Angie Grissom – 2013 40 Under 40 Honoree

Professional Associations/Memberships: Past President, Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance

CPA Consultant’s Alliance Member, Association of Accounting Marketing Growth Strategies Committee, National Speaker’s Association

Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, Photography, Travel, Food and Wine Tasting, Writing, Yoga

What are the key areas of your firm that have seen the greatest change in workflow over the past few years? Are you using automated workflow tools? We are continuing to explore ways to do this through our three divisions, training, consulting and alliance services. We get more efficient and automated each year. The launching of our webinar series has changed the way we produce our trainings and offers training and CPE to the nation’s accounting professionals by giving alternatives to our live training models. Now firms can have the best of both.

Have you embraced cloud computing for your practice? Are you moving your clients to the cloud? We have moved to a cloud based CRM system and are looking to move to a cloud-based practice.

On a broader scale, how do you see new technologies changing the accounting profession in the near term (3-5 years)? Virtual workforces are becoming more and more necessary. Technology can create strength, more profitability and the ability to keep people you wouldn’t normally keep through allowing them to work away from the office. Firm staffing will continue to be a challenge. Pricing pressures will also continue to be a threat. Firms need to anticipate this and look for ways to best utilize technology for flexibility with staff and efficiencies in completing work. A lack of technology can affect the firm’s health dramatically in the short and long-term.

How mobile are you regarding your work? How have mobile devices and apps impacted your productivity and work-life balance? I do much of my work from remote locations all across the country due to my travel schedule. I must be able to access files, our CRM system and all needed data wherever I am. I use my laptop, IPAD and even my Iphone to answer emails and complete my work. I am also connected through Social media when I am on the road. When I need to be connected, I am! From a work-life perspective, I am able to pay bills online, check balances, book movie tickets, make reservations for date nights and children’s birthday parties online from wherever I am. This is the way of life. It is a real time saver and allows me to focus on my highest value priorities-my family and my business.

Read more about this year’s 40 Under 40 Honorees.