Hot Topics to Look for at AWEB Live Summit

When we first conceived of AccountingWEB Live Summit, we knew we had to put the topics of the sessions front and center.

Moreover, we knew the Agenda and subsequent topics needed to not only reflect our everyday commitment to providing practical and useful content to accounting professionals, but we also had to have topics that are top-of-mind. In short, we do a fair amount of social listening here at AccountingWEB and read a lot of emails as well. We heard you and took that into account when creating the agenda.

So, what are the hot topics that will be on display and on the minds of attendees at Paradise Point Hotel in San Diego on May 9-12? Here’s what I’ve been able to gather:

Staff Retention/Great Resignation

It’s not just a buzzword or catch phrase. Employees in all sectors have resigned from jobs in record numbers, largely due to workplace culture, salaries and just plain old being burnt out and wanting a fresh start. If the pandemic taught businesses one thing, it’s that most professional careers can indeed be done remotely or via a hybrid model. Workplace flexibility is paramount to retaining key staffers, and a career in accounting needs to offer more than the latest tech to work on.

At AccountingWEB Live Summit, we take this issue head on with an appropirately titled session, “The Great Resignation: Attracting and Retaining Top Talent.” Here, our panel of experts will share a mix of insights on current research and their own real-world experience. Leading practitioner consultants on this extremely timely panel will teach you:

• What the top employee-retention risk factors are
• What firms can do to draw in and keep the right talent, including how to build a brand that appeals to professionals
• How to motivate passive job seekers to want to work for you

Another companion session to address this issue is around company (or firm) culture. As mentioned, it’s a key reason why staff leave, and if you don’t get this formula right in your practice, it may be a difficult road ahead. As such, we’ve assembled a panel of practitioners and leading consultants on firm culture in our session “Company Culture Matters: Smart Strategies for Small Firms.” 

The fact is, firms of all sizes with positive and inclusive company cultures have their pick of top talent, attract and retain great clients and even become more profitable. This session addresses how you as a firm leader can:

• Understand what separates an excellent company culture from a mediocre one
• Discover the relationships between company culture and both profits and talent acquisition
• Learn simple steps you can take now to get your firm’s culture on track 

Build and Work With the Right Tech Stack

There was a time when most of what an accounting firm needed in tech was in a product suite. While this is still an option, needs have changed, services have expanded (or become more niche focused) and the world of third-party applications has exploded. The availability of accounting-related technologies is overwhelming to most accountants, with many opting for a “best-of-breed” approach or, quite simply, what’s available in an app store that supposedly works with your platform of choice.

The result is a lot of confusion, frustration and even some regrets over choices made in haste or with little regard for future needs. This has given rise to all of the talk about having the right tech stack, not only for your staff, but for your clients to work on in tandem.

So, what is the right choice? This depends largely on what you know your firm’s and clients’ needs are and, of course, understanding what’s available to do the job you need them to do and properly. Enter the experts!

That’s right, again, we have heard you on these issues and have several sessions (including a keynote address and fireside chat) to set you on the right path to success when it comes to your technology choices.

These sessions include:

• Keynote: Accounting Tech is At an Inflection Point
• Tools, Tech and Tactics to Target & Transform Your Niche
• How Technology Broke Public Accounting
• Keys to Optimizing the ROI of Your Tech Stack

Diversifying/Expanding Services into New Areas

I can’t tell you how many times I looked in my inbox or saw discusisons on social media about how accountants solely or largely focused on tax were flat out burnt out, didn’t want to deal with another tax client or season and even wanted to leave public accounting all together. Certainly it’s easy to blame the system we’re in, with an underfunded IRS, tax codes that change with the wind and, in some cases, technology simply not keeping up with the needs of firms.

A solution to these woes that many accountants have sought is through either doing more of the work they love, or even expanding into areas that rely on their financial expertice and industry knowledge. Certainly this work does involve placing yourself in more of an advisory-type capacity, but not necessarily going full advisory or offering Client Accounting Services full time.

Some accountants have chosen to work with more high net-worth individuals, get to know the real estate market better and even become more of an acutary or financial advisor. For those curious, or simply fed up enough with relying so heavily on tax work, again, we heard you, and Live Summit will offer the following:

• Money-Saving Strategies You’re Not Telling Your Client
• From NFTs to Stocks and Crypto: Wealth Management Experts Break Down Investing in 2022
• Non-Tax Advisory Services for SMBs
• What Accountants Need to Know About Real Estate Investing

There’s a lot more to unpack about AccountingWEB Live Summit, but we figure you should experience that for yourself. We can’t wait to hear what you all are discussing there!

Join us in San Diego, California, May 9-12, 2022, for AccountingWEB Live Summit, a brand-new in-person conference and networking event for accounting professionals. 

Hear from many experts in the industry on the future of accounting, discover new fintech for the digital age, and attend CPE accredited sessions to move your business forward. After two years of lockdown, you can spend time meeting like-minded professionals discussing tips, tricks, and the challenges you face at breakfast briefings, networking lunches, and an unforgettable off-site dinner event. Learn more at https://www.accountingweblivesummit.com