The Real Cost of Delaying AI Adoption: Why Waiting is the Most Expensive Option for Accountants

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.

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.