Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read my very first post. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share my random thoughts with my many (I hope) readers. Those of you that know me will agree that random thoughts are one of my specialties, of course along with my passion for the cloud and accounting.

As an accounting professional I started thinking beyond the desktop back in 2003 when I enable my first cloud application. Funny thing, I don’t think the term “cloud” even existed back then, and if it did I hadn’t heard of it, I was just looking for solutions that would help me be more efficient in serving clients without diminishing value, when in fact, these great solutions added more value making it a win–win for everyone.

Streamlining my business allowed me to consider new opportunities, including being part of the Bill.com team for almost 5 years, and what an amazing opportunity it was. Now that I am on my own and back on earth I realize that the view from the cloud, as a vendor, was much different from what it is from the ground.

From 10,000 feet you can see all the roads, how they connect and what the outlying areas look like. This is probably why traffic reporters are more effective when they patrol in helicopters, it gives them a broader view, they can see multiple intersections, identify trouble spots and suggest when drivers need to allow more time for their drive.

So all those years at Bill.com I was like a helicopter pilot, telling bookkeeping and accounting firms about the roadblocks, but rather than suggesting they allow for more time I was suggesting an alternate approach. It seemed so simple, and in fact it was for me because I had the bird’s eye view, I had traveled the new route and I knew it would lead them to where they wanted to be.

Now back on earth I understand why so many were reluctant. They feared it would take too long; they may get lost, or encounter other obstacles. I decided my new role will be as tour guide, leading firms on the journey rather than just suggesting a route. In the process I would listen and ask questions to gain a better understanding of their desired destination and any special circumstances that need to be taken into consideration, and then map out the best route. This process may take a bit longer but it will reduce stress, build confidence and be a lot more fun.

As I embark on this new venture I have no doubt that I will learn as much as I teach and hope that I can entertain you with bits and pieces along the way. I thank you again for taking an interest in my first written random thought.

Judie