With the chaotic tempest that was 2020 falling into the dust behind us, the business world is still finding its footing and building strategies to successfully navigate the new normal.
For financial professionals, connecting and collaborating are essential to building on last year’s success—and overcoming the challenges that still lie ahead.
By exploring an array of online finance communities, you can make connections that inform and inspire while sharing the benefits of your own experience and insight.
From old-school forums to contemporary apps like Slack, you’ll find a smorgasbord of resources you can use to make the most of 2021.
Finance Communities on the Web
Financial services, management, and the industry itself are hot topics for those working at both small businesses and major corporations.
Whether you’re visiting from your desktop or a mobile device, forums, blogs, and dedicated websites are popular destinations for financial professionals to chat, vent, and exchange ideas.
Forums: The Grandfather of Modern Social Media
They might be a little long in the virtual tooth, but forums remain some of the most useful resources for anyone looking to connect with other professionals at all experience levels.
Discussions can touch on a wide range of topics within a specific area of interest or expertise, and provide members with opportunities to expand their own skill sets, connect with professional organizations, or pursue mentorship opportunities.
- Accountant Forums is a veritable one-stop shop for all things accounting. From careers and tips for students to accounting software, tools, taxes, and technical queries, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more robust community covering everything related to accountancy and taxation.
- Bogleheads has a primary focus on investment, financial independence, and personal finance, but this forum also has lively and ongoing discussions on investing theory and philosophy, industry news, and global investment trends.
- City-Data’s Economics Forum has a diverse membership and covers business finance, taxes, and investing, as well as personal finance and advice on frugal living and money management.
- AccountingWEB‘s community puts a twist on the forum formula by allowing users to upload their own blog posts on finance and accounting topics and invite community discussion. It’s a useful resource for aspiring industry leaders to elevate their profile through insightful and useful content. The site also offers members a selection of guides covering topics such as advanced financial reporting, developing business models, and starting your own accounting practice, among others.
Whether you’re visiting from your desktop or a mobile device, forums, blogs, and dedicated websites are popular destinations for financial professionals to chat, vent, and exchange ideas.
Websites and Blogs
Taking a more content-driven approach to community, these sites offer information and insights from industry professionals and thought leaders, as well as opportunities to connect with others and discuss finance and related topics.
In contrast to personal finance communities, which might focus more narrowly on issues such as student loans, credit scores and credit card debt, or obtaining personal loan funds, these sites touch on more advanced topics (such as asset building, business lending, the stock market’s impact on industry growth, etc.) and professional and organizational development.
Since 1919, the IMA has made the success and growth of the managing accountancy profession its primary focus. Anyone with a special interest in accounting will find new ways to expand their skill sets and make valuable professional connections with more than 125,000+ members.
The FEI connects controllers, treasurers, chief financial officers (CFOs), and chief accounting officers (CAOs) at businesses around the globe and across industries. Members forge strong connections with industry leaders, discuss issues affecting corporate finance, and build both their skills and their professional profiles.
Covering a wide array of topics touching on finance, accounting, procurement, and more, the PLANERGY blog offers valuable information and insights. It invites readers to share their own experiences, questions, and insights in the comments, promoting a frank and nuanced discussion of the concepts, technologies, and practices affecting today’s busy financial professional.
With an active, well-informed community, a robust forum covering matters practical, tactical, and theoretical, and live webinars that offer continuing education credits, Proformative is a leading destination for financial and accounting pros. Members can ask questions about and discuss everything from budgeting, tax credits, and forecasting to strategic spend, risk management, or the latest finance software.
This government program is dedicated to economic revitalization, connecting financial professionals, nonprofit organizations, and businesses.
It encourages the development of financial institutions such as banks and credit unions that can serve as lenders, help support affordable housing and community development measures, and offer real estate and financial services to low income communities and other underserved markets.
The CDFI site itself offers a blog with detailed information on related topics and tips for professionals interested in the program. It also offers access to training programs and certifications.
This professional association is tightly focused on helping senior financial executives become finance industry leaders. Connecting presidents, directors, VPs and, of course, CFOs, this community is dedicated to lasting success for its members.
Digital transformation is more important than ever, and this blog offers content and a growing online community for financial professionals who want to harness the power of next-gen technologies in finance and accounting.
Connecting Via Apps
Reaching out to your fellow finance and accounting professionals doesn’t have to take place at a desk. Slack, LinkedIn and Reddit have their own websites, to be sure, but their communities often prefer to interact via the app itself to get informed, build strong relationships, and share inspiration.
The “front page of the Internet” might have the look of an old-fashioned forum, but it’s home to some of the most active and collaborative spaces in the accounting and finance arena.
IT has its share of personal finance communities, but professionals have a home here as well.
Accountants will find r/Accounting a welcoming, empowering, and informative space, while r/FinanceNews has in-depth coverage and discussion of the latest trends, events, and tech.
- Slack
You might think of it as your company’s internal chat app, but Slack offers access to much more through its communities. As with Reddit, Slack users engage via communities to debate issues, share information, and make professional connections. Some of the best for finance and accounting pros include:
- Fintechfolk, an invitation-only hub for financial tech professionals.
- Crypto Community, the largest (and oldest!) community for discussing cryptocurrency, financial tech, and related issues.
- Finances is all about, well, finances. From stocks and bonds to taxes, general personal finance, financial education, fintech, and beyond, financial and accounting pros will find something to discuss or learn in this channel.
Its claim to fame is connecting job hunters with job providers, but LinkedIn has become a serious presence in the professional social media sphere thanks to an ocean of content and a bevy of groups focused on industry, professional development, and growth. Be sure not to miss:
- Accounting Finance Professionals, focused on sharing knowledge and connecting accountants and finance pros for collaboration, employment, and friendly discussion of industry trends, tech, and news.
- Finance Plus, a massive group of corporate finance, tax, and investment professionals.
- Financial Control, connecting CPAs, ACAs, controllers, auditors, and other financial professionals to discuss “the latest developments in Finance with like-minded people.”
- Private Equity, M&A, and Venture Capital Investments offers financial education for current and aspiring venture capitalists (VCs), including live conferences, discussions of best practices, articles, books, and certified private equity professional (CPEP) training.
