CPAs & the virtual world of Second Life

Maryland Association of CPAs

Tom Hood, CPA.CITP

Robert Babine

“If the web is reshaping the world as we know it, and will be the water in which

the new generation of digital natives will swim,

then it behooves all of us to understanding it’s

implications.”

– David Sibbet – The Grove Consultants Int’l

Virtual Worlds

80% of active Internet users to have a virtual

world presence by 2011

- Gartner Group

CPAs & Second Life

"We realized there is a real economy growing in there, and

every good economy needs CPAs, so we figured we needed

to be there, too.“

-Byron Patrick, CPA

KAWG&FFirst CPA firm in Second Life

CPAs & Second Life

"I look at it as just another office, another extension of our firm. It’s another touch point

where we can potentially meet with clients and expand our geographic of where we can deliver

services. It’s taking Web 2.0 to Web 2.0-plus, and eventually that’s where it’s all going to be.”

-Byron Patrick, CPAKAWG&F

Founding member of MACPA’s New/Young Professionals

Adidas Dell Toyota Sun Microsystems Penguin American Apparel IBM Starwood Reuters CNET Networks Yankee Stadium Harvard (and 200+ educational institutions) H&R Block MACPA

Who’s there

Is Second Life REAL!

Provided by Linden Labs

Real Business in Second Life

"Second Life is more compelling than a conference call, less intimidating than a

video conference, and a hell of a lot better than business travel.“

-John Zdanowski, CFOLinden Lab

The Experience of Virtual Worlds

""In the future, as the technology continues to improve, I expect to see virtual worlds become immersive experiences that are difficult to differentiate from the real world.“

John Zdanowski, CFOLinden Lab

Welcome to CPA Island

“As I’ve learned more, I have come to appreciate that in this one “space,” all of the new channels for social networking and multi-media are manifesting in one

integrated social experiment…

- David Sibbet, The Grove Consultants Int’l

Second Life Retrospective

Source: Second Life Retrospective – David Sibbet

CPA Island – Why we are here

Attracting students to the CPA professionPlace for accounting educators to collaborateCPE events for CPAs – learn about new and

different ways to engage new generationShowcase best practices in an innovative wayDisplay our brands as we envision them

Community – Collaboration - Content

Accounting Education Pavilion

Our pavilion features a place for Colleges & Universities to showcase their accounting education and a place for accounting educators to connect, share, and learn from each other. It is also

a place for prospective students to see the many options available in an exciting career as a Certified Public Accountant.

New Young Professionals NetworkClub NYPN on CPA Island

Life’s a beach at the Club NYPN on CPA island. This special area devoted to New & Young Professionals

has all of the features for networking, casual meetups, and fun. Complete with a dance floor, tiki

bars, beach, and a real treehouse – it is the place for students and young professionals to chill.

BLI Conference Center

A center facilitating the development and sharing of competencies and strategic knowledge required for leadership in the rapidly changing

business environment. BLI will deliver competency-based curriculum, courses, content, and community to enhance learning and grow intellectual capital for organizational and executive leadership.

Prior Events

Mixed reality session at our Accounting Educator’s Conference

Demos at Towson University & Johns Hopkins University

Presentation at the national Association Digital Now Conference in Orlando

First CPE in Second Life at the Maryland Business & Accounting EXPO

Scenes from the EXPO

KAWG&F OfficesThe first CPA firm in SL!

Contact : Chili Carson or Bean Wollongong for more information

KAWG&F have established their offices on CPA Island and have been pathfinders in working in this new virtual world.

CFO of the Future CenterChief Financial Officers are one of the exciting career options many CPAs

choose. This building and exhibit is a place to network, collaborate, and co-create resources to help today’s CFO deal with the challenges of today’s

rapidly changing business landscape. Join the group SLACPA and look for upcoming events. Visit us at CPA Island

http://www.cpaisland.com

BLI Center for Strategic Planning

Strategy & leadership are the prerequisites for success in the Next Economy — The Network Economy, the Internet Economy, the Next

Economy; all are terms that speak to the new body of knowledge, new strategies, and fundamentally new dynamics which shape not only our economy but our society. This center is a place to share best practices

and form a community dedicated to strategic leadership.

MACPA Headquarters

http://www.macpa.org

Our office features a video room, our Board room, offices and additional meeting rooms.

CPA Island -Upcoming EventsAACSB – The Association to Advance Collegiate

Schools of BusinessPresents:

Using Virtual Reality Technologies to Explore Worlds Beyond the Blackboard – Dr. Mike Kraten

Monday, June 30, 2008 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST

10:30 a.m. –12:00 p.m. PST/SLT

CPA Island -Upcoming Events

SF/BAY AREA FENG (Financial Executives Networking Group)Presents:

XBRL and the International Future of Business Reporting– Greg Zegarowski, President of Financial Leadership Corporation

Tuesday, July 15, 20084:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EST

7:00 p.m. –9:00 p.m. PST/SLT

Closing ThoughtsIs it time to pay attention?

This is not a game: Virtual Worlds coming to your business Forrester predicts – CIO Magazine

Second Life produces real training results – CLO magazine ASTD

Virtual Worlds make Harvard Business Review’s breakthrough ideas for 2008

Virtual worlds will be widely adopted venues for reaching customers and experimenting with new product ideas and business models – The Future of Small Business Report

For more informationwww.cpaisland.com

www.slacpa.org

www.mdbizexpo.com

In world – SLACPA groupContact Rocky Maddaloni or Billy Mapp

tom@macpa.orgbill@macpa.org

SL Tutorial at CPALearning2.com

http://tinyurl.com/4ejlsq

http://tinyurl.com/4y5h4h

Join SLACPA & find CPA Island

Join SL & create your avatar

CPA Island SLURL

Maryland Association of CPAs – founded 1901 to promote and protect CPAs and help them thrive in the rapidly changing environment – 10,000 members

Business Learning Institute – founded in 2000 with a mission to help organizations deliver competency-based curriculum, courses, content and community to enhance learning and grow intellectual capital for organizational and executive leadership

Second Life Association of CPAs – founded in 2006 With 115 members and two islands (CPA Island & CPA Island 2) with a mission of building a community of people interested in exploring the possibilities of CPAs in Second Life

Upcoming EventsDigital Now Conference

Demonstrations to Association CommunityFriday, April 25, 2008

9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. EST6:50 a.m. –7:10 a.m. PST/SLT

& 2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. EST

11:20 a.m. –11:40 p.m. PST/SLTTowson University

Creating REAL Business presences in Second LifeFriday, May 2, 2008

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST9:00 a.m. –10:00 a.m. PST/SLT

Upcoming Events

MDBIZEXPOThe first Business & Accounting EXPO in Second Life!

June 17th & 18th, 2008Baltimore Convention Center

MDBIZEXPOThe Future of Small Business – Intuit Corporation &

The Institute for the FutureWednesday, June 18, 2008 8:10 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. EST

5:10 a.m. –6:00 a.m. PST/SLTFirst CPE in

Second Life !

Upcoming EventsMDBIZEXPO

The Future of Small Business – What CPAs Need to Know – Intuit Corporation & The Institute for the Future

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 9:10 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. EST

6:10 a.m. –7:00 a.m. PST/SLT

MDBIZEXPOThe Real Business of Second Life – John Zdanowski,

CFO Linden LabsWednesday, June 18, 2008 2:15 p.m. – 3:05 p.m. EST

11:15 a.m. –12:05 p.m. PST/SLTFirst CPE in

Second Life !