Building a Technology Team 

Season 1 Episode 8

FACULTY: Nicholas Pasquarosa

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Building a Technology Team 

In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Nicholas Pasquarosa, the Founder of Bookkeeper360. The conversation unfolds through various chapters, exploring Nick's background, the inception of Bookkeeper360, the growth trajectory of the business, the pivotal role of Xero in changing dynamics, and disruptive approaches to bookkeeping.

• Introducing Nick
• High School with Nick
• The start of Bookkeeper 360
• How the business grew
• Finding Xero
• Xero changing things
• Full integration
• Technology and people
• Building a management team
• The Board of directors
• A big "mistake"
• Long-time employees
• Mentors
• Difficulties articulating the vision and imagination gap
• The grinding years
• Going remote
• Just getting started...
• Being disruptive
• Goals and visions for the future

Shout Outs:

[00:02:43] Introducing Nick

[00:03:59] High School with Nick

[00:06:46] the start of Bookkeepper 360

[00:08:47] How the business grew

[00:10:50] Finding Xero

[00:12:48] Xero changing things

[00:15:42] Full integration

[00:16:28] Technology and people

[00:19:03] Building a management team

[00:20:36] The Board of directors

[00:23:06] A big "mistake"

[00:25:36] Long time employees

[00:28:02] Mentors

[00:29:46] Difficulties Articulating the vision and imagination gap

[00:30:49] The grinding years

[00:32:13] Going remote

[00:35:23] Just getting started...

[00:37:13] Being disruptive

[00:41:26] Goals and visions for the future

Ignition Remix

Season 1 Episode 7

FACULTY: Guy Pearson

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Ignition Remix

In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Guy Pearson, CEO of Ignition, delving into various facets of the company's journey, branding strategies, partnerships, integrations, organizational structure, challenges in growth, investor relations, the role of a CEO, emphasizing the significance of people within the organization, insights into pricing strategies facilitated by Ignition, and concluding advice.

• Intro
• Branding and Partnerships
• Integrations
• Ignition is a Decentralized Organization
• Growing Pains
• Investors
• Being a CEO
• People are the Purpose
• Ignition Help with Pricing
• Final Advice

Shout Outs:

Dane Thomas, Craig Winkler, Jack Newton, William Z. McFarland, Richard Branson, Karbon, Gusto, Thomson Reuters, Xero, Intuit, Go Proposal, JMI, Tiger Global, EVP, Live Plan, Jirav

00:00:00 Intro

00:13:39 Branding and Partnerships

00:16:49 Integrations

00:21:10 Ignition is a Decentralized Organization

00:24:37 Growing Pains

00:28:08 Investors

00:32:13 Being a CEO

00:33:52 People are the Purpose 

00:37:00 Ignition Help with Pricing

00:44:25 Final Advice

Active vs Passive Technologies

Season 1 Episode 6

FACULTY: Kellie Parks

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Active vs Passive Technologies

In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Kellie Parks CPB from Calmwaters Cloud Accounting, exploring a range of topics related to accounting, technology, navigating change, and dispelling stereotypes in the industry. The conversation touches on Kellie's unconventional entry into accounting, change management, leveraging technology, incorporating fun into the profession, bridging generational gaps, involving everyone in the evolution of the industry, and assessing the right people for collaboration.

• Not an Accountant
• GoProposal Ad
• Change
• Change and AA
• Technology
• The Fun Factor
• The Older Generation
• Bringing Everyone Along for the Ride
• Calling in the right or wrong people
• Stereotypes and Switzerland

Shout Outs:

Chad, Jason Staats, Blake Oliver, Matthew May, Kyle Turf, Splashtop, TeamViewer, Notion, Zapier, 17 Hats, Acuity Scheduling, Acuity CFOs

00:05:44 Not an Accountant

00:17:47 GoProposal Ad

00:19:16 Change

00:20:31 Change and AA

00:22:20 Technology

00:28:07 The Fun Factor

00:31:42 The Older Generation

00:37:22 Bringing Everyone Along for the Ride

00:42:29 Calling in the right or wrong people

00:44:16 Stereotypes and Switzerland

Products (feat. Tallyfor)

Season 1 Episode 5

FACULTY: Shane Mason, Megan Justice, Nikole Mackenzie 

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Products (feat. Tallyfor)

In this podcast episode, Scott and Coach Mack interview Megan Justice, owner of Crayon Advisory, and Shane Mason, founder of Brooklyn Fi where they dive into the way they apply Tallyfor at their practices, insights into their heroes or role models, transitioning to the cloud, limitations and the prospects of Tallyfor, and considerations about Freshbooks.

• Introductions
• Shane Intro
• Before Tallyfor
• Heroes
• Saving Time With Tallyfor
• Switching to Megan and the Cloud
• Have more fun
• Limitations and The Future of Tallyfor
• Freshbooks
• Journal Entries
• More Closing Statements

Shout Outs:

Peter Wen, Twyla Verhelst, Kristen Keats, Tallyfor, Freshbooks, Lacerte, Palantir, TD Ameritrade, Zapier, Karbon, XPAC, Xero, QBO, Thomson Reuters

00:02:26 Introductions

00:06:07 Shane Intro

00:08:19 Before Tallyfor

00:12:23 Heroes

00:16:51 Saving Time With Tallyfor

00:21:19 Switching to Megan and the Cloud

00:30:30 Have more fun

00:31:08 Limitations and The Future of Tallyfor

00:36:24 Freshbooks

00:39:51 Journal Entries

00:43:01 More Closing Statements

Cloud CEO to Desktop CPA

Season 1 Episode 4

FACULTY: Teddy Sullivan, Jason Ackerman

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Cloud CEO to Desktop CPA

Scott and Jason interview Teddy Sullivan, the Owner of Human Accounting Partners, delving into various topics surrounding his journey from Xero to CPA, transitioning to cloud-based solutions, the challenges faced, and insights into his experiences buying and managing an accounting firm.

• Xero Stuff
• What got Teddy into all of this?
• To CPA or not to CPA?
• Buying a Firm
• Location, Location, Location/Remote Firms
• New Boss meeting new employees
• First changes
• Challenges with going Cloud 
• New Clients and Converting to cloud 
• Not Acquiring Two Firms
• Being a Xero Homer
• Engage
• What's in the future? 
• Advice for buying a firm
• Growth
• Final Thoughts 

Shout Outs:

Summit CPA, Xero, Quickbooks, Kenji Kuramoto

00:03:31 Xero Stuff

00:04:48 Scott's Firm

00:04:49 What got Teddy into all of this?

00:07:54 Buying a Firm

00:10:09 Location, Location, Location/Remote Firms

00:15:48 New Boss meeting new employees 

00:18:14 First changes

00:21:35 Challenges with going Cloud  

00:25:11 New Clients and Converting to cloud  

00:26:17 Not Acquiring Two Firms

00:28:51 Being a Xero Homer

00:30:32 Engage

00:31:54 What's in the future?  

00:33:33 Scott's Sales Process

00:33:36 Advice for buying a firm

00:34:29 Accounting High and Accounting U

00:34:36 Growth

00:37:29 Final Thoughts

Tech Partners

Season 1 Episode 3

FACULTY: Kenji Kuramoto, Nikole Mackenzie

CLASS: #TechTime

TITLE: Tech Partners

In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Kenji Kuramoto, CEO of Acuity, and Nikole "Choach Niks" Mackenzie, Founder and CEO of Momentum Accounting. They discuss their roles within their respective organizations, acquisitions shared visions and goals, and insights into the dynamics of partnerships.

• Introductions 
• Kenji and His Partners
• How Kenji met Matthew 
• Titles and Roles
• Dealing with Conflict and Complementing Personalities
• Size and Growth
• Process Street
• Acquisitions
• Sharing the Goals and Vision
• Partnership is not for Everyone 

In this podcast episode, Scott interviews Rachel Fisch, the founder of Fischbooks Inc., delving into her journey in the accounting industry, her experiences with various accounting software, and her insights into modernizing tax practices.

• Journey to Fisch Books
• Rachel The Social Butterfly
• Accounting Software in Canada
• Modernizing Tax
• Selling Her Firm
• Working at Sage and moving to High Rock
• Software and the relationship with the users
• Antics at High Rock
• Authenticity on Social Media

Shout Outs:

Liz Scott, High Rock Accounting

Accounting High Tech Time is brought to you by Accounting High, and hosted by Scotty Scarano and Nix Mackenzie.

Scott interviews David Barrett, the Founder and CEO of Expensify. The conversation covers a range of topics including inspiration, lessons from failures, the role of altruism, fostering a positive work culture, talent identification, managing ambitious individuals, Expensify's compensation model, the concept of a "Superapp," and the limits associated with it.

• Who Inspires You?
• Tell us about something you f-ed up
• Altruism; The Root of All Evil
• Have Fun
• How do you identify Talent, Ambition, and Humility?
• How do you keep Ambitious people rowing in the same direction? 
• Expensify's Compensation Model
• Expensify Payroll
• What are the limits of a Superapp?
• S1 Announcement Video
• Superapp

Accounting High Tech Time is brought to you by Accounting High, and hosted by Scotty Scarano and Nix Mackenzie.