When Sage decided to help CPAs and accountants "move up the value chain", the turned to BLI to design a curriuclum and approach that would heop them transform the profession.

Over the last 18 months, Sage has done extensive research among the accounting community to truly understand what can be done to better support their business ambitions. “Research showed that 29% of firms only speak to their clients once a year, primarily during tax season,” said Sage vice president of Partner Programs and Channel Sales Jennifer Warawa. “Our partnership with the Business Learning Institute to develop this new curriculum is the solution to educating accounting professionals on how to deliver value to their clients beyond tax and compliance services, with the end goal of increasing the value they bring as trusted advisors, ultimately creating greater business confidence."

Accouting Today's technology editor Seth Feinberg described this new partnership and education effort in his article Tech Talk, as "one of the key things that both established and younger accountants and CPAs need. Not more “change-mongering” and diatribe on how they need to do more to attract new business and deal with new technology but actual learning on what to do."

He went on to say, "Sage’s vice president of partner programs Jennifer Warawa and Maryland Association of CPAs CEO Tom Hood were on hand to unveil -- in my opinion -- Sage’s largest accountant-centric effort ever. This came in the form of a partnership between Sage and the Business Learning Institute (founded by the MACPA in 1999). The two will, this year, roll out a new CPE program for accounting professionals in conjunction with the Business Learning Institute.

The new partnership will offer Web and live, in-person learning tracks focused on giving accountants more information on how they can grow their service offerings. The program also offers three separate tracks, with flexible and versatile training options: The technical expert track is geared at the CPA who is content with his or her practice structure, acts as an advisor to clients, and wants to enhance skills; the aspiring track attracts the accounting professional who wants to provide more consultative services to clients; and the visionary track focuses on the accounting professionals who are early adopters of technology, and already act as an advisor to clients."

Watch as Jennifer Warawa talks about this program is all about in an interview with Bill Sheridan.

We are very excited with this new strategic partnership and to play a major role in helping CPAs and accountants acquire new skills to offer new, higher-level services to the business community. 

More coverage:

AccountingWeb - Sage Transforms Accouting Professionals into Trusted Advisors with new Curriculum

Sage - Sage Transforms Accounting Professionals into Trusted Advisors with new Curriculum

MACPA - New Sage-BLI Curriculum Aims to Increase CPAs' Value