Randy hosts a very special Episode 207 of The Unique CPA, with now three-time guest Dawn Brolin. Dawn, the “Designated Motivator,” discusses her latest book, The Elevation of Empathy: Leading for the W.I.N., and she delves into how empathy transforms leadership, organizational culture, and mental health. Dawn’s impactful personal stories about dealing with leaders who lack empathy highlights the importance of vulnerability, transparency, and intentionality if you want to be the kind of leader that people look up to and remember for the right reasons. Emphasizing the detrimental impact of poor leadership on mental well-being, the significance of positive mentorship, and the need for genuine care in professional relationships, Dawn’s practical advice on practicing empathy is valuable currency when it comes to humanizing the accounting profession and the experiences of those who are in it.

Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Randy Crabtree is joined by Annette Wehrli of Effectivity Consulting on Episode 206 of The Unique CPA to talk about aligning business strategy with people strategy. They discuss the significant challenge many accounting firms face: transitioning professionals from technical experts to effective leaders, the importance of identifying the right leadership types and styles, and the need for a balance of technical, visionary, thought, and people leadership within firms. Annette highlights storytelling, culture, and customized leadership training programs as ways to enhance individuals’ innate leadership potential, seeing it as a path forward for the profession and aiding in its continued positive transformation as it addresses its talent attraction and retention challenges.

Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com

Randy Crabtree concludes his conversation on community with Nancy McClelland, The Dancing Accountant, on Episode 205 of The Unique CPA. They focus particularly on the vital role bookkeepers play in the accounting world, and the importance of collaboration between them and tax professionals. This, along with creating effective systems, are keys to building a culture of shared resources, proper communication, and continuous learning—essentially, forming stronger bonds within the community will lead to better results for service provider and client alike. Nancy highlights practical steps to educate small business owners, bookkeepers, and tax pros to foster better working relationships, underscoring the need to transform accounting’s landscape through enhanced cooperation and training.

Get the full show notes and more resources at TheUniqueCPA.com