CPA Australia Discussion Group: Practice Advisory Partnership Network

The Practice Advisory Partnership Network is an official CPA Australia Discussion Group meeting every third Thursday of the month.

It is designed for business owners in the accounting, bookkeeping, and financial services industry to connect with like-minded finance professionals and build meaningful, authentic relationships in a positive and supportive environment.

At this Discussion Group, our primary goal is to foster authentic connections among practice owners based on shared values, interests, and experiences. You'll learn proven frameworks for creating strategic referral relationships that work for trust-based professional services and transitioning from compliance practice to advisory practice.

Panel Discussion with Three Industry Leaders on AI and Trust

AI is moving into accounting and finance practices faster than most owners realise.

It can draft client emails, process documents and answer questions around the clock. But your business doesn’t run on speed. It runs on trust. Clients trust you with their finances and their confidential information. Referral partners trust you with their reputation every time they send someone your way.

Most practice owners are asking how to use AI. Fewer are asking the harder question: will it strengthen the trust my business is built on, or quietly wear it down?

This December, we are bringing together three leaders from finance broking, AI and technology, and sales to explore this question: "Can AI Build Trust?" Not theory. Not hype. A grounded, practical conversation about where AI genuinely helps, where it puts client and referral relationships at risk, and how to get the balance right.

Meet the Panel

Chanel Cicchiello
Founder and Director, Florentina Finance

Chanel Cicchiello is a finance broker who helps SMEs secure the right funding through a trusted panel of lenders. 95% of Florentina Finance’s business comes through referrals, a reputation built on trust, transparency and consistent client outcomes.

Chanel has built her business on referral relationships and client trust.

Todd Johnson
Fractional Chief AI Officer, CIO and CTO, InnovateX Solutions

Todd Johnson helps businesses turning over $2 million to $200 million put AI into everyday work. His 15 years span software, networks and security architecture, including government programs at PROTECTED classification. Tired of consulting that left businesses with reports instead of fixes, he founded InnovateX Solutions.

Todd helps businesses put AI into everyday work, not just into reports.

Sharon Phillips
Founder and CEO, Sales 2 Success

Sharon Phillips brings 30+ years of B2B enterprise sales and leadership experience. She helps business owners communicate their value, build stronger client relationships and create consistent, repeatable sales habits.

Sharon helps business owners build the client relationships that drive sustainable growth.

What You Will Take Away

This is not a lecture. It is a moderated panel conversation designed to shift how you think about AI, trust and your business.

You will walk away with:

• Clarity on what AI should and shouldn’t do in your business. You’ll learn where AI adds real value, and where human judgement and relationships still need to lead.

• A clearer view of the trust risks. You’ll see how AI use can affect client confidence, data protection and referral relationships, and what to watch for.

• Practical next steps you can take this week. Each panellist will share one specific, low-barrier action you can implement immediately.

• New professional connections. You’ll meet potential referral partners who complement your services and share your commitment to building something that lasts.

Who Is It For

This session is designed for business owners and practice principals in:

• Accountants in public practice

• Bookkeepers and BAS agents

• Tax agents and advisers

• Financial planners and advisers

• Finance and mortgage brokers

• Insurance brokers

• Fractional CFOs and advisory consultants

• Commercial lawyers

Whether you are an established practice owner or in the early stages of building your firm, this conversation will give you perspective you will not get from inside your own four walls.

Session Format (1 Hour CPD)

6:00pm – 6:30pm | Doors Open and Welcome Networking Connect with fellow practice owners over light refreshments in a relaxed atmosphere. This is your opportunity to start building relationships before the formal session begins.

6:30pm – 7:15pm | Moderated Panel Discussion: Can AI Build Trust?

Three industry leaders share their perspectives on AI and trust in professional services. Moderated by Alexandra Quinn CPA, the conversation covers where AI adds value, where it creates risk for client and referral relationships, and what practical steps you can take starting tomorrow.

7:15pm – 7:30pm | Audience Q&A Put your questions directly to the panel. This is your chance to get specific, practical guidance on how AI fits into your own business.

7:30pm – 8:00pm | Continue Networking: Meet potential strategic referral partners in a professional environment. Exchange knowledge with professionals who complement your services and share your values.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

The practice owners who will lead this industry are not the ones adopting AI the fastest. They are the ones adopting it without losing the trust their business is built on.

Clients are already using AI themselves and asking how their advisers use it. Confidential client data needs protecting more carefully than ever. And in a referral-based business, one poor client experience can cost more than a single relationship.

None of these questions can be answered by technology alone, and none of them can be navigated alone.

This panel brings together the lending, technology and sales perspectives that most practice owners never hear in the same room. The result is a practical conversation about using AI in a way that strengthens trust rather than replacing it.

Registration Details

Investment: Members: FREE (Refreshments included)

Capacity: Limited to 50 attendees to ensure quality interaction

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, 9th December 2026, 5:00pm

Contact and Registration

Questions or Ready to Register? Contact Alexandra Quinn CPA Email: alex@dreamwarriorscoaching.com.au

Spaces are limited to 50 attendees to ensure quality interaction. Register early to secure your place.

About the Practice Advisory Partnership Network

The Practice Advisory Partnership Network is a monthly CPA Australia Discussion Group for accounting, bookkeeping, financial planning, mortgage broking, legal and CFO practice owners who are committed to sustainable growth.

We provide a structured platform for building strategic referral partnerships, transitioning from compliance to advisory services, and learning industry-specific business development strategies.

This is the only NSW Discussion Group specifically focused on building strategic partnerships between complementary professional practices.

Facilitator

Alexandra Quinn, CPA

Alexandra Quinn is an Authentic Leadership Expert, international professional speaker, certified business and mindset coach and best-selling author, co-author with Brian Tracy on Cracking the Business Mastery Code.

As a Certified Public Accountant with 20+ years of experience across Big 4 accounting, banking, and corporate finance, Alexandra brings rare credibility to the intersection of technical expertise and business growth strategy.

As Convenor of the Practice Advisory Partnership Network and host of the Beyond Numbers Business Referral Network, Alexandra brings together accounting and finance professionals who are ready to build strategic referral partnerships grounded in shared values, not transactional exchanges.

Event Photography Disclaimer

By attending this event, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or filmed. These images and videos may be used for promotional purposes, including but not limited to social media posts, website content, marketing materials, and future event promotion.

If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform event organisers upon arrival and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.

For questions about photo usage or to request removal of your image, please contact the event organisers.