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Celebrate International Management Accounting Day with a special episode of the Count Me In Podcast, featuring an enlightening discussion between two esteemed guests: Travis Willard, Senior Vice President of Product and Innovation at IMA, and Susie Duong, Director of Research at IMA, bringing unique perspectives on the integration of AI into accounting and finance.As they exchange insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of talent retention and career development, listeners will uncover cutting-edge strategies to stay ahead in an ever-evolving field. This episode is a perfect salute to the day that honors the significance of management accounting, providing actionable intelligence for professionals eager to navigate an AI-driven business environment. Tune in for an engaging conversation that marks International Management Accounting Day with forward-thinking dialogue and expert analysis on the Count Me In Podcast.

In this captivating episode of the Count Me In Podcast, we sit down with Timothy Wingate, EA, the knowledgeable founder and president of G+F Business & Financial Consulting LLC. Wingate unravels the tangled web of communications within finance and back office teams, especially within the construction sector. He shares indispensable strategies for leveraging technology to improve these crucial interactions and ensures financial information remains both accessible and secure.Hear how real-time project management and meticulous bookkeeping are game-changers for cash flow and project success. Wingate, with his expertise, also discusses the art of building trust with clients, fostering an environment of truth and growth. Whether you’re navigating the financial underpinnings of your company or looking to streamline communication, this episode offers a treasure trove of insights for business professionals eager to drive their organizations forward.

If productivity puzzles have you stumped, tune in to an enlightening episode of the Count Me In Podcast with host Adam Larson and special guest, Nicolas Kopp, the entrepreneurial force behind Rillet. In this candid conversation, Nicolas unveils critical tips to streamline your workday, break free from the quagmire of meetings, and leverage cutting-edge tools to boost efficiency. Whether you're a business owner or a corporate team player, you'll discover strategies to cut through the clutter and optimize your operations. Nicolas's pragmatic approach, combined with actionable steps tailored for any work environment, will leave you equipped and enthused to transform your approach to productivity. Join us for a session brimming with insights from a tech leader's perspective, all here on Count Me In. Hit play and prepare for progress!

Explore the transformative power of AI in finance with Nicolas Boucher, founder of the AI Finance Club, in this captivating episode of the Count Me In Podcast. Host Adam Larson engages with Nicolas in a lively discussion on the integration of AI with financial practices, demonstrating how it simplifies processes and elevates efficiency.Nicolas sheds light on practical AI applications, from automating data analysis to revolutionizing customer interactions, and he stresses the importance of upskilling for the digital age. Plus, get a glimpse into the collaborative learning experience offered by the AI Finance Club.Perfect for finance professionals eager to embrace AI or those fascinated by the evolution of the sector, this episode is packed with actionable insights from a leading expert in the field. Tune in for a riveting conversation that will leave you inspired and ready for the AI era in finance.

Join Adam Larson as he chats with Chris Papin, a trusted advisor with experience in legal and insurance sectors. They discuss ethical decision-making during uncertainty, managing COVID loans, importance of saying 'no' to clients, and the future role of human advisors in a tech-driven landscape.

In this exciting episode of Count Me In, host Adam Larson chats with two Vice Presidents at RGP, Ellen Class and Janis Parthun. RGP is a global consulting firm known for catalyzing swift business outcomes through transformative change. They share insider tips on transforming your financial close process from a marathon to a sprint and discuss the power of cutting-edge technology to streamline your operations.Ellen Class will captivate you with her first-hand experience on enhancing efficiency and revealing the aftereffects, such as boosting work-life balance. Then, Janis Parthun, a maestro of project execution, layers in her expertise on leadership and strategy to paint a full picture of finance transformation.Whether you’re looking to overhaul your department or just fine-tune it, this episode of Count Me In is brimming with high-impact strategies from RPG's top minds to recharge your financial operations. Tune in for a session full of actionable advice that could set your company on a course for success.

Ready for a breakthrough in your career journey? Join host Adam Larson on Count Me In for a riveting session with Linda Muneka, Vice President, Management Resources Practice Group, and Ai Ling Lee, Vice President Permanent Placement, both from the esteemed Robert Half. With Linda's and Ai Ling's rich backgrounds at Robert Half, they're here to share expert-level insights into the professional world. From fighting off imposter syndrome with a positive mindset to keeping a professional scrapbook of accomplishments—this chat has it covered. We're diving deep into personal branding—not just why it matters, but how to fine-tune it to your professional advancement. Linda and Ai Ling are pros at turning self-doubts into self-assurance—getting real about confidence and growth.More than just tips and stories, today’s episode is brimming with strategies straight from the offices of career experts. You won't just listen; you'll engage with a conversation that could reshape the way you present yourself and your skills.Press play and step into a session that's all about empowering your career narrative and shining in your next job interview.

Welcome to the Count Me In Podcast! Join host Adam Larson and special guest Donna Serdula, founder of Vision Board Media, a professional branding company, as they dive into the world of leveraging LinkedIn for finance and accounting professionals. In this episode, Donna shares valuable insights on making the most of your online presence and building meaningful connections in the finance industry. So grab a cup of coffee and join us for an engaging discussion on boosting your professional brand on LinkedIn!

Welcome to the Count Me In Podcast! In this episode, host Adam Larson invites Soufyan Hamid, a highly experienced finance professional with over 15 years in the industry. Soufyan is also the founder of SouFBP, a global consulting firm that helps finance professionals enhance their presentation delivery. Join Adam and Soufyan as they delve into Soufyan's remarkable journey in the accounting field, from working with top-tier firms to transitioning into corporate finance. They discuss the challenges of effective storytelling in the finance world and the importance of clear communication to effectively convey complex financial data. If you're eager to gain valuable insights into the world of finance and accounting, this episode is a must-listen!Catch Soufyan live at IMA's European Accounting and Finance Conference in April 2024Full Transcript: < Intro > Adam:            Welcome back to Count Me In. Where we bring you compelling stories and insights from the world of accounting and finance. In today's episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Soufyan Hamid, an experienced accounting professional with over 15 years of corporate experience. As the founder of SouFBP, a global consulting firm, Soufyan's expertise lies in helping finance professionals, globally, master the delivery of their presentations by improving their preparation, messaging, and visuals. Soufyan takes us on his remarkable journey, through the accounting field from his early days at a Big Four firm to becoming a finance business partner. We'll hear about practical strategies for becoming a more effective communicator, and how human skills are more vital than ever, in the age of automation. Let's get started. < Music > Soufyan, thank you so much for coming on the podcast today. We're really excited to have you. I thought we could start off our conversation by, maybe, you could tell us a little about your journey, in the accounting field, and what initially drew you to the profession? Soufyan:        Well, it's quite easy because this is basically following the leads, that I started following in my studies in business, finance, and economics. And suddenly I realized that I liked the logic of accounting and the logic of finance. How precise it is, how organized it is to know the debits and the credits from one side. It has to be perfectly equal on both sides, so I liked the logic. And when you are in such an orientation, when you are in your studies, well, it goes quite easy because the Big Four are all over you, even before you end your studies. And, so, in my last year, I directly signed a contract with PwC, and that's how my accounting career started, basically. And, so, I started as an auditor, working for PwC, and I did that during four years. And I liked that journey because it was an accelerated program, to understand better accounting without having to go through all specializations. You're easily brought into the whole picture, into the helicopter view of a P&L, for example, or a balance sheet. And, so, I didn't have to go through all the transactions like bookkeeping AP, or AR, or cash, to finally become a general accountant. Thanks to that, after two years, I was already working on analytical reviews of the P&L, and working on the full balance sheet. So it was really a second university, I would say, and I love that. But since I didn't want to become a public accountant for a living, and I didn't want to end up my career like that, I decided to move. And, at that moment, I was still considering myself as a rookie because you understand a lot of things when you work in audit, but you're still somehow in studies. And, so, I wanted to face the reality of working in a company. But, obviously, at that time, I didn't have any experience working inside a company. So I decided to join Deloitte in temporary work department, with the business process solution department. And they offered us the possibility to work in accounting, but also controlling treasury, all finance fields, as a temp. Meaning that I had assignments of three months, six months, sometimes, one or two years. And, so, I had the opportunity to continue learning how to work inside of finance department, under the umbrella of Deloitte. And that was really where I discovered what it was to work in finance. And this is also where I discovered my passion for controlling, FP&A, and finance business partnering. Adam:            Mh-hmm, I think that's amazing. Because many accountants, whether they go the traditional route, starting at a Big Four like you, or they go right into corporate, right into the finance department, or the internal accounting team. They find themselves, eventually, getting to that point where they're looking at those finance, looking at the FP&A side of things, and being that business partner. And what are some of the main challenges that you find when you get to that point? Or you've been doing all these things and you get to, "Hey, I'm going to be analyzing this complex data and trying to tell the story." When you're trying to convey these things to people, not even in finance. So you're no longer working with auditing teams or working with accounting teams. You're talking to people who don't understand how it all works. What are some of the biggest challenges that you find, when that happens? Soufyan:        Well, I found these challenges when I started to work as internal for a company. Because when I left Deloitte, after five years, I decided to join a Belgian Telco company, as a finance business partner, and I was really good, technically. Technically, I was really good. I was one of the few to master financial modeling. I was one of the few to master Excel, visual basics, Power Pivot, everything, that was, somehow, what made me successful at Deloitte. And I was kind of happy, and in finance, everybody was happy because I developed dashboards, I helped them automate many things. But when I had to compare how I was welcomed by non-finance people, it's another story. Because I was so convinced that my success would go through the technical stuff, that I completely missed the fact that I was working with people, not mastering the same things as me. And I was there, telling them about the many exceptions you found in the data about I don't know which IFRS rule that made an exception to their figures. Another [Inaudible 00:06:05] that I had to reverse this month because it was too old to be there. And, so, I had a difficult time having a real partnership with them. And since I was supposed to be a finance business partner, that made it tough. So I thought I was right, and I just understood that when you're working inside a company, and that you leave the world of PwC, of Deloitte, of one of the Big Four, and even one of the consulting firms, you don't have that shield.You don't have that umbrella anymore, to protect you, and to give you the credibility, you need to convince people. So you have to work on your communication, you have to work on those ...

Welcome to the Count Me In Podcast, where we bring you conversations with top industry professionals and thought leaders. In this episode, host Adam Larson sits down with Jonathan Smalley, Co-Founder at Proxymity, for a deep dive into shareholder engagement in the corporate world. They discuss the critical importance of strengthening shareholder engagement, the impact on investor relations, and the ongoing digital transformation of proxy voting. If you want to gain insider insights and valuable advice from industry experts, you've come to the right place. Tune in to hear their engaging discussion on the future of shareholder communication and the evolving landscape of corporate governance.Episode Transcript:< Intro > Adam:            Welcome to Count Me In. I'm your host, Adam Larson, and in today's episode, we're diving into the world of shareholder engagement with Jonathan Smalley, co-founder at Proximity. We'll uncover why strengthening shareholder engagement is more crucial than ever, and why it's imperative for navigating the upcoming political landscape. From climate change to the rising influence of retail shareholders. We'll explore the global factors impacting shareholder engagement, and the shift towards digitalizing proxy voting. Jonathan shares valuable insights on bridging the gap in shareholder communication, and the potential benefits for organizations. Get ready to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities, in shareholder engagement. < Music > Adam:            Well, Jonathan, I'm really excited to have you on the podcast today. And we're going to be talking about shareholder engagement, which is something not everybody touches, necessarily, but it's a very important part of your organization. Especially if you have a board or shareholders, if you're a public company. And, so, what makes strengthening shareholder engagement more critical, now than ever, for smoother investor relations. Especially as we're going into 2024 here, as we're recording at the end of 2023. What makes that so important, right now? Jonathan:       Firstly, thanks for having me, Adam. Yes, I'd say it's more critical than ever, but I'd say it's been critical for quite a long time. But when we look at what's behind us and what's ahead, there are some really big global factors that are not going away. That are continuing to heat things up, I feel like. I think as we head into 2024, also, it's the biggest political election year, globally, ever. Big elections in the U.S., India, South Korea, Mexico, likely to be one in the United Kingdom. And a lot of the factors, actually, that are going to impact political elections are going to be considerations when people go to the ballot box, are actually also transferable to the boardroom, or to the annual general meeting hall. Things like climate change is not going to surprise people, but that is something that is extremely topical and is a key part of issuer-shareholder engagement. Just this year, both inside the U.S. and outside, more shareholders' climate proposals than last year. And there are groups that cite that as financially material to their investment decisions now. And not just people on the street, but powerful, influential, institutional investor groups have got together and made that determination. And they're not just asking issuers and, obviously, the regulators are also calling for disclosures. It's also their service providers that are asking to do more.They want net zero policies. They want better climate integration into things like voting policies. And another one that's been heating things up for a long time now is Say-on-Pay. 94% now of S&P 1500 companies have a say on pay vote every single year. Ten years ago that would have been about 50%, so it's a big increase. And, I think, this year they, against recommendations from the leading two vote, advisors went down, but less against recommendations. But those resolutions got less support this year than last year. So that makes those contests quite frequent. And, then, I think, kind of linked to the climate change thing. You've got ESG versus increasing anti ESG, pretty polarized, and I think that's also something. As I sort of mentioned before, is going to also play out in political elections as well, not just in company elections.  And then I'd say that the big kicker to all of that is that we're just seeing year on year more votes, particularly, more votes from retail shareholders. Institutional shareholder voting has been quite high for a number of years now because of active ownership, because of stewardship codes, because of regulation. Retail, as a rule of thumb, has always been 20, 25% maybe in a contest a little bit higher than that. So there's clearly much more room for that to go into. And we've got some brokers going, "We're getting 30% a year on year increase." Some retail shared voting, and that's coming at a time where we're going through millennials and Gen Z's inheriting anywhere between $68 to $84 billion. And millennials, at the moment, are the most likely generational group to vote. So big issues against the backdrop of a great wealth transfer heading into a year that is going to be, probably, more politically charged than any we've seen across all the democratic countries, in the world, that are going to go to the polls. So I think engaging shareholders and having an efficient way for companies and shareholders to communicate back and forth is going to be more important than ever before, just because there's so much more coming. And I think we'll get on to maybe the technology a little bit later. But if you look at the legacy ecosystem about the way companies and shareholders communicate, we urgently need to upgrade that to deal with this. Because it's a good thing for companies and shareholders to communicate back and forth. We should be allowing it efficiently and digitally. And if we don't, and we're not ready for what's coming, then, there's going to be more negative headlines, I think, for companies to be worried about. As those general meetings debate and have voted on very important decisions for the company. Adam:            Yes, it's great how you outline all the different political factors. All the things happening around the world, that are causing more and more shareholders to become more engaged. And before we get to the technology piece, maybe, you could elaborate a little more about the importance of that communication between shareholders, in the organization. How it can impact a company's overall performance and even reputation? Jonathan:       Yes, I mean, starting with the reputational piece, it's probably easier to talk about the downside, sometimes, because, then, that's the thing that creates headlines. It creates headlines when results are challenged. When there's uncertainty about the results. And we saw a fairly infamous case a few years ago at the P&G's meeting, votes counted three times and it was a different result every time. And you're like, "How could that be?" And that was very expensive, both for the company, it w...