It is believed that great coaches are those who can ask the right questions, uncover hidden motivations, and hold individuals accountable.
Roger Knecht is one such example of a leader who exemplifies these qualities in his coaching philosophy and practice. Roger holds a distinguished name in the accounting industry and serves as the President of Universal Accounting Center (UAC).
His extensive background in marketing, management, and accounting has not only helped grow UAC into a top-tier institution but also earned it numerous accolades such as recognition from Inc 500 and Utah 100.
Roger is particularly passionate about coaching and helping others achieve their professional goals, a commitment reflected in his work and personal ideology. Fittingly, Roger Knecht features on the Cover of Exeleon’s Leading Business Coaches to Follow in 2024.
Coaching Philosophy
Roger emphasizes the importance of understanding the true role of a coach, likening it to the coach in the Cinderella story: a vehicle that helps one reach their destination more efficiently and comfortably. He explains, “It’s the vehicle we can use to arrive at our destination sooner and with greater ease. It’s not meant to represent the only way we can arrive but it sure can make the journey a lot better.”
In his view, a great coach is defined by their ability to ask the right questions and hold individuals accountable. These “right questions” are those that uncover what is not immediately obvious and delve deeper into the underlying motivations—the “why” behind actions and decisions. This process helps in clarifying and prioritizing tasks and goals, making the path to success more transparent.
Accountability is another crucial aspect of effective coaching. Roger stresses the importance of setting timelines and following through with progress reports and outcomes. This structure ensures that the goals are not only set but also actively pursued and achieved.
Engage & Manifest
Roger integrates his coaching philosophy into his leadership at Universal Accounting Center through a structured process he calls “Engage & Manifest.”
This phase involves clients reverse-engineering their journey, allowing them to verbalize their end goals and understand the steps required to achieve them. This process clarifies what needs to happen and helps clients see what they need to do and who they need to become for their employees, clients, and families.
After the “Engage & Manifest” phase, Roger’s coaching process focuses on several key areas:
Understanding Accounting – Ensuring clients have the financial knowledge to run their businesses effectively.
Increasing Revenue – Implementing strategies to grow top-line sales.
Improving Profit – Enhancing profitability by optimizing operations and financial management.
Building Value – Developing the business into a self-sustaining entity with intrinsic worth.
His holistic approach ensures that his clients are not only equipped with technical skills but also possess the strategic insight and motivation necessary to achieve long-term success.
The Journey with Universal Accounting Center
Roger Knecht’s association with UAC began in a somewhat serendipitous manner. He was working as a recruiter/headhunter, placing accounting professionals in temporary and permanent positions.
Through this role, he became acquainted with the owners of UAC and started taking on contract and consultative roles with the school. Reflecting on this period, Roger remembers, “Soon the opportunity presented itself to work part-time and then quickly full-time. This is a decision I never regretted.”
His transition from a contractor to a full-time role marked the beginning of a transformative journey. Over the next 15 years, he developed new roles within the company, opened new departments, and took on various responsibilities.
His dedication and innovative contributions did not go unnoticed, and he was eventually given the opportunity to become the third president of UAC, a position he has held with honor for over a decade.
Under his leadership, UAC has not only grown significantly but also garnered numerous awards and recognitions, further highlighting his impact.
UAC: Supporting Accounting Professionals for Over Four Decades
For over 40 years, UAC has been a center of support and development for accounting professionals. The institution offers a comprehensive range of training, certifications, coaching, and support to individuals aiming to enhance their careers or start and build successful bookkeeping, accounting, and tax businesses.
UAC primarily focuses on working with the owners of accounting firms, providing them and their staff with the necessary training to offer high-quality accounting services and get paid what they are worth. This mission is at the heart of UAC’s philosophy, which seeks to empower accounting professionals with the skills and confidence needed to succeed in their careers.
Through its diverse programs and unwavering commitment to excellence, UAC has helped countless individuals improve their professional skills, start new ventures, and achieve their career aspirations.
Maintaining Productivity and Focus
As a leading coach and entrepreneur, Roger attributes his productivity and focus to a methodical approach called MAPPING the Business, which is grounded in the Universal Business Model.
He explains, “Simply put, we all have a number of responsibilities we need to manage which can become overwhelming. To manage this, MAP has us first take all of the things that we need to do and first document them, write them down.” This initial step of documenting tasks provides a sense of relief by removing the burden of remembering them all.
Once tasks are documented, they are organized into three key areas:
- Marketing & Sales (M): Activities aimed at growing the business.
- Accounting (A): Managing cash flow and ensuring financial stability.
- Production (P): Working efficiently and profitably while delivering excellent customer service.
By categorizing tasks into these smaller, manageable groupings, it becomes easier to prioritize them based on control and impact. This systematic approach not only clarifies what needs to be done but also enables effective delegation with clear timelines and expectations, thereby enhancing overall productivity and focus.
Achieving Work-Life Balance
Knecht is passionate about his work at UAC, where he is known as a self-proclaimed workaholic. He considers himself a God-fearing family man dedicated to helping others achieve their dreams as accounting professionals. UAC reflects this commitment through its “give-back” philosophy, offering free resources to aid personal and professional development.
When asked about how he maintains work-life balance, Roger steers his answer to work-life harmony instead of balance. He states, “Success comes partly from sacrifice. Hence it is unrealistic to believe everything can or will be working perfectly at any one time. Things need attention and systems degrade when neglected.”
He compares this to keeping plates spinning on poles, where focus and energy are required to maintain each one, acknowledging that while one plate is being attended to, others may momentarily be neglected.
Neglect, in this context, isn’t viewed negatively but rather as a reality of life’s demands. Accepting this, Roger argues, makes life more manageable and less stressful.
He points out the importance of being fully present at any given moment rather than dwelling on the past or anxiously anticipating the future. “It’s more important to be present, all in at any given moment than living in the past or dreaming about the future. This mindset has helped me be what I’ve needed to be in the moment and have a peaceful life,” he reflects.
By adopting this approach, Roger Knecht achieves a sense of harmony in his life, balancing the demands of managing a successful business with personal well-being and satisfaction. This philosophy not only guides his professional practices but also serves as a foundation for his coaching methodology, helping others to find similar harmony and success in their lives.
The AI Impact
Talking about the future, Roger envisions significant changes in the accounting and bookkeeping industry over the next five years.
He anticipates a shift from task-oriented roles to more advisory functions, driven largely by advancements in technology, particularly AI-based tools. “I feel with the various tools, including those that are appearing in the profession that are AI-based, we will soon take on more of the role of first a translator, an interpreter for the business owner,” he explains.
Amidst this evolving landscape, accounting professionals will increasingly serve as interpreters, using the language of business to articulate what the business is communicating to its owner.
By asking the right questions, they will help business owners determine actionable items, thus providing more informed and strategic business advice. “More and more the accounting professional will be helping the business owner make more informed business decisions, gaining more clarity as to ‘Therefore What’ as it relates to the business,” Roger elaborates. This transformation will position accountants as key advisors who help drive business success through informed decision-making and strategic insights.
Future Plans for Universal Accounting Center (UAC)
Under the leadership of Roger Knecht, Universal Accounting Center remains committed to empowering the owners of bookkeeping, accounting, and tax businesses. The institution aims to help these professionals build premier firms in their respective areas by ensuring they have competent staff with the necessary skills to offer high-quality services.
One of the exciting initiatives at UAC is the expansion of efforts to build a robust community of accounting firm owners. A key component of this initiative is GrowCon, an annual conference specifically designed for owners of bookkeeping, accounting, and tax businesses.
GrowCon provides a platform for learning, inspiration, and celebration of achievements within the accounting profession. Roger expresses his enthusiasm for this initiative: “To achieve this we are also expanding our efforts to build the community of owners of accounting firms to each year meet at GrowCon…to learn, inspire and celebrate their achievements as accounting professionals.”
By focusing on continuous education, community building, and celebrating professional successes, UAC under Roger’s guidance is set to foster a supportive and dynamic environment for accounting professionals, ensuring they stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
