In a time when people look to the internet first when vetting professional services, it's never been more important that your firm has a strong digital brand. Yet, obstacles ranging from phishing and domain spoofing to an ever-shrinking supply of good domain names make it more challenging than ever to solidify your internet presence.
The .cpa domain, available only to licensed CPAs and CPA firms, presents a unique opportunity to mitigate firm risks and impart trust and security to clients while also offering multiple branding advantages. For instance, many firms are leveraging the .cpa domain to shorten their existing website URL and email address or to highlight industry or geographic specialties through memorable, highly-prized domains that were unattainable or unaffordable in the past.
Join our discussion to learn the latest internet trends and challenges specific to the accounting industry and how to successfully set your brand apart.
Learning Objectives:
CPA.com
Director, Operations
[email protected]
(212) 596-6230
Chris is a technology expert focused on the domain industry and internet security and helped launch .cpa domains. He has worked at various Silicon Valley technology companies in various IT roles and has been with CPA.com for over 20 years.
Dark Horse CPAs
CEO & Co-Founder
[email protected]
(619) 736-1404
Chase Birky is a co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs and currently serves as its President & CEO. When asked why he got into accounting, he thought for a moment and then responded, “I graduated college during the great recession and it was pretty clear that my options were either waiting tables at Chili’s or working for a Big 4. Needless to say, I chose the latter.” He eventually chose to leave the Big 4 to build a firm that specialized in serving small businesses and individuals that the big guys too often overlooked.
Dark Horse was born from Chase’s and co-founder Max Fritz’s belief that small businesses, entrepreneurs & intrapreneurs are often Dark Horses amongst their larger, more well-known competitors. They also believe that the right guidance can help propel those horses to unexpected heights. Chase added, “especially during these uncertain times, small businesses need a trusted advisor to navigate the highly fluid and often confusing business climate brought about by COVID-19. Small businesses, now more than ever, need a Dark Horse CPA.”
CPA.com was formed by the American Institute of CPAs. AICPA leadership knew the unprecedented pace of technological change required firms to adapt quickly and overcome the challenges of the partnership model to meet that goal. It charged CPA.com management with creating a business model, value proposition and infrastructure to help firms identify emerging trends and technologies and provide education, training and resources that would accelerate adoption.
CPA.com serves as a catalyst in the development of virtual CFO/controller services by firms and is now shifting its focus to similar innovations in tax and audit practices, with an emphasis on automation, artificial intelligence and the adoption of blockchain technology.