Karbon Excellence Awards Podcast

What does it take to build a firm clients trust and stay with?In this episode, Cenk Tukel, Founder and CEO @ Tukel, Inc., shares how a philosophy of giving without expectation, combined with disciplined systems and team alignment, has driven consistent growth and long-term client relationships. Drawing on decades of global finance experience and his own entrepreneurial journey, Cenk explains how serving international startup founders shaped a focused niche.He breaks down the firm’s commitment to fast, consistent communication, a single system for all client interactions, and a culture where every team member takes ownership of the client experience. Cenk also reflects on how offering value upfront—often before clients are ready to pay—has led to sustained referrals and trust over time.Listeners will also hear why Tukel Inc. paused growth to strengthen internal capacity, reinforcing the importance of scaling deliberately.Tukel Inc. is the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Practice Excellence.

What does it look like when sustainability is built into the foundation of an accounting firm,not added as an afterthought?In this episode of the Karbon Excellence Awards podcast, host Twyla Verhelst speaks with Karla Hourigan, Co-Founder of MAD Wealth, about how the firm is redefining success through a model of holistic wealth. Founded on the belief that profit alone isn’t a complete measure of success, MAD Wealth helps businesses become profitable, sustainable, and impactful, unlocking what Karla calls “the good in business.” Karla shares how sustainability became a natural extension of the firm’s values, from embedding measurable environmental practices into daily operations to offsetting more than 150% of their emissions and launching carbon accounting services for clients. She also explains how education, mentorship, and client engagement play a central role in driving real change.The conversation also explores MAD Wealth’s broader impact initiatives, including global partnerships and humanitarian programs that connect accounting work with meaningful outcomes for people and communities.MAD Wealth is the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Sustainability, recognized for demonstrating how purpose-driven accounting can create measurable impact for businesses, communities, and the planet.

Technology alone doesn’t create connection—it's how firms use it that does. In this episode, Jennifer Green and Michelle Felip, Partners at Jade Consulting Inc., share how their firm intentionally designs technology and processes to strengthen relationships across both their team and their clients.As a fully remote firm since 2016, Jade has built a tightly integrated tech stack that connects everything from client onboarding and quoting to workflow management and financial reporting. Jennifer and Michelle explain how they carefully evaluate new apps, prioritize trusted partners, and test tools internally before introducing them to clients, ensuring confidence, security, and reliability every step of the way. They also discuss how automation has transformed their work by removing manual tasks and freeing the team to focus on higher-value advisory conversations. That saved time is reinvested in understanding client goals, improving processes, and helping businesses make better decisions.Finally, they share how Jade keeps a remote team deeply connected through intentional culture, frequent touchpoints, and structured collaboration.Jennifer Green and Michelle Felip are Partners at Jade Consulting Inc., the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Connectivity.

Client delight doesn’t happen by accident. Rather, thoughtfully designed around the end user experience. In this episode, Karbon Excellence Awards podcast host Twyla Verhelst chats with Melissa Gaetani (Partner) and Roslyn Myall (Workflow Manager) from Tino-Gaetani & Carusi CPAs (TGC), the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Client Excellence.Melissa and Roslyn unpack how they keep the client experience at the core of everything: from reimagining workflows to leave room for the human element, to assigning every client a Client Excellence Coordinator so communication never falls cold. They share the meeting cadence that builds trust and clarity at key moments, how technology (including Karbon) supports a smoother client journey, and why investing in financial education through their Entrepreneur Coaching Program helps clients make smarter decisions and deepens long-term relationships.Celebrate the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Client Excellence: Tino-Gaetani and Carusi CPAs.

As AI reshapes accounting, +MORE Group is showing what it looks like to adopt it with discipline and heart.In this episode, Megan Plumridge of MGI+MORE Auckland shares how their team uses AI to speed up reporting, automate the busywork with their bot “Rosie,” and reinvest time into stronger client relationships. You’ll also hear the guardrails behind their success: continuous training, secure tools, accuracy checks, and a living AI policy that keeps people and values front and center.

Breaking through the noise takes more than growth for growth’s sake. In this episode, Principal at Clearline CPA, Bridget Noonan, shares how a focus on clarity, accountability, and smarter ways of working helped them scale with intention. Discover the mindset and operating approach that earned them the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award for Breakthrough Firm of the Year.

AI can do more than just save time. In this episode, Partner and COO of YBL, Mike Libbey, pulls back the curtain on how he created an army of vibe coders, leveraging AI to drive greater value to clients. Discover the playbook from the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for AI Innovation.

What does it take to build an accounting firm where people genuinely love coming to work? In this episode, CEO of HD Growth Partners, Tim Petrey, reveals how he scaled his business by putting listening, transparency, and purpose at the heart of everything they do. Find out what sets them apart as the 2025 Karbon Excellence Award winner for Balance & Culture.