Intuit Launches Contest to Find the Accounting Firms of the Future

Accounting and bookkeeping firms across the United States have embraced the future and Intuit wants to celebrate those whose forward-thinking and future-ready practices make them a future-ready firm today.

Intuit’s Search for the “Firms of the Future” contest is now open for entries. The program offers up to 20 accounting firms across the U.S. the chance to win a one-week vacation in Hawaii, an expenses-paid trip to Intuit’s annual QuickBooks Connect conference in San Jose, Calif., or a technology prize pack valued at $2,500.

To enter, accounting firms simply need to visit www.FirmoftheFuture.com and create a short 30 second to 2 minute video, detailing how yours is a Firm of the Future. The call for entries will run from July 7, at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time, to August 11, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The contest criteria, developed in collaboration with Darren Root, CEO of Rootworks, and author of The Intentional Accountant, is designed to celebrate those that have embraced the cloud and change.

“Over the past year, I’ve seen and heard many inspiring stories of accounting and bookkeeping firms that are future-ready, now. They’re leaving compliance behind and adding real value to their customers by being on the cloud, becoming trusted advisors and making their website their new lobby,” said Jim McGinnis, vice president, Intuit Accountant and Advisor Group. “We’re pleased to partner with Darren Root and recognize accounting professionals that have embraced change and built a future-ready firm now.”

How to Participate

Simply create a video submission, detailing as many of the below criteria as possible in two minutes or less:

The Future You Want: Share the vision you have for your firm.
Leadership: How have you communicated this vision to your team, and how do you help them successfully implement it?
Your Business Model: Explain how you run your firm on cloud-based technologies by leveraging QuickBooks Online and/or other technologies and systems to provide advanced services to your clients.
- How do you leverage the cloud to run your firm?
- What percentage of your business clients do you collaborate with using cloud-based accounting solutions?
- How are you implementing and using a digital document delivery strategy and process?
- Describe your value billing model.
Your Firm’s Brand:
- How are you leveraging the web and social media to effectively market your firm to attract your ideal client?
- Illustrate how your firm’s web presence and mobile capabilities support your service delivery system.
- Describe how you’re using social networks to interact with clients and reach new prospects.
Ideal Clients: Describe your ideal client and what percentage of your current client base fits this description.
Ideal Days: Describe your ideal work day and what you are doing to have as many of them as you can.
Closing: Why are you a “Firm of the Future” right now?

“Being a Firm of the Future is about finding your sweet spot — the zone where your business and your life are optimized with the right clients, the right tools and the right people,” said Root. “Identifying those firms with an entrepreneurial and future-ready approach to practice leadership and operations today will encourage others to create a business that they love and that drives success for their clients now and for years to come.”

A panel of qualified judges, including McGinnis, Root and Intuit Accountant and Advisor Group senior leaders, will select up to 20 firms who best embody the Firm of the Future, originality and creativity criteria. Applicants may only submit one video during this contest and only one video per accounting firm. Winners and finalists will be notified on August 26.

The Firm of the Future website, which curates actionable step-by-step guides and resource links developed by Intuit and key industry leaders, is also a hub where accounting professionals can learn and start their journey on how to become a Firm of the Future.

To join the conversation, share on Facebook and Twitter using #QBFirmOfTheFuture. For more information on official rules and how to enter, visit the Firm of the Future website at www.FirmOfTheFuture.com.