Earn free CPE with Earmark! Take your learning on the go and earn NASBA-approved CPE just for listening to The INSIDE Public Accounting Podcast. Simply listen, take a short quiz, and download your certificate. Start now on the IPA channel in the Earmark app: INSIDE Public Accounting | Earmark CPE

Conference season is underway, and Chelsea Summers is sharing the conversations that are surfacing across the accounting profession, not just on stage, but in hallways, dinners, and between sessions.

In this solo bonus episode, Chelsea breaks down five themes showing up repeatedly across firms this year: a more mature approach to consolidation and private equity, AI moving beyond experimentation into practical application, the growing pressure to rethink traditional firm metrics, the structural barriers holding advisory growth back, and a talent market that’s finally beginning to stabilize.

Rather than reacting to constant change, firms are starting to make more deliberate decisions about how they want to grow, structure their teams, and define success in the years ahead.

If you’re a firm leader thinking about culture, technology, advisory, or the future of your business model, this episode offers a grounded look at where the profession stands today, and where it may be headed next.