Who should attend?
This program is tailored for aspiring young leaders who wish to strengthen their management expertise, gain insight into the accounting industry, and explore strategic prospects for both their firm and personal growth.
Why you need to attend:
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Learn how to get business advisory services working in your firm in a divisionalised structure similar to financial planning and other diversified services.
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Learn how to manage the most important asset in your accounting firm… People individually and in teams.
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Discuss the emerging technologies and plan for their delivery now.
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Discover the benefits of doing work with charities and other not for profit organisations.
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Interact with fellow Young Guns who have succeeded in their firms and leverage their experience and viewpoints.
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Develop and enhance your presentation skills with presentations that really engage.
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Consider what the firm of the future looks like in an interactive workshop format.
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Develop your questioning style and skills to engage with clients and expand your value added services.
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Meet like minded young professionals and build a long-lasting network.
Objectives and goals:
Unlock your potential to create greater personal and firm success in the future.
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Develop the skills and knowledge to become a future leader in the profession.
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Manage the people within your teams and firms effectively.
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Develop and enhance your presentation skills to get the right message across to clients.
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Learn how to leverage the latest technology in your firm.
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Develop diversified income streams in your practice that will really excite clients
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Learn how to ask the right questions of clients.
Program
Get ready to spend two jam packed days developing the skills and knowledge that will help take your career to the next level.
Day 1
Thursday
2 November
Registration
Being a gun leader - have you really got what it takes?
For most of us, career (and salary) growth involves taking on a leadership role. When you are great at what you do now, you want to be great at the next thing you do too.
Join Pam Macdonald to explore what it takes to be a great people leader and truly set yourself up for success.
This session will cover:
- the #1 thing that great leaders do (and that others completely miss)
- tips to build your reputation in that #1 thing
- where to watch out for this and who to learn from
Pam Macdonald, Broadspring Consulting
How to be a Financial Storyteller
Today’s accountant, consultant, or coach must provide high-level diversified value-added services as well as people management. Learn how to be a proficient storyteller, turning numbers into knowledge and help clients understand their financial story, using smart techniques like the 4 Profitability Strategies, the Power of One and the 3 Big Cash Flow measures. Create success through client engagement and help your practice at the same time.
Mark Holton, Smithink
Morning Tea
You need an IT strategic plan
Information Technology is a critical component of the modern day accounting business. Particularly, in a resource constrained world, we need to squeeze maximum efficiency out of our people by leveraging technology.
This session will provide a framework for a plan, discuss the opportunities to leverage technology and highlight where firms are achieving success.
Management of risks is also a critical component.
David Smith, Smithink
To be confirmed
TBC
David Francis, The Access Group
Lunch
Sponsors Panel Discussion
David Smith will facilitate a session with our event sponsors, delving into a discussion on how their products and services contribute to propelling the accounting industry into the future.
Afternoon Tea
Collaborative Case Study Lab - Part One
Join us for an engaging and interactive session, the Collaborative Case Study Lab, where we dive into real-world scenarios to collectively explore practical solutions. This hands-on session offers a unique opportunity to apply your expertise and problem-solving skills to a carefully curated case study to brainstorm and devise effective strategies. Gain valuable insights, engage in lively discussions, and leave with a refreshed perspective on tackling complex challenges.
David Smith + Mark Holton, Smithink
to be confirmed
TBC
Steve Allan, Say a Few Words
The Access Group Young Gun of the Year Award presentation
Hear from the three finalists for the Young Gun of the Year Award - we'll be announcing the:
Young Innovator of the Year
Young Influencer of the Year
Young Adviser of the Year
And the overall winner of the Young Gun of the Year Award.
NETWORKING SESSION WITH DRINKS AND CANAPES, HOSTED BY PAM MACDONALD
Join us for a networking session after a big first day! Learn the importance of networking for your career, overcome barriers, and gain easy techniques to enhance your networking skills. Get ready to make meaningful connections!
Day 2
Friday
3 November
Keeping your client's accountable - how to run a client's management meeting/board meeting
Business owners all too often get caught up in day-to-day issues and fail to set and effectively execute longer-term plans. This interactive session will workshop how you can play a critical role in client management/board meetings including setting agendas, creating an accountability framework, and helping clients to establish and manage effective strategic and business plans.
Development of the service offering to successfully engage with clients will also be addressed.
David Smith, Smithink
It's not selling…it's just helping
This session will cover how speaking to clients about additional service offerings should not be looked at as upselling but rather just doing your job as their Trusted Advisor. In particular, we will cover; how to open the discussion, how to as the right questions, the importance of non-verbal cues and how to close an opportunity
Matt Feehan, Salt Financial
Morning Tea
Working with Not for Profits…Is it for you?
Often we are asked to sit on boards of charities, sporting clubs, community organisations and like organisations. One consideration is “should I accept the appointment?” and or “is it for me”. The other is understanding the benefit of helping others and doing “your bit” for the community as well as making key contacts and developing your firm. This session will focus on my experience and the personal benefits gained from working with charities and other not-for-profits over 25 years as a Board Member and Treasurer and 15 years as a Chairman.
Mark Holton, Smithink
Burnout Prevention and Recovery
The World Health Organisation has referred to stress and burnout as the ‘health epidemic of the 21st Century’. This engaging session is led by an accountant who has walked the burnout path herself. It investigates what burnout looks and feels like, how to prevent burnout at both the employer and employee level and strategies to help you thrive more successfully in a demanding work environment. This is a raw, honest, practical, down-to-earth session with real examples happening right now. Leave with practical tools to help yourself and others moving forward.
Petris Lapis, Artisan of Change
Lunch
to be confirmed
TBC
John Tsoulos, Global Business Camps + Indigo Financial
Afternoon tea
Collaborative Case Study Lab - Part Two
During this session, we will allocate dedicated time for each group to showcase their learnings and outcomes. This will provide an opportunity for participants to share the insights they have gained, the innovative solutions they have developed, and the key takeaways from their collaborative analysis. Prepare to be inspired as you witness the collective intelligence and creativity of the participants unfold during this valuable sharing session, which attendees can take back to their firms.
Facilitated by Mark Holton + David Smith, Smithink
Please organise travel for after the end of the workshop.
Our 2023 Young Guns Workshop features speakers & innovative thinkers including:

David Smith Smithink

Mark Holton Smithink

David Francis The Access Group

John Tsoulos Indigo Financial & Global Business Camps

Steven Allan Say A Few Words

Petris Lapis Artisan of Change

Matthew Feehan Salt Financial Group

Pam Macdonald Broadspring Consulting
Pricing
Super Early Bird Pricing until 30 June 2023
(discounted pricing)
$895 First attendee
$750 Additional attendees from the same firm
Non-Member firms
$1150 First attendee
$995 Additional attendees from the same firm
Early Bird Pricing until 29 September 2023
(discounted pricing)
$1095 First attendee
$850 Additional attendees from the same firm
Non-Member firms
$1350 First attendee
$1095 Additional attendees from the same firm
Standard Pricing from 30 September 2023
(discounted pricing)
$1350 First attendee
$1095 Additional attendees from the same firm
Non-Member firms
$1550 First attendee
$1350 Additional attendees from the same firm