Burnout, Boundaries, and Balance with Erin Pohan

Burnout, Boundaries, and Balance with Erin Pohan

Erin Pohan is the founder of Upkeeping, a bookkeeping and payroll firm, and Wave Seattle, a conference for women in accounting. In this episode, Erin shares what it actually looked like to build her firm, grow a team, and figure things out without ever feeling completely ready. She and Yuri talk honestly about the pressure to scale, the challenge of hiring before there is enough work, and why success does not have to mean building the biggest firm possible. The conversation also gets into a difficult season of burnout caused largely by one high-paying client. Erin explains how the work began affecting her health and family life, why walking away from the revenue felt terrifying, and how that decision ultimately gave her more freedom without hurting the business long term.   Episode Highlights:   0:00 - Intro 1:57 - Erin’s background and the start of Upkeeping 3:21 - Going from employee to firm owner 10:46 - Why you may never feel ready to launch 14:42 - Hiring your first team member 19:47 - What does success actually look like? 23:42 - Setting boundaries with clients 27:22 - Erin’s vision for her firm 30:00 - Burnout, overwork, and one major client 36:11 - What burnout looked like physically and emotionally 39:52 - Letting go of misaligned clients 43:09 - The financial upside of owning a firm 49:11 - Building community through accounting events 54:20 - The hidden costs of hosting events 1:03:47 - Imposter syndrome and finding your lane 1:08:13 - Where to find Erin 1:08:46 - 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/ [https://www.thefuncpa.co/]     CONNECT WITH ERIN POHAN   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinpohan/   Website: https://www.upkeeping.co/

Solo Episode - 2026 Tax Season Breakdown (Good, Bad and Ugly)

In this episode, Yuri reflects on the 2026 tax season, sharing the highs, lows, and lessons learned along the way. Whether you're a solo CPA or managing a growing firm, this episode offers practical insights into tools, workflows, and mindset shifts to navigate busy periods more effectively. * Breakdown of the 2026 tax season experience and key challenges faced * Document collection pitfalls and exploring new tech solutions * Software considerations: Drake, ProConnect, Stanford Tax, Soroban, Truss * Strategies for managing workload, burnout, and client communication     00:00 - Introduction and episode overview  01:10 - Reflecting on the confidence at the start of the season  04:00 - Highlights: $140K revenue and billing methods  05:22 - Business entity handling: 60 S-corps, 93 1040s, and 60 1065s  07:47 - Podcasting and balancing workload  08:48 - The main issue: Document collection breakdown  09:42 - Challenges with Tax Dome and new features  11:23 - The importance of team access and oversight  12:47 - Workflow issues: Tracking submission and missing documents  13:42 - Burnout from managing incomplete document submissions  15:18 - Exploring alternative software solutions  16:55 - Comparing Drake, ProConnect, Stanford Tax, Soroban, and Truss  21:21 - Features of Soroban and AI document integration  22:23 - Truss: All-in-one platform with robust features  25:09 - Stanford Tax’s efficient work paper generation  27:02 - The power of automation and AI in modern tax prep  28:28 - Concerns with multiple platforms and risk diversification  29:23 - The importance of starting lean and growing with tools  30:52 - The value of tackling challenges step-by-step  33:01 - Considering ProConnect and its features  34:23 - Potential benefits of ProConnect’s auto-import  35:40 - Personal insights on transitioning software and managing risk  37:57 - Evolution of the firm: From Google Drive to advanced PM tools  40:04 - Final thoughts: Keep it simple, start small, grow smart  42:13 - Upcoming projects and personal life updates  43:11 - Closing remarks and thank you to listeners

Practical Ways To Implement AI Today

In this episode of The Fun CPA Podcast, Yuri sits down with Isaac Perdomo, CEO and founder of Opzer, to talk about automation, AI, and where accounting firms should actually start.  Isaac shares why firms do not need to overhaul everything at once, and why the best place to begin is usually with the painful, repetitive work they are already doing every day. From client reminders to workflow tracking to simple AI-powered daily prep, the conversation focuses on practical ways firm owners can save time without making things more complicated.  They also talk about the challenge of getting teams to adopt new tools, how to test automations safely, and why small improvements can make a real difference during tax season. It’s a practical conversation for firm owners who know they need better systems but are not sure where to begin.    Episode Highlights:    0:00 - Intro  0:46 - Meet Isaac Perdomo  1:44 - How Isaac got into accounting automation  3:08 - Where firms should start with automation  4:44 - Why accountants tolerate broken processes  6:32 - Tax season pain points and client intake  8:59 - Using automation to improve follow-up and workflow  11:23 - How to test automations without breaking things  12:30 - Why DIY automation can feel overwhelming  15:18 - Choosing what is worth automating  16:15 - Simple AI use cases for email and daily planning  18:28 - Setting up Claude tasks and meeting prep  24:26 - Isaac’s process for finding automation opportunities  27:04 - Conferences, relationships, and accounting communities  31:14 - Content, YouTube, and sharing what he is learning  32:44 - Where to find Isaac and Opzer      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/ [https://www.thefuncpa.co/]      CONNECT WITH ISAAC PERDOMO    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-perdomo/    Website: https://opzer.co/

She Demystifies Credit Card Points

Credit card points can feel like a complicated game, but for business owners with regular expenses, there can be real upside if the math makes sense.  Yuri sits down with Nadia Groen, founder of Points Advisors, to break down how business owners can turn everyday spending into flights, hotel stays, and better travel experiences. They talk through Yuri’s actual credit card setup, how to think about fees versus rewards, why sticking to one points ecosystem can make life easier, and when it may or may not make sense to put taxes, contractors, or payroll on a card.  They also get into travel flexibility, booking strategy, premium card perks, and why points are only valuable if you actually know how to use them.    Episode Highlights:    0:00 - Introduction  1:13 - Meet Nadia Groen of Points Advisors  2:24 - Why most people leave points on the table  3:15 - How Nadia got into the points game  5:30 - Flexibility, flights, and getting better redemptions  8:04 - Yuri’s business credit card case study  13:37 - Choosing the right card ecosystem  18:12 - Should you pay a mortgage, taxes, or contractors with a card?  23:35 - How far ahead to plan travel with points  26:08 - Capital One, Chase, AmEx, and premium card tradeoffs  30:34 - Why families may want to stay in one points ecosystem  34:54 - Using points for lay-flat seats and better travel  37:16 - Hotel points, Hyatt, Marriott, and redemption strategies  40:18 - Are credit card points taxable?  41:11 - How to connect with Nadia    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/ [https://www.thefuncpa.co/]      CONNECT WITH NADIA GROEN    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-volkova/    Website: https://www.points-advisors.com

When The Creative And The Accountant Mix - The Rapping CPA

Most people do not put “accounting” and “creative” in the same sentence. Drew Carrick has built a career doing exactly that. Yuri sits down with Drew Carrick, also known as The Rapping CPA, to talk about how a public accounting career turned into rap videos, conference hosting, content strategy, and a bigger conversation about where the accounting profession is headed. They get into Drew’s path from audit to entertainment, the story behind the Public Accounting Anthem, why originality matters, and how creative skills can become a real advantage in a profession that is being reshaped by AI. The big theme: as technology becomes table stakes, client experience, human connection, and personality are going to matter more than ever. Episode Highlights:   0:00 - Introduction 1:12 - Yuri introduces Drew Carrick, The Rapping CPA 5:20 - Drew’s early influences and how rap entered the picture 11:03 - Writing original accounting music instead of only doing parodies 18:32 - Blending accounting, creativity, and personal brand 25:56 - Why Drew is leaning into strategy and experience 27:48 - How AI makes client experience more important for CPA firms 36:37 - What actually makes events memorable 44:17 - How Drew and Scotty created “Accounting Buddies” 50:09 - Where to find Drew online    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/ [https://www.thefuncpa.co/]     CONNECT WITH DREW CARRICK   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewcarrick/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheRappingCPA