The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Transformation Economy

In this episode, Michelle Weinstein joins Ron and Ed to challenge many of the assumptions accountants have about sales, pricing, and client relationships. They discuss why so many professionals undercharge despite delivering tremendous value, how to overcome the discomfort of selling, and why moving from compliance work to trusted advisory starts with changing your mindset. Whether you're struggling to raise your fees, attract better clients, or simply become more confident in business developme

Episode Description Ron and Ed welcome John Dierkhising of Bottom Line Accounting Services and returning guest Shannon Kaiser of Summit for a conversation at the intersection of accounting, technology, and service. John brings the perspective of a practitioner who supports businesses using Sage and other accounting technologies, while Shannon brings deep experience in application hosting, cloud infrastructure, and managed services. Together, they explore how the right technology environment can

Ron and Ed welcome back Fr. Robert Sirico, co-founder and president emeritus of the Acton Institute, for a wide-ranging conversation about human dignity, liberty, economics, and the moral foundations of a free society using the framework of Leo XIV's encyclical, Hagnifica Humanitas. Drawing on decades of work at the intersection of theology and economics, Fr. Sirico explores why the human person must remain at the center of economic life and why markets, entrepreneurship, and business are ultima

What happens when there's no guest, no predetermined topic, and possibly only one host? It's time to bring back the spirit of Free-Rider Friday. With Ed potentially sidelined by jury duty, Ron raids his ever-growing stack of articles, ideas, observations, and assorted intellectual curiosities for a wide-ranging tour through whatever has captured his attention lately. Economics, business, technology, culture, pricing—and probably a few things that defy categorization—are all fair game. No agend

Twenty-five years to the day after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Ron and Ed commemorate a day that changed America and changed each of us in ways both large and small. They share personal stories and memories from that time, reflecting on where they were, what they experienced, and what remains vivid a quarter-century later. Against the backdrop of America's 250th anniversary, the conversation broadens to consider the country we were then, the country we are now, and the ideals that have e

What makes an experience unforgettable? Why do some ideas, brands, museums, and attractions merely inform us while others permanently change how we think, feel, and act? In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed welcome Bob Rogers, founder of BRC Imagination Arts and author of Deep Story: The Complete Guide to Creating Transformational Themed Attractions. Drawing on decades of experience designing award-winning visitor experiences for organizations ranging from Disney and NASA to Co

Professor Michael Munger returns to The Soul of Enterprise for a fourth visit and once again, the answer is transaction costs. Ron and Ed catch up with the Duke University economist, political scientist, author, and host of The Answer Is Transaction Costs to explore some of the provocative questions he has tackled in the podcast's latest summer episodes. Why is being late an economic problem rather than merely bad manners? How have social media dramatically lowered the cost of coordinating outr

Ed and Ron (mostly Ron) empty out the overflowing stack of stuff and roam wherever intellectual curiosity takes them. On the docket: how Adam Smith's invisible hand actually works; what we should make of the latest government files on UFOs and UAPs (color us skeptical); whether standing desks are really healthier than sitting; the strange economics and crony capitalism of the college textbook market; encouraging news in the fight against dementia; and, in what may amount to professional heresy,

What does it take to lead one of the largest state CPA societies through one of the most transformative periods in the profession's history? In this episode, Ron and Ed welcome Denise Froemming, President and CEO of CalCPA, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of accounting, professional associations, and leadership in an era defined by AI and rapid change. Drawing on her experience leading major professional organizations, Denise shares how CalCPA is reimagining its role—from servi

Last week, Ron and Ed began exploring Pope Leo XIV's landmark social encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. This week, they continue the conversation, moving beyond first impressions into the document's deeper implications for business, technology, and the future of human flourishing. What does it mean to remain fully human in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence? Can technology serve the common good without reducing people to data points or algorithms? And is AI simply another powerf

Father Vincent DeRosa returns to The Soul of Enterprise to examine Magnifica Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical and a landmark reflection on safeguarding human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. Building on our earlier conversation about Rerum Novarum, we explore how Catholic social teaching continues to evolve while remaining rooted in timeless principles. Ron, Ed, and Father Vincent discuss why the Church sees AI as a defining challenge of our era, drawing compelling paral

The accounting profession has always adapted to change—but what if it could actively shape the future instead of simply reacting to it? In this episode, Ron and Ed welcome Tom Hood, EVP of Business Engagement & Growth at AICPA & CIMA, to discuss Rise2040, the profession-wide initiative designed to help accountants and finance professionals envision—and create—the future of the profession. Tom explains why AI, automation, shifting client expectations, and changing talent models require a new min