Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/80319
Have you embraced cloud computing? We have totally embraced the cloud! So much so, we have staked our whole com- pany on it. We are a cloud provider to the accounting profession and a majority of our revenue comes from our clients moving to our cloud. Roy Keely 31 Vice President of Market Strategy, Xcentric Alpharetta, Georgia How mobile are you regard- ing your work? How have mobile devices and apps impacted your productivity and work-life balance? Hobbies: Reading, beer, coffee, and In the office, a few people call me "Free-Range Roy" due to the fact that I spend 100-ish nights on the road a year and typically gravitate to coffee shops for my more focused work tasks. This means my productivity cannot be tied to a location but rather to a system that allows me to be un-tethered. How is cloud computing changing the accounting profession, and how con- cerned are you with the security issues related to cloud computing? Cloud computing is freeing up CPA firms to be CPA firms, this is a beautiful thing. The cloud relieves most firms from the traditional IT burden that often plagues the profession due to the complexity of the applications, security, and demand for up-time. In addition, the rising need for IT talent makes finding/keeping good pro- fessionals hard for accounting firms which adds to the value of the cloud. Security will always be an issue as long as there is information and as long as there Crossfit with my wife. are thieves (thus, till the world ends). Cloud is the new way of framing up the security conversation, it's not a new con- cern created by the cloud. However, given all the attention, cloud vendors will have to step up their game on the security front and in this sense are driving the innova- tion on the security side of things. Have you found business success via social media, ei- ther via recognizable ROI, new customers, marketing or networking? In 2010, we started to devel- op an aspect to our culture appropriately named a "con- tent culture." This has not been easy, reshaping how we think and explain ourselves to the market is not an over- night shift and we are still evolving and improving in this area. However, we have no doubt been able to reach new prospects and gain vis- ibility in the market due to the content we create and make available on the web via our blog and other social media channels. What tips on social media do you think are essential, but perhaps missed by professionals? Novelty doesn't win business. People are swarming to social media and are churn- ing out novelty versus value. What they will quickly find is that novelty doesn't win business and doesn't help your brand at large, it only adds to the noise making you further irrelevant in the eyes of your prospects and clients. Bringing targeted, tailored content to your market that adds value is the way to enhance your brand and allows a prospect to get comfortable with you and what you offer without hav- ing to have coffee with you. NOT including your current employer, what company do you most admire and why? St. Bernardus. It's arguably the best beer in the world and I admire how they strive after quality in all their products. They do not compromise their craft despite the lure to sell to a 'beer commodity' company, chase explosive growth, or other fanciful dreams. Website: www.Xcentric.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/Xcentric LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/roykeely Education: Marketing, University of Houston Clear Lake 43 | 2012 CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 BACK TO PAGE 4