Accounting

QBConnect Q&A - Lynda Artesani

Lynda Artesani has over 20 years of bookkeeping experience and has been using QuickBooks since 1999. Working with law firms is where she shines! She is on the Intuit Advisory Council, a member of the Intuit Trainer Network and an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Additionally, she co-admins a Facebook group with her partner, Matthew Fulton, called QB Community Live. They help other accountants and small business owners with QuickBooks and other business-related tasks. Their motto is “Together we all Succeed!”

Lynda is a LeanLaw Accounting Pro.

What will you be speaking about at QuickBooks Connect 2019? Why did Intuit choose you?
I will be speaking on a panel, How to Provide Advisory Services to Your Legal Firm Clients (Tuesday, November 6 at 4 pm), about moving your practice to work with attorneys in law firms.

What do you want the audience to take away from your presentation?
Working with attorneys is a great space for a niche. Attorneys are highly Intellectual and very giving people — not like the stereotypical vision of an attorney. Most attorneys get a bad rap but they are your best friends in your worst moments.

How many years have you gone to QuickBooks Connect?
This will be my third year attending.

How long have you been working with QuickBooks Online?
I have been working with QuickBooks online for six years.

What have you learned about the QuickBooks community by going to the conference?
Our QuickBooks community, our tribe, is amazing! We help one another! We care about each other. That’s what I love about the conference.

Why should an accounting pro go to QuickBooks Connect 2019 for the first time?
I did not know what to expect the first time I attended QuickBooks Connect. I went there for the education but the networking was the highlight of my trip. There’s a lot to be said about meeting someone face-to-face. We all know each other from Facebook. But to sit and have lunch or dinner with people that you once knew only virtually and finally meet in person is priceless.

What are you looking forward to at the conference?
Since this is my first time speaking at QuickBooks connect, I would have to say being on this panel, How to Provide Advisory Services to Your Legal Firm Clients (Tuesday, November 6 at 4 pm). It’s an amazing opportunity to share what I know and show people LeanLaw. There are so many app choices out there. LeanLaw is a great tool to automate your practice. When you stack it in the workflow that I use, it allows you to be able to onboard and service many clients. The time savings are tremendous.

What do you hope to accomplish at QBConnect?
I’m always open to learning new things. Matthew Fulton and I interviewed all the app developers from the App Showdown in last year’s QuickBooks Connect and I learned so much. It’s so cool to be able to see some of these apps take flight after the conference. When you attend these conferences, networking and learning from my colleagues is always the pinnacle. But this conference, in particular, is the biggest, boldest, and the best!

If a colleague were on the fence about going, what would you tell them?
Just do it! I know it can seem expensive but you are investing in yourself and your business. You will learn how others handle their workflows and I guarantee you, you will have fun! You will learn new things to help your business grow! And the friendships you make there are for a lifetime!

Any advice on how to get the most out of the conference?
Yes! Don’t overload your days with sessions. Make a list do your research on them prior to the conference. And then leave space for meeting people and talking to the app developers. The first year I went to QuickBooks Connect I filled every moment. If you can get there early and you live on the East Coast, make sure you leave that extra day for adjusting to the time zone and bring some sneakers. It’s always nice to dress up but when you run from place to place it’s good to have sensible shoes.

To connect with Lynda, come to her panel: How to Provide Advisory Services to Your Legal Firm Clients (Tuesday, November 6 at 4 pm).

You can also reach her at her Artesani Bookkeeping

If you are going to QuickBooks Connect, stop by our booth, D11, and pick up a I ♥ Lawyers tshirt. We hope to see you there!