Voices

Night of the living CPA

IMGCAP(1)]Have you recently seen...a CPA zombie? Do you feel like the walking dead within your professional life? Do you know someone who is an innovation and growth killer within your firm?

I just returned from CCH Connections User Conference and I feel as though the “new firm” ideas are starting to take hold.

This is exciting!

Though I spotted more than a few zombies in attendance, overall, the group is seemingly starting to change. Okay, well, maybe not change immediately, but starting to listen. And that is a start.

CCH released a white paper (CPA Firms Succeeding in the New Economy: CCH Leaders Now and Next Survey) during the conference that described the profession’s innovators as pioneers. These are the people who ultimately have greater success and profitability. More and more practitioners seem open to learning social media and new pricing models.

It was refreshing to meet younger partners who are practicing more innovative business models within their firms almost on the "sly"— but because they are so successful their legacy partners aren’t complaining.  

From attending the conference, it has become increasingly clear to me that innovation is also impacting larger mid-size firms, not just the smaller firms who we know are innately more agile.

This is all good. Change is happening.

Are we getting closer to the tipping point where "new" firm models will be a recognizable element at an industry conference like the one hosted by CCH? I sure hope so.  

Congrats to CCH for embracing the new generation and creating a special track specifically for emerging leaders. Yes! Legacy zombies can be transformed with the infusion of innovation. Let’s give our profession a rebirth. It’s time.

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