I recently had the opportunity to attend Expensify's ExpensiCon in Puglia, Italy, as a speaker and participant. The event brought together accounting professionals, technology partners, and consultants for an all-expense-paid experience provided by Expensify.

During the conference, I spoke on Connected Leadership, which I wrote about in my recently launched book, Disconnect to Connect: Tap Into the Power Within You. There were many tenants of being a Connected Leader that I saw demonstrated, as well as heard about from Expensify employees. Three that stood out the most were creating a circle of trust, innovating as a team, listening as a connected leader, and creating a culture where people feel valued and seen.

1- Creating a Circle of Trust

A Circle of Trust is finding the people around you that give you feedback and learning from them. Because you create a culture of vulnerability, it allows for deeper relationships. It allows you to create your own community where people enjoy being precisely as they are and appreciate each other’s unique qualities.

At ExpensiCon, no matter if you were an accounting professional, consultant, technology partner or staff of Expensify, everyone was enjoying experiences together, allowing for open dialogue on many topics.

Often we hear companies compare their culture to a part of a “family”, which often doesn’t actually have a good connotation to many (because either someone doesn’t have a positive family background or they don’t want their job to be more important than their own family.) Instead, the importance of creating a community and bonds with one another so we know the person to call when we need them or can grow and learn by sharing different viewpoints. That human connection of shared experiences creates a bond like no other and gives the space to create trust and vulenerability which is the essence of creating a connected culture and community.

2 - Innovation happens as a team, not individually

Being a Connected Leader means creating an environment where everyone solves problems and innovates new ways of doing old things. Expensify demonstrated this by facilitating open discussions between their staff and attendees. Insightful group dialogues and one-on-ones happened throughout the long weekend so each person could be heard. I found through many conversations that they not only did this with this community, they also do this as a company internally.

Every year, the entire company votes on a location to work together and collaborate for three weeks, all expenses paid and with families included. During this time, they are not only doing their regular jobs but also innovating and solving problems in person and cross-functionally. After talking to some staff members, this is not only a highlight of working at Expensify; it has tied them more to each other as friends, rather than just co-workers. As an added benefit, they have solved or planned for many future initiatives. To learn more about this, check out their site.

3 - Leadership is also about creating a culture where people feel seen and valued

The true mark of a good leader is how people speak about them in private conversations. Every person I talked to from Expensify admired their CEO David Barrett regarding his vision and how he continues to care for them and the company. Each Expensify team member felt cared for and was genuinely interested everyone there felt the same.

Expensify demonstrated this care through their new app's chat technology and responsive Concierge service, ensuring that guests' needs were met promptly and with genuine concern. It was an incredible operation of thousands of moving parts, but they showed no signs of stress. Instead, they showed genuine care for each individual there.

This ExpensiCon experience was truly one of the most amazing ones of my life. As I prepare for the AICPA Council, I'm reminded of the rewards and opportunities available in the accounting profession. Stay open to possibilities, learn and grow, and be patient in finding the right career path.

There are no limits. You just have to keep your eyes open for opportunities and be ready to take them.

Thank you, Expensify, for including me and proving me the honor to speak! I will not forget these experiences and this community that is so important to us all!