When Christie Timm, owner of Orchards Bookkeeping, attended Intuit Connect through the support of the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation (ACF) scholarship, she was already running a well-established bookkeeping business.

Based in Vancouver, Washington, Christie had built a solid client base and developed strong processes to support her work. On the surface, her firm was operating smoothly. But like many small business owners, she was beginning to encounter new challenges that come with growth.

“I had an established book of clients and good structure and processes in place to run my business,” Christie shared.

Still, questions remained about the next stage of her firm’s evolution.

The dream was not just stability. It was continued growth, better systems, and stronger relationships with clients.

That’s when Christie decided to apply for an Accounting Cornerstone Foundation scholarship.

The Starting Line: Running a Firm but Searching for Solutions

Before attending the conference, Christie was navigating challenges that many bookkeeping firm owners know well.

Growing her client base and improving communication with clients had become top priorities.

“I was struggling with getting new clients and improving communication with my clients,” she explained.

Christie first learned about the ACF scholarship through two women in her mastermind group who had previously received the award.

“They told me about it, and I was wanting to go to a conference,” she said.

The opportunity felt like the right moment to step away from day-to-day work and learn alongside other professionals facing similar challenges.

The Turning Point: Finding Energy and Community at Intuit Connect

With support from the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation, Christie attended Intuit Connect, where the experience quickly became both energizing and practical.

“I loved getting to meet other bookkeepers who were excited about the work we do,” she said. “It energized me to work on what was not working well in my business and improve the experience for my clients.”

Being physically present with other professionals created a different kind of learning environment.

“It was more engaging in person, and I could ask questions,” Christie shared.

Beyond the sessions themselves, the real value often came between them — in hallway conversations, networking moments, and the shared excitement of being surrounded by people who understand the profession.

For Christie, the experience reminded her that she was part of a larger community of professionals building businesses with purpose.

After the Conference: Implementing Systems That Create Growth

When Christie returned home from Intuit Connect, she did not wait long to begin implementing what she had learned.

“I was able to fix a few issues in my communication with clients and felt confident implementing systems I learned from speakers at the conference.”

One of the first changes she made was improving her onboarding process and shifting more client communication to Dubsado, a platform that helps streamline communication and workflows.

Those improvements created immediate benefits.

“With what I learned and implemented from the conference, it allowed me room to bring on new clients, made the onboarding so much smoother, and allowed me to be a better bookkeeper for my clients.”

The changes also improved several areas of her business, including:

• revenue growth
• professional confidence
• network connections within the industry
• work-life balance

By refining systems and communication, Christie created space for her business to continue expanding without sacrificing quality.

Why Access to In-Person Learning Matters

For Christie, the biggest value of attending a conference was not only the sessions themselves, but the relationships and energy that come from being in the room.

“Meeting and talking with other bookkeepers and firm owners, networking, and just the energy, it’s something I don’t get when working from home by myself.”

In a profession where many practitioners operate independently, those moments of connection can be incredibly powerful.

Receiving the scholarship also had a meaningful personal impact.

“I felt validated that I was on the right path,” Christie said. “Since I work mostly by myself, it’s rare to get acknowledgment and encouragement from others. It was great to connect with others who have been in this industry longer than I had been.”

Paying It Forward

Christie believes the work of the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation is essential to the profession’s future.

“ACF is making a huge impact on new bookkeepers and firm owners coming into the industry and helping propel their growth,” she said. “It helps create community between bookkeepers.”

Her advice to anyone considering applying for a scholarship is simple:

“It’s totally worth it. No matter what conference you attend, go ready to learn and grow and create new friendships.”

Because sometimes the most important shift in a career does not come from working harder.

It comes from stepping into a room full of people who remind you that you’re not building your business alone.