Unlocking the Secrets of Accounting Entrepreneurship with Roger Knecht

1746-Unlocking the Secrets of Accounting Entrepreneurship with Roger Knecht

Business Growth & Scaling| AI and Technology
December 02, 2023•3 min read

Transforming Accounting Careers with Entrepreneurial Skills with Roger Knecht

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Update: Roger Knecht invites you to connect with him on LinkedIn and explore Free Resources designed to help business owners work on their businesses. Plus, don't miss his new book, Your Strategic Accountant — a free guide to help business owners understand what they should expect from their accounting services!

In this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur, host Josh Elledge speaks with Roger Knecht, President of Universal Accounting Center. Roger shares how Universal Accounting Center empowers accounting professionals with the entrepreneurial skills necessary to thrive in today’s competitive market. If you're an accountant aiming to go beyond number crunching and grow your business, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

Helping Accountants Become Entrepreneurs

Universal Accounting Center has been supporting accounting professionals since 1979. Under Roger's leadership, the center equips accountants not only with technical skills but also with the business acumen needed to run successful firms. Roger explains their mission: transforming accountants into "accounting preneurs," professionals who think and operate like entrepreneurs.

One of the major hurdles accountants face is a lack of training in marketing, sales, and pricing. Universal Accounting steps in to bridge these gaps, helping professionals effectively acquire and retain clients. Roger stresses that success in accounting today isn't just about providing financial reports—it's about offering proactive advice and valuable business insights.

Bridging Communication Gaps and Embracing Technology

During the conversation, Roger highlights a significant disconnect: business owners often expect more advisory support from their accountants than they receive. Universal Accounting Center trains accountants to step into that advisory role confidently, helping them strengthen client relationships.

Roger also touches on emerging industry trends. He notes that cloud technology and AI tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and Sage are becoming essential. Rather than fearing these innovations, Roger encourages accountants to embrace AI and automation as tools that enhance, rather than replace, their expertise.

About Roger Knecht

Roger Knecht is the President of Universal Accounting Center and a veteran in helping accounting professionals build thriving businesses. Over his career, Roger has trained thousands of professionals and his own firm has earned recognition in the INC 500 and Utah 100. He's the host of the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast and co-author of the business guides Red to BLACK and In the BLACK.

About Universal Accounting Center

Founded in 1979, Universal Accounting Center specializes in training individuals to become Profit Experts™. Offering programs in bookkeeping, tax preparation, and business advisory services, Universal Accounting provides a blend of seminars, personal coaching, and business-building resources designed to help accounting professionals achieve financial success.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Episode Highlights:

  • Universal Accounting’s mission to develop "accounting-preneurs."

  • The critical importance of communication between accountants and business owners.

  • Transition from physical campuses to a robust online learning platform.

  • How AI and cloud tech are reshaping accounting practices.

  • The three core focus areas for today's accounting professionals: bookkeeping, tax preparation, and advisory services.

Conclusion

Roger Knecht’s insights are a powerful reminder that the accounting profession is evolving rapidly. By adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, mastering communication, and leveraging modern technology, today’s accountants can not only survive but thrive in a dynamic marketplace.

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Roger Knechtaccounting marketing strategiesaccounting professional trainingentrepreneurial skills for accountantsAI in accountinghow to grow an accounting practice
Josh Elledge is U.S. Navy veteran who became a serial entrepreneur who builds the companies he needs most in the world. In 2014, He launched UpMyInfluence to help entrepreneurs like himself attract the perfect audiences and grow their authority and influence. However, while growing their better-than-PR agency, UpMyInfluence discovered that building 7-figure B2B Sales Systems for consultants and agencies (with zero paid advertising) is actually what they do better than anyone else on the planet. UMI was the natural outgrowth of his first startup, SavingsAngel.com which had grown to more than 50 employees and grossed more than $6 million in sales with zero paid ads. He did it all through building authority and serving audiences in the media. Josh is a frequent speaker at business and startup conferences including Social Media Marketing World and a Tony Robbins event for his Business Mastery grads. He’s a weekly consumer expert on Fox 35 Orlando and News 13, writes a syndicated column for nine newspapers (with total readership above 1.1 million readers), and regularly appears on more than 75 TV stations across the country. All told, Josh has appeared in the media more than 2500 times. Passionate about his family, physical fitness (an avid fitness geek and 5K to marathon runner), and breaking out of Escape Rooms, Josh now lives in Orlando with his wife and three children.

Josh Elledge

Josh Elledge is U.S. Navy veteran who became a serial entrepreneur who builds the companies he needs most in the world. In 2014, He launched UpMyInfluence to help entrepreneurs like himself attract the perfect audiences and grow their authority and influence. However, while growing their better-than-PR agency, UpMyInfluence discovered that building 7-figure B2B Sales Systems for consultants and agencies (with zero paid advertising) is actually what they do better than anyone else on the planet. UMI was the natural outgrowth of his first startup, SavingsAngel.com which had grown to more than 50 employees and grossed more than $6 million in sales with zero paid ads. He did it all through building authority and serving audiences in the media. Josh is a frequent speaker at business and startup conferences including Social Media Marketing World and a Tony Robbins event for his Business Mastery grads. He’s a weekly consumer expert on Fox 35 Orlando and News 13, writes a syndicated column for nine newspapers (with total readership above 1.1 million readers), and regularly appears on more than 75 TV stations across the country. All told, Josh has appeared in the media more than 2500 times. Passionate about his family, physical fitness (an avid fitness geek and 5K to marathon runner), and breaking out of Escape Rooms, Josh now lives in Orlando with his wife and three children.

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