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The Paradigm Keeps Shifting

Douglas SleeterFounder & CEOThe Sleeter Group

@dougsleeter

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The Accounting Profession

ComplianceAdvisory

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1960-70s 1990s 2010s

The Pendulum Shifts Decade by Decade

CentralizedMainframe

DistributedPC

CentralizedLANs

DistributedWeb Apps

CentralizedHosting

HybridSaaS & Mobile

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Client COLLABORATION Accountant

Security

Software

Live Data

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MostTrustedAdvisor

Reimagined

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ComplianceAdvisory

Efficiency Gains in ComplianceDriving the Profession Towards Advisory Services

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CLIENT ROLE:Customer Focused“Run the Business”Operations

InventoryPOSEmployee

ManagementSome (but less) “bookkeeping”

COMPLIANCE:Bookkeeping (Outservicing)Payroll (Automated)Sales TaxFinancial StatementsAuditTax Prep (Automated)

Compliance

Advisory

The New ParadigmACCOUNTANT ROLES:ADVISORY:Technology ConsultingBusiness Process ConsultingCFO ServicesKPI AnalyticsBusiness PlanningTax Planning

Client

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What isyour role? ?What doyou wantit to be?

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TrustedServant?

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MostTrustedAdvisor?

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68%What SMBSWant

WhatSMBsGet

38%ServiceG A P

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Get closer toclientsDive deep on solutions

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Without TrustNothing Else Works

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When Clients Trust You, TheyImplement your recommendationsRefer you more businessPay you more, and pay fasterForgive mistakesTreat you like a Partner

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The Trusted AdvisorUses many toolsGains certificationsIs vendor neutral

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1. Clients come first, last, and always2. Products come and go, but the accountant-

client relationship is life-long.3. Don't be intoxicated by Brochureware4. Build Your Brand First5. Loan it to vendors, but only after deep

scrutiny, client-by-client.

Doug’s Rules of Vendor Neutrality

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The Trusted AdvisorUses accountant-centric toolsProductizes their service

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ThinkOutservice,

notOutsource

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The Trusted AdvisorHas a toolkitSpecializes in market niches

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Filtering the noise

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sLeading clients to success

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Remaining relevant

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