5 Ways to Make the Most of Scaling New Heights 2019

Next month, Scaling New Heights (SNH) is set to arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This four-day conference is the best in the business for accountants and bookkeepers wanting to sharpen up their skills and get more from their life and practice.

This year’s theme is the Transformative Advisor. From New Orleans in 2015, Atlantis in 2016, Orlando (2017) and Atlanta (2018), SNH has never failed to deliver meaningful content.

So how do you make the most of SNH this year?

The first rule? Don’t be afraid of new heights. Set your sights on a destination you can reach and create a plan to get you there. Here are some tips and tricks from Damien Greathead on how to make this year your best yet.

1. EMBRACE ALL THE TRAINING ON OFFER.

SNH offers one of the best opportunities of any conference to learn the ropes of a new technology with hands-on training and support. Before you go, invest some time to plan what you’d like to achieve this year. What’s your business’s BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)? And how can you get there? What client pain-points can you solve on the way?

As Kelly Gonsalves of Totally Booked says in our Insider Guide to SNH 2018, pick classes that match your business needs. If you’re in a class that doesn’t resonate, don’t be afraid of leaving for one that does.

Now’s the time to connect with speakers, vendors and other attendees to build your confidence. Which thought leaders, technology solutions or industry colleagues catch your attention? Plan your days and sessions now so you know where you need to be and what to prioritize.

2. LEARN ABOUT NEW INCOME STREAMS.

Advisory services are touted as a way of adding an additional revenue stream, strengthening your client relationships and in turn driving profitability. All of these are true. Yet, chances are you’re already offering advisory services without the label (and probably the price-tag too).

At this year’s Scaling New Heights, a key theme is broadening your definition of wealth beyond finance. For your business, this could mean your brand, culture, infrastructure, technology and scalability.

At our Power Breakfast (7:00 am, Monday 7 June) we’ll be looking at the hot topic of Virtual Controller Services - what is it, who's it for and how to price it. Virtual control (or financial control) services means ensuring financial data is accurate and timely, plus taking care of a business’s financial health. It’s a vital service for businesses to thrive in the current economy. And this year, demand is only set to rise. It’s an early start but worth it.

3. REMEMBER PEER LEARNING HAPPENS IN THE CLASS-ROOM AND THE HALLWAYS.

No seminar on growth, innovation or technology will ever replace a life lesson. Thousands of ProAdvisors, Intuit executives, product managers, program leaders and technical support leaders will be there, sharing stories and experiences from the trenches.

It’s often in these conversations that we realize a) the trends that are consistent throughout the industry, b) how to turn concept into reality and what this really looks like in practice and c) you're not alone.

If you’re flying solo, make sure you introduce yourself to others and put names to faces from your networks. Indeed, there are meet-up sessions designed for exactly this.

4. CHECK OUT AT LEAST ONE NEW APP.

There are a whole host of fantastic tech add-ons at Scaling New Heights that integrate with QuickBooks. If you’re looking to double-down in the advisory space and offer virtual controller services, Jirav is a great new entrant.

Jirav connects your financial and operational data in one place. See your plan vs actuals, rolling forecasts and downstream effects in one place. It offers something for your team and your clients, helping you spot opportunities across your business and align team priorities.

No-one wants a dull, quickly outdated Excel model that takes time and work to understand. As clients increasingly expect simplicity, quick fixes and ease of access, you can combine Receipt Bank and Jirav to:

• Quickly get data into your system. Receipt Bank turns your clients’ receipts, invoices and bank statements into data with market leading accuracy, which means less time cleaning up your accounts before your year-end.
• Use the accurate data to create interactive reports for your clients with Jirav. This can help show the meaning of their financial data at a glance and in turn help them make more data-driven decisions.

Together, these apps can help you create a unique experience to delight your clients.