38: Conference Season: Strategies & Insights

In this episode of I share valuable advice on preparing for conferences. From setting clear goals to packing essential items, I cover everything you need to know for a successful and enjoyable experience. Learn how to manage your energy, stay focused, and make meaningful connections, all while navigating the potential stresses and challenges of conference season. Tune in for practical tips and insights drawn from my years of attending professional events.

Scaling New Heights: https://www.woodard.com/scaling-new-heights-2025

Summit: https://www.woodard.com/about-summit-2025

Conference Goal Setting Template: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGplrDGY0g/NDgCFWK0kfAfjwD7ZwAcAQ/view?utm_content=DAGplrDGY0g&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink&mode=preview

Transcript

 I am Beth Whitworth race car driving quilt making CPA firm owning wife, mom, and boss. I'm here to help you build a business you love by sharing all of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the excellent sides of working in this industry. It's not always easy, but after many years, I can finally say it's worth it.

Let me guide you on your journey to accounting with confidence.

Hi, and welcome to Accounting With Confidence. I'm Beth Whitworth, and today I am talking about. Getting ready to go to a conference, so I don't know if any of you go to conferences. This is sort of conference season during the summer and the fall, and we go to one. Sarah and I go to Scaling New Heights.

I've been going since about 2016 and have only missed one year. I missed 22 when I was having breast cancer surgery that week, so I couldn't go to the conference. And this is the, it's a big conference. We fly to it. We pack all the things. It's four full days, and it's one of those things where you really have to prepare for.

Until 2016, I had never gone to conferences and especially not in my industry. I had been to things with my business fraternity when I was in college. I had been to some racing related conferences with our Sports Car Club of America, those types of things. But I hadn't been to a professional conference and it.

If you go, you know, it kind of brings this level of stress sometimes, especially if you're not someone who travels a lot by air or you're someone who isn't used to packing business casual. For me, you can see how I'm dressed. I am, this is how I dress every day, but when I go to conference, I feel like I do need to step it up a little bit.

So today I'm just going to talk about some of the things that I have learned in doing this conference for the last five or six years, and hopefully some tools that you can look at prior to getting to your conference. So here we go. The first thing I always think is a good idea is to set. The goals of what you want to get out of the conference.

Before the conference, it could be you are going to a conference, you want to learn a new skill. So we go to Scaling New Heights, and in the past they've had trainings on QuickBooks Online and helping you get through certifications and those types of things. Maybe you're looking to. Find a solution on the vendor floor for something that can help your firm or help a client and you wanna leave there with having found that.

That means maybe you're having to set up some meetings with these vendors while you're there. Demo some software or some products, whatever you need to do while you're there. So that could be one of your goals. A big goal usually on these conferences and why people go is they're looking to make.

Connections, whether it's with their peers, it's with mentors, maybe it is with a vendor or someone who is an expert in something. And so you wanna make those connections. And I do spend a lot of time speaking with my peers. I've been in this long enough and I, when I first year I went, I realized that I found.

This. These are the people that understand what I do. They understand my struggles, and they're people that are generally open about talking about how they're solving issues in their firm or with their team, or with their tech stack or whatever. And so it's great to be able to talk and connect with your peers, and that could be a goal.

That could just be your goal. Uh, another goal is have fun. A lot of times the conferences are set somewhere, like the one we're going to is in Orlando, and you want to be able to kind of get out of your normal business self and have some fun. Maybe that's your goal is you need a break. You've just finished this really long grueling tax season.

You've been busy ever since, and you just need some downtime. And this might be your opportunity to get that. So make it a goal. How are you going to have fun while you're there? So plan it. And then another goal, and we've done this, we did this last year and we're doing it again this year, is to. Have some time either before or after the conference, especially if you're bringing your team.

But even if you aren't, to strategize in a different scenery. So for us, last year we went to the conference ahead of time. We came in a a, a day or two early and we found a nice sunny spot in the hotel that was just, you know, it had a nice view outside and we. Sarah and I plowed through so much stuff, so many things that had been on our plate that we wanted to talk about and get details down about and schedule.

And we, we did a lot of that and it was so much more productive than doing it via Zoom. 'cause we are remote from each other. So we meet every week and we've had strategy sessions via Zoom, but this was so much more powerful. So that was a goal of ours and. That's a goal again, this year. This year we're going to do the strategizing after the conference, and I think for that it's going to be better.

We might be exhausted from the four days at conference, but we will have already absorbed all of the things that we went there to do, to learn to look at, and then we have some downtime. And I am absolutely looking at us doing some strategizing poolside. So, um, it'll be after the conference. We've got another, probably another 36 hours, I guess, until we fly back out and come home.

But I think knowing how productive we were last year, we're looking forward to that, to having that as one of our goals. So it's really important that you have a goal for the conference. You need to know what that goal was so that when after the conference you can see if you accomplished it and was it worth it.

So write your goals down before the conference. It gives you that ability. It has the new shiny things, the squirrels run across your path while you're at conference. To return to that focus, you know, that document that says, this is my goal, am I getting there? And that's the same thing. I use E in my daily planner, so I have every day set.

Three things I wanna get done today that will help me accomplish my goals. And when I get distracted and people, you know, I take phone calls or jump on a Zoom call or need to address issues, and it distracts me from those three things, that is my touchpoint that I can go back to. You need that same touchpoint for a conference, especially if it's a multi-day conference because.

There's so much going on. There's main stage stuff, there's vendor floors, there's receptions, and you know, activities that are planned with vendors and with the sponsoring organization. All the things that you wanna try to do, but you need to stay focused on what it is that you want to accomplish this year.

I say that every year, if you're going to the same conference, you need to do this every year, your goals may change. You know, next year we may be going to the conference and say, our only goal is to have fun, that we need a break, and we're just gonna have fun. We're not going to, we're worry about.

Changing something major in our business, which we have been doing every year for the last few, we've done something different. And I think at some point that's gonna be our goal. It's not this year. We're always, we're still moving forward. So definitely use that document that you create. What are your goals?

And use it as a measuring tool because you're gonna come back to it after the conference to see if you accomplished it. Now. One thing I have learned from going to this conference is that it is. Physically and mentally draining. There's a lot going on. There's a lot of things that are different than what your normal routine is.

And for me, you know, I think I shared in episode 36, I think what a typical day for me is, and it happens right here, and interactions with people are virtual. They are. I am hanging out and chatting with my dog James, who's here somewhere, and I'm, when I leave the house, I'm usually going for a workout, a walk.

I. That is my routine and conferences are absolute 180 from that. For me. I am almost always casual when I'm here at home, I get up and get dressed, knowing I'm gonna work out in the afternoon sometime I. The afternoon or evening. So I'm wearing leggings, I'm wearing shorts, I'm wearing tennis shoes. I am, you know, I'm ready to go work out because that is one of the things that I don't wanna stop and change clothes, you know, because that is one thing that I could use as an excuse not to go.

So I don't do it. I dress like that all the time. Now, going to conferences, there are some places that it makes sense. So I go to, Woodard has a summit for its membership. Members of its membership, that is every fall, October, November-ish. And that is a strategic planning, you know, you're getting nitty gritty down into your, your own business, and it's long days and it's casual.

So I can wear my leggings, I wear my logo gear, I, you know, wear t-shirts, tennis shoes, because it's not. If there's not a big vendor floor, there's not, it's a spirit much smaller group, and we're a little more informal. Just trying to get some major brainstorming and thinking done as opposed to the conference where you're there.

There are sessions every hour of the day. There's main stage sessions. There's 50 minute sessions, there's a hundred minute sessions, there's the vendor floor, there's lunch, there's receptions. There's something going on from six 30 in the morning until 10 o'clock or later at night, and that is not my schedule.

You know me, I'm not a morning person. I get up every day around seven and go to bed every night around nine. So I know that I have to physically prepare myself to go to conference, and I think if you look at it as, okay, your routine is going to be so different, let's get ahead of it. So I try to eat better.

I try to get good sleep before the conference. I keep my exercise routine going 'cause I know that's the first thing that I'm not gonna, I usually don't have time to do, is exercise when I'm at these conferences. And you really have to be ready for the long days. Typically, you're doing a lot of walking, depending on the conference facility, you, maybe you're consuming more alcohol than you normally do.

You know, in a social setting, you're eating out essentially, almost every meal is not home cooked. It's not go in and toss yourself together a salad. It's heavier food, usually richer food, more desserts, more alcohol. I. And then of course for me, it's always a challenge sleeping in a strange place. So you have to realize that that is going to disrupt your sleep, which is gonna disrupt your energy.

And then add to that, the fact that you're not exercising regularly and you're eating differently, I. You really have to prepare. So my thoughts on that are to, you know, ahead of time, you know, two, three weeks ahead of time, start doing good things for your body. You know, start getting more sleep, start eating better, more protein, maybe more things that are gonna give you some energy.

But in addition to that, and I'm all about the practical tips is. Plan for the fact that it's going to be different. What are your must haves that you may struggle to find in a conference, hotel setting? And for me, you know, some dietary needs that I have are, I have to have mocha creamer in my coffee just a little.

Little bit of it. And so I found last year finally that you just order those, you know, the little creamer packs that they have at the convenience store and the gas stations when you're getting your coffee. They never have Mocha, but you can buy a pack of those on Amazon. I. I throw 'em in a little, you know, Tupperware container so they don't spill or burst or anything in flight and throw 'em in my suitcase so that when I make my cup of coffee in the hotel room, I can put in my splash of mocha creamer.

And that was a game changer because I. I, while I like vanilla creamer, I like mocha better. So that becomes, that has become a must have for me in traveling. And I only drink one cup of coffee a day, and I want it to be the way I want it. And so that was an a kind of a game changer, and also something that I always pack now.

The other couple things that are things that I know that will be easy to bring and things that'll be quick go-to things is to get more protein. And so I have a mint chocolate cliff bar that is my favorite. So I will tell you I have some dietary restrictions when it comes to artificial sweeteners. I am allergic, so there's so many protein bars and things that are out there that use some of those artificial sweeteners, and so I have to dig and find and then also find a flavor that I like and also find things that.

I don't have walnuts in 'em 'cause I'm allergic to nuts. So I have landed on cliff bars that are mint chocolate and these are my all time favorite. And I know I will be putting a box in my suitcase because they are go-to, they're quick. I can keep 'em in my computer bag while I'm, you know, down going to sessions, those types of things.

And sometimes. I'm not a big breakfast eater, you know, and a lot of times the conferences have a breakfast buffet where you're having eggs and bacon and sausage and waffles every morning, and that is not how I typically eat. So I'll bring those. I will also bring a Zumba friend, I call 'em my Zumba friends, um, mentioned Kodiak cups, which come in oatmeal or flapjacks or something else.

And so I have. Become addicted to the, the Flapjack cups and what those are, are, you know, just mix them with water, put 'em in the microwave for an hour or an hour, excuse me. No a minute. Just only put it in a minute for a minute, and it has, it's got like 12 or 13 grams of protein, and it's quick and it's easy and it's filling.

And so I can throw a couple of those in my suitcase. So those are gonna be things that I know I'm going to bring to supplement the fact that there are gonna be days when I am tired of the heavy food, the big meal, the appetizers at every reception, those types of things. And I just need something that my body is used to.

So figure out what those things are, or. If you can't pack them, you know, figure out ahead of time where you can order them from, do a DoorDash to your hotel from Target or wherever. I mean, you're typically conferences are not in a small town, so you should be able to DoorDash anything I. But don't count on the hotel having those things if they're very specific to you.

The other thing it does to bring those things for me is give me a little bit of that comfort of home. So I'm really a homebody. Like I said, I'm here. Sam moved out last year and we are official empty nesters. So we've got, you know, Dave and I and our dog and we are very routined. We pretty much. It feels very much like we do the same stuff every week.

It changes up a little seasonally when racing starts or when conferences start, travel starts, that type of thing. But for the most part, we just like to be at home. We're not out every night. We're not, you know, going places. We're not seeing things. We are homebodies. So conferences for me are really, they're very different and they're very draining.

And so as someone who is. Considered my consider myself an introvert. Probably an extroverted introvert, but that introvert part of me gets my energy from being alone and being quiet and being routined. And so it's really hard at conference time to kind of get my energy back. So it's gonna be really important for you to schedule and find some places in a schedule of a conference schedule for some downtime.

You know, maybe it's. Reading for 30 minutes on the balcony. Maybe it's going to, going down and sitting by the pool for an hour with your noise canceling headphones on, listening to some music. Maybe it's going for a walk. Maybe it's taking a nap. You know? Um, like I said, nights are later. You're not going to bed on time.

You've got lots of things going on and, and thinking about and learning new things and talking to new people. It can be draining and exhausting and by scheduling some downtime, you know, that nap, that reading time, whatever that is, it allows you to recharge. And I have also found that when you have.

Downtime. It gives your brain a chance to kind of subconsciously work through the things that you've been learning, and maybe it will spark an idea. So you heard this in this session. It didn't quite click how you could use it, but then as you relax and you have this renewed energy, you're like, oh, I think I need to do that.

And I'll tell you one of the ideas that had come up probably for the last. Two or three years for me was moving my individual tax clients to a subscription, and I can guarantee you that I wrote that down as something I needed to do every time I want to. Went to one of Ron Baker's sessions, one of Hector Garcia's Carlos Garcia's sessions, talking about the pricing.

I'm like, we need to do that. That is such a good idea. And it did not click. Right away. And when it finally did, I was, it was after I had stepped away from the conference setting and said, Hey, I think I've figured out what I want to do. And we finally implemented it in 2024, going into the 2025 season. So.

You just don't know what nugget you're gonna get from the conference that you won't know how it fits in until you've had time to absorb some things. But definitely schedule some time at the conference to regenerate, get some more energy, re-energize, do those types of things. Now my other big thing for conferences, and I know a lot of people just do not enjoy this process, and that is giving your presenters feedback.

Now, I have never presented, I am presenting this year at Scaling New Heights in a little 20 minute session, and one of the things that. It's, I, I haven't presented here, but I have done presentations and I really wanted to have feedback. I wanted to know was it on target, not on target. Did you get anything out of it?

Was I too quiet? Was I too loud? Any of those things. So in the past, sometimes you couldn't get your continuing education credit unless you filled it out. Now it's more of a. I don't think it's required to fill them out, so I think people just don't do it. But as conference people who sponsor conferences, people who are putting on those sessions, it's really important that you give feedback.

So, so do it. Do it while you're sitting there in the session. Have the feedback open on your phone and start checking things off. It's usually just a scale one to five or one to 10, or whatever it is. Do it. Because it is helpful. It will make the conference better. It will make the speakers better. It will do all those things, and you just, you want to participate.

Along those notes. As someone who has presented but not here, it's really hard when you know your audience, audience is doing something else. So they're here, but they are working. They're typing up emails. They're reviewing tax returns. They're definitely not engaged. And so as a conference attendee, I try to make sure that I am.

Engaged, engaged in that session. One, it's polite. Two, if you're not going to be engaged in it, go to the pool. Go take some time. If you're gonna, you know that you have to go in there and you've got some work to get done, just don't go. There is nobody holding you hostage. Then you have to go to every single session.

You are a grownup, so. I would rather someone not attend and get their work done, you know, in another setting than to be frantically working while I'm either attending a session or I am presenting a session. So think about those things too. Choose the sessions that you're really excited about, that you're passionate about, that you are part of your goals.

So when you look at that schedule ahead of time, pick what you think you want to go attend based on your goals and your passions. Don't go to things just because you feel like you have to. Like I said, you're a grownup. You can set your own schedule so you know what you need. I guess I'll leave that right there.

And I guess I, I, maybe I'm, I've moved on to the pet peeves instead of conference strategies. Um, so talking about my, you know, leave feedback, don't, don't ignore your presenters, that type of thing. Those are kind of pet peeves. And my other one is, I know I have special dietary needs. I. I know what I'm allergic to.

I have several food allergies and I have never gone into a conference setting and said, Hey, hey, you know, you need to make sure a strawberry does not touch this buffet. I. You need to plan ahead for those things. Like I said, I make sure I have the protein bars, the creamer, the things that I know I want to have, and I also know how to avoid the other things without making it everybody's problem.

So if you've got those plan ahead, plan to DoorDash, some foods that you can bring, or maybe if it's certain I don't, I don't know, certain fruits certain. Spices. I don't know what whatever you need, but I've gone to so many conferences where the poor staff is just held responsible for the fact that everything's not gluten-free or there's not enough gluten-free options.

And I understand that maybe that should be something that's more prevalent, but it's not yet. And the masses and the cost are with. Things that are what most people are eating. So plan ahead. Take care of yourself. Know what you need. Avoid the things that you shouldn't be eating so that you don't have stomach issues or upset stomach or miss things because you don't feel well.

But don't make it everybody else's problem. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but that's just my pet peeve because as someone who does have some dietary restrictions, I never make it anybody else's problem. That's me. That is my dietary restrictions are mine and I will take care of them. So I think everybody, everybody else should too.

So make sure you have your must haves. Go back to my top of my list that said, pack what you must have to get through your week and make sure you have those. I guess my other strategy, I don't know that it is a strategy, but go with the flow. For me, part of going to this conference is I'm not responsible for it.

I am an attendee, and what they have put together for me to attend is I'm a grownup and I can choose to attend or not attend on certain things. There's gonna be some speakers that they put on the main stage that I'm like, eh, that didn't really, you know, jive with me, but I'm not gonna go stomp away. I mean, it's just go with the flow.

You know? You never know what you were going to learn. So last year at Scaling New Heights, they had a quantum physicist that spoke on the main stage. And when I read that I was like, okay, that's kind of weird, you know, this is an accounting conference. Why are we talking about quantum physics? But he was really good.

You know, it was really interesting. It had nothing to do with accounting and that is good. That's good. You're learning things, getting things kind of sparking different interests. I was able to go to a book signing with him. I had him sign a book to my, my soon to be son-in-law, probably, I mean, soon to be, I don't know.

My daughter's boyfriend, he's a scientist. Is he into quantum physics? No, but I figured he would appreciate a signed. Book by a world renowned physicist. So I had him sign the book to Brent, and that was just an experience. That was something that had I not gone with the flow and said, okay, that doesn't have anything to do with me, I'm not even gonna stay and listen.

I would've missed that opportunity. So my advice is once you're there and you are, your travel has gotten you there, you are unpacked, and you are ready to go, just go with the flow. If something, you know, if there's some sort of audio issue or video issue or you know, some, some sort of tech issue that we all run into, give everybody grace and just don't think it's gonna ruin your experience.

Just go with the flow. So that's my 2 cents on that. And as you. Finish the conference. I think it's super important to debrief, whether it's just you and you don't have a team, or you do have. People back at home that you can talk to about the experience or if you went with any of your teammates, really important to kind of do a debrief.

Did you accomplish your goals? You're going back to that written document I talked about at the beginning. You know, set some goals, write them down, use it as a touch point so that you can circle back to that when shiny new things end up on your radar. Once you have kind of, you, you look at that and say, did I accomplish my goals?

Yes or no? If no, why, why didn't you? Was it environmental issue? You know, you just didn't feel well. You were, you know, you just weren't in the mood for conferencing. It wasn't the conference's fault, or was it a, you couldn't find. The answer to your question, you maybe you were looking for a solution and it just wasn't there.

Maybe you got burned out, maybe you weren't. You, you got so exhausted on day one and two and you know, three and four, you were like, I checked out. I don't have the energy to go achieve my goals on this conference. But just kind of identify did you achieve your goals and if so, if, if, if so, great. If not, why not?

The other thing is to identify, was this conference worth. The time, the time that you're away from your business and the cost because it's, you know, travel is not cheap anymore. It not that it ever was, but it is. It is going up and up. So you want to make sure that what you're getting out of this conference that you attend is worth it in time and money.

So, especially if it's. You only have the budget to do one. You wanna make sure that you're going to the right one for us. We have found the right one for right now, but if at some point we do our debrief and we say, yep, you know, uh, we didn't get what we needed out of it this year. Then maybe we're not going next year, but so far, you know, the scaling new Heights put on by Woodard has been the best accounting conference I've ever been to.

And the only one, because I can't see going somewhere else. So that's, that's kind of why we are kind of at that conference. It is firms our size. It is solutions that are practical, but there are also a whole lot of tracks. It's not just about tax, it's not just about QuickBooks. It is, you know, there are things about marketing, there are things about public speaking or podcasting or any of those things, and so there's so much that can be absorbed that I don't think.

Year over year we're ever going to see all of it. And so right now that's scaling new heights, checks all of our boxes, and we will, Sarah and I will debrief after the conference this year and we will figure out, you know, did we achieve our goals and are we going back next year? My answer is probably yes.

Since I'm getting that bug of, of speaking this year at the conference in a 20 minute session, I'm hopeful that next year I'll be able to have another kind of go at a session, whether it's a, a whole, whole 50 minute breakout or a hundred minute breakout, whatever it is, and I plan on, you know, being ready for that.

I love, obviously to share information with people and so I just. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to do that in a group of my peers at that conference. So. That's where I'm at. It has been eye-opening to attend a conference like that. It has been a great thing for my wardrobe because every year before conference, I do a little business casual shopping.

I get some new shoes and maybe a new dress or jacket or whatever, something to jazz up my, my very low key athletic wear. And I look forward to it. I really look forward to it. But now knowing what I know and having done it enough years, I also know I've gotta prepare for it. And we are in that window. So we leave for the conference on the 21st of June, and here I am going, okay.

Ha, I need to start. Eating better, making sure my sleep is good, getting all the exercise in that I can, the snuggle time in with James the dog and because he'll miss me. But yeah, it's all good. So hopefully there's a point or two in here, whether it's my, my pet peeves that I didn't know I was gonna go down that road, or, you know, looking at things of setting goals, reviewing goals, staying on track.

And your must haves. I mean, I think the must haves for me also include my noise canceling headphones. So not only those food items, but noise canceling headphones are the bomb at a conference, especially if you're kind of not in the mood to talk to people. And so I will put them on as I'm walking to or from someplace so that I can walk without somebody either stopping me or wanting to chat.

And you, you just look like you're absorbed just by having them on. So highly recommend noise canceling headphones that are visible. AirPods aren't very visible, so get some, you know, some good ones, some bows, some whatever. Do something. So, all right, that's what I have for this week. If you are heading out to a conference this year.

Listen to this. Go write down some notes. Make a list of your must-haves that you're allowed to pack and, and travel with, and really get ahead of it. Don't go in there and once you're there, go, oh, what am I gonna do while I'm here? Don't do that. I encourage you to to plan ahead, and you will most likely get more out of it than you would if you didn't plan it.

Okay. That is what I have for you today. I would love it if you could go to wherever you're listening to this or if on you're watching on YouTube, leave me a comment with your thoughts, your feedback. Um, if you can leave me a review wherever you're listening to this, that would be. Phenomenal. It helps with the algorithm in people finding me when there are some reviews or subscriptions or follows or whatever they're called on whatever platform you are watching me or listening to me on.

So please, I would appreciate it so much. And remember, you are the only one who can build a business that you love. Bye for now.

Thanks for listening to another episode of Accounting with Confidence. My hope is that my experiences can help you navigate the realities of owning and operating your business. Please subscribe or follow the podcast on your favorite podcast listening platform so that you never miss an episode. Feel free to leave me a text by using the, send us a text message link in the show description and let me know how I'm doing.