It was a Tuesday morning and I was sitting in bed starting my work day by perusing my LinkedIn and Twitter feed. My husband was at the desk (the desk that just so happens to serve as our nightstand…romantic I know) sorting through his inbox before heading into the office.

Xero just announced the location of  Xerocon 2016: San Francisco, California.  Are you planning to attend? Why not make a vacation out of it and do some traveling down the coast? We’ve put together a list of 6 of our favorite destinations to check out, traveling south from San Francisco.

As I posted up at the local Coffee Bean today, I felt motivated and ready to have a productive Monday. My day was off to a good start, green tea in hand and good music playing (surprisingly not blaring in my ear like most days). I began doing some research on outsourcing (something I’m obviously interested in) and was on a roll when I was abruptly interrupted by an older man asking, actually more like demanding, a nearby father to keep his child quiet. Now this is a topic I don’t want to get into today, but I am well aware of what a touchy subject it is – you can’t always control your 4 year old or the levels that his/her small voice reaches, but others expect peace and quiet at their “office” even though it’s a very public place. Needless to say, the demand turned into a yelling match with profanities being thrown left and right. I tried to keep my eyes on my computer, but who can look away from a train wreck?! I assumed after the cops were threatened to be called by both men and the Coffee Bean employee began playing defense, the feud would calm down. Boy, was I wrong. At this point, I seriously considered packing up and sneaking out the side door – I was actually afraid. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the employees were able to calm the situation down. So now I sit here, trying to get back to my work, fearing another outburst. How can I focus after that drama?!

It's almost here: the end of busy season. I know-- it's hard to remember a time when you weren't working excessively long hours to meet deadlines and everything that came across your desk didn't need to be done "right now," but that time existed. And it's almost here again. And it will be time to celebrate. So where do you go when the busy season ends? How do you blow off steam with your employees? What exactly IS the best way to celebrate the end of busy season? We've got some ideas to help you plan your soiree, no matter how big or small, casual or swanky. From San Diego, California to Portland, Maine, we've got festivities for any crowd. 

When it comes to salary negotiation, the process has largely been committed in the same manner for, well, forever. But there seems to be a shift with newer generations in that added benefits are playing more of a key role in their negotiations.

More and more, almost as important as one’s salary itself, people are negotiating their benefits and perks as a means of valuing their work. The notion of “work hard, play hard” is gaining more and more momentum and gaining more prominence in the world of salary negotiation. And that means a solid work-life balance can be just as coveted as an inflated salary.

So what are some of these negotiating terms being brought to the table?

CPAs aren't necessarily well known for their social prowess, but in a highly referral-based industry, cultivating good networking and business development skills can be an imperative. Building relationships in the business community can be a tremendous way to get referrals. The connections you make out in the world (whether it's at at networking event or in your social life) may end up being a valuable resource for future clients, so it's important to find ways to make connections any way possible. In our highly social media-driven world, LinkedIn is an excellent tool for solidifying and seeking out such relationships. We've put together a list of ways you can boost your presence on LinkedIn and make a lasting impression.

Traditionally, CPA’s bill their services by the hour. The time it takes to complete a project is inherently tied to the project’s value. Billable hours and revenue are directly correlated. So, in order to increase your revenue, you need to increase the amount of billable hours.

The problem with this logic in a modern CPA practice is two-fold:

The close of busy season for most CPA firms means it's time for employee reviews. Most firms will provide their employees with self-surveys, peer surveys, followed by one on one reviews to give feedback for their work throughout the year. 

It’s been a hot topic lately – where has the talent gone? I remember the days when firms were reluctantly “letting go” of talent to try to make ends meet. Now it seems that firms can’t hold onto talent to save their lives. So, where has the talent gone and how do we get it back? Here are a few ways to start…

As busy season moves right along and we find ourselves in the final stretch, it can sometimes be difficult to maintain momentum and stay focused. You know how it is: you're working long hours, probably not taking as good care of yourself as you should, scrambling to get everything done, while maybe not being your most productive self. So what do you do to stay motivated? We put together a few tips to help you stay on track during the home stretch of busy season.