Sage Thought Leadership Podcast

Meg Higgins discussed the challenges small businesses face in navigating technology, with Meg emphasizing the need for assistance. Meg shared her experience in business development and strategy. The conversation shifted to Meg's admiration for Ray Dalio, a hedge fund investor and author, and the increasing complexity of tax compliance for businesses due to their digital and global expansion. Meg highlighted the need for digital tax management and the benefits of technology solutions.

Meg is the Senior VP of Global Partners at Avalara and leads their global partner organization, which focuses on growing the company’s channel business and delivering a best-in-class partner experience. She previously served as Vice President of Global Partner Business Development and Strategy as well as Vice President and General Manager for the company’s ecommerce and marketplace business unit. Prior industry experience includes leading client and partner management and business development, as well as cofounding the global ecommerce business unit at Pitney Bowes.

Anthony Sanchez, a seasoned software industry professional, shared his passion for his work and the satisfaction he gets from making people's lives easier through the solutions he helps develop. He discussed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024, highlighting a key provision favorable to businesses, and the potential challenges in the Senate. Anthony also mentioned that he can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter.

Anthony Sanchez has been working in the Software industry for almost 30 years and has worked on many different software applications. He did his undergraduate work at U.C. Santa Barbara and his Post Graduate studies at the University of Dallas. With deep experience in both desktop and cloud solutions, Anthony has worked on Tax, Accounting, and payment solutions with Intuit, Wolters Kluwer, and JP Morgan Chase. He is presently the Product Manager for Sage Fixed Assets.

Apryl discussed her experiences and strategies in marketing and customer relations. Apryl shared her career journey and her current focus on helping businesses grow. She also talked about the use of marketing personas, with Apryl emphasizing the importance of regularly updating and utilizing these personas to better understand and connect with customers.

With a diverse background spanning leadership roles at Sage, Blytheco, and Bloomreach, Apryl Syed has honed her expertise in driving success across technology, marketing, and sales domains. Now in her own consulting practice, her team specializes in landing page conversion optimization, driving revenue generation for businesses. From crafting compelling funnels to boosting sales and ensuring customer success, they help organizations create and execute winning strategies.

We will be offering a free landing page funnel review. You can select the landing page and book an appointment for a review. www.conversionsg.com/sage

Ann Donie explored the potential of their product to enhance customer productivity and offer advice on best practices. They also discussed anonymizing customer data and implementing appropriate security measures to improve the product. Ed suggested the product could suggest trade methods based on asset descriptions, which Ann agreed to, noting the potential for error-checking and data consistency. Ann shared her experiences with entrepreneurship and her inspiration from her father's small business.

Ann Donie's career trajectory from CPA to financial software development professional at Sage has been driven by a commitment to enhancing fixed asset management solutions. With a background spanning domain compliance, product design, and quality assurance, Ann currently serves as the Product Owner and Engineering Manager for Sage Fixed Assets. Her focus on incremental improvements has been instrumental in optimizing workflows for accounting professionals, enabling them to better manage their assets with less effort. Ann is enthusiastic about the potential of generative AI in the latest release of Sage Fixed Asset's suite of solutions.

Sage Fixed Assets Ally demo on YouTube: Sage Fixed Assets Ally (youtube.com) It is about 6 minutes long.

Home page for Sage Fixed Assets on Sage.com: Sage Fixed Assets Management Software | Sage US

Hitendra Patil discussed the evolving role of accounting firms, emphasizing the shift from output to outcome. He highlighted the challenges of defining and demonstrating this difference to clients. Hitendra also noted changes in the business model of accounting firms, with a decrease in hourly fees and an increase in fixed fees. He suggested that accounting firms need to adapt to provide more than just numerical data to clients. Furthermore, he mentioned the impact of the pandemic and global economic challenges on clients' attitudes towards spending. Finally, he shared his personal hero, his father, and discussed his contact details.

Hitendra R. Patil is the President of the Global Finance and Accounting Outsourcing Services of Datamatics Business Solutions, a strategic business of the Datamatics Group. Hitendra’s new book, “Rise of The AiCCOUNTANTS™: The What, Why, and How of Artificial Intelligence for Accountants,” has been bought by accountants from nine countries across four continents.

For an exclusive special offer only for Sage Advice Podcast listeners, click on this link -> Ed Sent Me. In the web form, please mention the words ED SENT ME.

Inder Seth, the CEO of Limelight Software, discussed her journey in the tech industry. Inder shared her passion for problem-solving, innovation, and collaboration. She also explained how her company's automation software has transformed the way finance teams operate. Inder mentioned that her son, who has special needs, is her hero due to his selflessness, hard work, and pure nature.

Inder Seth, CEO of Limelight Software, isn't just a leader - she's a visionary. Her decades of experience at Dell, IBM, and Clarity Systems shaped her sharp business acumen and honed her ability to innovate, navigate markets, and find new opportunities. Today, she drives Limelight's vision for empowering businesses with transformative financial solutions. Inder's passion for customer success, product excellence, and collaboration inspires her team to push boundaries and make a lasting impact.

Colette Markham shared her insights about the Nuvei's marketing approach, which involves understanding the needs of their partners and tailoring strategies accordingly. She mentioned that about 20% of their top Partners are broken down into tiers, and each partner's needs are addressed individually. She also highlighted the shift towards virtual marketing, particularly webinars and podcasts, due to Covid-19, which now constitutes about 60 to 70% of their marketing efforts. Colette acknowledged the challenges of partners being stuck on their own ideas and the need to adapt and learn from trial and error. The conversation ended with an exit question from Ed, asking about Colette's hero.

With over 20 years of experience in partner management, channel development, and strategic alliances, Colette Markham is a seasoned executive who delivers strategies that drive growth, profitability, and competitive success. As the Director of Channel Partnerships at Nuvei, Colette oversees the domestic portfolio of B2B strategic partners, aligning with ERP product integrators and leading initiatives to increase year over year revenue, promote product enhancements, and foster organic growth within the channel. Her mission is to add value to the organization and the partners by understanding their different needs, guiding and mentoring them with solid leadership skills, and resolving conflicts that arise on a daily basis.

Brett Michalson shared about the company's focus on enhancing the Sage Intacct ecosystem with integrations, automations, and intelligence products. He also reflected on his professional journey and the importance of fully leveraging a new finance and accounting system. Furthermore, Brett emphasized the importance of actionable insights for decision-making and shared his admiration for Alan Turing.

Brett has more than 20+ years of accounting and technology experience. Brett is an experienced executive leader with an extensive background in solution design, product management, product development, professional services, information technology, and enterprise risk management. He was a founding employee of AcctTwo, and since the firm’s combination with Baker Tilly, leads Baker Tilly’s finance as a service solution designer and software developer. Brett started his career in the advisory practice at a Big Four public accounting firm and spent seven years in public accounting advisory before becoming the implementation practice leader and CTO of AcctTwo.

Jeremy Almond discussed the limitations of traditional financial services and how his company, Paystand, is using blockchain technology to improve the industry. He emphasized the benefits of Paystand’s service, such as faster money transfers, automated processes, and eliminating fees. Ed Kless brought up the emergence of blockchain technology, which Jeremy responded can improve financial efficiency and automation for businesses. Jeremy also highlighted the security benefits of blockchain technology and shared his personal goal of creating a lasting legacy through his involvement in the blockchain industry.

Jeremy Almond, CEO and Co-Founder of Paystand. Jeremy has spent the last 15 years in the tech-industry as a serial entrepreneur, startup adviser, and occasional investor. Jeremy has helped dozens of B2B companies drive adoption of digital commerce, and is still an active board member at a number of fintech companies. He's been thinking about how to use technology to innovate in B2B financial services ever since.

Scott Hollrah discussed the mission and culture of Scott's company, Venn Technology. Scott emphasized the importance of freeing small and medium-sized businesses from time-consuming tasks through integrations between cloud accounting and CRM solutions. He also underscored the significance of company culture, noting that their relaxed and fun culture is reflected in their unique branding. Furthermore, Scott highlighted the importance of hiring employees who share their core values and creating a strong company culture. Ed agreed, suggesting that this approach is key to preserving the team's culture. Scott also shared his personal motivation for building the kind of company he would like to work for, aligning with the Golden Rule taught by his father.

Scott Hollrah is the founder and CEO of Venn Technology. He has more than 17 years of experience in the business technology industry, and more specifically in CRM and accounting software solutions. Scott founded Venn Technology in 2015 to help small and medium-sized businesses get their time and sanity back by building integrations between cloud accounting and CRM solutions to just about anything with an API. Venn’s top priority: build solutions that free people to focus on what they’re best at.