2020 Outlook: Business Development Goes Borderless

Be ready to try new things faster.

By Jennifer Wilson

The traditional business model is under attack in so many ways including terrifically short staffing, which is leading to record profits for many firms, but also the cause of burnout and a growing sense of hopelessness and turnover, too. Leaders are being forced to rethink traditional staffing models and are realizing many of the jobs inside their firms do not require accounting graduates or CPA candidates to do them.

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Firms are simply overpaying for those roles today. This is leading to the exploration of non-CPA hires, and firms embracing outsourcing and offshoring options, especially for lower-level leveraged positions.

Posted on January 12, 2020

Jennifer Wilson

About the Author

Jennifer Wilson is a co-founder and partner of ConvergenceCoaching, LLC, a national leadership and marketing consulting firm dedicated to helping leaders achieve success by helping them develop and implement leadership, succession, marketing, and training and development plans. Jennifer’s ultimate goal is to make a transformational difference in the lives of her clients and in their businesses.

She is a contributor to Bridging the Gap: Strengthening the Connection between Current and Emerging Leaders in the CPA Profession, available from CPA Trendlines.

Named as one of Accounting Today’s 100 Most Influential People in Accounting, INSIDE Public Accounting’s Top 10 Most Recommended Consultants, and CPA Practice Advisor’s Top 25 Thought Leaders and Most Powerful Women in Accounting, Jennifer has worked in both the public accounting and IT development sectors before cofounding ConvergenceCoaching, LLC. As a partner for the top ten accounting firm, BDO USA, Jennifer ran the National Financial Solutions Group practice with nearly 100 consultants providing financial systems selection, implementation, and support services to clients. Jennifer is a member of the Association for Accounting Administration (AAA), Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), American Marketing Association, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and International Coach Federation. Jennifer is an active volunteer in the profession and serves as Chair of the Education Committee for AAM, as a member of the Bill.com Advisory Board, and on the CPA Leadership Panel for the CPA Leadership Institute. Jennifer is a member of the New Horizon Group, CPA Consultants’ Alliance, and Accountants’ Global Advisory Panel, all forums for leading consultants to the accounting profession. She is a regular guest columnist and blogger for Accounting Today, Accounting Tomorrow, and AICPA CPA Insider with many recently published articles on leadership, partner programs, people management, and business development. She is a nationally recognized speaker, teacher, and facilitator delivering leadership and marketing programs to accounting and technology associations, state societies, and firms. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and three girls, gardening, practicing yoga, running, and is also active in her church.

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