58: Recap of Summit 2025

In this episode, I report live from Summit 2025. With sessions running deep into strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and goals, I discuss the motivational aspects and the emotional vulnerabilities brought out by this intense event. The importance of setting out-of-comfort-zone goals, converting aspirations to SMART goals, and the essential role of peer support in personal and professional growth are highlighted. I also reflect on my challenges with self-doubt and negative self-talk, emphasizing the power of community and support to overcome such obstacles. The episode wraps up with a look towards integrating these learnings back into my business.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Beth Whitworth
• 0:32 Summit 2025: Arrival and Initial Impressions
• 2:24 Day 1: SWOT Analysis and Aspirations
• 4:53 Day 2: Building Blocks and Goal Setting
• 6:15 Final Day: Wrapping Up and Key Takeaways
• 11:58 Post-Summit Reflections
• 20:43 Conclusion: Building a Business You Love

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.

Hey everybody, it's Beth here. I am coming to you from Summit to. 2025. So this is an event that is for planning for 2026 and uh, Dave and I showed up on Monday and did some sightseeing stuff around North Carolina and now we're like minutes away from starting the first session. So we did some homework before we got here on working on some SWOT analysis and some aspirations and, uh, opportunities and all of those.

Things. And now we're about to kind of dig in to the planning part of 2026. So last night we had a kickoff dinner and I got to reconnect with a whole bunch of my peers who I have, um, spending some time over the last few years with, and. I'm super excited. I am. Um, it's kind of a, it's a casual event, but it's also one of those events where, um, it's very motivating and inspiring and just so nice to be around other people doing the same things.

So I plan on doing some, according maybe each night. I, today we have sessions until about five. Um, and I know I have planning meeting for another entity this evening. But I will definitely jump on here and let you know the progress. I will tell you that this is oftentimes an event that really pulls out a lot of feelings and emotions and vulnerabilities and things as you're really working through what do you really want.

So if anybody ever has the opportunity to attend an event that dives into that type of stuff, I highly recommend. So, okay, here I go. I'm going into my first session and I will talk. To you later.

Good morning and welcome to day two of Summit. We are getting ready to have breakfast and then we'll start our sessions at about eight o'clock. And I will say that it has so far been really excellent. We have been able to. Work through a new process that has started this year, uh, that seems to really resonate with me with identifying strengths, weaknesses, um, aspirations, results, weaknesses, threats.

So it's a swot. It's a sore. We call it a sore. And we identifying those and then pressure testing what you want for your aspirations to be for next year and that. Yesterday was, uh, Lamont really pumping us up about like really setting your goals outside your comfort zone. And so I, that's what I am working on.

I am working on some out of my comfort zone goals, and it's been really great to bounce ideas off people and to share what we have done where someone else. Might say, wow, that's something I wanna do. Talk to somebody who is, um, thinking of getting rid of time tracking and she wants to, you know, spend some time on how are we doing that?

How we're working with our remote teams and how we're incentivizing anything like that is stuff I love to share with people. Uh, and I always tell people that, you know, I'm. I'm an open book, so I will not hold back. I have no firm secrets that I wouldn't be willing to share with another firm owner if that helps them be successful.

So yesterday I got through, we had done some pre-work that had me already working on strengths, weaknesses, I. Opportunities. All the, all of the things, right? But we put them into a model that, an Excel spreadsheet, Sarah will be thrilled. That is all like pulling things together from worksheet door sheet.

And this is the year that it actually seems to be clicking with me. So the first year I went to summit, it was very overwhelming. It was great, it was a good process. There was a lot of listing and ranking and, and really narrowing down things. But, and then last year it was a little more fluid and harder for me to get some concrete actions to take back.

So I think this model is something that's gonna stick with me and I hope that it does. And that's something that we build on over the years. So today we are working on, uh, working through aspirations and then what they're calling building blocks. The steps, the milestones, the, the things that need to happen in order to reach, to reach that aspiration.

It's a little weird. It's a little hard. It's, you know, when you start to say, I wanna do this big thing, and then they want you to put some dates on it. When are you gonna do it? About when, when is this building block going to be worked on? And who is going to be working on it? So it's a who wanna win? Um, I'm working on the what right now and it's great.

And I love connecting the people that I've met over the years. And various, um, I've mo mostly it's scaling at or summit and you're just hearing their stories and then there's, there's all the new people that I love to hear their stories, so I'm in the right place, that's for sure. So we will go in sessions today until three, and then it's like, work on your own, kinda get the homework done before we go into session.

On Saturday and uh, last night I just hung out with friends and Dave came down to the bar with me and we had dinner and. And so it was really, it was a good, good day. Good evening, and I'm, I'm really, I'm punk for today, so, alright, that's all I have for today. I will talk to you later. Bye for now. Good morning.

It's super early, before six 30 on Saturday morning, which is the final day. Summit. So we have completed, you know, the Wednesday night opening, the Thursday all day, the Friday most of the day. And now we're gonna finish up here on Saturday and then have kind of a closing ceremonies, uh, final dinner this evening.

So yesterday we continued to spend time working on mostly our. Aspirations, which sort of translate into the goals and building blocks of how we're gonna get there. And one of my key takeaways there is, yes, the building blocks will have building blocks of their own. So some of those building blocks are additional projects and.

I have some, some things that need to happen in order to make other things happen. That leaving it at just the building block stage and not creating a project with its own steps and its own timeline and its own people assigned to it is the only way you really are going. Get to that aspiration. So I am recording that here so that other people can hold me accountable to that, that I have to finish not just the building blocks for the overall aspirations for the firm, but I need to finish the building blocks to get.

The next steps done. The sub building blocks, the, the projects. So that is my thing that I struggle with is that that process and that follow through sometimes, and so I, it's gonna be really important for me to come back to my team and say, okay, this is what we're we, I want to accomplish and I'm going to work towards making that happen.

So, and I need your help and I need your help to make those processes. So the other thing we heard about yesterday, Shirley Cos who works at for Woodard, is an amazing individual and she talked to us more about networking and being, uh, intentional and that we all, we all have the same concerns, the same issues, maybe the same struggles.

With walking into a room or feeling judged or like you're an imposter. And, uh, while that's very hard to hear that there's a whole lot of people that suffer from that, it's also a little validating to know I'm not alone. So, um. That was good. And today we are going to be working on converting pressure, testing our aspirations and turning them into smart goals, which is specific.

We need to be specific. It needs to be measurable, needs to be achievable, it needs to be relevant, and it needs to be time bound. And I think if I do that with all. Of my four currently, my four aspirations I have for 2026, I'm, I know one of those is, is longer term than 2026, but I think if I do that then and, and kind of pressure test it and make sure I have those specifics, it will make it easier to bring that information back to my team and say, okay, this is what we're trying to accomplish and by win, and then it will make it easier.

To build those projects under those building blocks. So, lots of steps, lots of pieces here. But I will say the biggest part of this event for me is connecting with my peers. So the people that I have met at these events over the last, this is my third one, bring so much energy. They bring so much vulnerability.

They, they really pull me through things. So it's amazing. So people. No matter what industry you're in, no matter what you're doing, whether it's related to volunteering or whether it's related to a hobby, whether it's related to your business or your industry, find your people because those are who will celebrate you, and those are who will hold you up in the hard times.

Those are the people who get it. They get it because you have a commonality in, in some respect. So, okay. I intentionally did not fit any mean eye makeup on today because it has been one of those weeks where just I and some emotions. So, so here we are. If you're listening to it, um, you're not seeing the fact that I am tearing up.

Um, I hear it in my voice, but it's just one of those things. So I'm gonna go into today with. Working on those smart goals, kind of hearing the wrapping up of the event, and then we finish up at like one o'clock this afternoon and have the rest of the afternoon until the dinner to, you know, relax or rest or work on our plan or continue to talk with our peers, or go do something at the spa or whatever.

I mean, there's, we have some time. So, and then we reconnect for dinner. And I, I know dinner, um, in the past has been, um, a lot of sharing of what people have learned and people are probably tired of seeing me tearing up over things. So I will make sure I bring my tissues to dinner because I know when people share what their takeaways are, it just always resonates.

So I will finish this up probably, um, not until. I get home on Monday, um, and kind of give you the final recap of my key takeaways and maybe share insight into a couple of what my aspirations are for 2026. They're not completely fleshed out. That's what this work is about. But I will do a final wrap up, but we have a 12 hour drive home tomorrow, so I won't be recording then and I'll save it for me, so all right.

Bye for now. Good morning. So I am back home and I thought, you know what? I'm just gonna keep this simple so that you guys have all the same format for this entire episode. So I'm back at home in my company reading chair corner and wanted to finish up with how Summit. Ended. First, let me say, oh my gosh, it was seven degrees when we left the hotel yesterday morning and it was like 35 degrees in St.

Louis. So I am not super happy about the current weather conditions, although it appears that it will be short-lived. So. We might have some warmer weather later this week, but to wrap up a summit, we were finishing up our aspirations and how the, to turn those into goals for 2026. And the framework continued on to take, you know, the aspirations that we had done the building blocks for, which kind of gave you the ability to make sure that they held up, that they were.

Significant to you that they were solving for weaknesses, that they were taking advantage of opportunities, utilizing your strengths, all of those things. And we took the aspirations that we landed on and converted those into smart goals. So most people have probably heard that term. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound.

And that was about as far as I got. I got through a couple of those. Um, I had a couple of, of my aspirations that I was having a hard time determining the specificity of. And, but I, but after talking to some of the coaches, I was able to kind of nail that down. The next step after that is to identify the results and we were really, it, it's not the.

Achievement of the goal. Okay, so I got to the 20% that the goal is not the 20% revenue. The result is actually an impact. What impact does that have on you, your family, your community, your business? So big, broader terms, how is that helping you achieve your vision, mission, and purpose? And it could be that it is a goal that you are.

Able to, if, if you achieve it, it is better for your family. Now that is completely a legitimate goal. It doesn't just have to be some monetary or some process driven system that is, you know, you're, that you're trying to get to it. It could just be a state of mind and, and how achieving these things will impact those around you.

So I still have that work to do, but I think that I can tell with my aspirations that it is definitely something that is impactful outside of myself, outside of my business. So I look forward to sharing those with you when I get them all fleshed out. The other part of this conference that it, it hit me harder this year than in the past is being a part of a peer group, and I have been promoting that to people.

Find Your Tribe, and I know I found my tribe. With these people. And what I realized at this summit is that sometimes being with your tribe will bring out some things in you. You know, feeling like an imposter, that you are comparing yourself to others, that you have feelings that you're not good enough or far enough along or doing the right things, and you can get overwhelmed by that.

And I had, uh, some. Some moments of that while I was at Summit this year. Just hearing other people's stories and even harder for me was people asking me to share what I've been doing. Um. For different things. We, we don't keep track of time anymore. We have a hundred percent part-time model. We've leaned into our values very heavily.

So there were things that people were interested in and I immediately go to this, well, you know, I'm not an expert. Why are they asking me? And it created some my anxiety. And I was able within that community to one, be able to share that information and be helpful to others, but also find the people in that community that could help me get through that, that anxiety and that negative self-talk, and make me realize that we are all working together and it's not something that.

I'm not alone in it. There was so many people that felt like they were not their true selves. And, and I, I, I was feeling that and I was like, okay, well wait a second. I completely promote, you know, be your authentic self all the time. And I realized. Part of my authentic self is that I do have self-doubt. I do have negative self-talk, and I am going to work on that.

And while it's not going to be necessarily one of my specific aspirations for my business for 2026, it is something that I'm going to take. Seriously, because I have started thinking, okay, what if I didn't talk to myself like that? How much further would I be along? Because I will tell you, it has been I, I'm my whole life that I have struggled with this.

So it is definitely a mental. A, a mental health issue. And so I'm going to work on it. And I'm so happy that I went to Summit, experienced what I experienced, and then it triggered me to say, it's time to figure out how to get past this. And, and I couldn't have done that in an environment that wasn't as supportive as the group is that we do, uh, that I see at Summit.

So I, I have. It, it's, it's amazing. And so as hard as it was, it was still worth it. So for you, you know, if you're struggling with those things, if you're struggling with negative self-talk or self-doubt, or feeling like you're not enough, or you're an imposter one, know that you're not alone. Two. Know that you can work to make that better.

And it might be, you know, finding one person that can help talk you through those things. Maybe it's finding, finding your tribe like I did. I mean, I had many people this weekend that genuinely supported me care about me and, and vice versa. I am one who, when I see somebody struggling. I cannot not try to help, but when someone is trying to help me, it kind of makes me anxious.

So I need it. I need that support. I need people to kind of break through that with me. So, um, this was really good. So we got a lot done. I got a lot done. We had gorgeous weather. Dave got to join me for the week, but, and he took it as vacation again this year and got to go. Bike rides and sightseeing and you know, enjoy his time off.

And then I, but bonus, I also got to spend time with him as well and he got to see me in my community. So that's kind of fun too. He got to meet a lot of my close friends that I have made in this community and it was, we're already planning next year, so we know where we're going next year. Scottsdale and we are going to again, make a, make a trip out of it.

And it is great. It's a great time of year to do this because you're heading into holiday seasons and, and things that tend to cause a lot of stress. So to have the bulk of that planning and the thoughts and the excitement of what you're gonna do for next year already done before that stress hits is very motivating.

So. I love the timing of it. I'm very excited and I really, I had a good time. I had a good time. I had a lot of breakthroughs. I met new people and it was, it was great. It was really great. So that is my summit recap. I will get all of these videos. Put together and sent over to my editor so that I can get this episode out.

And in a later episode this year, I will share what our, my goals are. I, I don't wanna share 'em yet. I need to flesh them out. I need to share them with my team, and I don't want to get that, get ahead of myself, so it will be something before the end of the year that I'll, I will. Work on letting you know what exactly my plans are for next year.

So in the meantime, I hope you have a great week, and remember that only you can build a business that you love. So when you're looking at things that you don't love. Know that you can fix them and look for help. You know it. Like I said, if you have those, the, if you struggle with self-doubt and, and those types of things, reach out, reach out to me.

I would love to hear from you and support you. I think that the more I support other people in that and help them see that there's. Nothing that you should be doubting about yourself. The more hopefully I will be able to turn that around and talk to myself that way. So do me a favor and let me know. You know, let me know how you're doing.

Let me know if there's something that I can help you with. Okay. That's all I have. I will talk to you next week.

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.