Mario Nowogrodzki Wins Top Techie Award

This is the second in a series of articles highlighting Sleeter Consultants who have been rewarded by their peers as “Magnificent Members.” The “Maggies” were handed out at the Sleeter Consultants’ Annual Banquet at the 2010 Accounting Solutions Conference, November 10 at Paris Las Vegas. Each month in The Desktop Accountant, we highlight one of these award winners.

The TOP TECHIE AWARD goes to the Consultant who has the most accounting software and networking technical knowledge and isn't afraid to share it. Comments we received on this Consultant were that he is so knowledgeable, and he consistently offers easy-to-understand tech advice. One person said, “This person worked remotely with one of my clients, providing a higher level networking and QuickBooks Enterprise solution than I could provide myself. He helped me out, but let me keep the rest of the sale. He even had the client’s two IT staff members watch what he was doing, proving his willingness to share his knowledge.” The winner of the Top Techie Award, for the third year in a row, is Mario Nowogrodzki of Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Mario had been an accounting software consultant as his profession for many years, even before QuickBooks existed. He consulted on other software programs including SBT (now AccPac), DACEasy, Sage Peachtree, and others. But even as a CPA, he always enjoyed being in and around computers, stating that that’s his attraction. “It’s what I like.”

Mario’s technical expertise came from his academic career (Bachelors in Accounting) and, because of his affinity towards computers, an eventual Masters in Accounting Information Systems.

At some point as a CPA, Mario started doing hardcore IT consulting. He started his own consulting firm in 1992, but he was still working for a private company, doing IT-related jobs on a part time basis, having been hired to be the in-house controller and systems person. As his technology practice grew, he continued to see a dire need for accounting software support. He knew that he could easily sell, support, and install accounting software.

Mario was always good at spotting trends, and in 1999, he saw that small businesses were moving toward QuickBooks. By 2002, QuickBooks had become the leading accounting software because of its ease of use and Intuit’s initial marketing messages for the product, which said that small businesses didn’t need an accountant. He knew better – that business would mess up their files if they didn’t have proper training on the product. “With proper training, however, QuickBooks is easy, accurate, and powerful in what it does,” Mario says.

When Mario decided that QuickBooks was the future, he became a certified QuickBooks advisor. “It was an easy decision,” he relates. Soon thereafter, he heard about The Sleeter Group. His first interaction with the group was the first Sleeter Conference in his backyard, in Boca Raton, FL. He also started teaching QuickBooks locally at that same time. He realized later that the collective brain trust of technical knowledge that The Sleeter Group provided was what he liked – he could learn AND contribute. Mario didn’t know how involved he would get, but he knew he could participate and contribute in some way. He joined the Sleeter Group Consultants Network in 2006, the very next year. In 2007, he began teaching Webinars for The Sleeter Group, as well as sessions at the annual Conference.

Mario was gratified with the accounting profession itself by its development of the CITP credential, receiving it soon after it became available. The CITP, or Certified Information Technology Professional, requires competency in technical topics. One must take an exam or show years of work in an area of technology. Mario’s teaching of QuickBooks, his QuickBooks certification, and his Master’s degree contributed to his qualifying for the certification.

Mario cherishes continual learning. “I didn’t realize it for awhile, but when I am preparing for a session, I am also learning. There is a lot of research required in preparation,” states Mario. In his opening for every session he teaches, he states that he is there to learn just like everyone else – that if there are 50 people in the room, he only has 1/50^th of the collective brain power  in the room. This results in a lot of audience participation.

Mario would advise to all readers: “Learn and keep up with the latest technology, and be aware of technology trends. That will help you help your clients and work with/serve your clients better, and also attract new clients. The more you know, the more confident you are going to be. And that translates to more business.” Mario likes to sell confidence. He even works overtime without necessarily telling the client how bad things are sometimes so that the client remains comfortable throughout. He also sells resourcefulness. His view is that the billable hours also fund working after hours to do research, using the consultants’ mind off hours to apply to clients’ situations. “To some people, that’s discouraging. You have to be wired to accept that.”

Mario adds, “I cherish winning this award very much, especially among other awards I’ve received, because I personally value being recognized by my peers. It means so much to me that I frame my certificate and put it up on the wall in my office because of its personal meaning to me.”

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