A whole month has gone by since I talked about QuickBooks Connect and I know what you are thinking... "Why is Murph talking about QuickBooks Connect when it's not until November 6th?" But the truth is you only have until September 19th to get the 30% Discount off the standard Pricing, so I am trying to make certain you don't miss that deadline while you are busy thinking about thing like getting the kids back to school, or taking that last summer vacation, or celebrating the Labor Day Holiday, or going to that 'other conference whose name I won't mention' (to which I didn't even receive an invite, even though I wouldn't have been going anyway).
So, like I said, I don't want you to miss the opportunity of grabbing your conference tickets at at a discount and seeing some great speakers. Now, I can't take up the entire front page of this edition of Insightful Accountant with speaker bio's, and some of these people I could go on-n-on about, but here are a few speakers that you will absolutely not want to miss. (By the way, I will give you the in's about more QBC speakers in a future feature.)
Gary Allen is the CEO of LeanLaw, an App that works with QBO and is designed especially for law firms to do the work that law firms need to do in the way that law firms need to do it. Gary was fed up with the technology available to attorneys so, he used his 25+ years of keen understanding of law firm workflows to develop LeanLaw.
Now Gary he passionate about helping the legal profession transform from a horse-and-buggy cottage industry into a lean, 21st century profession.
Gregg Bossen, CPA has a full-service accounting firm in Atlanta, but he is probably best known in the QBO community for the numerous courses he has taught on QuickBooks and QuickBooks Advanced certification. If you have ever been in one of Gregg's courses you know that he has a unique ability to blend charm, humor, intelligence, and practical application of the content like nobody else.
Gregg's firm specializes in non-profits, so he has also built a 'niche' QuickBooks instructional practice of his own focused on training ProAdvisors in properly configuring and operating non-profits. If you get him started about non-profits be prepared to listen to him go on-n-on-n-on-on-n-on-n-on! (But, I don't mind listening to someone go on-n-on when they know what they are talking about, and Gregg really does!)
William English - when it comes to 'Point of Sale' there is nobody on the planet that is better versed than 'Mr. English'! I personally know him to be not only helpful when it comes to that technical tidbit that nobody else has a clue about, but one of the easiest guys around to just talk you through the most complicated mess that you ever encountered. He takes the same approach when teaching/speaking, he simply knows 'his stuff' so well that he can just talk his way through the content and take any question along the way off the cuff...'he is the master' and will not be fooled no matter what you throw at him.
By the way, William started his QuickBooks career in QB technical support back when there was him, and him, and him, and oh yea... him; actually I think he says there was him and 2 other guys taking all the calls. (I was undoubtedly one of the people calling them all the time.)
Hector Garcia - here is another guy who can talk his way through anything, and perhaps 'out of it' as well. What can I say about Hector, from the first time I met this guy, I probably would have 'fallen in love' if I were a girl, really he was that charming. But, with that said, be aware he also 'knows his stuff' and he knows a lot of stuff.
Over the years Hector has expanded his reach from the Accounting simple to the Accounting complex, from QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online, from simple Inventory to Enterprise Advanced Inventory, to any number of Inventory Add-on solutions that work with QuickBooks Online. And he didn't stop there... he is a 'master of many talents' and he teaches in a style that gives freely what he knows to those who are there to partake. So when you attend a 'Hector class' you will walk away with an 'Encyclopedia D' Hector' in your pocket!
Debra Kilsheimer - Oriental-food has 'sweet and sour', but we have 'sweet-n-serious' in the form of Debra Kilsheimer. Debra believes that accounting can change lives, and when you combine her desire to change the lives of her students, colleagues and clients with her profound sense of humor you have a winning combination that just won't quit. In fact Debra never quits.
We all know someone with a 'bubbly personality', but with Debra the bubbles just never stop such that she almost floats away and will carry you away with her when you really get to know her. I am very happy to say that she has 'bubbled me out of a couple of my worst slumps a time or two' (thanks Debra). You will definitely walk away happy and enlightened when you attend one of her sessions.
And then there is MB Raimondi, who just happens to be this year's ProAdvisor of the Year. What can I say? I won't even try to outdo the words that my good friend Joe Woodard spoke of MB back in 2016 in an article for Insightful Accountant when he wrote, "She is unsurpassed in her knowledge of QuickBooks and in her ability to clearly communicate complex, advanced technology concepts in a group environment. She is organized, insightful, clear… and powerful!"
As far as I am concerned, when you take a class that MB is teaching Joe described exactly what you are going to get every single time, not to mention the fact that MB is simply "a lovely human being whose warmth and caring is demonstrated to every student she teaches."
These are just six (6) of the great session instructors/leaders/speakers you will encounter when you attend QuickBooks Connect. If you haven't already registered to attend, now is the perfect time to do so, while you can still take advantage of that 30% Discount, don't let the September 19th discount deadline pass you by, you don't want to miss this great opportunity to connect with some of the brightest and best on the planet. Believe you me, they are waiting to connect with you too!
QuickBooks Connect is being held at the San Jose (Ca) McEnery Convention Center on November 6, 7 and 8.
November 6 is this year's 'Accountant's Day' which is designed for accounting professionals and features industry-specific breakout sessions including those taught by many of the speakers I mentioned above. It will also look at emerging technology trends, and product deep-dives. You will have the opportunity to learn from your fellow advisors and industry experts who’ll empower you to embrace tech trends and share solutions designed to help you and your clients thrive. The Accountant Keynote Presentations feature industry thought leaders and QuickBooks executives who will be giving you first looks at the latest product innovations and what's in store for the future of QuickBooks. You can earn valuable CPE credits while enhancing your knowledge, and exploring the latest in productivity producing Apps.
November 7 & 8 provides an opportunity business owners, experts, vendors and other mentors to interact with you, the accounting professionals and ProAdvisors who know QuickBooks. You will have the chance to hear from owners who are trying to grow their business and are looking for help, or experts who are looking to help provide business opportunities, both represent just the kinds of experiences you won't find anywhere else. On each of these days successful business owners and experts will also share strategies for growth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving long-term success during their keynote presentations. There will breakout sessions designed to help any business grow covering topics like marketing, how to price products and services, increasing productivity with Apps, and more. A variety of these sessions are 'power panels' in which you can hear useful information from practitioners which you can you can use in your business, including how to grow your customer base and manage cash flow.
And all three days the Exhibit Hall will offer insights into the latest innovations, tools and trends from QuickBooks and its partners designed to impact your business and streamline workflows. You will have the opportunity to meet with product experts at their product booths where you can explore hands-on activities including product demos, ask questions and receive personalized help and advice via one-on-one sessions, and more.
So, get all the details about sessions, keynote speakers, hotels, travel deals, and registration at the official Intuit QuickBooks Connect website.