Geni Whitehouse divides her time between working as a winery consultant in the Napa Valley, and writing, speaking and tweeting about what some might consider those "nerdy" subjects. Her insights are based on her book, “How to Make a Boring Subject Interesting: 52 Ways Even a Nerd Can be Heard.”
But more than anything, the CPA has a passion for applying technology for solving business problems. Today, along with the aforementioned thought leadership exercises, Whitehouse is co-founder of Solve Services, which provides remote bookkeeping services to companies in the wine industry.
The former partner in a CPA firm, two-time software company executive and recent CMO of a tech startup continues to receive accolades for her insights. She has been named a "Top 100 Influencer" by Accounting Today, one of "25 Thought Leaders in Accounting" and one of the "25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting" by CPA Practice Advisor. In addition, she is a member of the TEDxNapaValley organizing committee and was the first speaker at their first TEDx event in 2011.
During Accountex USA, Whitehouse will present the keynote on "Owning Your Brand," Wednesday, Nov. 16. Here are his thoughts on the conference and why you should attend:
What is the topic you are speaking on at Accountex?
"Owning Your Brand"
Why this topic?
This topic came from discussions I have had with attendees at prior conferences. Many accountants and bookkeepers really struggle to market their services and tell their story. They really undervalue their own unique talents and skills. I want to help them receive the recognition they deserve for the value they deliver.
Other than your session, what would you consider to be the "must attend sessions?"
I am really looking forward to Dave Kerpen’s keynote. I have been following him on LinkedIn for years, and want to learn more about his “Likeable” message. I love hearing about the latest and greatest from “Inspector Gadget” (Dave Cieslak). I also want to attend everything in the bookkeeping track. There is so much to learn.
What top three technologies have transformed your business?
Expensify has made it so much more fun to travel. There's no more keeping track of all of those tiny little paper receipts. QuickBooksOnline. We offer remote bookkeeping services that wouldn’t have been possible before. UberConference. This makes it easier to manage team calls from any device.
What should attendees be looking for on the exhibit floor?
They need to visit every single booth to learn about new tools, tips, solutions they didn’t know were possible. But in particular, they should visit all of the Dashboard/Business Intelligence/Analytics solution providers to make sure they are at the forefront of helping their clients make sense of all of this data.
Accountex USA, the only independent accounting technology conference and expo in the United States, leads the way for an inclusive approach to education on latest trends and technologies. The annual event will be held at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nov. 15-18.
For registration information, click here.