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Padar and Tolin team up to empower accountants to think AI-first

The future of accounting will be built by AI-literate professionals who know how to think better, advise smarter and elevate their firms.

That’s the driving force behind XcelLabs, a new platform launched by Jody Padar, the Radical CPA, and Katie Tolin, a growth strategist, who are both known for reshaping accounting from their unique perspectives. The Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA) and CPA Crossings, LLC, are partnering with Padar and Tolin to power the launch as strategic partners and investors.

“To reinvent the profession, we must start by training the professional who can then transform their firms,” said Padar, an accounting influencer and author of three books that advocate for radicalizing practice management. “By equipping people with data and insights that help them see things differently, they can provide better advice to their clients and firm.”

XcelLabs is a training and technology platform that offers solutions to help accountants use AI to build fluency and strategic thinking. This is done through:

• XelLabs Academy – A series of online courses that will provide hands-on education on topics related to the basics of AI, being a better advisor, leadership and practice management.
• Navi - Proprietary and patent-pending technology that uses AI to help accountants turn unstructured data from emails, phone calls and meetings into insights, while adjusting to the unique emotions and needs of each user.
• Training and Consulting – Training teams at larger firms to think AI-first and use Navi, coupled with ongoing coaching to improve conversations and advice received, as well as advisory actions to be taken.  
  

These solutions, currently in beta testing, will help professionals become exceptional at what they do and be proud of how they do it.

“Accountants know they need to be more advisory, but not everyone can figure out how to do it. Couple that with the fact that AI will be doing a lot of the lower-level work accountants do today, and we need to create that next level advisor now,” said Tolin, an award-winning growth professional and a member of the Accounting Marketing Hall of Fame. “By showing accountants how to unlock patterns in their actions and turn client conversations into emotionally intelligent advice, we can create the accounting professional of the future.”

Unlike traditional tech or training platforms, XcelLabs blends high-impact strategy with tactical AI tools designed to upskill people, not just automate processes. By pushing boundaries, lifting up people and leveraging AI for every business challenge, firms will become AI-X^(SM) firms – firms that use AI to drive excellence.

“AI is transforming how CPAs work,” said Jennifer Cryder, CPA, CEO of PICPA, “and XcelLabs is focused on helping the profession evolve with it. At PICPA, we’re proud to support a mission that aligns so closely with ours: empowering firms to use AI not just for efficiency, but to drive growth, value and long-term relevance.”

At its core, XcelLabs is a human-centric company built to elevate accountants, ensuring that people remain at the heart of an AI-powered profession.

Improve the professional. Transform the firm. Reinvent the profession.

About XcelLabs
XcelLabs is the training and technology platform leading the AI-X Movement. Co-founded by Jody Padar and Katie Tolin, the company is equipping accountants for the future. XcelLabs blends education, advisory tools and proprietary AI solutions to help individuals grow, firms evolve and the profession stay relevant. Learn more at www.XcelLabsAcademy.com.

Contact:
Katie Tolin, COO, XcelLabs
330-984-4000
Katie@CPAGrowthGuides.com