AI Fluency, Pricing Strategy, and Accounting’s Future

In episode 161 of The Woodard Report Podcast, hosts Joe Woodard and Heather Satterley unpack industry trends and practical takeaways for practice owners. From a new report on AI usage at work to the accelerating convergence of practice management and month-end close automation, this episode highlights why accounting professionals can’t afford to stay passive as the profession evolves.

Google’s AI report signals a widening gap in the workplace

Heather shares findings from a Google report on AI usage at work, noting that only 5% of workers are considered “AI fluent” and two in five workers are even casually using AI on the job. She explains that “AI fluent” workers are those who have “redesigned or reorganized significant portions of their work with AI,” and points out a key concern: only 14% of workers polled had been offered AI training in the workplace.

Joe adds context from prior conversations about accounting-specific AI adoption, emphasizing that knowledge-work roles may naturally see higher usage because so much of the work is research-driven. Still, the episode reinforces the bigger point that AI skills are becoming a differentiator and firms should be proactive about training and experimentation.

Scaling New Heights includes an AI training track

Joe highlights that Scaling New Heights includes an AI-focused curriculum designed to deliver substantial, practical training, led by experts, including Randy Johnston. A list of all the sessions can be found here: Scaling New Heights Sessions

Practice management and month-end close automation are converging

Joe turns to the product landscape, calling out a growing “pile on” around month-end automation. He outlines how month-end close platforms expanded toward practice management, and now practice management platforms are pushing back toward month-end close and bookkeeping.

A key example: Joe notes that Canopy announced a bookkeeping module designed to read and write to the general ledger, supporting multi-GL environments and simplifying both workflow and training. Heather connects this to her own long-standing interest in automated close workflows, describing how the category has matured well beyond what was available years ago.

Heather’s Woodard Report article of the week aligns with that discussion: Canopy Bookkeeping Launches to Streamline Month-End Close.

Quotes of the week

Heather’s quote of the week comes from The Breakfast Club. “You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions.”

She connects this to how clients may stereotype accounting professionals, and why the shift from compliance to advisory is an opportunity to demonstrate deeper value and complexity.

Joe builds on the idea with a practical mindset check: if you can insert the word “just” into how you describe your work (“just a bookkeeper,” “just an accountant”), it’s time to reassess the story you’re telling yourself.

Joe’s quote of the week comes from the Titans documentary series. The narrator observes, “Market collapse and political intervention forces, while they were rivals they became allies, while they were allies, they became rivals.

Joe draws a parallel to today’s accounting technology landscape. Competitors can quickly become collaborators, and new players can reshape the market faster than expected. His message is to pay attention. Leaders who look beyond the day to day and watch how the larger forces are moving will be better positioned to adapt and win.

Excellent things learned

Joe shares a framework from Ron Baker on three pricing strategies:

• Skim pricing: start high, then step down over time
• Neutral pricing: match market benchmarks
• Penetration pricing: start low to gain market share, then move upward

Joe argues that skim pricing can be a strong fit for practices building a new, differentiated CAS offering, launching it as a distinct “2.0” model, pricing it high based on value, then creating additional offerings underneath as the market responds.

Heather then shares encouraging pipeline news: an AICPA article indicates more students have been selecting accounting as an undergraduate major over the last three years, up 7.3%. She also mentions ongoing work around Intuit’s education efforts to help students graduate with practical small business and QuickBooks exposure.

Member spotlight: Dave Eshbach of CleanSlate Financial Services

Shirley Koss spotlights Dave Eshbach, owner of CleanSlate Financial Services in Richmond, Virginia. Dave launched his firm within the last year and has grown to 30–35 active clients on flat monthly value pricing. Shirley shares that Dave credits the Woodard community for helping him build “in a completely stress-free environment,” emphasizing the impact of weekly roundtables, courses, and peer support. She notes that Dave’s biggest shifts have been confidence, revenue, systems, and time management, and that his philosophy is to “charge what you’re worth, even if it scares you a little bit.”

A profession in transition 

As this episode makes clear, the profession is moving quickly, from AI fluency and automation to pricing strategy and education pipelines. The practices that thrive will not be the ones waiting for certainty. They will be the ones experimenting, learning, and building with intention. Whether you are refining your tech stack, rethinking your pricing model, or strengthening your community connections, now is the time to pay attention, stay curious, and lead proactively.

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🎧 Listen to the full episode at woodard.com/podcast.

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Thank you to our show sponsor, Digits!

Digits is the world's first agentic general ledger, accounting software that works for you. Built from the ground up for the AI era, Digits automates bookkeeping in month-end shifting your team from data entry to review and advisory. Visit Digits.com to get started today.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and edited by a human.