AI Isn’t a Tool. It’s Your Next Hire

The tax and accounting industry doesn’t have an AI problem. It has a hiring problem.

In this episode of The Growth Minded Accountant, Lee Reams II and Rebekah Barton unpack one of the biggest shifts happening in firms right now: AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a role.

‍With fewer accountants entering the profession and client demand continuing to rise, the traditional growth model—hire more people—just isn’t working anymore.

So what replaces it?

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why most firms are using AI wrong (and why it’s not scaling)
The real downside of stacking multiple AI tools
How to think about AI as a team member, not a prompt
The hidden security risks firms are overlooking
What AI-driven search means for your firm’s visibility
Why “saving time” isn’t the goal—building capacity is
A simple way to identify your first AI hire

This episode is a mindset shift.

Because the firms that win over the next few years won’t be the ones using the most tools… They’ll be the ones building the smartest systems—where work gets done before they even log in.

Final thought: Don’t ask, “What AI tool should I use?”
Ask: “What role do I need next in my firm… and can AI do it first?”

Transcript

We know that everyone digests information differently. That’s why we’re now sharing the full transcript of each episode of The Growth Minded Accountant right here on the CountingWorks PRO blog. Whether you’re short on time, like to scan and highlight, or simply prefer reading over listening, you can catch up on every conversation at your own pace.

Each week, we cover topics that matter most to tax and accounting professionals—from AI and automation to marketing strategies, firm growth, and client relationships. Scroll down to read the full episode, or subscribe to the podcast to listen on the go.