Karbon is a global leader in practice management software for accounting firms. I consulted with their team on two data-driven reports, helping transform proprietary survey data and industry research into compelling thought leadership for the accounting profession.
On both projects, my role was consistent: I assisted in identifying and prioritizing the most compelling insights from the data, drafted and edited the report copy, and recommended graphics throughout to bring the findings to life.
The State of AI in Accounting 2025 — Second Annual Report
Karbon’s second annual State of AI in Accounting Report is one of the most comprehensive global studies on AI usage, perceptions, and attitudes within the accounting community—synthesizing input from more than 500 accounting professionals across six continents.
Working from the survey data, I helped identify and prioritize the insights that mattered most, then drafted and edited the report copy and recommended graphics to visualize the findings. A central paradox anchored the narrative: while 85% of respondents were optimistic about AI’s potential, only 37% were actively investing in AI training—a tension that gave the report its through-line and urgency. Other headline findings included firms saving an average of 18 hours per employee per month through AI, and 56% of respondents believing a firm’s value drops if it doesn’t adopt AI.
Rising Beyond the Challenge — 2024 Practice Excellence Special Report
This special report examined how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated change across accounting firms—analyzing Practice Excellence data from before, during, and after the pandemic to identify what separated the firms that excelled from those that didn’t.
I assisted in surfacing and prioritizing the insights within a large longitudinal dataset, drafted and edited the report, and recommended graphics to track how each Practice Excellence pillar and competency shifted from pre- to post-COVID. The analysis landed on a clear central finding: the firms that thrived shared a renewed focus on efficiency and doing more with less—the key to unlocking and sustaining practice excellence.
Turning proprietary data into category thought leadership
Across both projects, my approach was the one I bring to every data storytelling engagement: find and prioritize the narrative inside the data, draft and refine copy that speaks to a specific audience, and recommend the visualizations that make the findings land. For Karbon, that meant translating global survey research and longitudinal performance data into reports that resonated with accounting firm leaders navigating AI adoption and post-pandemic change.
Justin Guinn | Content & SEO Consultant 