Accounting Innovators Share Life, Business Lessons in New Web Series

In the accounting world, there’s certainly no shortage of opportunities to learn about the path to leadership or the “secrets of success.”

On any given day, accounting professionals are deluged with offers for webinars, conferences, email newsletters, and countless articles and blogs, all promising to connect them with industry leaders who will share the “strategies” of their rise to the top.

A new leadership offering is giving professionals the chance to learn the personal stories—the defining moments and motivating factors—behind the success of some of the top CEOs, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in the accounting software field.

On July 17, The Sleeter Group, a company focused on educating accountants and small businesses on forward-thinking technology solutions, will air the latest installment of its new online TV show “Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood.”

Unlike many webinar offerings, which tend to deliver generic messages and scripted strategies for success, “Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood” features entrepreneurs and thought leaders dropping by for casual, unscripted, and friendly conversations with The Sleeter Group founder and CEO Doug Sleeter.

The July 17 episode will feature an interview with Greg LaFollette, former vice president of Product Strategy at CPA.com, a subsidiary of the AICPA.

Sleeter says guests on “Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood” know the conversations won’t be money or product driven. Instead, they’re simply sitting down to share their personal stories of how life lessons and business lessons have merged on their journey to success.

“My passion is helping people succeed, and the idea for ‘Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood’ was born out of that passion,” Sleeter said. “The common topic here is finding what drives people’s success. We’re trying to discover, in a very human way, what makes them do what they do. What was the genesis of their passion? What makes them happy? What makes them tick?”

“Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood,” the name a tongue-in-cheek nod to the iconic PBS children’s show “Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood,” has already amassed an impressive guest list since it launched in February 2014.

Past episodes of the Webio, as Sleeter creators call it, have featured: Leslie Shiner, founder of The ShinerGroup; Rod Drury, CEO, Xero; Seth David, CEO, Nerd Enterprises; Rene Lacerte, CEO, Bill.com; Joshua Reeves, CEO, Zen Payroll; and Jennifer Warawa, vice president and general manager of Sage Accountant Solutions, Sage North America.

All have shared their singular and inspirational stories, many heard for the first time, of their very real and relatable journey to the top; stories that include setbacks, course changes, inspiration, disappointments, triumphs, and “aha moments.”

“It’s been incredible to hear the information shared. We’ve had guests talk about everything from overcoming personal adversity and the loss of parents or siblings to how to get venture capitalist money, and how they learned to value their own talents,” said Misty Megia, Director of Strategic Programs for The Sleeter Group. “The conversations are very humanizing. They show the common thread between all of us, whether you are a multibillionaire or just starting out.”

Megia believes “Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood” will speak to everyone, from recent college grads to aspiring entrepreneurs to experienced professionals who want to reinvigorate their passion for their career.

“I think people are constantly looking for a way to connect with each other, through webinars and social media outlets, but we don’t just sit and chat with each other as much as we should,” Megia said. “In ‘Mr. Sleeter’s Neighborhood,’ we talk about the human side of business and take a moment to look at the person behind the technology. We feel that’s something missing and it’s worth highlighting.”