Financial Cents Webbie - Automating Your Accounting Firm

Shahram Zarshenas, CEO of Financial Cents, and I will be hosting a workshop where we will gig out on systems and automation we love.

Join us and learn how you can automate time-consuming parts of your firm so you can:

• Save time

• Reduce human error

• Increase your work capacity

This isn’t a Kellie & Shahram yickity-yack session; it’s an actionable workshop where you will leave with a list of quick-to-implement automation and perhaps will have even set a few up!

We will all be cameras on, mics open - this is about you so let’s hear your voice and see your face!

Power Your Next

Woot, woot! I am so excited to be invited to host a meet-up at the Quickbooks Connect Virtual Event.

Join members of The Workflow Wateringhole Facebook Group* and myself for an interactive discussion on processes and workflows for accounting professionals.

But of course, we can go down any rabbit holes that may come up. This is a fun and interaction meet-up rather than a carved-in-stone presentation. My favourite kind of session!

*You don’t have to be a member of The Workflow Wateringhole to join this meet-up. But you should check out TWWH anywho - it’s a pretty fun group, if I do say so myself…

Financial Cents Webbie - Scale Your Firm With Optimized Checklists

Join Shahram Zarshenas, CEO of Financial Cents, and me for a workshop where we will craft checklists to:

• Effectively delegate client work

• Ensure consistent client deliverables

• Help you scale your firm effectively

This isn’t a yackity yack session; it’s an actionable workshop where you will gain insights that you can quickly implement to take your firm to the next level.

Setting Up An Online Scheduler Workshop

This is a free event, sponsored by Rewind!

Let's get you set up in one of the most efficiency-creating apps in existence - the automagical online scheduler.

Manage your time without wasting your time managing it, have your boundaries enforced for you, get paid for out-of-scope meetings and "I just need to pick your brain a little" asks.

It doesn’t matter what scheduler you want to set up - 17Hats, Acuity, Book Like A Boss, Calendly, TidyCal … they are all great. What matters is you join us to get one set up.

This workshop will make you accountable to subscribe to a scheduler and get the set-up process started.

Putting on your shoes is the hardest part of going for a run.

The process is the same for all of the schedulers so let’s do it together so it gets done!

This is a free event, sponsored by Rewind. I believe so mightily in their power, I really, really want to get everyone up and running in a scheduler and Rewind stepped up to make this a free event!

*This is a live workshop and will not be recorded.

Announcing Helm’s Outsourced Controller Bootcamp!

Join me alongside Mark Wickersham, Kellie Parks CPB, Peter Stewart and Veem, and learn how to price, implement and deliver high-fee, high-value outsourced financial controller services.

At Helm, they’re passionate about improving the success rate of small businesses and the role advisors play in that. They also know the impact Outsourced Controllership services can have on your own firm's revenue and growth.

That’s why we're all so excited to present ‘The Outsourced Controller Bootcamp’. It’s a half-day online event to give accountants & bookkeepers the knowledge and tools you need to deliver outsourced controllership services and become indispensable to your clients.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an outsourced controller newbie or a seasoned cash flow forecaster, this bootcamp is for all accounting & bookkeeping firms that want to make a bigger impact.

There’s something for everyone!

Tax Season Giveaway

Tax season is a marathon, not a sprint! To celebrate crossing the finish line, Relay and their amazing partners (including me) are giving away two (2) Tax Season Prize Packs, valued at over $3,442 each.

Our biggest giveaway yet!

Relay has teamed up with some of their favorite folks from the accounting and bookkeeping space to bring you the biggest Tax Season Prize Pack possible!

It's the final mile of busy season, and we could all use a pick-me-up. They’ve curated two prizes that include educational resources 📚 to level up your firm, discounts to new tools 🛠 to help streamline your workflows, and of course, some swag.

They are giving away one (1) accountant prize and (1) bookkeeper prizes, valued at a minimum of $3,442 per package. Scroll down for all the details!

What can you win?

From gift cards to software discounts, swag to industry memberships, these prizes are packed and we’ll be drawing the lucky winners on May 3.

Accounting Prize Pack

$100 Amazon gift card 

$100 to fund your Relay account + a t-shirt

6 months of no employer fees for a Guideline  401(k) for your firm

25% off your first year on Ignition’s Professional annual plan

SmartVault Swag Box

3-Call Coaching Package w/ Corinne Blagg

Apple AirPods w/ Charging Case from Gusto 

6 month free membership to the Roundtable Labs Community ($1500 value)

30 day free trial on Tesorio + a Yeti cooler

One (1) Client Handbook Template from Kellie Parks

3 months free for up to 5 accounts with Bookkeep ($750 value)

Xero for Dummies 5th edition by Hype Girl for Accounting Apps Heather Smith

3 months free to Future Firm Accelerate

1.5-hr coaching session with Blake Oliver

How to get over being a pushover; fostering collaborative client relationships

We've all been there - allowed someone (or possibly many-ones) to cross our limits and overstep on expectations. Perhaps you've even had the "Bookkeeper-Booty-Call" - the client calls & emails coming in day & night to which you feel the need to respond immediately?

• But does the problem lie with the interloper?

• Or is the problem that we haven't decided on our boundaries and then crafted communications to tell our clients about them?

Setting boundaries and communicating expectations does not mean you need to be a meanie-head.  In fact, letting people know why and what your limits are may be the nicest darn thing you do.  By letting them know clearly & concisely how to communicate & share with you, you have empowered them to feel safe and confident to collaborate with you. They will not be afraid to get a hold of you - the last thing we want - because now they know how to. And they are less likely to collaborate out of your comfort zone because you have told them what's not okay.

Here is a worksheet to download prior to the session.  Look it over, think about the questions and let's work together to get your boundaries established.  And then let's discuss the means and ways to get your message out.

We will work together to be Bossy-Nice, to create respectful, harmonious client relationships!

*CPB Canada members-only event - one more reason to join this fabulous association!

**CPD credits eligible.

How would you rate your accounting toolkit?

In the past, accounting professionals were encouraged to have fairly static tech stacks: A lineup of tried-and-true apps that they knew worked well for their business. Now, accountants overlap with technologists. A crucial part of their role is researching and seeking out the most effective tools to run their businesses efficiently, and most importantly, help their clients.

Diversifying and continuously updating the tools you use is key—don’t find yourself choosing these crucial tools based on your friend’s recommendations. Find what works best for you, your business, and your clients. There are a plethora of apps available to you—don’t settle for bad UX or incomplete functionality. Join me to discover the essential tools to integrate into your practice.

You’ve worked hard to determine what prices make sense for your firm and have revised how you package your service. Now it’s time to go to market - and to deliver on that promise of increasing value and opening revenue opportunities for your firm. 

But with modern accounting and bookkeeping comes modern marketing. For our third class, we are joined by Guest Speaker Kellie Parks for an in-depth session on how you can effectively market your services to attract the clients you want.

Join us on October 14th at 2 PM EDT for the next session of the Dext Academy series as we discover how you can set your firm apart from the competition and attract your target clientele.

At this webinar, you will discover:

• What modern marketing means and how it’s different for accountants and bookkeepers

• How to determine your perfect client and the use case for personas

• The ins and outs and marketing, and how to effectively pitch your business.

CPB Canada Ignite Conference - Should You Google? How to implement Google Apps in Your Business.

As accounting professionals, cloud applications are key for collaborating with our clients, communicating clearly, gathering information and running the business of our business. And Google has a host of inter-related apps to accomplish these needs.

And many of them are free!

This session will cover - high level - the Google App Ecosystem.

And then we will dig in a little on using:

1. Slides to build client and internal communications.

2. Forms to build info gathering, surveys and checklists.

3. Adding checkboxes to Docs, Keep & Sheets - we love checkboxes, no!?

Join us to analyze if Google Apps will create engagement & efficiency in your communications and team/client collaboration.

Learning Objectives:

1. Increase the efficiency of your communications.

2. Increase the engagement of your clients in your systems and processes.

3. Improved team & client collaboration.

Hello Ignite 2021 First Timers, 

CPB Canada is pleased to invite you to a session tailored just for you! We know that a first conference experience can be overwhelming at the best of times, and doing so in a virtual environment, even a bit more tricky to navigate. With that in mind, we think this first-timer session will help you get your conference experience off on the right foot.

Join us on Monday, September 20th, from 4-5 pm EST to participate in a session that will provide you with the following:

• An introductory greeting from the CPB Canada Chair Colleen Hoggarth, CPB and CEO Rick Johal (also a first-timer).

• You will hear from me, a proud CPB, on the power of the CPB designation, building a community of bookkeepers, and how networking can assist in this process:

  • I often say embracing all that CPB has to offer has lifted lifted my professional life to unexpected highs. I want every bookkeeper to experience the same joy!

• To help you move into the conference, we will do some virtual speed networking to build connections ahead of the event and practice your elevator pitch introduction. 

This event is an excellent opportunity to build connections in a casual setting ahead of the Ignite 2021 Conference. We hope you join us and take advantage of the chance to grow your network of peers across Canada. 

See how easy it is to integrate your Shopify e-commerce account with QuickBooks Online.

Join us for a series of events on how to correctly integrate different commerce systems with QuickBooks Online. Learn the do's and don't of how you should sync journal entries, and how to account (pun intended!) for your sales, processing fees, and more.

In our second event, we'll be walking through Shopify and cover the process of syncing journal entries to QBO. This session includes time for Q&A in a collaborative space to discuss Shopify and accounting integrations for commerce systems as a whole.

Hosts

• Ruth Ku - COO & Co-Founder, Bookkeep

• Kellie Parks - SaaSy Accounting Coach

Events

• August 18 - Squarespace

• September 15 - Shopify

• October 20 - Amazon

• November 17 - Square

• December 15 - Cannabis POS

This session includes time for Q&A in a collaborative space to discuss Squarespace and accounting integrations for e-commerce systems as a whole.

More information here.

Dext - Bookkeepers and Brewers

We've missed you! Join Dext at one of our partner Brewers, High Park Brewery, to reconnect.

About this event

With Toronto now in its final stages of reopening, the team at Dext would love to meet you for a drink while supporting local businesses in the GTA!

We'll be hosting a small networking event with our friend Kellie Parks at High Park Brewery (located at St. Clair West and Runnymede).

Come join us for a chat and enjoy a beer (or water), light snacks, and even a tour of the brewery if you’d like! We will be on the patio, but masks will be required when indoors using the facilities.

Since we are only able to accommodate 30 guests, we’d ask that you only bring one guest. This way we can also get to know each other better and catch up on what has been happening in the last year and a half!

Now let’s put our social skills to the test! We hope to - quite literally - see you there!

The Dext Team

Contact Caitlin.MacGorman@Dext.com for any questions.

A round table discussion for Financial Cents current and prospective users.

Hosted by Shahram, CEO of Financial Cents and myself, but it is a discussion among peers on using FC in conjunction with other apps.

So say you are using Drake, Practice Ignition, Liscio, ClientHub, 17Hats and some features are only in those apps (info gathering, e-signatures...) while other features are in both (client tasks, upload docs. project mgt, task lists...) - how do you co-ordinate what app does what?

Bring your ideas, bring your questions and bring your sense of collaboration!

Xenett Port Demo

Xenett Autoreview has a sister!

It's Xenett Port.

Import, delete, reclassify and update financial transactions with ease.

And we will be doing a product demo.

Yes, recorded!

But join Hardik Mehta and myself to ask your Qs live.

Sign up for a free beta test and register for the event.

See how easy it is to integrate your Squarespace e-commerce account with QuickBooks Online.

Join us for a series of events on how to correctly integrate different commerce systems with QuickBooks Online. Learn the do's and don't of how you should sync journal entries, and how to account (pun intended!) for your sales, processing fees, and more.

In our first event, we'll be walking through Squarespace and cover the process of syncing journal entries to QBO. This session includes time for Q&A in a collaborative space to discuss Squarespace and accounting integrations for commerce systems as a whole.

Hosts

• Ruth Ku - COO & Co-Founder, Bookkeep

• Kellie Parks - SaaSy Accounting Coach

Events

• August 18 - Squarespace

• September 15 - Shopify

• October 20 - Amazon

• November 17 - Square

• December 15 - Cannabis POS

This session includes time for Q&A in a collaborative space to discuss Squarespace and accounting integrations for e-commerce systems as a whole.

More information here.

As your business continues to grow, timelines get crunched and time becomes a defining factor in your firm’s success.

During this special presentation, brought to you by Dext & Financial Cents, discover the best-in-class strategies for implementing accounting technology to enhance operational efficiency and profitability within your practice.

Hear from Michael Ly (CEO of Reconciled) and me on how we’ve successfully harnessed the power of automation technology to expand revenue channels, optimize internal processes, and deliver more value to our clients. 

Additional topics to be covered include:

• The key benefits of implementing automation technology into your practice
  

• Practical strategies and tips that your firm can easily implement to boost automation
  

• How Financial Cents and Dext can assist in powering your firm's automation

So don’t let any more opportunities slip away - learn how to embrace (not fear) the power of automation to ignite your firm’s continued expansion in 2021!

Offered by CPB Canada as Part of Their Business Foundation Workshop Series

Do you really want to spend your day with clients who don't fit?  
Who don't value you?  
Who don't pay you enough?  
Who you don't get along with?  
And how about the drudgery of doing tasks and work you loathe?  

These are rhetorical questions of course. No one wants their day to look like this!

This is not a session all about the theory of "The Ideal Client".  

This is an interactive 3.5hour workshop.

We are going to create a real live, actionable Ideal Client Profile.

Together, working as a group to discuss what matters to you - how to work harmoniously with clients and how to communicate effectively and respectfully with them.
Let's map this out right now - what the elements an Ideal Client include (or don't include) and get that Profile locked down.

And then let's get you moving on honing your service offerings, streamlining workflows - spending the day doing work you love with profitable clients you enjoy.

You will receive worksheets for your Ideal Client Profile, a firm evaluation (Ideal Business Model profile) side hustle worksheet, we are going to start to build a prospect Q that matches your ICP and IBMP and we are going to start a presentation deck on your services offerings. I’ll likely harp about crafting client facing “expectation setting and boundary limiting” too!

This is going to be a super busy workshop. Come prepared to work and share in break out groups of your peers. I am super excited to have CPB Canada let me host a workshop where we will get a S#!+ ton done.