{"id":6677,"date":"2019-08-07T14:14:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T18:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=6677"},"modified":"2026-01-16T06:11:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T11:11:05","slug":"bookkeepers-leverage-professional-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/bookkeepers-leverage-professional-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways bookkeepers can leverage professional networks to achieve success"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4 ways bookkeepers can leverage professional networks to achieve success\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2019-08-07T14:14:00-04:00\">August 7, 2019<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"4 ways bookkeepers can leverage professional networks to achieve success\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/bookkeepers-leverage-professional-networks\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/owen\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/fr-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2019\/04\/Owen_sage-advice-002.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" fetchpriority=\"high\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Owen Sweeney<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><em>Recent Sage Circle of Excellence Accounting Awards finalist Chenine Humphrey, shares her insights on the potential that networking and joining professional groups can bring to accountants and bookkeepers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the Founder of The Bookkeeper Connection Network, Chenine Humphrey has had her finger on the pulse of the Canadian accounting and bookkeeping industry for some time. She recently spoke to Sage Advice about the different ways that professional networks can help tackle some of the pain points that members are experiencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chenine discussed in detail the benefits of professional networking which include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The ability to guide members and clients through technology disruption<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Guidance on achieving suitable and organic growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving health and wellness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Empowering the next generation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-guiding-members-and-clients-through-technology-disruption\">1. Guiding members and clients through technology disruption<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For Canadian accountants and bookkeepers, the hot topic of disruption through technology continues to stay on the lips of industry stakeholders. &nbsp;One example of this in action is the automation of manual data entry tasks with software like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/how-automation-can-drive-efficiencies-for-accountants-and-bookkeepers-and-their-clients\/\">AutoEntry<\/a>. This type of disruption takes the burden of tedious tasks away from the bookkeepers while empowering clients, but at the same time makes them less dependent on the bookkeeper\u2019s services. Aware of both the benefits and the wider implications of these advancements, Chenine equates the plight of the bookkeeper facing technology disruption to the effect the invention of the combustion engine had on the transport industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s funny, we\u2019ve been tossing around this analogy for the past couple of weeks. I read a book recently that touched on life in the early 1900s, about how the horse industry was disrupted by the automobile. Everyone relied on horses for many years, then the combustion engine came along and they created cars and tractors etc., and there wasn\u2019t that much demand for horses anymore, so they all went off to slaughter in the millions. Furthermore, all the infrastructure that was built around this industry was impacted,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Resistance to change may be futile, but such disruption does not spell the end for the traditional bookkeeper, rather forces them to adapt their services in a way that can still add value to their clients\u2019 businesses. This is one of the scenarios in which bookkeepers can benefit from networking with their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a proactive step towards future disruption, Chenine and her network are working to grow a \u2018value hub\u2019. This is the collective knowledge brought together by reaching out to industry partners and creating new ways to be ahead of the wave of change by looking at the pain points that bookkeepers and accountants are having right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe ask ourselves the following questions: what are the steps that we can take today, that will help us build towards where we want to go? How can we be ahead of this curve? What is the right technology to get us there and is it the right technology for everyone? Everyone is walking baby steps right now as we change and evolve in this industry and we want everyone to be able to achieve success while adapting,\u201d said Chenine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo continue the engine and horse analogy, I recently came across an old picture of a horse being used to pull a car from the same time period. This had happened because people couldn\u2019t afford the gas and the maintenance on these vehicles and didn\u2019t understand what it took to keep everything running. I feel that bookkeepers and the bookkeeping industry are now the ones pulling the client along with their new technology. People go back to the bookkeeper when they need to but eventually, that tech is going to wipe out [some of the traditional work of] those bookkeepers,\u201d said Chenine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-achieving-suitable-and-organic-growth\">2. Achieving suitable and organic growth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Members of professional networks can help advise each other on the best practices for growing their practice. Although one might think this simply means growing client lists and increasing profits, there is a strong focus on achieving a type of growth that is suitable to each bookkeeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">Bookkeepers are people pleasers and they want to make everyone happy and put themselves last on the list<\/mark> behind the clients, the app partners and their family,\u201d explained Chenine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She added, \u201cWe just want to make sure that the growth is a growth they can sustain and something they love or something they jump out of the bed in the morning for\u2026And if that\u2019s not the case, then we\u2019ve got to change it and pivot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the first barriers that bookkeepers must overcome is resistance to collaboration. A network can play to each member\u2019s strengths, thus enabling a knowledge share than can help bookkeepers retain clients in industries that they are not experienced in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTraditionally, bookkeepers try and do everything themselves. When they can reach out to a network and bring those resources and make that connection, multiple people can benefit. We are trying to break-down the barriers of people being competitive with each other,\u201d Chenine said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-improving-health-and-wellness\"><strong>3. Improving health and wellness<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps one of the most unsung benefits of joining a professional network is the positive impact it can have on the health and wellness of its members. Collaboration between network members allows for referrals, subcontracting or even assistance with impatient clients. This is a benefit that could positively impact many bookkeepers and accountants who are struggling to manage their current working conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve had so many of our members have health issues as a result of their work and stress. [As a member of a network] they know they have a safety net in place. We have members who have lost all of their clients because of health issues or they are rebuilding their practice again. Now some of our members have clients that don\u2019t suit them and they feel comfortable to hand them over to the other members, or they can ask a network member to help them with a specific task,\u201d said Chenine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The results of this cooperation and support takes the pressure off an individual bookkeeper while also keeping the client happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-empowering-the-next-generation\">4. Empowering the next generation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another aspect of a professional network is the ability to better the industry for stakeholders. The collective years of professional expertise that the members possess can be passed on to a new generation of stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe younger generation that is coming up\u2026we need to guide them in such a way so that they are not disrupted as they are making their way in,\u201d said Chenine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This progressive attitude towards the betterment of the industry will help ensure client and bookkeeper success for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent Sage Circle of Excellence Accounting Awards finalist Chenine Humphrey, shares her insights on the potential that networking and joining professional groups can bring to accountants and bookkeepers. As the Founder of The Bookkeeper Connection Network, Chenine Humphrey has had her finger on the pulse of the Canadian accounting and bookkeeping industry for some time. 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