I am honored to be named to Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2024. This recognition represents more than personal achievement – it's a massive win for the audit and advisory industry and our Fieldguide team, reflecting how we're improving the profession by implementing automation and AI.
A Pivotal Moment
The future of audit and advisory is complicated, but brighter than ever. Our industry faces many challenges: rapidly evolving client needs, troubling talent trends, and increasing firm-level risk. Every audit and advisory firm is searching for a sustainable growth model that will carry them through the next decade.
But here's the good news: our industry has unprecedented access to modern technologies like AI that can equip firms to thrive in this new era. As a former Big 4 practitioner, I've witnessed firsthand how these challenges impact firms of all sizes. This understanding drives our mission at Fieldguide, where we're developing AI solutions purpose-built for audit and advisory work–technology that understands the nuances of professional services and directly addresses the unique challenges practitioners face.
Transforming the Industry Through Technology
What makes me increasingly optimistic is what we're seeing in our customer base, which now represents nearly half of the top 100 CPA firms in the US. These firms are rapidly incorporating Fieldguide’s AI into their services, proving that the industry is not just ready for change – it's actively embracing it.
This is precisely why I founded Fieldguide. I recognized that practitioners needed more than just incremental improvements to existing tools–they needed a fundamental reimagining of how technology could enhance and elevate their work. The platform we've built directly addresses these industry-wide challenges. By automating time-consuming tasks, strengthening quality control processes, and eliminating manual workflows, we're enabling firms to thrive despite the talent shortage while delivering higher-value services to their clients.
This recognition from Accounting Today reinforces my belief that the industry is ready for and embracing this transformation. It also highlights the growing recognition that technology-enabled services are no longer just a competitive advantage–they're becoming a fundamental requirement for success in modern professional services.
A Collective Commitment to Progress
While this recognition from Accounting Today bears my name, it truly belongs to our entire community. I am constantly inspired by our team, customers, and partners, who care deeply about helping audit and advisory firms grow through these challenging times. Their commitment to innovation and excellence, coupled with their trust in our vision, has been instrumental in driving this industry-wide transformation.
Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible. The complexity of business operations, talent shortage, regulatory requirements, and client expectations continues to grow, but so does our capability to meet these challenges head-on with technology.
To our team, customers, partners, and supporters: thank you for your relentless dedication to building a better future for the industry. The road ahead may be complex, but together, we're defining the next generation of professional services.
December 11, 2024
