Michael McLaughlin is an award-winning professor, CPA, and the creator of Edspira.  He holds seven college degrees, including a PhD from Washington University in St. Louis, and his research has been featured in media outlets such as the New York Times.

Michael is best known, however, for taking complex accounting topics and making them easier to understand.  He has helped thousands of people pass the CPA and CMA exams through his Edspira YouTube channel, provides tax tips to small business owners on TikTok, and explains the intricacies of financial statement fraud on his podcast Scheme.  

The common theme is an eagerness to share accounting knowledge and make a positive contribution to people’s lives.  Michael grew up in challenging circumstances; at the age of 17 he found himself living in a tent after experiencing child abuse that left his face scarred.  Fortunately, Michael was able to meet several life-changing mentors and obtain a college education.  Now it is Michael’s turn to pay it forward, by sharing the knowledge he has been privileged enough to receive with students, executives, and business owners around the world.

In his free time, Michael spends time outdoors with his wonderful wife.  In 2012, Michael completed a 2,500-mile “Hike4Kids” to raise $15,000 for neglected and abused children.  

Fun fact:  to make class more engaging, Michael has hired jugglers, recruited a professional Santa Claus, and eaten the hottest pepper in the world at the start of a lecture.