Firm of the Future Planning

Helping you with a holistic tech, ops, and business roadmap
to drive sustainable growth and future success.

Are you...

- A firm leader seeking a holistic approach to align innovation, AI, and operations to set your firm up for success?
- Looking to improve efficiency across your firms' processes but unsure how to change without disruption?
- Worried about making costly tech spend mistakes from misalignment of your firm strategy and execution?
- Developing a strategic plan that allows your firm to stay independent and thrive in a dynamic market?
- Making firm acquisitions and aiming to create and execute on a plan for success as you expand?

If so, see below for how we can help.

Firm of the Future Planning

Holistic Strategy Development

We help you understand where you're at and define your Firm of the Future, then build a comprehensive, future-focused strategy that integrates innovation, AI, and operational efficiency for sustainable growth.

AI and Technology Integration

We help you identify and implement the right AI and technology solutions to enhance productivity, client services, and overall firm performance.

Independence and Growth Planning

We craft a strategic roadmap that empowers your firm to remain independent while thriving in a competitive, tech-driven market.

AI technology vendor evaluation

In the current market with overwhelming AI buzz, we help you cut through the noise to determine the technology vendors under evaluation can truly deliver on its AI promises.

(Your biggest problem)

We love partnering with innovative leaders and innovative firms. Please reach out if there's a problem in this area that we can help you with.

The Edgefield Edge

Led by Founder and CEO Ellen Choi, Edgefield Group delivers expert AI strategy, drawing from Ellen’s success as Co-Founder of Aiwyn, a fast-growing AI-driven accounting tech company. Recognized as an AI thought leader by Accounting Today, Ellen frequently speaks at major accounting conferences, including CalCPA, and shares her insights through industry publications.

With a data science and engineering background from Stanford and her work experience at the forefront of AI in Silicon Valley, she brings this expertise to Edgefield Group to craft AI strategies that drive real business impact and competitive advantage for your firm.

How can we help? Let’s talk.

Book a Free Assessment Call

Project Highlight:

Top 200 Firm Billing Process Transformation

Challenge

A Top 200 Firm had an outdated, inefficient billing process where partners relied on printed Billing Workbooks, manually created Excel reports, and long email chains to manage billing. This process was labor-intensive, led to billing errors, provided a poor client experience, and resulted in lower realization rates.

Solution

In her role as Chief Product Officer at Aiwyn, Ellen worked closely with the firm’s finance team and Aiwyn’s R&D department to co-develop a customized billing automation solution. Through product discovery interviews and partner feedback sessions, the team gathered valuable insights to design a software solution that addressed the firm’s specific billing challenges.

Result

The implementation of the billing automation solution significantly transformed the firm’s billing process. The firm experienced higher realization rates, reduced WIP-to-bill days, fewer billing errors, and eliminated hours of non-billable work previously spent on manual billing by partners and staff.

Testimonials

Hear from leaders in our accounting profession that have worked with Ellen and our team for our expert guidance and high ROI outcomes.

As a long-term CIO in our profession and Aiwyn’s customer, Ellen and her company’s impact on our firm was transformative. Her work at Aiwyn not only improved our operations but also set a new standard for how technology can drive growth and innovation in accounting firms.

Barry Brown

COO & CIO
MST

Ellen has an incredible ability to build lasting relationships with our customers, fostering trust and collaboration every step of the way. Her attention to detail and strong project management skills ensure that our implementations are seamless and successful. I’ve seen firsthand how her dedication to both customer success and operational excellence has been key to our growth and reputation in the industry.

Tanner Fritz

Chief Customer Officer
Aiwyn

Ellen’s operational execution and project management skills are second to none. She is always focused on leveling up our processes, ensuring that every detail is meticulously planned and executed. Ellen’s drive for excellence pushes the entire team to deliver on time and exceed expectations.

Alex Kenis

Sr. Director of Implementation
Aiwyn

Ellen’s expertise and leadership were key inputs to the success of our technology transformation. As a co-founder of Aiwyn, she brought a deep understanding of both the product and our needs, ensuring seamless integration and delivering exceptional results.

Steve Perkins

CIO, HoganTaylor LLP
Founder, Invicta Advisors

Ellen’s forward-thinking mindset fits right in with CalCPA’s mission to empower CPAs and push our profession forward. She’s a natural educator, and her expertise in generative AI and emerging tech has been instrumental in paving the way for what’s next. Her passion for elevating the accounting field is evident, and she’s focused on providing firms with the latest tools and the know-how to succeed in an ever-evolving digital world.

Denise Froemming

CEO
CalCPA

Ellen brought her data science and engineering background to Google’s finance team, where she used her technical acumen and innovative thinking to proactively implement automation solutions that saved our finance team countless hours, streamlining processes and transforming the way we worked.

Ellen’s ability to quickly adopt new technologies and apply them strategically set a new standard for efficiency.

Stacy Brown-Philpot

Fortune 100 Director, Advisor,
Ex-Google Exec, Investor

Ellen’s dedication to not only improving firms through innovative tech solutions but also improving the well-being of accountants is inspiring. She understands that success is not just about greater productivity but about helping accountants lead thriving, balanced lives and being able to be their whole selves. Ellen’s passion for both professional and personal growth shines through in everything she does.

Randy Crabtree

Co-Founder, Tri-Merit Specialty Tax
Host, the Unique CPA Podcast

From having worked with Ellen firsthand, I can say that she is one of the most long-term and strategic thinkers when it comes to understanding where the market is going and how to best position our product and company for success.

Levi Morehouse

CEO
Taxa

Tige Savage

Managing Partner, Revolution Ventures
Co-Founder, Revolution

Ellen has a deep understanding of the intricacies of the accounting ecosystem and knows how to strategically leverage it to create lasting value. Having reported directly to her, I can personally attest to her commitment to mentoring and helping her team grow, which has had a profound impact on my own development.

Her visionary thinking and guidance continuously push us to aim higher and deliver our best work, making her an inspiring leader to work with.

Elizabeth Kirchner

Director, Partnership
Aiwyn

Collaborating with Ellen has been transformative for our revenue growth. Her ability to bridge product innovation with market demands has not only accelerated our GTM but also resulted in our building stronger customer relationships.

‍

Pat Morrell

Chief Revenue Officer
Aiwyn

Ellen’s mastery of the accounting tech ecosystem, coupled with her deep understanding of how various vendors operate within it, sets her apart. She excels not only in driving innovation but also in shaping a highly successful go-to-market strategy for Aiwyn.

Beyond Aiwyn, Ellen is widely recognized for her ability to collaborate with other tech startups, fostering partnerships that fuel growth and create meaningful synergies across the accounting profession.

Christi Whipple

Board Member
ITA (Information Technology Alliance)

Ellen has made an immeasurable impact on Aiwyn. Her exceptional ability to quickly cut through the noise and tackle problems at their core, using first principles thinking, has helped drive the hyper-growth of our business.

Justin Adams

CEO
Aiwyn

Ellen is a powerhouse of innovation and strategy in our accounting profession. Her ability to drive meaningful technology change with a deep understanding of firm operations has been invaluable to our Alliance firms. Ellen’s thought leadership in AI and innovation have helped our member firms better understand how technology could help their firms thrive.

Michael Horwitz

Executive Director, BDO Alliance USA
BDO USA LLP

Ellen is one of the most forward-thinking leaders I’ve encountered in the accounting profession. Her deep understanding of technology and market dynamics, especially in the context of private equity, makes her an invaluable partner in driving firm growth and transformation. Ellen’s strategic insight and execution skills have positioned her as a trusted advisor, guiding firms through change and creating sustainable value in an industry undergoing rapid evolution.

Allan Koltin

CEO
Koltin Consulting Group, Inc.

I've been continually impressed by Ellen's vision, strategic acumen, and relentless drive to deliver results. She combines a deep understanding of the market with a hands-on approach, ensuring Aiwyn remains at the forefront of innovation in the accounting tech space. Ellen’s dedication to both operational excellence and customer success has played a key role in increasing Aiwyn's enterprise value.

Jeremy Levine

Partner
Bessemer Venture Partners

I had the privilege of working with Ellen as a customer of Aiwyn. Her deep understanding of Aprio’s technology needs and her team’s ability to configure solutions that seamlessly integrated with our operations were instrumental in improving our efficiency and client service.

Dan Mallory

Former CIO, Aprio
Fractional CIO

It has been a pleasure to get to know Ellen and watch her drive, insights, and thoughtfulness in making complex technology easy. With her latest accounting firm innovation and artificial intelligence efforts, your firm can benefit from her understanding of leveraging leading technology to solve real challenges for CPA firms.

With her vision, practicality, and leadership skills, the digital transformation dream can become a reality for you, your firm, and your clients.

Randy Johnston

Executive Vice President, K2 Enterprises | CEO & Co-Founder, NMGI

Ellen’s impact on our profession is significant. Her innovative thinking and expertise in technology, especially generative AI, is sparking new conversations and inspiring meaningful progress across the industry. Ellen’s commitment to equipping firms with the right tools and knowledge directly supports the priorities of ITA members, and her influence is helping shape a more advanced, future-ready profession.

Geni Whitehouse

President
Information Technology Alliance (ITA)

Ellen’s forward-thinking approach and deep expertise in AI and technology empowered us to seamlessly integrate solutions that transformed our operations. Her thought leadership and innovative use of AI are helping our accounting profession stay ahead of macro-trends.

Sean McLean

Ex-Director of Tech, PP&Co. (Ascend firm)
Founder, LoHi Advisors

Ellen’s acumen in AI and her deep understanding of how to apply it in practical, impactful ways sets her apart in the accounting tech space. I’ve admired her ability to foster collaboration within the tech vendor ecosystem, building bridges that drive innovation across the industry. Her strategic approach and leadership have been instrumental in advancing the role of AI in accounting.

Rafael Casas

Former Sage, Oracle Netsuite | AICPA Instructor | CalCPA Speaker

Ellen is a true innovator in the accounting tech world, pushing the envelope on how firms can embrace AI and other innovation. Her ability to blend cutting-edge technology with practical strategies is a game-changer for firms looking to stay ahead. Ellen’s vision for the future of accounting is exactly what our profession needs.

Jody Padar

Founder
The Radical CPA

I have had the pleasure of working with Ellen Choi, co-founder of Aiwyn and a valued member of the BDO Alliance for three years. Ellen is a true visionary with an entrepreneurial spirit, evidenced by her impressive track record of founding four companies.
‍
Her innovative approach and dedication to excellence are truly inspiring. Ellen's ability to foresee industry trends and drive transformative change is unmatched. She is not only a leader but a pioneer, consistently pushing the boundaries to create impactful solutions. It's an honor to collaborate with someone of her caliber.

Brenda Sleeper

Director, BRN
BDO USA, LLP

Ellen has an innate ability to see through the smoke and chart the perfect path forward. What makes her truly special is how she pairs this vision with the ability to bring others along - she doesn't just see the way, she can articulate exactly why it's right.

When you combine that natural leadership with her deep knowledge of generative AI and emerging tech, plus her authentic way of connecting with people, you get magic. The results speak volumes - she's consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible at Aiwyn, propelling us forward into new frontiers.

Chris Furlong

CTO
Aiwyn

Having worked with Ellen at both Google and Booyah [a Series B Silicon Valley Startup], I’ve seen her superpower firsthand: an extraordinary ability to seamlessly bridge tech, product, and operations, running each at a world-class level.

At Aiwyn, I saw her solve real problems that accountants face with connected cutting-edge, delivering massive impact. Ellen effortlessly flexes from executive-level strategy to the smallest details of execution.

Chung-Man Tam

Chief Product Officer
Coalition

Ellen’s leadership has been a driving force in making her company Aiwyn a world-class vendor in the BRN for accounting firms (winner of 2023 Innovation Award). Her ability to seamlessly blend innovation with practical, results-driven solutions has made a tangible impact on the firms we support. She guided her team to become a trusted resource, consistently delivering value through cutting-edge technology while addressing the real-world challenges firms face.

Tom Takasaki

Principal, BRN National Practice Director
BDO Alliance USA

Ellen's analytical prowess and creative application of AI are revolutionizing the accounting profession, one firm at a time. Her dedication to digital transformation is paving the way for innovative solutions and enhanced efficiency across the industry.