By Bryan Cytron.
Whether you’ve previously been to Intuit Connect or it’s your first time attending, the buzz around the 2025 conference is strong.
Education, networking, and fun beckon you to Intuit Connect—a transformative event to be held Oct. 27-29 that brings together thousands of accounting professionals. The event must be experienced to feel the incredible impact it can have on you and your practice, and registration is already underway.
Now let’s hit on some of the highlights and biggest benefits from Intuit Connect, while also hearing from some of your peers who can share their own perspective on what the event means to them and what it can do for you.
One Event, So Many Experiences
What makes the experience stand out is that while it’s catered to your needs and the future success of your firm, you hand curate your experience. For example, with so many different breakout sessions—including AI accounting and automation updates to make your lives easier, scaling your firm from compliance to advisory, building strong teams to thrive remotely in a digital workplace, blending Client Accounting Services and CFO-level advisory with the help of AI, and actionable CPA sales training advice to level up your practice—you choose what peaks your interest, helps your niche, and grow your firm. You also get to decide where to stop in the exhibit hall, what networking opportunities you want to pursue, and hear inspirational keynotes.
Along the way, your takeaways will be your own, and they may come when you least expect it. This is something past attendees have witnessed.
“Each year, the impact has been different—and that’s what makes it truly special,” said Bob Wang, owner and CFO at Tee Up Advisor, and a returning speaker at Intuit Connect. “Some years, it’s been about building my brand, and other times it’s been about sharing my own learnings or simply reconnecting with old friends and peers. There’s something powerful about being in a room where people genuinely want to help each other grow. Whether it’s a casual conversation in the hallway or a deep dive over coffee, the relationships you build can change the trajectory of your career and your confidence.”
Powerful Keynotes That Hit the Heartstrings
Year after year, keynote speakers through their personal journeys and revelations inspire and offer advice that resonates with attendees. And this year’s group is looking just the same.
Here are three speakers confirmed so far:
- Dr. Brené Brown, six-time #1 New York Times best-selling author. Brown is host of two award-winning podcasts and a TED talk guru on the Power of Vulnerability that has yielded more than 60 million views. Having spent more than 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, she’s sure to share personal experiences and advice that everyone can connect with, and implement, in their firms.
- John “Gucci” Foley, former lead solo pilot for the prominent Blue Angels flight team. Having been in the top 0.01% of US military pilots and later becoming a Marine Instructor Pilot, Foley is in elite company and able to share his journey in aviation through transformative messaging and inspiring advice for working with teams. He is a best-selling author himself, as well as a visionary leader.
- Queen Latifah. Musician, actress, producer, label president, author, and entrepreneur.
Connections That Matter
In addition to being inspired by the all-star keynotes, you’ll be able to make endless connections with your peers, technologists, and thought leaders. In doing so, you never know whom you might meet, what kind of impact either of you can have on each other, or what opportunities can arise from your interactions. And there’s nothing like a face-to-face introduction.
“My first year at Intuit Connect, I came alone and knew nobody, but soon found myself having coffee with nonprofit QuickBooks Online superstar Megan Genest Tarnow,” said Alicia Eastvold, CPA, MBA, nonprofit CFO/controller, and leader of the Client Technology Solutions department at Your Part-Time Controller. “We quickly realized we were solving many of the same problems and collaborate regularly to this day. Megan also introduced me to other amazing nonprofit accountants who joined me for drinks in a speakeasy after a day of sessions.
“It may start with a conversation at dinner or waiting in line, discussing our kids or the weather, and soon turn into a meaningful connection that sparks innovation,” said Eastvold. “That’s how I found myself brainstorming advisory services with the wise Linda Spain de Bruin, which ended in us dancing in cowboy hats in a twirling photo booth. And while in line for a drink by a poolside dance party, I was brainstorming with Intuit’s AI team about what I really needed AI to do for our firm.”
Wang has experienced a similar type of camaraderie and collaboration, and for him, it’s about turning these moments into memories and adversity into hope.
“For me, this conference has always been about giving and receiving hope,” he said. “Whether I’m starting something new or facing uncertainty, I walk away believing in myself just a little more. That extra belief gives me the courage to keep going … sometimes, just for one more day. So, every time I meet someone who’s in a hard place, I try to offer not only advice, but also encouragement—because I’ve been there, too. And I want them to know they can do it. This tough season will pass.”
Becoming a Stronger Leader and Advisor
One of the key focuses of Intuit Connect is to offer expert advice on how to become a stronger leader and advisor so that you can transform your client relationships and ultimately your firm’s success.
There’s a team of trailblazing expert speakers on tap to do just that, with advisory sessions mixed throughout the event to enhance your business model, financial planning and analysis, business growth, service lines, and more. You’ll learn strategies to improve firm performance, manage your talent, and implement AI and other technology to level up the client and firm experience.
Eastvold echoed the impact some of these trailblazing speakers have had on her work, as she looks ahead to this year’s Intuit Connect.
“We work ‘in the trenches’ all year long with our clients, which is hard and often scrappy work,” she said. “The best speakers take the golden nuggets of advice from their experiences and kind-heartedly share them with others to help all of us do our work better, rather than gatekeep knowledge. I find myself regularly referring to notes from sessions like Dan Luthi and Korey Cournoyer’s on automation, or Zunie Nguyen and Roman Villard’s sessions on building vendor relationships in ways that have changed the approach to my work. It makes me excited to see what brilliant minds bring to the table at this year’s Intuit Connect.”
Intuit Connect: Going the Extra Mile for a Powerful Experience
Taking the steps to attend Intuit Connect, embrace change, and completely focus your mind and spirit on immersing yourself in the event may seem challenging and time-consuming, but the rewards can be life-altering for you and your practice.
Each person will have their own unique experience, but for Wang, Intuit Connect has had a profound impact on him and his work, uplifting the accountant community.
“My favorite part is meeting people who are miles ahead of me—and those just a few steps ahead,” he said. “There’s always something to learn, and I’m equally energized by sharing my experiences with others who are just starting out or figuring out their next move. Intuit Connect isn’t just about tools and workflows; it’s about vision, connection, and seeing what’s possible when we lean into our purpose and support each other.”
As for Eastvold, the day-to-day accountant grind is challenging, but the connections made at Intuit Connect are a game changer.
“Accounting work is hard, and because it’s changing so fast, we need ideas right now,” she said. “But we also need a human-centered support network as we face these challenges together. It’s easy to underestimate the way personal connection is critical to our creativity and innovation. That’s the synergy and magic that happens at Intuit Connect, and it’s irreplaceable.”
Register today to start your journey to Intuit Connect.
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Bryan Cytron is vice president of Cytron and Company. He helps businesses and firms tell their story, build their brand, and grow through top-notch PR, marketing, media relations, and communications. This includes websites, blogs, newsletters, social media, and more, with a niche in accounting and financial services.
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