistant, how to evaluate new tools without getting burned, and what “automation” actually means when accuracy still matters and someone has to own the final review.

They also get into the practical stuff people actually worry about, how bank connections break, when uploading statements is a better workflow, what happens with credit card activity, and why “just export it to Excel” is still a real need for tax focused firms.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:33 - Meet Jonathan + his background

4:16 - Building products for accountants

6:40 - Resistance and pushback

9:30 - Bringing on new tech (don’t wait for the pain)

13:10 - What does Portali do? (and how does it help)

24:11 - Addressing pain points around file sharing, docs and Excel

30:50 - Connecting banks and cards to Portali

36:35 - Being a digital nomad

40:55 - Wrap-up, where you can find Jonathan

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN SHKOLNIK

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jshkolnik/

Website: https://portali.tech

In this episode of the Fun CPA podcast, Yuri sits down with Blake Oliver, CPA and host of "The Accounting Podcast," to discuss the evolving landscape of the accounting profession.

Blake shares his unique journey from professional cellist to firm owner, and eventually to a leading voice in accounting technology and media. Blake also shares his POV on automation and AI, firm management, scaling, the technology of it all and of course – where the profession itself is headed.

Whether you are a seasoned CPA, a firm owner, or an accounting student, this conversation offers valuable perspectives on navigating technology and building a successful career in the modern accounting world

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:45 - Episode open and intro to Blake Oliver

3:14 - How Blake got into accounting

7:00 - How Blake got clients in the beginning

9:00 - Reasoning for selling

13:58 - Advice for those looking to sell their firm

16:07 - Post-sale

20:00 - Blake’s podcast (and how it became his ‘job’)

24:20 - Balancing authenticity in your brand while taking on sponsors

27:21 - 150 Hour Credit, what’s next to help the profession grow

35:33 - How do you vet your apps?

41:20 - “Are you optimistic about the profession?”

47:00 - Advice for students

50:00 - Firm growth

52:00 - Standing out at conferences

53:31 - Episode wrap-up

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/

Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/

CONNECT WITH BLAKE OLIVER

Website: https://www.blakeoliver.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver/

This episode is a little different — no guest, just Yuri pulling back the curtain on how his firm actually runs during the middle of tax season.

Recorded on March 3rd, Yuri walks through what tax season looks like inside his firm right now: how he tracks returns, why he still uses a spreadsheet workflow, and what he’s experimenting with to improve operations. He also shares the reality of running a lean accounting firm, managing part-time help, and balancing client work while keeping his weekly schedule under 40 hours.

Along the way, Yuri breaks down his tech stack, discusses the pros and cons of hiring too quickly, and explains how he structures pricing and client selection to keep the firm profitable without burning out.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Trailer
00:52 - Why this is a solo episode
2:52 - Tax season reflections so far
6:23 - The spreadsheet that runs the firm
9:23 - Pricing structure and payment process
11:15 - Why spreadsheets still work (for now)
15:47 - Why hiring too quickly can backfire
19:20 - Managing the schedule under 40 hours
21:07 - How Yuri chooses which clients to work with
24:41 - Why solo firm tax seasons feel different
27:24 - Closing thoughts

ABOUT HOST YURI KAPILOVICH

Yuri, aka #thefuncpa, has been in the accounting profession for over 15 years and has seen, first hand, the challenges the profession brings. After seeing that no firm was fitting the bill, Yuri set out to do things his own way with his firm K&A and the journey began with LinkedIn posting at the front end.

Yuri is proud to bring you #thefuncpa podcast highlighting the fun and all the amazing opportunities our profession can bring us all.

CONNECT WITH YURI KAPILOVICH
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykapilovich/
Website: https://www.thefuncpa.co/