Jennifer Warawa serves as the Executive Vice President of Partners, Accountants and Alliances at Sage, a global technology company operating in 23 countries around the world, with a customer base of over 3 million and a partner, accountant and bookkeeper ecosystem of over 140,000.

In her role, Jennifer is responsible for the strategy and execution of Sage’s partner program worldwide to drive success and generate revenue for the partner network. By working in close collaboration with regional partner leaders, Jennifer creates and develops strategic alliances and relationships, fosters new business development opportunities, recruits new partners and acts as an advocate of Sage within the partner community and an advocate of the partner community within Sage. Jennifer is based in Atlanta, GA and has been with Sage since 2008.Shownotes:

• Sage leads the way in most of the 3 countries they’re in, including the UK
• Research from Sage reveals the big factor in what separates good accounting firms from great ones is agility – the ability to change
• There has never been a more disrupted, changeable time in the accounting world than RIGHT NOW
• Larger accounting firms have more resources to invest in technology adoption
• Many accountants are still transactional, focusing on the past, uncomfortable looking into the future
• Accountants are trying to wrap their minds around emerging technologies and what it means for your clients
• Trying to convince one person to change is often harder than changing a firm where you have the data to convince
• Specialisation and focus on a vertical is where the opportunities lie for accounting firms
• The overwhelm for accountants comes from thinking they have to know everything when it comes to technology
• Local or regional ‘word of mouth’ used to play a big role in winning work, but now the game has changed
• Many clients of accounting firms don’t know all the services their accountant provides
• How accounting firms can really differentiate themselves
• The war for accounting talent is a myth – what is YOUR firm doing to attract the world’s biggest workforce – millennials?
• The reasons 75% of millennials are currently looking for another job
• Most accounting firms and tech companies are ran by old white males – the diversity has not permeated through
• The one quality that makes a stand out performer in the accounting world
• What’s coming up for progressive accounting firms over the next few years with regards to technology
• The role of Sage in serving the accounting industry
• How equipped are Sage to withstand the competitive approach from Xero and Intuit?
• Wise advice for leaders in accounting firms who have to drive change
• High performance habits are what will dictate your future success
• Why it’s a really exciting time to be in the accounting profession (disruption PLUS opportunity

In addition to being a regular keynote and session speaker at industry conferences, Jennifer made the Accounting Today Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting consecutively for the last eight years, was on CPA Practice Advisor’s Top 40 Under 40 list for six consecutive years, and has been named one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting for the last five years running, as recognized by CPA Practice Advisor. To contact Jennifer:

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