The best sessions to attend at Intuit Connect 2025 | Karbon Magazine
The best sessions to attend at Intuit Connect 2025
Intuit Connect 2025 is the place to be for ambitious accounting leaders looking to grow their firms. Here are 20 of the best sessions to level up your strategy.
It’s nearly that time of year: Intuit Connect is around the corner 🎉
On October 26-29, thousands of accounting professionals will converge at ARIA Las Vegas to make the most of:
📺 100+ sessions
🎙️ 118+ speakers
👸 1 x Queen (Latifah)
👸 1 x Queen (Brené)
With so many exciting sessions and speakers to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. To help with that, here’s a curated list of 20 essential sessions that will give you the insights, advice, and motivation to succeed in 2026 and beyond.
🤝 The best sessions on leadership
Remote-first dream team: Leadership and tech to scale virtual firms
Presenters:
Nayo Carter-Gray, 1st Step Accounting
Tony Proctor, Proctor & Assocs.
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Nayo Carter-Gray and Tony Proctor are firm leaders who have mastered the art of running connected, collaborative teams—from anywhere. In this session, they’ll reveal how to design a cloud-first tech stack, effectively structure meetings, and introduce small but powerful initiatives that drive engagement.
Karbon is our rocket booster that’s allowing us to grow at 40% to 50% year‑over‑year.
The best sessions to attend at Intuit Connect 2025
Intuit Connect 2025 is the place to be for ambitious accounting leaders looking to grow their firms. Here are 20 of the best sessions to level up your strategy.
It’s nearly that time of year: Intuit Connect is around the corner 🎉
On October 26-29, thousands of accounting professionals will converge at ARIA Las Vegas to make the most of:
📺 100+ sessions
🎙️ 118+ speakers
👸 1 x Queen (Latifah)
👸 1 x Queen (Brené)
With so many exciting sessions and speakers to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. To help with that, here’s a curated list of 20 essential sessions that will give you the insights, advice, and motivation to succeed in 2026 and beyond.
🤝 The best sessions on leadership
Remote-first dream team: Leadership and tech to scale virtual firms
Presenters:
Nayo Carter-Gray, 1st Step Accounting
Tony Proctor, Proctor & Assocs.
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Nayo Carter-Gray and Tony Proctor are firm leaders who have mastered the art of running connected, collaborative teams—from anywhere. In this session, they’ll reveal how to design a cloud-first tech stack, effectively structure meetings, and introduce small but powerful initiatives that drive engagement.
Presenter: Brené Brown, bestselling author and researcher
Time: Wednesday October 29, 11.30am
Join Brené Brown for a powerful fireside chat exploring how leaders can build strong, human-centered organizations in an AI-powered world. Expect insights on courage, connection, and the leadership we need to unlock our teams’ full potential and shape the future of work.
3 Cs coaching framework
Presenter: Carlos Garcia, ExceedSales
Time: Tuesday October 28, 1.30pm
Great leaders don’t just manage—they coach. Join Carlos Garcia as he introduces the 3 Cs Coaching Framework, built around clarity, competency, and commitment.
Discover the simple but effective approach to turning routine check-ins into opportunities for inspiring growth, upholding accountability, and elevating the performance of your team.
How you deliver feedback and develop the people at your firm matters. Get ready to walk away with a proven action plan for leading with confidence and impact.
Sustaining a culture of experimentation
Presenters:
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Jacob Schroeder, Ascend Consulting LLC
Time: Wednesday October 29, 9am
Join K.C. Eames and Jacob Schroeder as they show you how to create a team of innovators.
They’ll share practical frameworks for nurturing a culture of curiosity, practicing structured experimentation, balancing risk with learning, and uncovering valuable insights from both successes and failures.
Leave ready to sharpen your firm’s competitive edge. It’s as simple as asking, “what if?”
🤖 The best sessions on AI and technology
Structuring for scale: How smart data and workflows drive success
Presenters:
Brian Clare, Blueprint Accounting
Marie Greene, Connected Accounting
Dan Luthi, Ignite Spot Accounting
Time: Monday October 27, 1.30pm
Over time, the systems that once ‘worked fine’ can start to crack, causing delays, errors, and frustration for both your clients and your team.
Join Brian Clare, Marie Greene, and Dan Luthi as they draw on their own experiences with running accounting firms to deliver tactical solutions for operational weak points. They’ll show you how to get to the root of the problem with smarter tools, stronger data architecture, and more connected workflows.
Take a look back at the year that was AI in accounting. Chad Davis will share AI advancements that directly affect bookkeeping, tax, and advisory functions and processes, including demos of current AI tools that you can use to automate everyday tasks such as data entry and document parsing.
Re-enchanted, not replaced: AI for joy at the job
Presenter: Joey Albertson, The Profitability Project
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
When AI entered accounting, many feared it would replace human work. For Joey Albertson, it did the opposite.
In this session, he’ll reflect on how AI in accounting transformed his practice, and his relationship with work, for the better. Hear the real-life use cases that helped him and his firm save time, deepen client connections, and elevate their services, all while reigniting their passion for accounting.
Plus, you’ll get the roadmap for integrating AI into your own workflows, without sacrificing the human touch.
CAS and CFO: How to excel at blending both with the help of AI
Presenters:
Erick Niu, Aritas Advisors
Bob Wang, Tee Up Advisors
Michael Ly, Reconciled
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
Many firms excel at delivering Client Accounting Services (CAS) but hit roadblocks when clients seek CFO-level advisory. Pricing feels uncertain, workflows don’t align, and hiring senior talent can seem out of reach.
In this session, Erick Niu, Bob Wang, and Michael Ly will share exactly how they overcame these very challenges with (and without) the help of AI. You’ll learn how to price and package your services, bridge workflow gaps, and develop your talent.
Growing deep roots: How to deliver a stand-out onboarding experience
Presenters:
Kristin Chambers, Prix Fixe Accounting
Mary Vaughan, Prix Fixe Accounting
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
In this session, Kristin Chambers and Mary Vaughan will discuss how their own challenges with client onboarding helped them refine their approach.
Learn how to support legacy clients when adopting new tools, recover from a service failure, and empower every member of your team to deliver a five-star onboarding experience.
Leading with trust: Elevating client relationships
Presenter: Dixie McCurley, Cherry Bekeart
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
Led by Dixie McCurley, this session will focus on how modern firm leaders can cultivate transformational relationships with clients. You’ll explore how modelling empathy, aligning your vision, and communicating with authenticity can deepen your clients’ trust in your services.
Balancing automation and advisory without losing the client experience
Presenter: Nancy McClelland, The Dancing Accountant
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
As the accounting industry becomes more digital, maintaining a personal touch with clients can feel harder. But according to Nancy McClelland, it doesn’t have to be.
In this session, she’ll explain how to use automation to create space for meaningful client work, allowing you to boost efficiency and build long-lasting relationships at the same time.
💰 The best sessions on mergers and acquisitions
The emotional and strategic journey of selling your accounting firm
Presenters:
Don Bravaldo, Bravaldo Capital Advisors
Kenji Kuramoto, Acuity
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Kenji Kuramoto and Don Bravaldo have been through the merger and acquisition (M&A) process from both sides of the table.
In this fireside chat, they’ll share how they navigated the sale of a 20-year-old practice, from managing stakeholders, to negotiating the sale, to executing the changeover. By the end, you’ll learn how to assess emotional readiness, build a strong exit plan, and manage transitions that protect both clients and culture.
Scaling with soul: Preserving culture during hypergrowth
Presenters:
Ben Curtis, Good Measure
Marcus Dillon, Dillon Business Advisors
Lisa Gilreath, Sorren
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
Growth doesn’t have to come at the cost of culture. Join four leaders from Top 50 accounting firms as they share honest insights from their own M&A journeys, including what worked, what didn’t, and the realities of rapid growth.
This panel discussion will equip you with effective strategies for navigating the pull between profit and people, protecting your culture in times of transformation, and incentivizing success—without losing sight of what matters most to your team.
What happens after: How to successfully integrate firms post-acquisition
Presenters:
Matthew May, Sorren
Becky Munson, EisnerAmper
Chris Williams, System Six
Time: Wednesday October 29, 9am
Join three leaders in M&A for a tactical session on merging accounting firms successfully. They’ll demystify the integration process, covering steps like M&A due diligence, client communication, team onboarding, operations, and risk management.
🌱 The best sessions on growth
Unlocking labor efficiency and advisory success with KPIs
Presenter: Luke Templin, CAS Cashe, FinDaily.io & a2 Advisors
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Monitoring your firm’s Labor Efficiency Ratio (LER) can answer critical operational questions like “Are we ready to grow?” and “Should we slow down?”
In this session, you’ll learn how to monitor LER as a leading KPI, use scenario planning techniques to evaluate how changes in LER impact firm decisions and financial outcomes, and how to leverage these methods as a foundation to offer forecasting and growth advisory services.
Alternative business models: Rethinking growth without private equity
Presenters:
Chase Birky, Dark Horse CPAs
Kristen Keats, Sherwood Tax & Accounting
Kellie Parks, Calmwaters Cloud Accounting
Jacob Schroeder, Ascend Consulting LLC
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Private equity may be taking the industry by storm, but it’s not the only way to grow your firm. In this panel discussion, four seasoned leaders will break down how they built successful firms around alternative business models centred on autonomy, ownership, and sustainability.
Opportunity season: Rethinking tax time for growth and wellbeing
Presenters:
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Al-Nesha Jones, ASE Group
Kristen Keats, Sherwood Tax & Accounting
Megan Leesley, Dark Horse CPAs
Time: Monday October 27, 1.30pm
It’s time to reframe busy season as an opportunity for growth for both you and your team. In this panel discussion with four firm leaders, you’ll uncover actionable strategies to manage stress, strengthen client communication, and harness efficiency gains that last well beyond tax deadlines.
In this fireside chat, Queen Latifah will share lessons learned from her remarkable career. As a pioneering icon in hip-hop, an Oscar nominee, and a television star, she’ll discuss the importance of authenticity, brand savvy, and embracing change while continuously evolving across music, film, television, and business.
🚀 The best sessions on marketing
Find your story: How to speak about your firm with confidence and clarity
Presenters:
Jaclyn Anku, Intuit
Elliott Morin, 3Motion Creative
John Speed Orr, 3Motion Creative
Time: Sunday October 26, 1pm
Your story is your strongest connection tool, and yet most accounting firms aren’t telling theirs.
In this interactive workshop, Jacyln Anku is joined by two creative professionals to share how you can leverage the Narrative Archaeology method to build trust and deepen relationships. Experience the power of storytelling as you dig deeper into the key moments that shaped your firm’s story, and find the words to communicate it with confidence.
Connecting with clients: Using events to elevate your firm’s visibility
Presenter: Alex Miles, Alex Miles Marketing
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
From deciding the event format to developing a comprehensive marketing strategy, Alex Miles will arm you with the knowledge and strategies you need to attract your ideal client, drive brand awareness, and build your reputation as a credible firm.
See you in Vegas
Whether you’re focused on scaling your firm, deepening client relationships, or leveraging the latest tech to work smarter, Intuit Connect 2025 offers a rare opportunity to connect with your peers and learn from industry pioneers.
Be sure to stop by stand #10 on your way in and say hi to the Karbon team.
The Karbon team at a conference booth
We acknowledge that Intuit Connect takes place on the traditional lands of the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) people, who have cared for this region since time immemorial.
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Managing Editor, Karbon Magazine
Presenter: Brené Brown, bestselling author and researcher
Time: Wednesday October 29, 11.30am
Join Brené Brown for a powerful fireside chat exploring how leaders can build strong, human-centered organizations in an AI-powered world. Expect insights on courage, connection, and the leadership we need to unlock our teams’ full potential and shape the future of work.
3 Cs coaching framework
Presenter: Carlos Garcia, ExceedSales
Time: Tuesday October 28, 1.30pm
Great leaders don’t just manage—they coach. Join Carlos Garcia as he introduces the 3 Cs Coaching Framework, built around clarity, competency, and commitment.
Discover the simple but effective approach to turning routine check-ins into opportunities for inspiring growth, upholding accountability, and elevating the performance of your team.
How you deliver feedback and develop the people at your firm matters. Get ready to walk away with a proven action plan for leading with confidence and impact.
Sustaining a culture of experimentation
Presenters:
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Jacob Schroeder, Ascend Consulting LLC
Time: Wednesday October 29, 9am
Join K.C. Eames and Jacob Schroeder as they show you how to create a team of innovators.
They’ll share practical frameworks for nurturing a culture of curiosity, practicing structured experimentation, balancing risk with learning, and uncovering valuable insights from both successes and failures.
Leave ready to sharpen your firm’s competitive edge. It’s as simple as asking, “what if?”
🤖 The best sessions on AI and technology
Structuring for scale: How smart data and workflows drive success
Presenters:
Brian Clare, Blueprint Accounting
Marie Greene, Connected Accounting
Dan Luthi, Ignite Spot Accounting
Time: Monday October 27, 1.30pm
Over time, the systems that once ‘worked fine’ can start to crack, causing delays, errors, and frustration for both your clients and your team.
Join Brian Clare, Marie Greene, and Dan Luthi as they draw on their own experiences with running accounting firms to deliver tactical solutions for operational weak points. They’ll show you how to get to the root of the problem with smarter tools, stronger data architecture, and more connected workflows.
Take a look back at the year that was AI in accounting. Chad Davis will share AI advancements that directly affect bookkeeping, tax, and advisory functions and processes, including demos of current AI tools that you can use to automate everyday tasks such as data entry and document parsing.
Re-enchanted, not replaced: AI for joy at the job
Presenter: Joey Albertson, The Profitability Project
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
When AI entered accounting, many feared it would replace human work. For Joey Albertson, it did the opposite.
In this session, he’ll reflect on how AI in accounting transformed his practice, and his relationship with work, for the better. Hear the real-life use cases that helped him and his firm save time, deepen client connections, and elevate their services, all while reigniting their passion for accounting.
Plus, you’ll get the roadmap for integrating AI into your own workflows, without sacrificing the human touch.
CAS and CFO: How to excel at blending both with the help of AI
Presenters:
Erick Niu, Aritas Advisors
Bob Wang, Tee Up Advisors
Michael Ly, Reconciled
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
Many firms excel at delivering Client Accounting Services (CAS) but hit roadblocks when clients seek CFO-level advisory. Pricing feels uncertain, workflows don’t align, and hiring senior talent can seem out of reach.
In this session, Erick Niu, Bob Wang, and Michael Ly will share exactly how they overcame these very challenges with (and without) the help of AI. You’ll learn how to price and package your services, bridge workflow gaps, and develop your talent.
Growing deep roots: How to deliver a stand-out onboarding experience
Presenters:
Kristin Chambers, Prix Fixe Accounting
Mary Vaughan, Prix Fixe Accounting
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
In this session, Kristin Chambers and Mary Vaughan will discuss how their own challenges with client onboarding helped them refine their approach.
Learn how to support legacy clients when adopting new tools, recover from a service failure, and empower every member of your team to deliver a five-star onboarding experience.
Leading with trust: Elevating client relationships
Presenter: Dixie McCurley, Cherry Bekeart
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
Led by Dixie McCurley, this session will focus on how modern firm leaders can cultivate transformational relationships with clients. You’ll explore how modelling empathy, aligning your vision, and communicating with authenticity can deepen your clients’ trust in your services.
Balancing automation and advisory without losing the client experience
Presenter: Nancy McClelland, The Dancing Accountant
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
As the accounting industry becomes more digital, maintaining a personal touch with clients can feel harder. But according to Nancy McClelland, it doesn’t have to be.
In this session, she’ll explain how to use automation to create space for meaningful client work, allowing you to boost efficiency and build long-lasting relationships at the same time.
💰 The best sessions on mergers and acquisitions
The emotional and strategic journey of selling your accounting firm
Presenters:
Don Bravaldo, Bravaldo Capital Advisors
Kenji Kuramoto, Acuity
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Kenji Kuramoto and Don Bravaldo have been through the merger and acquisition (M&A) process from both sides of the table.
In this fireside chat, they’ll share how they navigated the sale of a 20-year-old practice, from managing stakeholders, to negotiating the sale, to executing the changeover. By the end, you’ll learn how to assess emotional readiness, build a strong exit plan, and manage transitions that protect both clients and culture.
Scaling with soul: Preserving culture during hypergrowth
Presenters:
Ben Curtis, Good Measure
Marcus Dillon, Dillon Business Advisors
Lisa Gilreath, Sorren
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Time: Monday October 27, 10.30am
Growth doesn’t have to come at the cost of culture. Join four leaders from Top 50 accounting firms as they share honest insights from their own M&A journeys, including what worked, what didn’t, and the realities of rapid growth.
This panel discussion will equip you with effective strategies for navigating the pull between profit and people, protecting your culture in times of transformation, and incentivizing success—without losing sight of what matters most to your team.
What happens after: How to successfully integrate firms post-acquisition
Presenters:
Matthew May, Sorren
Becky Munson, EisnerAmper
Chris Williams, System Six
Time: Wednesday October 29, 9am
Join three leaders in M&A for a tactical session on merging accounting firms successfully. They’ll demystify the integration process, covering steps like M&A due diligence, client communication, team onboarding, operations, and risk management.
🌱 The best sessions on growth
Unlocking labor efficiency and advisory success with KPIs
Presenter: Luke Templin, CAS Cashe, FinDaily.io & a2 Advisors
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Monitoring your firm’s Labor Efficiency Ratio (LER) can answer critical operational questions like “Are we ready to grow?” and “Should we slow down?”
In this session, you’ll learn how to monitor LER as a leading KPI, use scenario planning techniques to evaluate how changes in LER impact firm decisions and financial outcomes, and how to leverage these methods as a foundation to offer forecasting and growth advisory services.
Alternative business models: Rethinking growth without private equity
Presenters:
Chase Birky, Dark Horse CPAs
Kristen Keats, Sherwood Tax & Accounting
Kellie Parks, Calmwaters Cloud Accounting
Jacob Schroeder, Ascend Consulting LLC
Time: Monday October 27, 9am
Private equity may be taking the industry by storm, but it’s not the only way to grow your firm. In this panel discussion, four seasoned leaders will break down how they built successful firms around alternative business models centred on autonomy, ownership, and sustainability.
Opportunity season: Rethinking tax time for growth and wellbeing
Presenters:
K.C. Eames, Dark Horse CPAs
Al-Nesha Jones, ASE Group
Kristen Keats, Sherwood Tax & Accounting
Megan Leesley, Dark Horse CPAs
Time: Monday October 27, 1.30pm
It’s time to reframe busy season as an opportunity for growth for both you and your team. In this panel discussion with four firm leaders, you’ll uncover actionable strategies to manage stress, strengthen client communication, and harness efficiency gains that last well beyond tax deadlines.
In this fireside chat, Queen Latifah will share lessons learned from her remarkable career. As a pioneering icon in hip-hop, an Oscar nominee, and a television star, she’ll discuss the importance of authenticity, brand savvy, and embracing change while continuously evolving across music, film, television, and business.
🚀 The best sessions on marketing
Find your story: How to speak about your firm with confidence and clarity
Presenters:
Jaclyn Anku, Intuit
Elliott Morin, 3Motion Creative
John Speed Orr, 3Motion Creative
Time: Sunday October 26, 1pm
Your story is your strongest connection tool, and yet most accounting firms aren’t telling theirs.
In this interactive workshop, Jacyln Anku is joined by two creative professionals to share how you can leverage the Narrative Archaeology method to build trust and deepen relationships. Experience the power of storytelling as you dig deeper into the key moments that shaped your firm’s story, and find the words to communicate it with confidence.
Connecting with clients: Using events to elevate your firm’s visibility
Presenter: Alex Miles, Alex Miles Marketing
Time: Tuesday October 28, 9am
From deciding the event format to developing a comprehensive marketing strategy, Alex Miles will arm you with the knowledge and strategies you need to attract your ideal client, drive brand awareness, and build your reputation as a credible firm.
See you in Vegas
Whether you’re focused on scaling your firm, deepening client relationships, or leveraging the latest tech to work smarter, Intuit Connect 2025 offers a rare opportunity to connect with your peers and learn from industry pioneers.
Be sure to stop by stand #10 on your way in and say hi to the Karbon team.
The Karbon team at a conference booth
We acknowledge that Intuit Connect takes place on the traditional lands of the Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) people, who have cared for this region since time immemorial.
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