Michelle (Golden) River

CAREER JOURNEY

For some crazy reason, in 6th grade Michelle knew she wanted to be an accountant and artist, and strangely brought the two together finding a career in accounting marketing. After time in industry as an accountant, and as an in-house marketer, she hung her shingle as a consultant in 1999 and has touched almost 200 firms. She also went back in-house as a partner & growth leader at a Top 100 firm (now Pinion) that doubled in size over the 4 years she was there. She only left her amazing firm to devote all her time to advancing the profession away from time-based billing toward up-front pricing based on worth. Fore LLC launched in 2017 and Michelle trademarked Advanced Pricing Methods® now used by 8 Top 50 firms with more than 2000 individuals inspired and skilled! She's named among Ten Most Powerful Women & Top 100 Most Influential People by Accounting Today, 25 Most Powerful Women & Top 25 Thought Leaders by CPA Practice Advisor, and AAM's Marketing Hall of Fame.

WHY THEY'RE SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE AT SUMMIT

Michelle is deeply passionate about pricing and positioning—her favorite aspects of her work throughout her 30-year accounting-marketing career. She's excited to share ways to ensure CPAs are viewed true to their huge value in people's lives. Her personal "why" has long been "helping people see familiar things in new ways" to open their minds and embrace real change. She's inspired dozens of firms to implement new business models and charge for the outcomes they affect.

WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING YOU CAN FIND THEM...

Knitting, reading, or cooking in her cabin in the woods, riding her snowmobile or paddling her kayak, or visiting her 6 kids and 4 grandchildren who are sprinkled all over the USA.