Joe Woodard is the founder and CEO of Woodard®, a company that empowers CPAs, Enrolled Agents, professional bookkeepers, and other business advisors with education, coaching, resources, networking communities, and consulting services.
As a seasoned author, consultant, business coach, and national speaker, Joe has trained over 150,000 accounting and business professionals in practice development, technology trends, strategic consulting, and optimizing the use of accounting software. Joe is also the host of Scaling New Heights®, one of the world’s largest and most respected conferences for accountants and bookkeepers.
Each year, for the last 10 years, Accounting Today has recognized Joe as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.
Joe is a published author with Accounting Today, The Journal of Accountancy, Insightful Accountant, CPA Practice Advisor, and McGraw-Hill. Additionally, The Woodard Report™ reaches over 100,000 readers annually within the accounting and bookkeeping space.
About Woodard
Woodard works with firms of all sizes, from solo practitioners to some of the largest CPA firms worldwide. We empower these practices to enhance efficiency, modernize operations, and equip their teams to deliver high-value advisory services. As a leader in Client Advisory Services (CAS), Woodard helps practices standardize, automate, and modernize accounting operations, enabling them to better serve clients and boost profitability.
Our education, coaching, and consulting services are centered around the Woodard Ideal Practice Model™, which focuses on seven key areas of operational excellence: Ideal Brand, Ideal Services, Ideal Clients, Ideal Technology, Ideal Engagements, Ideal Teams, and Ideal Processes.
Woodard equips business advisors to increase efficiency, streamline operations, and provide exceptional advisory services by integrating CAS solutions that enhance client relationships and profitability.
Additionally, Woodard supports accounting and fintech software developers with marketing programs and product development guidance, helping them expand their reach and effectiveness within the professional accounting segment.
Sean Taylor is CEO of Smith + Howard, a national accounting and advisory firm headquartered
in Atlanta. Since stepping into the role in 2019, he has led the firm through significant growth —
from just over 100 employees to more than 700 today, and from a single Atlanta office to a
national footprint spanning ten U.S. cities and one in India. This expansion has been driven by a
bold 10-year vision, multiple strategic acquisitions, and a partnership with private equity firm
Broad Sky Partners.
Under his leadership, Smith + Howard has expanded its capabilities, talent base, and
geographic reach. In recognition of his impact, Sean was named “Top Leader” among midsize
workplaces by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and received a “Lifetime Achievement Award”
from Vistage Worldwide, a global executive-coaching and peer-advisory organization for CEOs.
He has also been recognized as a “Most Admired CEO” by The Atlanta Business Chronicle and
honored with the “Public Service Award” from the Georgia Society of CPAs.
Sean is the host of The Worst Advice I Ever Got, a podcast where leaders share lessons
learned from misguided advice and the experiences that shaped their careers. His candid and
curious approach reflects the authenticity he brings to leadership.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Sean earned a BBA in accounting and began his career
at Smith + Howard as an intern. He became a partner in 2003, led the Assurance practice
beginning in 2010, and was named CEO in 2019. Over the course of his career, he has advised
nonprofits and privately held businesses with deep expertise in succession planning and
organizational transition. More recently, he has guided accounting firm leaders through private
equity considerations, drawing on Smith + Howard’s own experience to help others navigate
both the opportunities and complexities of outside investment.
Sean is deeply committed to mentorship and community impact. He actively champions the
firm’s mentoring initiatives and works with team members across the organization. He serves on
the Board of Trustees for Wesleyan School and on the finance committee of the Community
Foundation for Greater Atlanta. In 2012, he co-founded FoodStock, Georgia’s largest one-day
meal-packing event, which has helped provide nearly 5 million meals to children around the
world.
Darren Root is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and creative visionary dedicated to reimagining what it means to lead in the accounting profession. While putting himself through college working at a high-end men’s clothing store, Darren developed an early appreciation for style, service, and design-values that would shape his entire professional journey.
After starting and scaling his own accounting firm, Darren launched a men’s clothing store, became a partner in a luxury Asian antique lamp company, and served as Executive Editor of CPA Practice Advisor Magazine. He went on to found Rootworks, one of the profession’s first firm transformation platforms, and later launched Better Everyday, a private community designed to support firm owners seeking clarity, simplicity, and freedom.
A lifelong writer and thinker, Darren has authored multiple books and written extensively for publications like Accounting Today, CPA Practice Advisor Magazine, and INC Magazine.
Tyler Otto is the president and owner of Specialized Accounting, a thriving seven-figure remote firm dedicated to the hospitality industry. Before joining forces with his wife Karen at her fledgling practice, he honed his finance chops with leadership roles at Vail Resorts and Imprint Hospitality. Known for his energy and approachability, Tyler believes wholeheartedly in collaboration with fellow professionals and finds joy in welcoming new accountants to the field.
Tyler is passionate about sharing his expertise and has presented at conferences such as Intuit Connect, Accounting Today’s Firm Growth Forum, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), BKX (Bookkeepers.com), Association of Lodging Professionals (ALP) Unlocked, The Successful Bookkeeper Summit, Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE), Universal Accounting GrowCon, and The Glamping Show, and in webinars with Relay, ThinkReservations, Earmark, and Kaplan. He has also appeared as a featured guest on Relay’s On the Money Mondays video series, as well as podcasts including Universal Accounting’s Building the Premier Accounting Firm, The Successful Bookkeeper, and The Ambitious Bookkeeper.
Drawing on his deep industry knowledge and a commitment to innovation, Tyler recently launched Firm Foundation, a step-by-step course turning firm-building from daunting into doable. Whether on the stage or trading insights with his good friend Jeremy Van Groll on their accounting gameshow podcast, UnAccountable!, Tyler brings both expertise and a dash of fun to any discussion.
Nathen McEown has been a vital part of Whitley Penn for more than two decades, beginning his journey as an intern, steadily advancing to Audit Partner in 2015, and assuming the role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in January 2025.
As the former Energy Practice Leader, Nathen worked with many private equity-backed energy companies and led various initiatives, including the creation of Whitley Penn’s Client Accounting and Advisory Services (CAAS) Energy Outsourced Accounting, Land Administration, and Mineral Management service lines. After moving his family from Dallas to Houston in 2016, Nathen served as the Partner-in-Charge of the Houston office from 2016 to 2022. In 2022, Nathen transitioned away from audit to join the firm’s management committee, assuming the role of Partner-in-Charge of Consulting.
In 2024, Nathen expanded his responsibilities taking on the role of Chief Growth Officer where he identified and led the incorporation of two acquisitions, further expanding the firm’s consulting practice. As CEO, Nathen continues to lead the firm’s Growth Champions training initiative helping future firm leaders make the transition from Senior Manager to Partner.
Nathen co-authored “PPC Practice Aids for Audits of Oil and Gas Entities”, published by Thomson Reuters as part of their Checkpoint brand. In 2015, he was selected as the Dallas Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in Energy” and was awarded “Forty Under Forty” by the Dallas Business Journal. Additionally, he is a graduate of Leadership Dallas class of 2014, and currently sits on Texas Tech’s Accounting Advisory Council.
Beyond his professional achievements, Nathen is committed to driving growth and creating a positive impact within the broader community. He co-founded the Bayou City Houston Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and currently serves as its Learning Officer. Additionally, he is the Audit Committee Chairman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Fitness nonprofit organization and, together with his wife, supports the Houston March of Dimes.
Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting enables tax and accounting professionals and businesses of all sizes to drive productivity, navigate change, and deliver better outcomes. With workflows optimized by technology and guided by deep domain expertise, we help organizations grow, manage, and protect their businesses and their clients’ businesses.
Windsor Path combines the resources of a national platform with a commitment to local autonomy – empowering member firms to accelerate growth, invest in their people, and expand their capabilities while preserving the identity and independence their clients and teams value most.
CAMICO, created by CPAs for CPAs, has protected the profession for 40 years. We go beyond insurance with comprehensive coverage, proactive risk management, and expert guidance. Policyholders gain access to in-house specialists, resources, and tools designed to reduce risk. Discover how CAMICO helps CPA firms stay protected and prepared.
BILL (NYSE: BILL) is the intelligent finance platform trusted by nearly half a million businesses and their accountants to manage, move, and maximize their money. BILL powers businesses ranging from fast-moving startups to growing companies with complex operations. We use AI to deliver strategic finance capabilities in one integrated platform that includes AP, AR, expenses, forecasting, procurement and more. With a member network of more than 8 million, BILL’s platform processes ~1% of US GDP annually. Headquartered in San Jose, California, BILL is a trusted partner of leading U.S. financial institutions, accounting firms, and software providers. For more information, visit bill.com.