In a few short months, accounting professionals, small business owners, self-employed individuals and developers will gather at one of the largest accounting industry events for three days of learning and networking. Intuit’s third annual QuickBooks Connect, taking place from October 24-26, 2016 in San Jose, features an exciting schedule designed to help accountants take their clients and their Firms of the Future to the next level.
“Our big focus continues to be around equipping accountants with what they need to thrive and become a Firm of the Future. At QuickBooks Connect, we’ve set the stage for a truly unique experience with lots of opportunities for attendees to connect with each other, learn more about QuickBooks, obtain or renew their QuickBooks certification and receive continuing education credits – all of which are included in the price of admission,” said Jim McGinnis, Vice President and Leader, Accountant Segment, Intuit.
Similar to the QuickBooks Connect held in previous years, the agenda starts with two developer-focused events: the 100k Small Business App Showdown and the QuickBooks Connect Hackathon, both taking place on the weekend prior to the main conference. The 100k Small Business App Showdown pits QuickBooks apps – who have opted into the contest and published on the QuickBooks App Store – against each other for a chance at the $100k Grand Prize. The winner is determined by social media engagement and voting, and attendees can participate by supporting their favorite apps. The hackathon will focus on creating innovating solutions for small business challenges by using current technology. Multiple prizes will be awarded to the winners in the hackathon categories.
Following the Hackathon, QuickBooks Connect will include a special Accountant Day full of certification trainings, workshops and more. The conference then kicks off with its Main Day of keynote speakers and breakout tracks, and concludes the following day with the Finale. There are also more than 40 sessions tailored for accounting professionals that provide actionable steps and information to become a Firm of the Future. While attendees can continue to expect what they’ve come to know and love from previous events, this year’s QuickBooks Connect will also incorporate a couple of notable changes.
“This year, we’re focused on making the sessions as actionable as possible,” said McGinnis. “Our agenda is built upon four core themes: Grow, Run, Manage and Connect. Each session will be centered on what attendees actually want to learn and offer practical content that can be implemented to propel accountants to become Firms of the Future. We’re also providing more opportunities for accountants to connect with and learn from small businesses and developers.”
The main idea behind QuickBooks Connect is to provide one big event for accountants, small business owners, self-employed individuals and developers to network in one place – something that is hard to do with a session-packed agenda. So this year, there will be less concurrent sessions and more time and space for attendees to interact with each other.
“We make it a point to outdo ourselves each year and make every QuickBooks Connect bigger and better than the last,” said McGinnis. “We’ve heard that accountants appreciate the step-by-step instructions to take their firm into the future, but they also want time to interact with the speakers and other attendees. We want our attendees to walk away with the connections and resources needed to take their firms and businesses to the next level. So, we’re spreading things out and giving more space to connect with each other.”
Intuit doesn’t just want to facilitate connections within the conference walls. The company is also dedicated to creating various meetup and touchpoints for small businesses and accountants in the surrounding area. The agenda includes a welcome dinner for accountants on the first day and an evening celebration to close out the Main Day’s events.
Intuit continues to put a lot of thought and effort into building up QuickBooks Connect, exploring relevant hot topics such as value-priced billing, the right apps to run your practice and changes to QuickBooks products. As always, the event will also feature engaging main stage speakers and experts who are ready to deliver valuable insights and advice. This year, attendees can look forward to hearing from bestselling author, Malcolm Gladwell, as well as Shaquille O’ Neal, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Media Personality, Member of NBA’s Hall of Fame and 15-Time NBA All-Star Player. Past speakers have included Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Arianna Huffington, Robert Herjavec, Jessica Alba and Bill Rancic. Additional names will be announced in the weeks leading up to the conference.
“We’re really proud that we have – and will continue to have – a lot of amazing main stage speakers who can speak not just to accountants, but also to developers and small business owners due to the sheer depth of their experience. These are bona fide entrepreneurs and business owners, and they understand what our attendees are going through,” said McGinnis.
Those interested in registering for QuickBooks Connect have two passes to choose from: the Accountant 3-Day Pass for $599 or the Main Day + Pass for $299. Early-Bird Pricing is available through July 31 for both passes for $399 and $99, respectively. Breakfast, lunch, food during receptions and beverages are included with each event pass. In addition, Intuit is subsidizing the cost of several hotels next to the San Jose Convention Center, the location of QuickBooks Connect, to make it even more affordable for those coming from outside the area. More information can be found at the QuickBooks Connect website (https://qbcon2016.com/).
“The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed,” said McGinnis. “That’s the main take away from the conference: everyone can be a Firm of the Future and QuickBooks Connect is a wonderful opportunity where everyone can learn and grow their business.”
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Tags: Small Business, Technology
