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Education, QuickBooks Software, Software, Tips

Expert Tips For Attending Intuit Connect 2024

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One of my favorite books when I was a kid was “Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood,” about a girl who goes to summer camp for her first time. She’s standing around, feeling (and probably looking) uncomfortable as all the return campers are running around, hugging each other, excited to be reunited. All of a sudden, someone runs up to her and gives her a big hug and says how happy she is to see her again. After a moment of total confusion, the girl leans in and says, “Don’t worry – we don’t actually know each other. I was just feeling left out and figured I’d join ‘em.” The two of them become fast friends and go off hugging others who looked out of place and letting them in on the joke. Before you know it, the entire place was full of everyone running around hugging each other and laughing.

While I can’t say this is likely to happen exactly like this at the upcoming Intuit Connect conference in Las Vegas, I also wouldn’t be that surprised if it did. There will be heaps of people reuniting for the first time since last year, or at least since Scaling New Heights (check out last year’s video blog about those amazing takeaways, which includes some bonus suggestions for Connect). But there will also be loads of first-timers attending, who are nervous and out of their element. Find the other wallflowers and go up to them – tell them it seemed like maybe they didn’t know anyone there, either, and do they want to eat lunch together or go to a vendor booth or grab a drink? You’ll be delighted and surprised at how many of these folks you’ll stay in touch with through the years. Remember, progressive accountants and bookkeepers such as the kind you’ll find at Connect – especially those who go year after year – are excited you’re there, and they want to help make your experience better. Introduce yourself to someone who looks like they “belong” and say that you’re new, and not sure where to begin. I am sure they’ll point you in the right direction, take you under their wing, or introduce you to someone who might be a great conference buddy.

For today’s blog post, I’m going to be that conference buddy, and share with you my Expert Tips for Attending Intuit Connect 2024.

Tip One — PLAN AHEAD

  1. Attend a prep session webinar or podcast for individual insights. Michael Ly presented one on October 15th as a tax-extension-day celebration and you can check out the recording here. Also, Lynda Artesani joins Matt Fulton and Richard Roppa-Roberts to host a wrap-up on November 8, sponsored by Forwardly. Keep your eye on this space, as I’ll be updating the article as I learn about new events.
  2. Plan ahead, make a schedule, but be comfortable diverging from it; that way you don’t waste time figuring out what to do in the moment, but you also don’t miss the organic opportunities that arise.
  3. Make a list of vendors you’d like to meet; they’re often very busy during open Exhibit Hall time; it might be helpful to set up a time with them to meet during a session when the Hall is less busy. Bring a list of questions you’d like to have answered. Narrow your scope… it’s impossible to visit everyone. Pick a few areas of interest, look into which vendors serve those areas, and focus on them.
  4. Connect on social media with others who will be attending, whether it’s in a Facebook group like The Unofficial QuickBooks Connect Conference Group, LinkedIn, or other platform — you can always use the official hashtag #IntuitConnect to find out who you already know that might be going. Engage and make plans ahead of time.
  5. Check with your sales reps and vendors for the tools you love best – whether you’re already using them or plan to implement this year – to see if they are hosting any customer dinners, happy hours, or get-togethers. Same with professional associations you’re either in or are considering joining, like Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, or Roundtable.

  6. Register for parties that aren’t already in the QBC app! In addition to the always-fabulous ConnectFest on Tuesday evening, there are loads of RSVP-only sponsored parties, such as:

There are also some customer-specific dinners and get-togethers for RightTool, Relay, Synder, ClientHub, Truewind, and other vendors and professional associations (such as Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, and Roundtable) – check with reps for the apps you already use or are planning to implement, and ask if they are hosting anything.

Tip Two: DOWNLOAD AND USE THE MOBILE APP

  1. When you log into the Intuit Connect website (same credentials you used to register for the conference), you can select sessions ahead of time. Keep in mind that some are 50-minute sessions and some (including mine) are 100-minutes. One of the nice things about the app that Intuit uses is that you can sign up via the website or the mobile app. You can also “favorite” (aka “heart”) a session without signing up for it. Although you can only sign up for one session per-slot, you can “favorite” more than one, giving you an excellent way to select backup classes. (There’s one small bug – in an attempt to make sure you’re not signed up for two sessions simultaneously, they accidentally made it so that you have to choose between LUNCH at meetups that are being held during the lunch hour.)

  2. On your phone, you can log into the Intuit Connect website and scroll down about half-way to download and sign into the conference app; the app and the website sync with each other! If you still have the app on your phone from last year, it will work! You just have to click the “update” button in your phone’s app store.

  3. You can also click on the “Add Personal Time” button, which allows you to include items in your agenda that aren’t part of the official conference.
  4. Once you’ve got your calendar just the way you want it, you can then export it so that everything shows up on your personal calendar, by clicking the dropdown at the top of the “My Agenda” view.


    In the mobile app, set up your “Calendar Sync”:

  5. It’s definitely helpful to the community if you register ahead-of-time for the classes that interest you (such as “S-Corp Reasonable Compensation: What You Need To Know (And Why),” my session at 10 am on Monday, October 28th)! This is how they determine which rooms will be assigned for each one. If there’s a lot of interest in a particular topic, they’ll give it a bigger room, and that makes life easier for everyone.
  6. You can “register” for only one per timeslot, but you can “favorite” many, which is great if a session turns out not to be your cup of tea and you want to bail for another, or if you’re somewhat undecided.
  7. The app won’t let you register if it’s full. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to attend anyway! Lines will form for the “sold-out” sessions, and they will let additional people in if there’s capacity, which there usually is – get there early to be near the front of the line. There is almost always extra room and I’ve rarely been turned away.

  8. If you click on the session, it will show you the description, as well as speaker info. If you click on the speaker it will show their bio and all the sessions they’re teaching at the conference. This is a great way to research which instructors you’d like to hear.

Tip Three — PACK WISELY AND COMFORTABLY

  1. Wear comfortable shoes – there’s a lot of walking, even though it’s a confined space. Three floors, plus events at neighboring properties. (And of course, dance parties!)

  2. Pack an extra collapsible duffle bag for swag if you’re into it – but remember… you can also say “no thank you”. It’s easy to get lost in the freebie frenzy, but do you really need another stress ball? That said, some of the stuff will be too good to pass up and you want to make sure you have room to carry it home. Personally, my QBO wine stopper from last year is a treasured memento – no joke!
  3. The breakout rooms are often FREEZING! Bring a wrap or sweatshirt. Also, Vegas is in the desert… it’s chilly this time of year.
  4. However, there are a couple of hot tubs in the pool area, so also bring a swimsuit. Keep in mind that they close very early — 4 or 5 pm depending on the day.
  5. Bring a refillable water bottle (or reuse a plastic bottle) and/or coffee/tea mug; there will be dispensers, and also, the water in your hotel room is fine to drink. Pro tip: the gym is 24/7 and has great filtered water.
  6. Bring battery packs and chargers – often the rooms are in a basement and your cell struggles and chews up your battery; plus you’ll want to be on the conference app, your association’s Slack or Circle app, and you’ll probably text or WhatsApp a lot.
  7. Conference hotels are pricey! Buy food & drink at a nearby convenience store if you’re going to want snacks or a bottle or box of wine outside of the usual meals and parties – but there are lots of those, so it’s not strictly necessary. Also, ordering delivery food or groceries is a lot cheaper than eating at the casino. While you’re at the convenience store or ordering online, grab some Epsom salts to soak your feet. You’ll be glad you did.
  8. Speaking of the hotel restaurants, the reservations book up very quickly. If you know you’ll want to eat out on a given night, go ahead and reserve as soon as you can.
  9. There are no coffee-makers in the rooms, and the line at the café winds through the casino. Bring a portable tea kettle or coffee-maker; this is ours. I wish I had an affiliate link because I recommend this thing to everyone.

  10. Carry small bills for tipping bartenders at the various happy hours, socials, parties and receptions. They work hard and many attendees don’t think to bring cash.
  11. Bring earplugs for sleeping and loud parties.
  12. All that said, don’t overpack. We’re only there for four days and you can re-wear some of your clothing. You don’t want to get stuck spending most of your final night re-packing your whole wardrobe. You’ll probably need less stuff than you think.
  13. Anchor is hosting a service on the final day where you can store your luggage, after checking out (rather than with the hotel concierge) — register here.

    (They’ve been amazing. Airport pickups on the first day, storing luggage on the last, a hospitality lounge, and loads of co-sponsored events with other apps and organizations. And incredibly nice people, too!)
  14. Dress code: BE YOURSELF. Many people are in sweats and jeans, others are in power-suits or dresses, and some of us love dressing up in-costume and wearing tiaras whenever we get the chance. Wear what makes you feel most like yourself.

Addendum: Halloween is October 31st! Many of us are bringing costumes, so if you’re inclined to do the same, you will not be alone.

Tip Four — TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS

  1. Be sure to sign up for one of two airport pickup services generously sponsored and arranged by vendors; it was a lifesaver last year:
    – Forwardly, Fyle & FinOptimal airport pickup
    – Anchor airport pickup
  2. Related: plan for ample travel time while in Las Vegas, whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. Use cabs instead of rideshares when you must take a vehicle, as they are prohibited from surge pricing. But keep in mind that the lines to grab a taxi outside each property can be long. Stick with over-street pedestrian bridges and monorails when possible.
  3. Once you’ve met a bunch of folks at the conference, consider coordinating to share a cab back to the airport when you depart.
  4. Check in early and skip the QBC lines. On Oct 27 from 12 PM-7 PM you can head to the Mariposa Registration Desk on Level 2. Remember to bring your ID.

Tip Five — NETWORKING

  1. Represent your tribe… for example, last year the Bookkeeping Buds wore our tiaras to show support when a member was competing in a QBO Tips & Tricks session. I also always bring my favorite Bookkeeping Buds bag and use it instead of the conference one (it not only is a nice talking point, but it also is easier to find if you leave it behind somewhere). Many folks love wearing t-shirts from their favorite apps – Kim Noh even has her own tee that has logos of her tech stack!

  2. Stay connected via Slack, WhatsApp, social media, and texts throughout the conference.
  3. Bring business cards – digital, paper, or a paper one with a QR code (or QR code stickers). I used HiHello for my first time last year, but there are loads of others out there. These days the vendors usually just scan your badge to get your info, but they do sometimes have raffles where you can drop an old-school card in an old-school fishbowl; I have a different set of b-cards I use for these with an email that routes to a different folder.
  4. Prepare your elevator pitch – who are you, what do you do, why are you here, what makes you different? What will I want to remember about meeting you?

Tip Six — TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

  1. Sleep well the week and weekend leading up to the conference – the sessions start early, the parties go late, and there’s always something happening in the hotel bar.

  2. Put your badge on the inside of the doorknob when you get back to your room, so that you remember to grab it on your way out — a great tip I learned from Lynda Artesani. They are strict about not letting anyone in without it.
  3. If you’re getting groceries delivered or stopping by a 7-11 or Walgreens, consider picking up some epsom salts to soak your feet.
  4. It’s okay to skip the morning session if you were up late, or to take a nap during a mainstage or between events. Give yourself some grace.
  5. But be careful about how late you stay up and how much you drink. You don’t want to miss something valuable or feel sick just because you lost track of yourself. There’s a cool “bracelet trick” I learned years ago… put as many bracelets on your left wrist as drinks you’ll allow yourself. Move one bracelet to the right wrist with each adult bevvie. Once your left wrist is empty, cut yourself off. Another trick is to re-use the same glass each time you get another cocktail — filling it up with water between drinks. You have to finish the water before allowing yourself a refill. And this may go without saying, but make sure to eat a full meal to soak up all that fun.

  6. Consider arriving a day early or leaving a day late so you can see the sights in Las Vegas. If you haven’t been to Absinthe, Lost Spirits, a Cirque de Soleil show, the Fremont Street Experience and the downtown Vegas lights, or the Museum of Neon, I can highly recommend taking the extra time to make it happen. And it’s a great way to form a tighter bond with some of the new friends you met at the conference!

Tip Seven — SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

  1. There are always seats up-front, even when a session looks full. Don’t be nervous about walking right up there, even if it’s a few minutes into the session. No one’s looking at you, and no one cares.

  2. That said, feel free to ditch a class if it’s not what you were hoping for or expected. There are other workshops that will be better worth your valuable time – or maybe it’s an opportunity to visit with vendors or network with colleagues.
  3. Take a photo of the Exhibit Hall map so you can easily zoom in/out and orient the phone so that you’re pointing the right direction.
  4. Take lots of notes – notebook, e-ink pad, tablet, laptop… however works best for you. (In fact, as a paper-note-taker, I plan to check out my friends’ Remarkables and Supernotes as one of my research goals for the conference.) Make one page a list of client-specific takeaways and one page a list of non-client actions you’ll perform when you get back to the office. Try to restrict that second list to only 2-3 things – it’s impossible to implement every shiny new idea you come across. Those will hang around in your head and you’ll get a chance to learn more at the next conference, by which point maybe you’ll have a new set of goals.
  5. It’s natural to be nervous, but you can do this! Even extroverts struggle with meeting new people sometimes. Move through that shyness or fear and lean into the fact that almost everyone here came alone; everyone had a first conference where they didn’t know anyone; and everyone is here to meet other people and develop their practices. We have so much in common… sit at a lunchtable where you don’t know anyone and introduce yourself. Ask why they’re here and what they’re enjoying most. Find out where they’re from and what their specialty is. Tell them your goals and ask if they have advice. Ask them what their tech stack is and share your struggles with your choices and vendors and all the things. We will never run out of topics to talk about with each other, because there is so much to learn in our industry. Plus, chances are that these are folks who are as passionate about what they do as you are, or they wouldn’t be here in the first place.

See you soon at QuickBooks Connect!

Education, Software, Tips

Expert Tips For Attending Scaling New Heights 2024

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Joe Woodard on the SNH 2023 Mainstage… with a camel who taught us how to respond to out-of-scope client requests.

Note: this article is a rewrite/update of an earlier one on the topic of QuickBooks Connect 2023.

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was “Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood,” about a girl who goes to summer camp for her first time. She’s standing around, feeling (and probably looking) uncomfortable as all the return campers are running around, hugging each other, excited to be reunited. All of a sudden, someone runs up to her and gives her a big hug and says how happy she is to see her again. After a moment of total confusion, the girl leans in and says, “Don’t worry – we don’t actually know each other. I was just feeling left out and figured I’d join ‘em.” The two of them become fast friends and go off hugging others who looked out of place and letting them in on the joke. Before you know it, the entire place was full of everyone running around hugging each other and laughing.

While I can’t say this is likely to happen exactly like that at the upcoming Scaling New Heights conference in Orlando, I also wouldn’t be that surprised if it did. There will be heaps of people reuniting for the first time since last year (check out my video blog about those amazing takeaways as well as my recent article for Insightful Accountant). But there will also be loads of first-timers attending, who are nervous and out of their element. Find the other wallflowers and go up to them – tell them it seemed like maybe they didn’t know anyone there, either, and do they want to eat lunch together or go to a vendor booth or grab a drink? You’ll be delighted and surprised at how many of these folks you’ll stay in touch with through the years. Remember, progressive accountants and bookkeepers such as the kind you’ll find at SNH – especially those who go year after year – are excited you’re there, and they want to help make your experience better. Introduce yourself to someone who looks like they “belong” and say that you’re new, and not sure where to begin. I am sure they’ll point you in the right direction, take you under their wing, or introduce you to someone who might be a great conference buddy.

For today’s blog post, I’m going to be that conference buddy, and share with you my Expert Tips for Attending Scaling New Heights 2024.

The Dancing Accountant at the SNH 23 “Prom”

Tip One — PLAN AHEAD

  1. Attend a prep session webinar or podcast for individual insights. Kelly Gonsalves and I will be hosting a free one on “Insider Tips for Scaling New Heights” sponsored by Synder on Thursday, June 6th — you can watch the recording here.
  2. And Joe Woodard himself hosted one on Maximizing Your Experience at Scaling New Heights 2024 — catch the recording here, and they’ve kindly made the slides available for all attendees. Lots of great info on ’em — definitely worth the download.
  3. Plan ahead, make a schedule, but be comfortable diverging from it; that way you don’t waste time figuring out what to do in the moment, but you also don’t miss the organic opportunities that arise.
  4. Make a list of vendors you’d like to meet; they’re often very busy during open Exhibit Hall time; it might be helpful to set up a time with them to meet during a session when the Hall is less busy. Bring a list of questions you’d like to have answered. Narrow your scope… it’s impossible to visit everyone. Pick a few areas of interest, look into which vendors serve those areas, and focus on them.
  5. Connect on social media with others who will be attending, whether it’s in a Facebook group like Woodard Group of the Americas or QB Community Live, LinkedIn, or other platform, you can always use #SNH24 to find out who you already know that might be going. Engage and make plans ahead of time.
  6. Check with your sales reps and vendors for the tools you love best — whether you’re already using them or plan to implement this year — to see if they are hosting any customer dinners or get-togethers. Same with professional associations you might be considering joining, like Bookkeeping Buds, Realize, or Roundtable.


Tip Two — DOWNLOAD AND USE THE MOBILE APP

  1. The training schedule on the Woodard website does a nice job of giving you a visual to see which sessions are held concurrently, and which are 50-minutes versus 100 or 120-minutes. It also lists the course objectives for each session, below the description, which the app does not. However, you can only register for a session using the app or the mobile app — not via the main website’s training schedule. (The Scaling New Heights website agenda/ training schedule and the SNH app do not sync with each other.)
  2. If you still have the app on your phone from last year, it will work! You just have to click “JOIN” on the new conference. Otherwise, check out the slides below from Woodard for app instructions, as well as my friend Mariette Martinez’s how-to video for the mobile app.
  3. The conference app is also available as a web version, and from either the app or the web app, you can easily export each session to your own online calendar. Check out Mariette’s how-to video on the web version of the mobile app.
  4. It’s definitely helpful to the community if you register ahead-of-time for the classes that interest you (such as “The Tax-Ready Bookkeeper”, my session at 12 noon on Sunday, June 16th)! This is how they determine which rooms will be assigned for each one. If there’s a lot of interest in a particular topic, they’ll give it a bigger room, and that makes life easier for everyone.
  5. You can’t “like” or “favorite” any of the other sessions at the same time, as is the case with some apps… you can only “register”, and only for one per time slot. However, you can export as many sessions as you like from either the app or web version of the app to your calendar, which could be a workaround if you’re interested in more than one and want to track them all.
  6. The app won’t let you register if it’s full. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to attend anyway! Lines will form for the “sold-out” sessions, and they will let additional people in if there’s capacity, which there usually is – get there early to be near the front of the line. There is almost always extra room and I’ve rarely been turned away.
  7. If you click on the session, it will show you the description, as well as speaker info. If you click on the speaker, it will show their bio and all the sessions they’re teaching at the conference, as well as a link to their website. This is a great way to research which instructors you’d like to hear.


Tip Three — PACK WISELY AND COMFORTABLY

  1. Wear comfortable shoes – this is the largest Marriott in the world! It can easily be a mile from your room to the conference center. (Plus… dance parties! I’ll be participating in the Anchor Dance-Off in Booth #170.)
  2. Pack an extra collapsible duffle bag for swag if you’re into it – but remember… you can also say “no thank you”. It’s easy to get lost in the freebie frenzy, but do you really need another stress ball? That said, some of the stuff will be too good to pass up and you want to make sure you have room to carry it home.
  3. The breakout rooms are often FREEZING! Bring a wrap, poncho or sweatshirt.
  4. However, it’s also Orlando in June and there’s a pool, as well as a full waterpark with a lazy river and waterslides, included at no extra charge as part of the Scaling New Heights room cost. Pack your swimsuit!
  5. Bring a refillable water bottle (or reuse a plastic bottle) and/or coffee/tea mug; there will be dispensers, and also, the water in your hotel room is fine to drink.
  6. Bring battery packs and chargers – often the rooms are in a basement and your cell struggles and chews up your battery; plus you’ll want to be on the conference app, your association’s Slack, and you’ll probably text a lot.
  7. Conference hotels are pricey! Buy food & drink at a nearby convenience store if you’re going to want snacks or a bottle or box of wine outside of the usual meals and parties. Keep in mind that the Marriott is a Pepsi products hotel, so if you need your Coke, best buy some as well. The closest 7/11 is a mile away, so hit it up first-thing on the way from the airport so you get it all in one visit, or get a group of folks together to split the cost of a 6-seater Lyft XL. (While you’re there, pick up some epsom salts to soak your feet.)
  8. Ordering grocery or restaurant food delivery is often a lot cheaper than eating at the hotel restaurants. I’ve heard great things about Vacation Grocery Delivery in Orlando.
  9. Speaking of the hotel restaurants, the reservations book up very quickly. If you know you’ll want to eat out on a given night, go ahead and reserve as soon as you can.
  10. There are coffeemakers in the rooms, but only the kind that take those disposable pod-cup things. There is a Starbucks and a market but sometimes the lines are long. You may want to bring a portable tea kettle or coffeemaker; this is ours.
  11. Carry small bills for tipping bartenders at the various happy hours, socials, parties and receptions. They work hard and many attendees don’t think to bring cash.
  12. Bring earplugs for sleeping and loud parties.
  13. All that said, don’t overpack. We’re only there for four days and you can re-wear some of your clothing. You don’t want to get stuck spending most of your final night re-packing your whole wardrobe. You’ll probably need less stuff than you think.
  14. There’s usually a spot where you can store your luggage on the last day, after checking out (rather than with the hotel concierge).
  15. Dress code: BE YOURSELF. Many people are in sweats and jeans, others are in power-suits or dresses, and some of us love dressing up in-costume and wearing tiaras whenever we get the chance. Wear what makes you feel most like yourself.


Tip Four — TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS

  1. Mears Transportation offers shuttle service from Orlando International Airport to the hotel for $16 per person, each way. Reserve in advance here. Given that taxi fare is about $55, the shuttle is usually the better way to go, especially with luggage.
  2. Included in the cost of rooms in the Scaling New Heights room block is daily scheduled shuttle service to all four Disney Parks & Disney Springs.
  3. Plan for ample travel time while in Orlando, whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. The location is “just outside the entrance to Disney World” but each property is so massive that it often takes half-an-hour to get anywhere.
  4. Once you’ve met a bunch of folks at the conference, consider coordinating to share a cab back to the airport when you depart, if the shuttle service timing doesn’t work for you and you don’t have too much luggage.
  5. Check in early and skip the SNH check-in lines. On Sat, June 15 from 12 PM-6 PM and again on Sunday starting at 8 AM, you can head to the Registration Desk near the Cypress Ballroom. Remember to bring your ID.


Tip Five — NETWORKING

  1. Represent your tribe… for example, last year at QB Connect, the Bookkeeping Buds all wore tiaras for one of the sessions where a member was presenting. I also always bring my favorite Bookkeeping Buds bag and use it instead of the conference one (it not only is a nice talking point, but it also is easier to find if you leave it behind somewhere). Many folks love wearing t-shirts from their favorite apps – Kim Noh even has her own tee that has logos of her tech stack!
  2. Stay connected via Slack, social media, and texts throughout the conference. Often folks in your group will save a block of seats at the mainstage presentations, or will give a heads-up when a particular session is fabulous or misses the mark.
  3. Bring business cards – digital, paper, or a paper one with a QR code (or QR code stickers). I started using HiHello late last year and I printed out a QR code and taped it to my phone case, which makes it easy for folks to scan, but also a great way for someone to find me if I lose my phone. These days the vendors usually just scan your badge to get your info, but they do sometimes have raffles where you can drop an old-school card in an old-school fishbowl; I have a different set of b-cards I use for these with an email that routes to a different folder.
  4. Prepare your elevator pitch – who are you, what do you do, why are you here, what makes you different? What will I want to remember about meeting you?


Tip Six — TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

  1. Sleep well the week leading up to the conference – the sessions start early, the parties go late, and there’s always something happening in the hotel bar.
  2. Put your badge on the inside of the doorknob when you get back to your room, so that you remember to grab it on your way out. They are strict about not letting anyone in without it.
  3. It’s okay to skip the morning session if you were up late, or to take a nap during a mainstage or between events. Give yourself some grace.
  4. But be careful about how late you stay up and how much you drink. You don’t want to miss something valuable or feel sick just because you lost track of yourself. There’s a cool “bracelet trick” I learned years ago… put as many bracelets on your left wrist as drinks you’ll allow yourself. Move one bracelet to the right wrist with each drink. Once your left wrist is empty, you cut yourself off. Another trick is to re-use the same glass each time you get another adult beverage — filling it up with water between drinks… you have to finish the water before allowing yourself a refill. And this may go without saying, but make sure to eat a full meal to soak up the bevvies.
  5. Consider arriving a day early or leaving a day late so you can see the sights or enjoy the hotel amenities. I find that every place I go has something to offer.


Tip Seven — SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

  1. There is a “New Attendee Orientation” on Sunday, June 16 at 9 AM in the Crystal Ballroom, Room J. Usually they will place veteran conference-goers at each table to help guide rookies and answer questions. There is a “Practice Advancement Breakfast” afterwards in the Palms Ballroom Sabal Room. It requires an RSVP in the app, but is free of charge.
  2. There are always seats up-front, even when a session looks full. Don’t be nervous about walking right up there, even if it’s a few minutes into the session. No one’s looking at you, and no one cares.
  3. That said, feel free to ditch a class if it’s not what you were hoping for or expected. There are other workshops that will be better worth your valuable time – or maybe it’s an opportunity to visit with vendors or network with colleagues.
  4. Take a photo of the Exhibit Hall map so you can easily zoom in/out and orient the phone so you’re pointing the right direction.
  5. Take lots of notes – notebook, e-ink pad, tablet, laptop… however works best for you. (In fact, as a paper-note-taker, I plan to check out my friends’ Remarkables and Supernotes as one of my research goals for the conference.)
  6. In that notebook, keep one page aside for notes that are about client-specific problems that you will solve when you get back home; and another for non-client-specific items you will address. Try to restrict that second list to only 2-3 things – it’s impossible to implement every shiny new idea you come across. Those will hang around in your head and you’ll get a chance to learn more at the next conference, by which point maybe you’ll have a new set of goals.
  7. Don’t miss Nicole Davis‘ keynote on Wednesday, June 19th (aka Juneteenth) at 9 am! She is a beautiful human being and I cannot wait to find out what she has to share with us.
  8. It’s natural to be nervous, but you can do this! Even extroverts struggle with meeting new people sometimes. Move through that shyness or fear and lean into the fact that almost everyone here came alone; everyone had a first conference where they didn’t know anyone; and everyone is here to meet other people and develop their practices. We have so much in common… sit at a lunch-table where you don’t know anyone and introduce yourself. Ask why they’re here and what they’re enjoying most. Find out where they’re from and what their specialty is. Tell them your goals and ask if they have advice. Ask them what their tech stack is and share your struggles with your choices and vendors and all the things. We will never run out of topics to talk about with each other, because there is so much to learn in our industry. Plus, chances are that these are folks who are as passionate about what they do as you are, or they wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Now, if this was helpful, your next steps are to: go fetch those slides from Woodard — download the app and register for my session “The Tax-Ready Bookkeeper” 😁 — join us for Insider Tips on June 6th — read my most recent article for Insightful Accountant — and watch my takeaways from last year’s SNH.

See you soon at Scaling New Heights!

If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.

Education, QuickBooks Software, Tips

Expert Tips For Attending QuickBooks Connect 2023

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One of my favorite books when I was a kid was “Hail, Hail, Camp Timberwood,” about a girl who goes to summer camp for her first time. She’s standing around, feeling (and probably looking) uncomfortable as all the return campers are running around, hugging each other, excited to be reunited. All of a sudden, someone runs up to her and gives her a big hug and says how happy she is to see her again. After a moment of total confusion, the girl leans in and says, “Don’t worry – we don’t actually know each other. I was just feeling left out and figured I’d join ‘em.” The two of them become fast friends and go off hugging others who looked out of place and letting them in on the joke. Before you know it, the entire place was full of everyone running around hugging each other and laughing.

While I can’t say this is likely to happen exactly like that at the upcoming QuickBooks Connect conference in Las Vegas, I also wouldn’t be that surprised if it did. There will be heaps of people reuniting for the first time since last year, or at least since Scaling New Heights (check out my recent video blog about those amazing takeaways, which includes some bonus QBC suggestions). But there will also be loads of first-timers attending, who are nervous and out of their element. Find the other wallflowers and go up to them – tell them it seemed like maybe they didn’t know anyone there, either, and do they want to eat lunch together or go to a vendor booth or grab a drink? You’ll be delighted and surprised at how many of these folks you’ll stay in touch with through the years. Remember, progressive accountants and bookkeepers such as the kind you’ll find at QBC – especially those who go year after year – are excited you’re there, and they want to help make your experience better. Introduce yourself to someone who looks like they “belong” and say that you’re new, and not sure where to begin. I am sure they’ll point you in the right direction, take you under their wing, or introduce you to someone who might be a great conference buddy.

For today’s blog post, I’m going to be that conference buddy, and share with you my Expert Tips for Attending QuickBooks Connect 2023.


Tip One — PLAN AHEAD

  1. Attend a prep session webinar or podcast for individual insights. There are so many great recordings already out there: Check out the ones from The Unofficial QBC FB Group, Bookkeeping Buds, Forwardly and Uncat & Method, just to name a few. Kelly Gonsalves is hosting a star-studded one with Insightful Accountant – sign up here. Every registered participant will get a recording to watch on the way to Vegas!
  2. Plan ahead, make a schedule, but be comfortable diverging from it; that way you don’t waste time figuring out what to do in the moment, but you also don’t miss the organic opportunities that arise.
  3. Make a list of vendors you’d like to meet; they’re often very busy during open Exhibit Hall time; it might be helpful to set up a time with them to meet during a session when the Hall is less busy. Bring a list of questions you’d like to have answered. Narrow your scope… it’s impossible to visit everyone. Pick a few areas of interest, look into which vendors serve those areas, and focus on them.
  4. Connect on social media with others who will be attending, whether it’s in a Facebook group like The Unofficial QuickBooks Connect Conference Group (where many of us shared short videos of what we’re looking forward to at QBC this year), LinkedIn, or other platform, you can always use #QBC2023 or #QBConnect to find out who you already know that might be going. Engage and make plans ahead of time.
  5. Register for parties that aren’t already in the QBC app!

Tip Two — DOWNLOAD AND USE THE MOBILE APP

  1. When you log into the QB Connect website, and once you’ve downloaded and signed into the conference app, you can select sessions ahead of time in the app or on the website; they sync with each other.
  2. If you click on the session, it will show you speaker info. If you click on the speaker it will show their bio and all the sessions they’re teaching.
  3. You can “register” for only one per timeslot, but you can “favorite” many, which is great if a session turns out not to be your cup of tea and you want to bail for another, or if you’re somewhat undecided.
  4. Lines will form for the “sold-out” sessions, and they will let additional people in if there’s capacity, which there usually is –  get there early to be near the front of the line.

Tip Three — PACK WISELY AND COMFORTABLY

  1. Wear comfortable shoes – there’s a lot of walking, even though it’s a confined space. (Plus, dance parties!)
  2. Pack an extra collapsible duffle bag for swag if you’re into it – but remember… you can also say “no thank you”. It’s easy to get lost in the freebie frenzy, but do you really need another stress ball?
  3. The breakout rooms are often FREEZING! Bring a wrap or sweatshirt. Also, Vegas is in the desert… it’s chilly this time of year.
  4. Bring a refillable water bottle (or reuse a plastic bottle) and/or coffee/tea mug; there will be dispensers, and also, the water in your hotel room is fine to drink. Pro tip: the gym is 24/7 and has great filtered water.
  5. Bring battery packs and chargers – often the rooms are in a basement and your cell struggles and chews up your battery; plus you’ll want to be on the conference app, your association’s slack, and you’ll probably text a lot.
  6. The hotels are pricey! Buy food & drink at a nearby convenience store if you’re going to want snacks or a bottle or box of wine outside of the usual meals and parties – but there are lots of those, so it’s not strictly necessary. Also, ordering delivery food is a lot cheaper than eating at the casino.
  7. There are no coffee-makers in the rooms, and the line at the café winds through the casino. Bring a portable tea kettle or coffee-maker; this is ours.
  8. Carry small bills for tipping bartenders at the various happy hours, socials, parties and receptions. They work hard and many attendees don’t think to bring cash.
  9. Bring earplugs for sleeping and loud parties.
  10. All that said, don’t overpack. We’re only there for four days and you can re-wear some of your clothing. You don’t want to get stuck spending most of your final night re-packing your whole wardrobe. You’ll probably need less stuff than you think.
  11. There’s usually a spot at QBC where you can store your luggage on the last day, after checking out (rather than with the hotel concierge).
  12. Dress code: BE YOURSELF. Many people are in sweats and jeans, others are in power-suits or dresses, and some of us love dressing up in-costume and wearing tiaras whenever we get the chance. Wear what makes you feel most like yourself.

Tip Four — TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS

  1. Sign up for the Forwardly/Fyle Shuttle from the airport to Aria on Nov 12 & 13 — The whole city has been torn apart in preparation for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and rideshare surge prices are already insane.
  2. Related: plan for ample travel time while in Las Vegas, whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. Use cabs instead of rideshares when you must take a vehicle, as they are prohibited from surge pricing. Stick with over-street pedestrian bridges and monorails when possible.
  3. Once you’ve met a bunch of folks at the conference, consider coordinating to share a cab back to the airport when you depart.
  4. Check in early and skip the QBC lines. On Nov 12 from 12 PM-7 PM you can head to the Mariposa Registration Desk on Level 2, and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a meet-and-greet with Ryan Reynolds! Remember to bring your ID.

Tip Five — NETWORKING

  1. Represent your tribe… for example, the Bookkeeping Buds are going to wear our tiaras for one of the sessions where a member is presenting. I also always bring my favorite Bookkeeping Buds bag and use it instead of the conference one (it not only is a nice talking point, but it also is easier to find if you leave it behind somewhere). Many folks love wearing t-shirts from their favorite apps – Kim Noh even has her own tee that has logos of her tech stack!
  2. Stay connected via Slack, social media, and texts throughout the conference.
  3. Bring business cards – digital, paper, or a paper one with a QR code (or QR code stickers). I’m using HiHello for my first time this year, but there are loads of others out there. These days the vendors usually just scan your badge to get your info, but they do sometimes have raffles where you can drop an old-school card in an old-school fishbowl; I have a different set of b-cards I use for these with an email that routes to a different folder.
  4. Prepare your elevator pitch – who are you, what do you do, why are you here, what makes you different? What will I want to remember about meeting you?

Tip Six — TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

  1. Sleep well the week and weekend leading up to the conference – the sessions start early, the parties go late, and there’s always something happening in the hotel bar.
  2. Put your badge on the inside of the doorknob when you get back to your room, so that you remember to grab it on your way out. They are strict about not letting anyone in without it.
  3. It’s okay to skip the morning session if you were up late, or to take a nap during a mainstage or between events. Give yourself some grace.
  4. But be careful about how late you stay up and how much you drink. You don’t want to miss something valuable or feel sick just because you lost track of yourself. Bracelet trick.
  5. Consider arriving a day early or leaving a day late so you can see the sights in Las Vegas. That’s harder this year because of the Formula 1 race coming up, but if you haven’t been to Absinthe, Lost Spirits, a Cirque de Soleil show, the Fremont Street Experience and the downtown Vegas lights, or the Museum of Neon, I can highly recommend taking the extra time to make it happen.

Tip Seven — SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

  1. There are always seats up-front, even when a session looks full. Don’t be nervous about walking right up there, even if it’s a few minutes into the session. No one’s looking at you, and no one cares.
  2. That said, feel free to ditch a class if it’s not what you were hoping for or expected. There are other workshops that will be better worth your valuable time – or maybe it’s an opportunity to visit with vendors or network with colleagues.
  3. Take lots of notes – notebook, e-ink pad, tablet, laptop… however works best for you. Make one page a list of client-specific takeaways and one page a list of actions you’ll perform when you get back to the office. (In fact, as a paper-note-taker, I plan to check out my friends’ Remarkables and Supernotes as one of my research goals for the conference.)
  4. In that notebook, keep one page aside for notes that are about client-specific problems that you will solve when you get back home; and another for non-client-specific items you will address. Try to restrict that second list to only 2-3 things – it’s impossible to implement every shiny new idea you come across. Those will hang around in your head and you’ll get a chance to learn more at the next conference, by which point maybe you’ll have a new set of goals.
  5. Supposedly they are giving out free headshots at the Intuit booth, but I’m not sure where the info is on that.
  6. It’s natural to be nervous, but you can do this! Even extroverts struggle with meeting new people sometimes. Move through that shyness or fear and lean into the fact that almost everyone here came alone; everyone had a first conference where they didn’t know anyone; and everyone is here to meet other people and develop their practices. We have so much in common… sit at a lunchtable where you don’t know anyone and introduce yourself. Ask why they’re here and what they’re enjoying most. Find out where they’re from and what their specialty is. Tell them your goals and ask if they have advice. Ask them what their tech stack is and share your struggles with your choices and vendors and all the things. We will never run out of topics to talk about with each other, because there is so much to learn in our industry. Plus, chances are that these are folks who are as passionate about what they do as you are, or they wouldn’t be here in the first place.

See you next week at QuickBooks Connect!

If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. Ths allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.

Tips

SBA “Top 3 Small Business Holiday Marketing Tips for 2020”

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Play Toys & Books, Logan Square, Chicago — https://www.playtoysandbooks.com/

From the Small Business Administration —

With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday in November kicking off the holiday shopping season, now is a good time for small businesses to boost sales. This year, 60% of consumers plan to do half or more of their winter holiday shopping at local retailers. Capitalize on this growth opportunity by using the following marketing strategies this holiday season.

  1. Leverage email to grow sales. In a 2020 survey, 79% of small business owners said email is “important” or “very important” to their businesses. Take time over the coming weeks to establish an effective email marketing strategy for the holiday season. Start by adopting email marketing best practices, such as using email marketing software, dividing your email list into specific demographic groups, locations or other characteristics, and writing engaging subject lines. Next, consider what types of emails will be valuable to your customers during the holiday season, such as highlight sales, new products and services, pre-ordering and curbside pickup options, and shipping timelines that may interest your customers. After a customer first signs up for your email list or makes a purchase, follow-up with a “thank you” note and a discount code to stay connected to your customers. Avoid sending too many emails each week, or you risk losing subscribers (no matter how compelling your emails are)!
  2. Engage with customers on social media. Social media is another great way to directly communicate with customers and market your business. Through social media, you can show why current and prospective customers should buy your products or services. If you’re a retail business owner, broadcast a Facebook Live event to showcase some of your latest merchandise and why they make the perfect gift. If you provide a service, consider marketing gift cards as holiday presents. Alternatively, you can explain how your services can ease the stress of the holiday season. Use hashtags and partner with other businesses to help your social media posts reach as many potential customers as possible.
  3. Add a personal touch. In some cases, you might not be seeing your customers in-person this year due to local regulations related to the pandemic. If you have a direct mailing list, send handwritten notes to customers to maintain personal connections. Post a compilation video of your staff on social media thanking customers for patronizing your business in 2020. As always, provide top-quality customer service by responding promptly to messages by phone, email, and social media. Small things can make a big difference when distinguishing yourself from the competition.

For an expert second opinion on your holiday marketing plans, reach out to local SBA resource partners, who can provide one-on-one advice and are available remotely. Take advantage of SBA marketing resources, including SBA Learning Center courses such as Marketing 101 and Social Media Marketing. Focusing on marketing this holiday season will not only boost your sales at the end of the year, but will also help you generate leads and build brand loyalty for 2021 and beyond.

If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. This allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.

Education, IRS, Tips

“Tips” For Small Businesses Creating A GoFundMe for Former Staff

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I’m getting a lot of questions on this one from clients and figured it would be good info for many out there.

If you own a small business and have had to lay off or furlough staff during this difficult time, you may wish to offer those who would like to assist an opportunity to contribute to a so-called “virtual tip jar”.

The issue is that tips are taxable income that should be run through payroll… whereas most of what we’re talking about right now are rightly termed as “gifts” — which are non-taxable to the recipient. Only if the gift exceeds $15k to any one recipient does the gifter (not recipient) have to file a gift tax return. The IRS requires that to qualify as a gift, the property (usually cash in this case) must be given without expecting to receive something of at least equal value in return.

It is reasonable to argue that these gifts are not lost wages or wage replacement — nor are they income to the company and then payroll to the staff. These are people who have simply lost their jobs through no fault of their own or the business owner’s, and we’ve become friends with these folks through the years and want to help. These are the people who’ve poured us that soothing cup of herbal tea during rough times, or a shot of tequila during rougher ones. They’ve taught us to mold clay, or taught our children music. We’ve gotten to know and love them and we want to help. That’s a gift. So here are a few “tips” for making sure your tips don’t inadvertently become taxable income to your business or your staff.

1) Make sure these are in fact gifts. No fair disguising actual sales of product or services, or trades. Don’t mess this up for everyone else.

2) Use GoFundMe, rather than an existing business method of collecting payments — not Paypal, Square, Stripe or anything else. The reason is that these businesses are required by law to send a 1099-K to you and the IRS, because the government is correct to assume that in general, those funds should be considered income. Whereas, the money in this case isn’t “income” to the business, so we need to make that clear by using GoFundMe, which is set up for arms-length gifting.

3) Secondly, use your personal name and your personal bank account for this — do not run it through the business and do not use the business EIN/ Tax ID. Again, we’re trying to make it clear that this money is just a gift to the employees out of the goodness of everyone’s heart, and not a replacement of wages that would be taxable via payroll.

4) Which brings me to another important point: do not run this through payroll. Think about it: all that is happening is that a disinterested but kind third party (a plain old nice human such as myself) decides to gift money to your staff because I feel bad that they are out of work. So I give you some money, since you’re a trustworthy person who has everyone’s contact info and can fairly distribute it. And you, personally, then take the funds and hand them out. No business account, no payroll, just an altruistic gift that you are passing along as the middle man.

There are certainly situations out there and arguments to be made that in some circumstances, these funds would qualify as income to the business, and then the payments would need to be made to employees via payroll. This is not a comprehensive post designed to address all of those alternative contexts — and should not be relied on as tax advice. Please consult with your CPA or attorney for specific questions about your own business.

If this or any other posts on the website were useful to you, and your financial situation permits it, please consider contributing to my tip jar. This allows me to continue to provide free accounting resources to small businesses who do not have the funds available to hire a CPA.