Why Bland & Associates Said No to Private Equity and Yes to ESOPs with Jeremy Vokt

Why Bland & Associates Said No to Private Equity and Yes to ESOPs with Jeremy Vokt

When Bland & Associates started thinking seriously about succession planning, the options on the table felt familiar: sell to private equity, pursue a merger, or follow the traditional partner buyout model. None of them felt right. So Jeremy Vokt helped chart a different course, making Bland the first ESOP-owned CPA firm in Nebraska. Jeremy joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to walk through how the Employee Stock Ownership Plan works in practice, why it aligned better with the firm's values than any of the alternatives, and what it was like to launch the transition on January 2, 2020, just weeks before a global pandemic. The ESOP didn't just survive the uncertainty. It helped the firm hold together through it. The conversation also covers the transparency culture that makes it work: sharing financials, stock valuations, and strategic goals with every employee, and using the Entrepreneurial Operating System to keep everyone aligned and accountable. What you'll take away: * How an ESOP works in a professional services firm and why it's simpler than you think * Why employee ownership builds engagement that equity compensation alone never quite achieves * What it took to change state law to make this possible and what other firms can learn from that * How radical financial transparency strengthens trust, retention, and shared purpose * What to honestly assess before deciding whether an ESOP is the right fit for your firm Resources & Links Connect with Jeremy Vokt on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-vokt-172750101/] Learn more about Bland & Associates: https://blandcpa.com [https://blandcpa.com] Participate in the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com [https://accountingmoveproject.com] About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Keep Your Best Talent by Living Your Values with Rehmann CEO Stacie Kwaiser

Rehmann has 1,100 people, 22 offices, and retention rates that consistently beat the profession's averages. That doesn't happen by accident. Stacie Kwaiser, the firm's CEO, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to pull back the curtain on what nearly three decades of intentional culture-building actually looks like in practice. The anchor of Rehmann's approach is its Career Advocacy Program — started almost 20 years ago as an initiative to advance women, and now a firm-wide strategy built around sponsorship, visibility, and leadership development. Stacie's perspective is direct: belonging isn't a program you can cut when times get hard. It's a business strategy that drives retention, client relationships, and long-term growth. And Gen Z is watching closely enough to know the difference between firms that mean it and firms that don't. What you'll take away: * Why sponsorship accelerates careers in ways mentorship alone never can * How Rehmann evolved a women's initiative into a firmwide leadership development engine * Why younger professionals evaluate firms on representation in leadership, not just recruiting messaging * How connecting DEI to client service turns inclusion into a revenue strategy * What it looks like to embed "Put People First" into daily decisions, not just annual reports Resources & Links * Connect with Stacie Kwaiser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciekwaiser/ * Learn more about Rehmann: https://www.rehmann.com About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 🔗 Website: https://accountingmoveproject.com [https://accountingmoveproject.com/]

What the Next Generation Is Really Looking For — with Stephani Mason & Claire Costin

Two accounting professors walk into a podcast, and what they have to say about the next generation of talent should stop every firm leader in their tracks. Claire Costin (University of Portland) and Steph Mason (DePaul University) both came up through the profession before moving into academia, where they now research inequity, bias, and intersectionality in accounting. They join host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share what today's students are looking for in employers, and why firms that are quietly scaling back DEI efforts are making a very expensive mistake. The conversation is candid, research-grounded, and full of moments that hit close to home: the top student who turned down a Big Four offer after being disrespected in recruiting, the myth of meritocracy that ignores how early opportunity gaps begin, and the simple but radical idea that tax returns and audits are still delivered by people who need to feel seen. What you'll take away: * Why belonging is non-negotiable for the next generation — regardless of political affiliation * How microaggressions in recruiting are costing firms their best candidates before day one * Why meritocracy without equity misses the point entirely * What intentional mentorship looks like and why it benefits the whole firm * Why firms that act courageously on their values right now will win the long game on talent   Resources & Links * Connect with Steph Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephani-mason-8928531/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephani-mason-8928531/]  * Connect with Claire Costin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecostin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecostin/]  * DePaul University Accounting: https://www.depaul.edu/academics/programs/accountancy [https://www.depaul.edu/academics/programs/accountancy]  * University of Portland: https://www.up.edu [https://www.up.edu] * Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com/ [https://accountingmoveproject.com/]  About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode

How to Communicate Your Firm's Values When the Language Is Under Fire | MOVE Like This with Cass Bailey

When the language around diversity, equity, and inclusion becomes politically charged, many firms do one of two things: double down on the terminology or go completely silent. According to Cass Bailey, CEO of Slice Communications, both are mistakes. Cass joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share how firms can communicate their values with intention and clarity — even in a polarized environment. Drawing from deep experience in PR, internal messaging, and crisis communications, she makes the case that the path forward isn't about finding safer words. It's about being clear on what you actually stand for and making sure your internal culture matches what you're saying publicly. For firms facing pressure from multiple directions — employees, clients, and ownership — this episode offers a grounded, practical communication strategy that doesn't require you to compromise your mission. What you'll take away: * Why values-based language outlasts buzzwords in any political climate * How to spot the gap between your external messaging and internal reality — before it costs you talent * Why recruiting is your most visible inclusion metric * How to communicate clearly to stakeholders who don't all agree * What firms should be doing right now to reinforce their culture through everyday decisions Resources & Links Connect with Cass Bailey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandraorylbailey/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandraorylbailey/]  Learn more about Slice Communications: https://slicecommunications.com [https://slicecommunications.com] Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com [https://accountingmoveproject.com] 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode

How Strengths-Based Coaching Transforms Retention at Accounting Firms | MOVE Like This with Angela Oakley

Most firms that try CliftonStrengths treat it as an event. Clark Nuber treats it as a culture. Angela Oakley, Director of the firm's Talent Advisor Program, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share what nearly a decade of strengths-based coaching looks like in practice — and why the difference between a one-time assessment and a lasting development program comes down to consistency, champions, and intention. Angela has been building this program since 2016, embedding strengths into onboarding, performance conversations, and team dynamics. Her approach is pragmatic: start where there's openness, let success build momentum, and make strengths part of how people talk about their work every day — not just during review season. For firms wondering why their development investments don't seem to move the needle, this episode offers a clear and practical alternative. What you'll take away: * Why strengths-based development builds trust and engagement faster than traditional approaches * How to use CliftonStrengths in onboarding to accelerate new hire integration * The right way to find champions and grow a program without top-down mandates * Why shifting focus from weaknesses to strengths changes the entire culture of feedback * What it takes to keep a development program alive and relevant year after year Resources & Links Connect with Angela Oakley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-oakley-8a72a44/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-oakley-8a72a44/]  Learn more about Clark Nuber: https://clarknuber.com [https://clarknuber.com] Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com [https://accountingmoveproject.com] 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode