The Sid Kess Approach

James Carberry is the principal of Carberry Communications, a business writing and editing service based in Portland, Oregon. He has been a corporate writer and editor, a business writer based in Singapore, and, for ten years, a staff reporter of the Wall Street Journal. Before joining the Journal, he was a reporter for newspapers in Berkeley and Riverside, California. Carberry is the co-author of The Inside Track to Careers in Accounting. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

Foreword v About the Author vii Preface ix Contributors xvii Introduction xxi Purpose of This Book xxi Important Themes xxii Chapter 1 Truly Put People First 1 Sid Kess: Life and Career 1 Formative Years 2 Public Accounting 5 Importance of Family 6 Learning From Sid 7 Honoring Sid 8 A Good Guy 9 Motivator 10 The Professional s Professional 10 Practical Advice 10 A History of Helping 10 Individuals 10 UJA-Federation of New York 16 Campbell University 17 Baruch College 18 Fordham University 18 Chapter 2 Build and Maintain Core Knowledge and Expertise 19 Sid s Career Highlights 20 Getting Started in Financial Planning Services 22 Using a Checklist 22 Promoting Awareness 23 Developing Knowledge 23 Educating Practitioners 25 Assisting Firms 26 Developing Expertise in Financial Planning Services 27 The Expert Advantage 28 Sid Helps Others Become Experts 30 Managing a Practice 33 Becoming a Teacher 39 CPA Exam Review Course 40 Educating Practitioners 40 Sid s Probability Chart 41 Sid s Workshops 41 The Value of Sid s Workshops 44 Timely Information 48 Next Generation 50 What CPAs and Other Professionals Have Learned From Sid 51 Chapter 3 Be Imaginative and Act on Your Ideas 53 Idea Guy 53 Active Life 55 Sid As Career Planner 56 How Sid Has Helped People Find Jobs 62 How Sid Has Helped People Advance in Their Careers 62 Chapter 4 Maximize Your Potential 71 Public Speaking 72 Collaborating 75 Book Projects 76 Writing 78 Media Relations 86 Chapter 5 Find and Connect With People 93 Talent Hunter 94 How to Give Back 100 Conclusion 111 Bibliography 113 American Education Television Network 113 AICPA 113 American Express 116 Baruch College 116 Boardroom, Inc 117 CCH Incorporated 117 CPA Magazine 124 Campbell University 125 Comprehensive CPA School 125 Evoke 126 Fidelity Investments 126 Grosset & Dunlap 126 H & R Block 126 Lybrand 126 Main Hurdman 127 National Association of Estate Planners & Councils 127 New York Journal 128 New York State Society of CPAs 128 New York Times 129 PESI 129 Professional Educational Network 129 Tax Management (BNA) 130 Warren Gorham & Lamont 131