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Courses/Accounting & Tax/Accounting

Building What’s Next in Accounting: Leadership, Technology, and Client Advisory

Master the shift from data entry to client advisory and lead your firm through the era of AI and global disruption.

Created byAdam Mendlerworkspace_premium
5.0
(3 reviews)
BeginnerUpdated Mar 25, 2026
Building What’s Next in Accounting: Leadership, Technology, and Client Advisory

What You'll Learn

check_circleAnalyze the evolution of the accounting profession from manual data entry to strategic client advisory services.
check_circleApply effective change management strategies to lead teams through technological and organizational transitions.
check_circleDevelop a client-centric culture by empowering staff and prioritizing transparent communication.
check_circleEvaluate the role of AI and global outsourcing in building a scalable, modern accounting tech stack.

About This Course

The accounting profession is undergoing a massive transformation. Driven by rapid technological advancements and shifting client expectations, the industry is moving decisively away from traditional, compliance-only models and toward proactive, strategic partnership. Building What’s Next in Accounting is a forward-looking course designed to equip financial professionals, firm leaders, and ambitious CPAs with the exact blueprint needed to thrive in the modern financial landscape.

This comprehensive program focuses on the three critical pillars of the future accounting firm: visionary Leadership, cutting-edge Technology, and high-value Client Advisory Services (CAS). Participants will learn how to modernize their tech stacks, lead their teams through digital transformation, and transition their client relationships from backward-looking reporting to forward-looking strategic consulting.

Whether you are looking to scale your own practice, increase firm profitability, or elevate your career as a strategic financial leader, this course provides the actionable strategies to build a future-proof accounting business.

What You Will Learn:

Module 1: Visionary Leadership in a Changing Industry

  • Leading Through Change: Strategies for guiding your team through digital transformation and overcoming resistance to new processes.
  • Cultivating an Advisory Culture: How to shift your firm’s mindset from "number crunchers" to "business partners."
  • Talent Acquisition & Retention: How to attract the next generation of accounting professionals who possess both technical and soft skills.
  • The New Accounting Business Model: Transitioning from the traditional billable-hour model to value-based pricing and recurring revenue streams.

Module 2: Leveraging Next-Gen Technology

  • Building the Modern Tech Stack: A practical guide to evaluating and integrating cloud accounting software, workflow management tools, and secure communication portals.
  • AI and Automation: How to implement Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to automate routine bookkeeping, data entry, and compliance tasks.
  • Data Analytics & Visualization: Learning to turn raw financial data into compelling, easy-to-understand visual dashboards that drive client decision-making.
  • Cybersecurity Basics: Protecting your firm and your clients' sensitive financial data in an increasingly digital world.

Module 3: Mastering Client Advisory Services (CAS)

  • Designing Your CAS Offering: How to define, package, and price your advisory services (e.g., fractional CFO services, cash flow forecasting, KPIs, and budgeting).
  • The Art of Strategic Conversations: Developing the soft skills necessary to ask the right questions, uncover client pain points, and deliver actionable insights.
  • Client Onboarding & Education: Best practices for transitioning existing compliance clients into high-value advisory clients.
  • Delivering Measurable ROI: How to prove your value as a strategic advisor by directly impacting your clients' growth and profitability.

Who Should Attend:

  • Accounting Firm Owners, Partners, and Solo Practitioners looking to modernize and scale.
  • CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and Bookkeepers wanting to transition into advisory/Fractional CFO roles.
  • Accounting Managers and Directors tasked with leading digital transformation within their firms or corporate departments.
  • Financial professionals eager to future-proof their careers against industry automation.

Your Instructors

Adam Mendler
Adam Mendler

Motivational & Leadership Speaker

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star1,631 reviews

Adam Mendler is a nationally recognized authority on leadership, renowned for his unique ability to deliver perspective-shifting insights shaped by interviewing more than 500 of America’s most successful leaders. The creator and host of the top-rated business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, Adam regularly elicits insights from America's top CEOs, founders, athletes, celebrities, and political and military leaders. A keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations, Adam has written extensively on business and leadership, having authored more than 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc., and HuffPost. A Los Angeles native and lifelong Angels fan, Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA, serves on the board of UCLA’s Master of Applied Statistics & Data Science program, is an emeritus member of USC’s Board of Governors, and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders.

Kane  Polakoff
Kane Polakoff

Partner and Practice Leader, Client Advisory Services, CohnReznick Advisory LLC

Kane Polakoff has more than 25 years of experience developing and implementing strategic services and solutions to help businesses drive operational growth and value. His wide range of expertise includes strategic visioning and implementation; technology innovation; P&L management, global operations, and account management; client accounting advisory services; business process outsourcing; and management consulting. In addition to working with U.S. companies, Kane has led business process solutions deployment internationally, including in Australia, China, Europe, India, Israel, Mexico, and the Philippines. Industry experience includes private equity, banking and financial services, insurance, manufacturing, automotive, and publishing. His thought leadership has been featured extensively in national publications including Accounting Today, CPA Practice Advisor, and U.S. News & World Report. He was previously a featured presenter for key industry organizations including the AICPA, Financial Executives International, Information Technology Alliance, and Digital CPA. Kane was recognized on Accounting Today's 2026 Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list. His prior experience includes serving as the National Client Accounting Advisory Services (CAAS) Practice Leader for a major public accounting firm. He is also a Rightworks Community Leader - CAS.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

What Students Are Saying

5.0
Student's Choice
3 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.