Clayton Oates

 

Clayton_Presenting.jpgClayton Oates is recognised as a respected member of the Accounting | Bookkeeping and Technology community in Australia and Internationally. He has been working in (and consulting to) the Accounting | Bookkeeping and Software Consulting Professions in Australia for more than 30 years. After completing a Business (Accounting) degree at Monash University Melbourne he joined Price Waterhouse, working in the tax division for 5 years, before moving into industry as a retail Accountant followed by 9 years with Accounting firm Rutherford's (now a part of Findex), based in Northern NSW.

In 1997 Clayton created QA Business (Software Advisory & Consultancy business originally within Rutherford's) focussed on utilising technology to improving the quality of life of Business Owners and Bookkeepers and enhancing the quality of "The Books" being delivered to Accounting firms. Since its inception, QA Business has assisted more than 50,000 small businesses and their advisors Buy Time back from their business with the effective use of technology systems.
 
Clayton has been recognised internationally as a Top 25 Thought Leader In the Accounting Profession (2015 - 2023) by USA based CPA Practice Advisor, the first inclusion by an Australian on this list.

Clayton is a passionate and engaging presenter, sought after for speaking at business and technology events around the world. Some of Clayton's upcoming (and past) speaking engagements include:

Speaking Appearances 

  • USA CPA Practice Advisor Think Tank AICPA Engage Conference - Las Vegas (June 2024)
  • Smokeball Spark Legal Tech Conference - Sydney (February 2024)
  • Reckonnect (Reckon) National Conference Keynote Sydney (September 2023)
  • First Class Accounts Conference Keynote Malaysia (September 2023)
  • International Keynote at Conta Azul Con Brazil (June 2023)
  • Accountex London (May 2023)
  • ExpensiCon Puglia Italy (May 2023)
  • First Class Accounts - National Workshop (March 2023)
  • AccountexAUS Sydney (March 2023)
  • Accounting Thought Leadership Symposium - New York (February 2023)
  • Smokeball Spark Legal Tech Conference - Sydney (February 2023)
  • ABN The Bookkeeper Event Cairns (October 2022)
  • AccountexAUS Balancing The Books event Melbourne (November 2022)
  • First Class Accounts National Conference Darwin (September 2022)
  • Keynote Speaker and MC at Fishbowl Inventory Elevate (August 2022)
  • Keynote Speaker at AccountingWeb Live Summit San Diego (May 2022)
  • Launch of Australian Cyber Security Centre "Beat Cybercrime in Your Downtime" awareness campaign (Canberra December 2021)
  • Intuit QuickBooks #QBConnect Conference in San Jose (November 2019)
  • Keynote Speaker at the First Class Accounts Xplor Conference at the Gold Coast (October 2019)
  • Keynote Presenter at the Fishbowl Inventory Elevate Conference at the Sunshine Coast (October 2019)
  • Keynote Presenter at the Intuit National Roadshow #GetConnectedAU  - Australia (October / November 2017)
  • Keynote Presenter at the Australian Bookkeepers Network (ABN) #TheBookkeeperEvent (Gold Coast October 2018)
  • Intuit USA #QBConnect San Jose (November 2018)
  • App Showdown Judge - Giving away $100K - San Jose (November 2018)
  • CPA.Com / AICPA Executive Roundtable - New York (January 2018)
  • CPA Practice Advisor - Accounting Technology Thought Leadership Symposium  - Indianapolis USA (February 2018)
  • #Xerocon - Melbourne AU (September 2017)
  • #QBConnect - Intuit Global Conference Silicon Valley USA (November 2017)
  • AccountexUSA Conference - Boston USA (September 2017)
  • Woodard Group Scaling New Heights Conference - Orlando USA (June 2017)
  • Intuit Australia Conference QBConnect - Sydney May 2017
  • Intuit Global Conference QBConnect - San Jose USA (October 2016)
  • AccountexUSA Conference - Las Vegas USA (November 2016)
  • Top 25 Thought Leaders In Accounting / Technology Profession - Symposium 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Dallas and Indianapolis)
  • USA Sleeter Group (SleeterCon) conference in Las Vegas 2013, 2014 and 2015
  • ExpensiCon (Inaugural Expensify Conference) - Maui Hawaii (May 2016)
  • Key Note presenter at the National Business Road Show (7 weeks - 32 locations across Australia)
  • Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) NSW Division State Conferences
  • Presenter at QuickBooks (Reckon) Accredited Trainers (National & State) conferences (2002 - 2016)
  • Launch of Major QuickBooks (now called Reckon Accounts) software releases throughout Australia
  • Kochie's Business Builders Boot Camp - Sydney
  • Business Efficiency Blogger for NRBM
  • QA Business regional roadshows (100+ events throughout Australia)
  • QA Business Bookkeepers Bootcamp
  • Keynote Presenter at 10th Annual Reckon NZ Partner Conference 2013 (Queenstown)
  • American Institute of CPA's Executive Roundtable New York - April 2015
  • Sage Summit 2015 Global Conference in New Orleans
  • Reckon NZ Partner Conference (Auckland) - September 2015
  • Intuit QuickBooks - QBConnect Global Conference San Jose USA - November 2015
  • Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) National Congress - Gold Coast - November 2015  
  • Co-Author of Start With a Profit (Best practice tips for Entrepreneurs from Top Accounting Industry Leaders)
  • CPA Practice Advisor Thought Leaders Symposium (Dallas, TX - February 2016)
  • Keynote Presenter - Business Transformation Series hosted by Computer Merchants at Tesla (Sydney and Melbourne May 2016)
  • Sage Summit 2016 Global Conference in Chicago (July 2016)

Podcast Appearances


Cloud Stories Podcast with Heather Smith and Kendra Vendt (Xero GM of Data ML & AI)) - a conversation around Accountants and Bookkeepers and Software Vendors use of client data. The big issues that we all need to be conscious of. For some "Data is the New Oil" that is there to be mined for others "Data is Water" creating life. (Listen to Podcast)

Sage Advice Podcast with Ed Kless - a conversation around Accountants and Bookkeepers finding fulfillment in their work and the role technology can play in enabling this reality (Listen to Podcast)

Cloud Stories (Episode 56) - Heather Smith interviews Clayton on the impact of Technology on Accountants, Bookkeepers and Consultants. How Software Vendors and Professionals can work closer together to make a positive impact on the SMB community around the world (Listen to Podcast).

What does an Accounting Technology "Thought Leader" actually do? - Warwick Merry (the Get More Success Guy) interviews Clayton on What Success means to him and how others can achieve whatever it is that they would love to accomplish in business and life (Listen to Podcast).

The Bookkeeper Revolution Team interviews Clayton on How he sees the Role of the Bookkeeper evolving and the impact technology is having on the industry and the opportunity for Bookkeepers to step into new roles in servicing their clients and their Accountant (Listen to Podcast). 

Joe Woodard (Founder of the Woodard Group) interviews Clayton on how to go #BeyondSolo - Advice on how Accountants and Bookkeepers can Create and Build a team. A preview of Clayton's educational session at Scaling New Heights in Orlando Florida in June 2017 (Episode 27 of the Scaling New Heights Podcast).

Watch Ingrid Edstrom (Polymath LLC) interview Clayton sharing practical advice for Accountants, Bookkeepers, Software Consultants on going #BeyondSolo and building a team.

David Cristello (Founder of Jetpack Workflow) interviews Clayton on what he sees as the major challenges and opportunities in building a technology advisory division within an Accounting firm (Listen to Podcast).

Jamie Cunningham (Business Adviser / Speaker) interviews Clayton on What Small Business and their Advisors (Accountants, Bookkeepers & Consultants) should be asking before transitioning to The Cloud (Listen to Podcast).

Mike Michalowicz and the Grow My Accounting Practice Team (Episode #36) interview Clayton and explore the implications of technology on accounting and how you can embrace it to grow your accounting practice. In this day and age we are truly at a crossroads of accounting, bookkeeping, and technology. Clayton reminds Accountants and Bookkeepers that you are already a trusted advisor, but by embracing technology you can be a Difference Maker (Listen to Podcast).

Steve Major from Pricing Power (Episode #87) discovers Claytons insights on how to build a Technology Consulting Business and the opportunity that exists for Accountants, Bookkeepers & Consultants to lead their clients to the future with the use of Technology (Listen to Podcast).

Television Appearances
 
Clayton has also been a regular presenter on the MyBusiness TV show (Ch7) hosted by David Koch. ‘My Business’ Director, Nigel Miller, said “ We asked Clayton to be involved because he works with small business owners (Accountants and Bookkeepers) every day so understands the problems they face (adopting technology in their businesses).....“. 
 
Other Industry recognition includes being awarded Reckon Accredited Partner (AP) of the year for 2013/14, a peer award recognising his outstanding long term contribution the Accounting Software Industry in Australia, more details of this prestigious award can be found by clicking here

Clayton is also a Fellow of the IPA (Institute of Public Accountants). He believes that both Accountants and Bookkeepers share a common goal of “wanting to help their clients succeed in business (and ultimately in life) – and with both professions working together (and taking advantage of technology) this is a real possibility”.

Clayton has also been recognised as a Finalist in the "Thought Leader of the Year" category of the 2015 Australian Accounting Awards presented by Accountants Daily.

 Clayton Oates Top Accounting Thought Leader           Clayton Oates Co-Author Start With a Profit                Clayton Oates - Reckon Accredited Partner of The Year (Australia)             Clayton Oates Top 50 Cloud Accountant
 
 
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