Imagine walking into an accounting conference and finding a yoga session next to a tax update seminar. Sound far-fetched? Welcome to the new world of accounting professional development.
In a recent Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast episode, hosts Hector Garcia and Alicia Katz Pollock discussed the transformative changes sweeping through accounting conferences. From the evolution of QuickBooks Connect to Intuit Connect to the emergence of niche events like Appy Camp, these industry gatherings are undergoing a radical makeover.
At the heart of this transformation is a simple yet powerful idea: modern accounting conferences are moving beyond technical skills to address the whole professional. They’re integrating topics like wellness and communication, reflecting a growing recognition of the multifaceted challenges faced by today’s accounting professionals.
The Rise of Specialized Conferences
Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all accounting conferences. Today’s professional gatherings are becoming increasingly specialized, catering to specific niches within the accounting world.
Take Scaling New Heights, for instance. This conference has become a cornerstone event for many QuickBooks-focused accounting professionals. As Alicia explains, “Scaling New Heights is one of the best conferences for really good tangible education in the sessions. And also the community is just huge and vibrant.” The conference offers deep dives into QuickBooks functionalities, advanced reporting techniques, and strategies for growing your accounting practice.
Specialization doesn’t stop there. Appy Hour Camp takes niche focusing to another level. This invite-only conference is specifically designed for educators in the accounting space. Alicia describes it as a place “trying to find up and coming trainers who need to kind of grow into their voice and stand in their confidence about what it is that they have to contribute to the world.” The conference fosters collaboration among trainers and even explores cutting-edge topics like the integration of AI in accounting education.
This trend towards specialization mirrors the broader changes in the accounting industry. As roles become more diverse and technology more complex, there’s a growing need for targeted, in-depth knowledge. These niche conferences are stepping up to meet that need, providing spaces for deep learning and community building.
Integrating Wellness and Personal Development
As accounting conferences evolve, they increasingly recognize that professional success requires more than technical expertise. Enter conferences like Bridging the Gap, which is pioneering the integration of wellness and personal development topics into the traditional conference format.
The origin of Bridging the Gap speaks volumes about its mission. As Hector explains, “Randy himself ten years ago had a stroke. And he blames the stroke on overwork, on stress, on all the things that plague our profession – bookkeeper, CPA, tax attorney or otherwise.” This experience led to a conference that blends technical accounting concepts with wellness topics, featuring unique offerings like yoga sessions, meditation workshops, and even massage rooms alongside traditional technical sessions.
This shift reflects a growing awareness of the accounting profession’s stress and mental health challenges. For QuickBooks professionals, managing multiple clients, keeping up with software updates, and ensuring accurate financial reporting can be overwhelming. By addressing these issues head-on, conferences like Bridging the Gap acknowledge that a healthy, balanced professional is ultimately more effective.
Adapting to Changing Technology and Industry Trends
As the accounting industry evolves, so too do its conferences. Perhaps no example illustrates this better than the transformation of QuickBooks Connect into Intuit Connect.
When QuickBooks Connect launched in 2014, it had a broad focus. As Hector recalls, “QuickBooks Connect was about the word connect, which was a play on words for multiple things. It was connecting small business with accountants… Connecting developers with accountants.” The conference served as a melting pot for stakeholders in the QuickBooks ecosystem, with sessions ranging from basic bookkeeping to advanced app integrations.
However, the conference has shifted to a more accounting-centric approach over time. In recent years, we have seen an increase in advanced technical sessions, discussions on advisory services, and workshops on leveraging QuickBooks data for business insights. This change reflects the growing complexity of the accounting profession and the evolving needs of QuickBooks professionals taking on more advisory roles.
The rebranding to Intuit Connect signals even broader changes. As Alicia speculates, this could indicate a move towards integrating Intuit’s other products, like Credit Karma and TurboTax, into the conference content. This shift mirrors the trend in the wider industry towards more integrated, comprehensive financial services.
Other conferences are also adapting to technological changes. For instance, Appy Camp is incorporating sessions on AI in accounting education, reflecting the growing importance of this technology in the field.
These changes in conference focus and content provide a window into the future of the accounting profession. They suggest a move towards more integrated services, increased specialization, and a growing emphasis on emerging technologies. For QuickBooks professionals, this means opportunities to expand your service offerings, deepen your technical expertise, and stay ahead of industry trends.
Your Next Step: Leveraging Modern Conferences for Professional Growth
The evolution of these conferences reflects the broader transformation of the accounting profession itself – from number crunchers to strategic advisors, from software users to technology integrators. By adapting to address the changing needs of accounting professionals, these conferences play a vital role in shaping the industry’s future.
From specialized gatherings like Scaling New Heights and Appy Camp to wellness-focused events like Bridging the Gap to the technology-driven evolution of Intuit Connect, these conferences are adapting to meet the multifaceted challenges faced by today’s accounting professionals.
The accounting profession is evolving rapidly, and staying connected with these trends through conference attendance can be a key factor in your professional success. These events offer invaluable opportunities to learn, network, and glimpse the future of our industry.
Ready to explore this transformation in more depth? Listen to the full episode of the Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast, and consider which of these innovative conferences might be your next game-changing professional development experience.
Alicia Katz Pollock’s Royalwise OWLS (On-Demand Web-based Learning Solutions) is the industry’s premier portal for top-notch QuickBooks Online training with CPE for accounting firms, bookkeepers, and small business owners. Visit Royalwise OWLS, where learning QBO is a HOOT!