A few weeks ago, while on a conference call with a group of practitioners engaged in the development and delivery of non-traditional services, I stumbled upon an accidental consultant. You know the scenario. You've been to a training program on "How to be a Consultant." You are inspired by the possibility of being and doing more for your clients. As you leave the training, something takes hold, you're flush in the cheeks, light headed, maybe even delirious, you start speaking a foreign language to your staff and clients.

Bryan Ross,  a CPA and partner, has been promoted to lead the Minneapolis tax practice of Eide Bailly. Ross has almost 15 years experience with the firm and more than 25 years in public accounting.

Most of us are thrust into the managing partner role in our firms with little or no training or coaching. Who teaches you to be an effective MP? How do you know if you're performing well? Your partners won't tell you. If you're new to the job, do you just do it the same way as your predecessor? Is that the best approach for the firm? Who will mentor you?

The idea that the Internet levels the playing field for business is a bit overblown: there seems little chance that the smallest businesses can serve the largest. Still, cloud-based products do represent the chance for small businesses to significant increase their markets and their capabilities of serving them.