Jonyce J. Bullock – 2014 40 Under 40 Honoree

What are the key areas of your firm that have seen the greatest change/challenge in workflow over the past few years? (Or, what are the key challenges you see firms facing?)

The challenges I have seen in workflow are not in finding technologies to help manage, streamline and improve; but rather in the change management process. It can be hard to change the way we have always done something and to get everyone to adopt a new technology or updated process. We have so many pressures to get work out the door, meet a budget, complete our training and develop our businesses that sometimes it may seem too painful to take extra time right now to make things better in the future.

To what extent have you and your practice/company embraced cloud computing?

Within our practice we have made a big push to deliver as much of our work products through portals to our clients as possible. Portals have proven to be a great way to provide additional value to our clients. As far as client’s moving to the cloud, we are finding that more and more our clients are demanding that we help them move to the cloud. We are helping them find the product that is the best fit. We are also making sure that our staff members are provided with great training on the cloud accounting options that are available so we are prepared to provide quality support.

In what ways have you contributed to your firm/company to make it a better place?

I am very involved in the recruiting, training and development of the staff in our firm. I enjoy mentoring and developing others. This past year I have headed up a new women’s development initiative at our firm. I have enjoyed working with the women in the firm to develop leadership skills and open more doors to future possibilities for everyone.

In what ways do you participate in either the professional community or your local community to help others?

I am very active in the CPA community. I am currently the President-elect of the Utah Association of CPAs. I have been involved with the association for over a decade, working with accounting students and young professionals to help grow the accounting profession in the state of Utah. I am also involved in the AICPA Women’s Champions Task Force. This task force helps to support the AICPA Women’s Executive Initiatives Committee in the advancement and retention of women in the CPA profession. I am passionate about helping to expand the horizons for young women coming into the CPA profession.

What major changes do you foresee in the accounting profession of the near future (3-5 years)?

Clients will continue to move everything to the cloud. You will see products like QuickBooks Online continue to develop to the point where they exceed the features of existing desktop products. Accountants will need to be able to adapt quickly and be willing to embrace new technologies and change within their own practices. As our clients’ needs grow and expand we need to be prepared to change to meet those needs.

As cloud, mobile and social technologies rapidly expand and adoption rates increase this will also cause a major shift in how we serve and interact with our clients. The need to be in an office, either our own, or theirs will diminish. It will become vitally important for us to find new ways to build lasting relationships and to find ways to differentiate ourselves in the marketplace so we can create client and staff loyalty.

These new technologies will also increase functionality, improve financial accuracy and provide faster and better external reporting. It will be fast paced and we need to be prepared to adapt quickly as each new disruptive technology comes at us

How do you see yourself participating in shaping the future of the accounting profession?

I am excited to be a part of the changes that are coming to the accounting profession. Participation in accounting associations such as the AICPA and my local state society will give me a voice and make sure I am part of the conversation on where the profession is going.

What is your career philosophy?

Take your seat at the table! This is both literally and figuratively. Don’t hold back; you belong at the table. Your ideas, skills and knowledge will bring a fresh and needed perspective to the organization that you belong to.

Not including your current employer, what company do you most admire and why?

I greatly admire Zappos, the online shoe store. They have a clear vision and purpose. Their 10 company core values are posted everywhere and all of the employees know what they are. More than just this, each employee embraces the values and they drive what the company does each day. One of the core values at Zappos is to “create fun and a little weirdness”. How much better would the accounting profession be if we were all willing to create some fun and embrace our weirdness?!

Describe one person who has been an important mentor to you and how that person helped change your life.

Our Managing Partner, Tim Larsen has been an incredible mentor to me. From day one he gave me opportunities in the firm that allowed me to stretch and grow. He has always believed in me and has been there as a friend and mentor anytime I have needed help in my career. Tim gave me advice early in my career to always believe that I had the ability to solve clients problems and that there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do if I took the time to sit down and figure it out. Tim is a caring and compassionate leader who also has a strong sense of vision and integrity.

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