Welcome to another episode of The Growth-Minded Accountant Podcast, hosted by Lee Reams and Rebekah Barton. This week we’re tackling one of the most urgent challenges facing accounting firms in 2025: the hidden cost of delaying AI adoption.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The invisible tax of doing nothing: why waiting on AI is costing you revenue, hours, and growth.
• AI search visibility: how platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing client discovery — and what happens if your firm isn’t included.
• Productivity gaps: real-world examples of firms reclaiming hundreds of hours with AI for proposals, engagement letters, tax research, and client communications.
• Talent and retention: why Gen Z expects AI-ready firms, and how delaying adoption leads to burnout and turnover.
• Lessons from AI missteps: what we can learn from Bench and ScaleFactor’s collapse, and how to adopt AI responsibly.
• Where to start today: practical, low-lift AI applications to unlock ROI immediately.

Key Takeaways

• “AI doesn’t replace people — it protects them from burnout.”
• “If you’re not in AI search, you don’t exist.”
• “The most expensive option isn’t adopting AI. It’s waiting.”

👉 Ready to stop paying the hidden cost of delay? Explore how CountingWorks PRO, powered by MAX, helps accountants start small, scale fast, and win with AI.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to The Growth-Minded Accountant for weekly insights into the tools, strategies, and narratives shaping the future of accounting.