Top 100 Proadvisor Vote Counts
Editor's Note: This is another installment in our ongoing series highlighting this year's Insightful Accountant's "Top 100 ProAdvisors." Over the remainder of the year, we will introduce you to our winners, getting their insights on a wide range of topics, including what it is like to be a leader in their profession, how to stay on top and what the future holds.
The change came early on. At a time when most were hesitant about web-based solutions,
Laura Redmond
Laura Redmond moved all of her firm's clients to the cloud. This required creating an infrastructure to support the new business model.
A former financial controller and IT manager, Laura searched for a workflow solution to help manage the service delivery of the multiple recurring tasks the firm provided to various clients. With a staff stationed around the country, the solution had to be cloud based. It didn't exist. Laura had to create what she needed. Aero Workflow was born.
Fast forward to the current day where you find Aero Workflow powering the service delivery of accounting firms in multiple countries. The Aero Library is embedded within the app and includes step-by step instructions and procedures for today's most popular apps in the QuickBooks Online eco-system.
Redmond Accounting, her Silicon Valley-based boutique cloud accounting and consulting firm, is centered on QuickBooks Online and integrated apps. As a cloud accounting advocate and app designer, Laura wears any number of hats – QBO power user, Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, member of the Intuit Trainer/Writer Network, co-author of Intuit’s award-winning QuickBooks Online training and certification programs for accounting professionals, and a regular speaker at national accounting technology conferences.
Her achievements feature myriad honors, including Intuit's “Top 20 Firm of the Future,” Insightful Accountant's “Top 10 for Leading QuickBooks Online Practice” and "Top 100 ProAdvisor" accolades, HubDoc's “Top 50 Cloud Accountant” and Method's “Solution Provider of the Year,” among many others.
What does it mean to you to be recognized out of more than 200,000 ProAdvisors in the world?
It is especially meaningful to me to be nominated by my peers. This community has given me so much and I am very grateful.
Your first thoughts on getting news of the honor?
It is amazing, recognizing how significant it is that many of the Top 100 are paying attention to the changes in our industry's workflow, embracing cloud-based solutions, working remotely, building distributed workforces, leveling the playing field and welcoming the future now. This award is an example of the global impact we can have – each of us – from our corner of the world.
How has your ProAdvisor practice changed or evolved over the last couple of years?
Our firm has evolved in recent years into one that is confident in its expertise, process and organization. We are positioned for growth. As we define who we are and what we do best, we are able to deliver better service and support to our customers.
Why is continuing to enhance your skills and acumen critical to staying one step ahead of the curve?
Technology is a major component of our work and SaaS apps are constantly evolving. A firm's expertise directly affects its ability to attract clients and provide value.
What do you do?
Accounting technology. My firm designs and deploys cloud accounting technology solutions for businesses. We act as the accounting department for our clients. These solutions are centered around QuickBooks Online and its ecosystem of apps.
In running this firm, we created Aero Workflow to define, organize and track the service delivery. Today, accounting firms of the future use Aero to manage their practices. Aero is found in the QuickBooks Online app store and the amazing Aero team is dedicated to supporting and furthering that mission. I also spend a substantial amount of time co-authoring Intuit's award-winning QuickBooks Online core and advanced certification program since its inception. I travel the country teaching these courses at various events.
Give us a snapshot of today's accounting landscape.
Today we see broad acceptance of the cloud with integrated apps automating work and reducing labor and errors. There's a stronger focus now on mobile solutions, as the workforce is increasingly on the go. There is now lots of interest and discussion of artificial intelligence and how that will effect our work, as knowledge is democratized and machines are designed to perceive their environment. There are tons of opportunities in this new frontier, as together, we redefine the future of our profession.
What was the best piece of advice you ever received?
Delegate. Build great teams and organize them in such a way as to provide exceptional customer service to your clients. In all of my endeavors, I work with incredible teams of experts dedicated to making a ripple in our industry and move us all forward.
How do you create balance in your work and personal life?
Technology came to the rescue. SaaS apps improved our lives through access and automation and Aero allowed me to delegate to an Advanced QBO Certified workforce. And while I do still work a lot, I am also involved in projects outside of work, which force balance.
What's on your to-do list thru the rest of 2017?
Explore industry niches, mobile solutions and look way, way ahead to position ourselves for the future of our profession.
Special thanks to our program sponsors, including Canon imageFORMULA Document Scanners, ADP, Finagraph, "Scaling New Heights" and Intuit's QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program.