Sessions & Speakers
Thursday, September 28 — 9:15 to 10:30 am
Kellie Parks, CPBKellie crafts processes and automation for future-thinking accounting professionals who believe in the mightiness of online technology.
She wants every accounting professional to love running a cloud-based business as much as she does. The keys to embracing the cloud are effective best practices, consistent communication and efficient processes, systems and workflows, which is why she has crafted dozens of pre-built templates - to take the pain of creating optimization in your firm - off your plate.
Certified or partnered in over a dozen cloud applications, she’s also a proud member of the Intuit International Trainer Writer Network and the FreshBooks Partner Council.
Kellie is a runner, water/snow skier and live-music fan.
She is always wondering what you would do more of - outside of work - if processes, automation & apps gave you your life back!?
Thursday, September 28 — 10:45 to Noon
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so do our responsibilities as tax professionals. The cloud offers a myriad of opportunities to enhance our practices, streamline workflows, and ultimately, elevate our client services to new heights. In this session, we'll explore the transformative power of the cloud and how it can revolutionize the way we work.
During my interactive session, we will discuss the following:
In conclusion, the cloud is not just a buzzword; it's a transformative force that can revolutionize our profession. By embracing the cloud, we can enhance efficiency, collaboration, and security while creating exceptional experiences for our clients.
Join me in this exciting presentation as we explore the boundless opportunities the cloud has to offer. Together, let's empower ourselves and our clients for a successful and prosperous future in tax services. See you there!
Tanya Hilts, CPB, AIAMeet Tanya, the dynamic founder of Cloud Business Services and Tanya’s Bookkeepers' Bootcamp, who excels at streamlining business processes and boosting office efficiency. With a genuine passion for collaboration and innovation, Tanya established Bookkeepers' Bootcamp, providing industry-accredited 13-week programs to empower accounting professionals in North America to thrive and flourish.
Tanya's impressive credentials include the Accredited Impactful Advisor, Level 5 Certified Advisor designation, Certified Professional Bookkeeper designation, and Advanced Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor status. An accomplished speaker, she frequently participates in events and actively contributes to the industry by serving on the Public Affairs Task Force and Ethics Committee for CPB Canada.
Her dedication and expertise have been widely recognized through numerous awards and accolades. Notably, she was honored as the 2020 Top Canadian ProAdvisor and named the 2019 CPB Canada Professional of the Year. Additionally, her team was awarded the prestigious 2018 Global Intuit Firm of the Future title. Tanya has also earned distinctions such as being listed among Woodar’d Top 50 Accounting Services Firms for in 2022, Practice Ignition's Top 50 Women in Accounting in 2018 and 2019, as well as Insightful Accountants' Top 100 ProAdvisor from 2018 to 2022. She was also recognized as a Hubdoc Top 50 Accountant in 2017 and 2018, received the 2018 Inspire Bookkeeper Award, and was named a Top 12 Influencer in the Canadian Bookkeeping World in 2017 for her outstanding contributions to the industry.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Tanya embodies a commitment to sharing knowledge and giving back to the community. As a volunteer, she mentors and nurtures the next generation of bookkeeper entrepreneurs, making a significant impact on their careers. Furthermore, Tanya actively contributes as a Member of the Intuit Trainer Writer Network, where she regularly shares her expertise and insights on Intuit's Firm of the Future blog site. With Tanya's remarkable skillset and unwavering dedication to the field, she remains an influential figure in the world of accounting and bookkeeping.
Thursday, September 28 — 1:30 to 2:45 pm
Another year has gone by, and malware is still as pervasive. After a quick introduction to malware architecture and the threat landscape, Dave will speak directly to Microsoft 365 and things that can be done to improve your data storage, security, and retention within the Microsoft 365 platform.
Learning Objective: To become aware of built in security features that are a part of the Microsoft 365 platform that you might not currently be familiar with.
Dave DebreDavid is the IT guy (aka Network Integration specialist) at P51 Computing Strategies – a company he has co-owned for over 25 years. His many years of experience spans multiple platforms, multiple architectures and multiple technologies for IT systems management, and his client base covers various industries. His areas of expertise include: Windows, Office 365, Linux, Virtualization, Network Design, Network Administration, Network Security and Cloud integration.
David has also been an instructor in this arena throughout his career. He is a fun-spirited, unusual Techie because he can relay technical information using ‘normal’ language that makes it easy for everyone to understand.
David is married to a bookkeeper/trainer, lives on an acreage near Edmonton, and enjoys sailing, music, reading, and a really fine cup of coffee.
Thursday, September 28 — 3:15 to 4:30 pm
COVID-19 was a game changer for many of us - some working from home, some working in a hybrid arrangement and others worked as normal. We learned again that balancing a busy and often challenging professional and personal life is never easy. Life brings us all daily challenges, but it is how we choose to address each of these challenges that defines us and the quality of life that we want and deserve. In this uplifting, positive, solutions-oriented webinar presentation we'll explore some common-sense strategies that you can use today to achieve a better and more realistic work life balance…and live your best life.
Michael LewisMichael Lewis Training, Motivation and Development
Michael is Managing Director of Michael Lewis Training, Motivation and Development, a London, Ontario-based training and development firm that was founded in 1994 and specializes in developing and delivering personal and professional development presentations, seminars, webinars, workshops, and teambuilding facilitation to a wide range of clients. Born in 1961, He graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. in 1983, began a career in training in the corporate world, and eventually started his own training and development firm.
Michael is a very experienced and popular speaker and trainer. As of July 2022, he has spoken and/or presented workshops, seminars, webinars, and team-building sessions almost 6000 times in 394 different communities across Ontario.
As he is fond of saying, “I love what I do, and do what I love, and how great a blessing it is to have a life in which love, purpose, and passion can all come together so wonderfully”.
Friday, September 29 — 9:15 to 10:30 am
Build a team suitable for your clients and services.
Team building can enhance client services, grow your business and improve your life. A strong team can take your business to the next level and, in many cases, provide you with a successor for your business continuity plan or future retirement. This presentation will help you start and continue building your team before your practice plateaus.
A successful advisor with over three decades of experience, Christine will reveal how she built her team from sharing 1 assistant with 3 other advisors to a successful team of over six assistants and associates. Christine believes strong teams are critical for success today and that her practice would have plateaued at about 20% of its final size if she had not grown her team beyond one assistant.
Christine says. “Some advisors may think they can’t afford to hire team members. I’d suggest they can’t afford not to.”
Learn how to build a team suitable for your clients and the services you wish to provide while benefiting from Christine’s experience, including lessons learned the hard way, as she explains the Why, What, When, Who and How of successful team building for Financial Advisors:
WHY… the benefits for clients, advisors and team members.
WHAT…. what to delegate
WHEN … to add a team member
WHO… who to hire
HOW … training, supervision and team structure
Christine TimmsAuthor: Handbooks for the Professional Financial Advisor
Christine Timms is the author of 3 Handbooks for the Professional Financial Advisors including Team Building for Financial Advisors. She has also written articles for Wealth Professional (WP), Advisorpedia and Advocis and been interviewed by The Globe and Mail, Investment Executive, The Efficient Advisor, The Perfect RIA and more. Her books are available in ebook and paperback through Amazon and Indigo Chapters.
Christine Timms began her career training to be an accountant. She graduated from University of Waterloo with a B. Math degree and earned her CMA accounting designation before beginning her career as an investment advisor with Merrill Lynch Canada and then CIBC Wood Gundy. After 33 years of investment advising and financial planning for clients, she sold her practice to 2 members of her team, retiring from active advising. She then spent the next few years writing 3 practice management books for financial advisors and creating templates for advisors. She now spends her time providing practice management articles and seminars and is writing a book for the general public to educate and point them in the direction of professional financial advisors. Christine’s mission is to help people by helping advisors provide more independent financial advice to more people.
Friday, September 29 — 10:45 am to Noon
We all know finding the right hire is an important process for every business, especially a small business, but how much thought do you give to pre-hiring? It may feel excessive or unnecessary, but your hiring process is only as good as the foundation it’s built on. This presentation will provide a comprehensive walkthrough for the pre-hiring stage – which is key in attracting (and retaining) the best employees.
In this presentation, Jocelyn will provide guidance on how to best position yourself in this tight labour market by:
Senior Manager of Business Resources National & Atlantic Region
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
Jocelyn Rhindress grew up in a household supported by a small business, which fueled her lifelong passion for helping entrepreneurs. Starting at CFIB as a business advisor thirteen years ago, Jocelyn has developed expertise and knowledge in several areas including compliance, employment standards, human resources, health & safety, human rights, fraud prevention and employee management. Jocelyn leads a team of business advisors that handle small business inquiries from across the country and oversees inquiries from the Atlantic provinces.
A continuous learner, Jocelyn has a Bachelor of Commerce from Mount Allison University, a Certificate of Human Resource Management from Dalhousie University and an Advance Certificate of Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace through the University of Fredericton. She most recently developed course material for CFIB’s Cybersecurity Academy and can be found regularly presenting CFIB webinars.
Jocelyn’s purpose is to help increase Canadian small business’ chance of success through support in the most effective, knowledgeable and approachable way possible.
Anna ManciniCanadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
Anna Mancini is a National Account Executive at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, where Anna is committed to helping small business owners be successful by providing mentorship, tools, and resources support. Following 20 years as a manager and VP in both the Financial and Fitness Industries and entrepreneur, Anna brings extensive knowledge of small business and is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs in every industry. Anna currently resides in Burlington, where she enjoys spending time being active outdoors with her two daughters.
Friday, September 29 — 1:30 to 2:45 pm
Today, it seems that most organizations we talk are dealing with the following three challenges:
Friday, September 29 — 3:15 to 4:30 pm
The war for talent continues as employers fight over candidates- but when it comes to offering benefits that will attract and retain the best talent, small businesses are at a disadvantage compared to larger corporations- or are they? In this session, we'll dispel common myths and misconceptions regarding benefits for small businesses and empower you to explore what "great benefits" mean for your team.
You may be surprised to learn that:
You will leave this session with practical knowledge and steps to follow on how to implement competitive, sustainable benefits within your small business.
Gianna Ricciardi, CEBSGianna is the Co-Founder and Practice Leader at Vita Assure, a brokerage firm specializing in employee benefits for small and medium-sized businesses located across Ontario and Quebec. Vita Assure works with all insurance providers to offer thousands of their clients' employees the best group insurance, group retirement, and wellness benefits at a lower cost. Canada's workplaces are undergoing enormous transformation, and as a result, businesses must reevaluate their benefit offerings and how they fit into the overall employer value proposition. Gianna has 20 years of experience working with the payroll, HR, and finance departments to create employee benefit plans that take into account the changing demands of the workforce. A Certified Employee Benefits Specialist and Life, Accident & Sickness Agent, she has worked at a leading insurance carrier, a national benefits consulting firm, and collaborated with regulatory bodies to develop a training curriculum for brokers seeking certification in group insurance and group retirement plans. Most recently, she is focused on bringing back the human touch to insurance and benefits brokerage.
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Avery Acton