Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/80319
How is cloud computing changing the accounting profession, and how con- cerned are you with the security issues related to cloud computing? W. Michael Hsu CPA.CITP, MSA — 28 Founder & CEO, DeepSky | Entrepreneurs' Accounting Department Irvine, California Cloud computing is revolutionizing the accounting profession. It presents accountants with an opportunity to be relevant again in the world of busi- ness. Security is certainly one of the top priorities when it comes to the cloud; for- tunately, there are a ton of really smart people who have dedicated their lives to it. In today's internet landscape, I would argue that with a little due dili- gence on the part of the partners that you are working with - the cloud is the safest place to retain and process your data. How mobile are you regarding your work? How have mobile devices and apps impacted your productivity and work-life balance? I am extremely mobile with my work. My idea of an office is my notebook (yes, paper notebook), my laptop, and a fast Website: www.deepsky.co Twitter: www.twitter.com/deepskyco Education: M.S. Accountancy, Walsh College; B.A. Business Economics with Accounting Emphasis, University of California, Santa Barbara Professional Associations/Memberships: AICPA, EO Accelerator, YEC Hobbies: internet connection. The benefit of being mobile is the ability to work almost any- where - changing a work setting can often mean a change in mindset that drives creativity. However, it is also has its down- side. The challenge is to find a clear segregation and balance between work and home. Travel, reading, cycling, cars, and technology Have you found business success via social media, either via recognizable ROI, new customers, marketing or networking? Yes. Social media is a long- term play for our company. Although we have obtained tremendous opportuni- ties in the past few years through social media, we are seeing even more residual effects this year from some of the "seeds" we've planted in the past. On average, a little more than 50 percent of the people who call us have found us through the internet and social media. What tips on social media do you think are essential, but perhaps missed by professionals? Understand that social media is just a tool to help you achieve whatever it is that you set out to achieve. You don't have to be on every social media platform every moment. In fact, I've recently took on a personal project to quit Facebook for one month - just to see its impact on my life both professionally and personally. It helps me identify what I truly use the tool for and how it can both help and harm me. NOT including your current employer, what company do you most admire and why? There are tons of companies that I ad- mire for very different reasons. I've talked about Apple's innovation and Zappos' cul- ture in the past. This year, I'd like to talk about Virgin and its founder Sir Richard Branson. I think Richard Branson and his companies represent innovation through partnerships and collaboration. Its global presence stretches across the world and is without industry boundaries. What is your favorite professional mo- bile app, and why? My favorite professional mobile app at the moment is HipChat as it keeps my disbursed team connected. With a work- force that is distributed across two time zones, the equivalent of "stepping into the office" is to be present on our internal chat network. Teams collaborate via Hip- Chat using different topics as chat room themes, but some of the more vibrant rooms are not work-related at all. They act as the virtual water cooler or hallways for the company to stay connected. 39 | 2012 CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 BACK TO PAGE 3