If you’re pumped up for QuickBooks Connect and all the opportunities that await you next week, then you’ll be excited to see that we’re ending this series on a high note with Joe Woodard, the content producer for all the accounting training at the event, and his take on what you experience at the conference.
Some people may be wondering what Joe’s role in QuickBooks Connect is, since he owns Scaling New Heights, his own training event for QuickBooks ProAdvisors. When I asked, he said that the two events are very different. He said, “Scaling New Heights is an advanced training conference specifically designed for QuickBooks ProAdvisors. QuickBooks Connect is a small business conference that includes a strong training track for accounting professionalsand ProAdvisors. QuickBooks Connect is unique, in that it brings Intuit’s entire
ecosystem together under one roof, with events and training for small business owners, entrepreneurs, software developers and accounting professionals. And I’m supportive of QuickBooks Connect because I'm a supporter of Intuit, an evangelist for their products as well as their larger story to help small businesses succeed.”
When asked about his specific role during QuickBooks Connect, Joe replied, Intuit partnered with my team because we have a proven track record around accountant training. We have hosted six very successful conferences for accounting professionals, and, over the past decade, we have trained tens of thousands of accounting professionals across the country. I’ll also be teaching some sessions, providing a special kickoff address, and moderating panels.”
Joe will be:
- Teaching a session titled “Top 10 QuickBooks Tips and Tricks for Accounting Professionals” on Monday afternoon
- Co-presenting a session on Tuesday morning with Woody Adams (from Intuit) on “Converting From QuickBooks to QuickBooks Online”
- Presenting a featured address during a special kickoff event on Tuesday afternoon called “A Paradigm Shift: The Impact of Data Automation on the Accounting Industry.” Joe will share the stage with Doug Sleeter, who will present a featured address called “Small Business Cloud Migration: How to Transition Your Clients Without Creating a Tornado”
- Sitting on a panel with three other industry thought leaders called, “Directions on the Accounting Industry: A Thought Leader Discussion.” Other panelists include Gary Boomer, Darren Root and Greg Lafollette. The panel will be moderated by Gail Perry, Senior Editor of CPA Practice Advisor.
Joe will be moderating panels during the following sessions:
- “Ask the Experts: QBO Small Firm Practitioner Panel” on Wednesday morning
- “Automating and Streamlining Workflow for You and Your Clients” on Tuesday afternoon.
- “Back to the Field: How Real Time Involvement in Client Bookkeeping Can Revolutionize Your Practice” on Tuesday afternoon.
When asked what he liked about moderating, Joe said,
“My first passion is to teach, but I love moderating panels because it gives me a chance to step back from the spotlight and listen to the opinions of others. I still get to steer the conversation, and I still get to corral the audience interaction. But, the people we put on these panels are on the cutting edge in their areas of their expertise, so I end up learning a lot even as I moderate.”
As a sponsor of the event, Joe will also have a "Woodard" booth where attendees will be able to learn more about everything he offers ProAdvisors, small business owners (i.e. QuickBooks users) and developers of solutions that integrate with QuickBooks. He said:
“At our booth, attendees will learn more about the training we offer through Woodard events, they can explore professional networking opportunities for QuickBooks ProAdvisors, and find ways to partner with us around our nationally-renowned consulting practice. During QuickBooks Connect we will also unveil our new, consolidated brand – simply “Woodard.” There is now a single Woodard.com website where our clients, conference attendees, and network members can explore everything we offer in the “Woodard universe.”
When asked what attendees would enjoy the most about the QuickBooks Connect, Joe shared his excitement about the unique look and feel of the conference space, as mentioned by Kara DeFrias (one of the Executive Producers of QuickBooks Connect) in “Inside QuickBooks Connect.” He said:
“The design of the space is going to be unlike any other industry show I’ve seen. Intuit has gone out of their way to make the conference environment invigorating and innovative, from the way the exhibit floor works to the way the design of general session stage to the flow of the interactive/connecting spaces and networking lounges. Intuit is going to “wow” a lot of people.
Joe also said that attendees would enjoy the main stage presentations. He said, “It’s a star-studded main stage. A cast like this has not been assembled in the accounting industry in any show I’ve seen in my 20 years working in the profession. When asked what speaker he’s
most excited to see, he said, “Scott Cook, because my career and everything that I've done for the last 15 years has revolved around both Intuit as a company and the Intuit product line for small businesses. And, the Woodard companies share the same mission as Intuit – to partner with accounting professionals around small business success.”
Joe also added, “I’m really looking forward to the networking socials in the evenings, when all the demographics come together. I and other accountants will get to meet small business owners, interact with hundreds of Intuit employees, and, of course, network with other accounting professionals. So when the training walls come down and we're all in a single space together, we will have a very different, and very powerful, networking opportunity."
We also asked Joe his opinion on the “must attend” sessions for accounting professionals and ProAdvisors. He replied, “All of the breakout sessions are going to provide highly relevant information and people should choose session based on their learning goals and what is going to provide the highest value for his or her own firm. But, if I had to call out my personal favorites…the ones I’m personally most passionate about… I would say:
- “The Special Kickoff Event” over lunch on Tuesday where Doug Sleeter and I will share the stage for the first time in almost a decade.
- “QuickBooks Online Advanced Certification Exam Preparation” on Tuesday afternoon with Michelle Long. Attendees at this session receive advanced access to the preparation materials and certification exam, giving them the ability to earn a designation as an “Advanced QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor” weeks before other ProAdvisors.
- “Accountants as Trusted Business Advisors: Assuming a Leadership Role with the Client” on Wednesday with Les McKeown. Les has decades of experience in small business growth and a very powerful way of sharing his knowledge.
Joe’s wrapped up our interview with a challenge for our readers who still haven’t registered for the event. Joe said, “You have one chance to say you were at the very first QuickBooks Connect…one chance to say you helped Intuit to launch something truly great. I strongly encourage you to attend and join us and Intuit in making conference history.”
Editor Comment: We hope that you’ve enjoyed this series and that you’re excited for this event as much as we are. If you are attending the conference, make sure to introduce yourselves, tell us what you think about Intuitive Accountant and, if you have ideas to share let us know how we can make Intuitive Accountant an even more powerful resource for accounting professionals.