Social media rocks. That's pretty much been our motto here at the MACPA for the past few years. Expanding your ability to communicate and learn exponentially is an awesome thing.

Still, when it comes to the “social” part, it's hard to beat old-school face-to-face.

Put the two together, though, and you get a pretty cool evening.

We're here in Palm Beach for Interchange, an annual gathering of state CPA society folks looking to share ideas for how to better serve members. I've made some valuable friends at Interchange over the years, and the best part of the conference is seeing these folks again, catching up, and giving (and, more important, receiving) professional advice.

At the opening reception, I ran into Kristen Vitartas, a friend who works at the Ohio Society of CPAs. We chatted for a while like friends do, and then she said something that blew my mind:

“This is the first time we've met face to face!”

It took me a minute to realize she was right. Kristen and I have been sharing ideas, resources and the occasional wise-ass remark via social media for years. The realization that we had never met in person before came as a shock.

But that's the power of social media. Every now and then, you get introduced to someone you already know pretty well.

Social media is a force. It has become ingrained in the ways we work, play and communicate. And it's pretty darned cool, too.

But it's not a replacement for looking someone in the eye and shaking their hand. Social media is meant to enhance what we do, not replace it.

Keep that in mind, and the next person you meet might just be a really good friend.