For over 2 decades the profession has been trying to solve the staffing question. As firm leaders are exploring the impact of flex work schedules and technology like RPA and AI augmenting the skills of our team, it is time to reframe the productivity question. In place of focusing on how to get more staff onboard to do more work, we should look at the structure and make up of our teams. What roles do technology play? What positions can be filled by non-accounting professionals? Where do we use bots and fractual staffing to level the peaks and valleys of busy seasons? Join this session to discuss these questions, and hear many other perspectives to reframe the productivity question of the 21st century.

The CPA profession has played a critical role in helping small businesses achieve forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program by leveraging new tools and capabilities. In this session, leaders from CPA.com and fintech company Biz2Credit will share how thousands of firms expanded their advisory services via the CPA Business Funding Portal to provide business relief for clients during economic recovery efforts.  CPA firm owner Andrea Parness  will share how she and her team leveraged the platform to create a successful application and forgiveness process. You'll hear from these experts exactly what steps firms have taken to make fintech a central part of their services for clients through PPP and loan forgiveness. They’ll also share best practices and insights on how your firm can expand into business financing advisory services to deliver greater value to clients beyond PPP.

Over the last 2 years, we saw an increased demand and growth of advisory services, yet not every accounting professional is ready to lead with advisory instead of compliance. Many hold back offering high value advisory services over concerns of inadequacy or failure. Those with a growth mindset, welcome opportunities to grow and learn and don’t see failure as a condemnation of themselves, but as a learning opportunity. Our mindset influences our ability to see opportunities, offer a fresh perspective, earn trust, and problem solve, all of which we need to build a new advisory services and bring value to clients. In this session, we will discuss the various types of mindsets and how to intentionally make a shift so we can offer clients the services they need most.

In a CAS practice the technology, processes and roles are different than other service lines in the firm. Though technical training can be organized as crossover trainings, the exact skills to be successful in the various roles of a CAS department needs it's own curriculum. In this session we will discuss ways to train your CAS team from entry level to virtual controller and CFOs. Communicating career path options is important for employee engagement and firm growth. This includes developing additional skill sets and knowledge on tools that are key to the productivity and profitability of the services.

What are the new roles we need in firms? Implementation specialists, onboarding specialists? IT is a different animal in a virtual cloud practice. We need new positions that include technologists that can integrate cloud solutions and train AI databases. The profession needs more financial and data analysts. With the growth of advisory we are looking for professionals with consulting and advisory skills. It is time to write some new job descriptions and expand the skillsets on our teams. In this session, we will discuss the roles and skills needed now and in the future. We will discuss how we will train existing team members and incorporate professionals from other fields of study.

In the accounting profession, disruptive technological change is not on the way – it’s already here, with even more to come. As these capabilities advance further and the marketplace evolves, leveraging technology to effectively drive competitive advantage requires a combination of planning, clearly defined business objectives, and strong change management capabilities. In this session, we will discuss the essential elements that contribute to successful change initiatives, including the people and processes impacted. Join us to learn how you can successfully navigate and drive change to achieve your future vision.

Opportunities for advisory services are growing in emerging areas, such as: environmental social and governance (ESG) reporting, SOC auditing, cybersecurity, and working capital. A panel of practice leaders driving these initiatives will discuss how they started these practice areas, how they developed staff to deliver them, and identified profiles of clients buying these services. Bring your questions about best practices to branch out into these new service lines and what obstacles to consider as you develop your plans.

Client accounting advisory service (CAS) lines have been maturing in firms across the profession for over a decade. Some practices are flourishing where others are stalling out. Succession Institute and CPA.com collaborated on an assessment tool to assist firms in identifying where they will face challenges in growing a CAS practice. In this session, we will review anonymous findings from those that have leveraged the CAS Assessment Tool, and share insights on how to use results of the assessment to make your CAS practice stronger. This session is about the inner dynamics and workings in your firm. Leverage the experiential learning of other professionals to proactively address common roadblocks that stunt progress and those that propel success.

Services, technology, where we work...these aspects of our business have changed dramatically in the last 5-10 years. Why is it that we still use the same KPIs to measure success? Drop old school metrics and determine the right leading indicators that fit your unique practice area. With the right measures in place, you’ll be on your way to creating a high-performance, future-ready practice. 

Leave this session with a clearer picture of how you can affect the financial mechanics that drive profitability and success!