Taking Care of the Future

How well does your CPA tend to and nurture his/her own business?

The care and attention your CPA gives to his/her own business is a direct reflection of the care and attention that your CPA is willing and able to give to your business.

The next time you are visiting your CPA, take a look around. Look for positive signs that your CPA is giving attention to on-going and future operations of his/her business. Such signs include:

• Office environment and décor – Does your CPA maintain a neat and tidy work environment? Is the décor kept fresh and well maintained?
• Technology - Is your CPA aware of the latest technology available to increase efficiency in business? Does your CPA have a technology plan for his/her business? Has your CPA implemented paperless technology? Has your CPA established a Virtual Office, in order to make working with him/her easier?
• Continuing Education – What is your CPA’s attitude toward continuing education? Does he/she take the minimum required hours each year, and limit his/her choices to tax and accounting? Or, does his/her annual CPE hours far exceed the minimum requirement and include management, technology, leadership, and personal development classes?
• Corporate Culture – Does your CPA and his/her Team keep a professional appearance and dress style? Does your CPA and his/her Team appear to enjoy their work, the company they work for, and the customers they work with? Does your CPA have a vision and mission statement? Are these statements reflected in everything your CPA does?
• Leadership – Does your CPA have a succession plan? Does your CPA develop leadership skills among Team members? Is work properly delegated among Team members?

With this last concept in mind, the California CPA Society has created the Young and Emerging Professionals Conference (YEP). The conference is designed for CPAs licensed for 0 – 5 years, CPA candidates, accounting students and mentors. Future leaders of the CPA profession will be asked to challenge their thinking and experience professional growth at the conference. Speakers will be sharing their expertise in career development, networking, negotiating, and leadership. In order to make it easy for CPA firms to send their young professionals to the conference, the conference will be held one day in northern California and another day in southern California.

Forward thinking CPA firms with an eye towards enhancing their business and developing a strong successful firm for the future will be sending their young professionals to the YEP conference. Is your CPA sending his/her young Team members to the YEP conference?

To learn more about the YEP conference, visit: http://www.calcpa.org/yep.htm

To register for the conference, visit: http://www.educationfoundation.org/courses/courses_display.asp?Par_EventId=57123001&Par_EventYr=07

Another way to think about it…

Recently, Mega Millions reached an all time high of over $390 million. The winning couple from New Jersey were quoted as saying: “We are retired, effective immediately.”

If your CPA were to retire, effectively immediately, would you be left in good hands?

And on the flip side, what has your CPA done for you to ensure that if you were to retire effective immediately, your customers would be left in good hands?