Life In Accounting - The Where Accountants Go Podcast

Audra Fahey, the Vice President of Tax with publicly-traded NuStar Energy, was our guest for this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of Where Accountants Go. It Was Meant To Be… One of the interesting points that came out early in the interview was that Audra was hired right out of school to be an auditor actually. As luck would have it though, she also was offered an internship in tax with the same firm for her last semester in college.  After she graduated, the firm had a need in the tax department and she had enjoyed it, so she ended up starting on the tax side instead.  It was a fortunate turn of events. With Accounting You Can Work Anywhere With her husband being in the military, they were transferred to San Antonio. One of the reasons she had decided to pursue accounting as a career in the first place was that you could work literally anywhere, and that decision paid off with this relocation.  Audra was very quickly hired at KPMG and stayed with them over a decade. Transitioning to Indu

Eric Mack, Deputy Senior Financial Officer at USAA, shared his insights and career journey with us on this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of Where Accountants Go. Marines Eric enlisted in the service at an early age – 17 to be specific. He did two tours, for a total of seven years, and then decided it was time to move out of active duty as he was newly married at the time.  However, his service didn’t stop there.  He continued in the Reserves for the next fourteen years or so.  We discuss his transition from service in the Marines to his first commercial position with an accounting firm, and he shares some valuable insight there as well.  Specifically, it’s important to find the right organization to transition into, and also that it’s important to remember that although much of your skillset transfers well, there is always more to learn. PwC, then USAA Shortly after starting his accounting career, Eric was fortunate enough to get onboard with PriceWaterhouseCoopers – actually just right

If forensic accounting is an area that interests you, make sure you listen to this episode in its entirety! Steve Dawson, a CPA in the Lubbock area, shares his 30+ years of experience in the forensic accounting area with us on this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of Where Accountants Go. Finding Your Passion The theme of finding your passion comes up numerous times in this episode. Steve initially happened on accounting as a possible career almost by accident.  He started out as a Math major, but realized that wasn’t for him so he changed to a General Business major for a while.  As Steve puts in, he was in the “introductory to introductory accounting” class when he realized that accounting was the right direction to go.  Therefore he quickly changed his major to accounting and the rest is history. Also, as he continued to work in the audit field with Bolinger, Segars, Gilbert & Moss, he realized that it was the forensic accounting area that he most enjoyed. In fact, it was the realizatio

As we release this 100th episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of WhereAccountantsGo.com, we are excited to also have just released our first book on Amazon - “49 Tips for a Successful Accounting Career”!  This book launch has been in the works for a long time, so it’s very exciting and refreshing to be able to make this announcement.  But before we get into the details there is something way, way, way more important to address… More Important Things First… Before I talk about the book, I want to say a very sincere thank you to all of our listeners and all of our podcast guests.  As this 100th episode comes out, we have crossed the 60,000 download mark and are actually close to passing the 70,000 download mark as well.  These last 2 years have been an amazing ride!  I’ve been so fortunate to be able to speak with so many successful professionals that started their careers in the accounting field. Thank you to all our listeners for continuing to join us each week to listen in on the vast variety

We get the opportunity to speak with Grant Farrell, ASA, CPA/ABV, CFF, regarding his career progression and how he got into the field of business valuations on this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of www.WhereAccountantsGo.com. The Career Funnel One of the interesting points Grant makes in the early discussion is how being an accounting major in college places you into a “funnel” that assures you excellent career opportunities if you simply take advantage of them. He actually started off in college to be a professional golfer, but then experienced some internal tension regarding his long-term plans, and then later an injury forced the decision that he was not going to be able to pursue professional golf anyway.  It was at this point that he decided to take steps to ensure his long-term career stability – and that step was to major in accounting. Business Valuation Path As we get further into the interview, Grant discusses how he was able to get into the business valuation specialty. It all

In this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of WhereAccountantsGo.com, we speak with Kim Nourie, CPA of Financial Life Advisors in San Antonio, Texas, about her early career starting at Arthur Andersen, moving through American Airlines, and then later joining her father’s firm in the financial advising industry! Quite the Journey In this interview like most, we spend the first few minutes weaving our way through Kim’s early career journey. And what variety there was!  Kim started at Arthur Andersen, but then moved into a savings & loan institution for a short time, then spent many years with American Airlines.  While the American Airlines portion of the interview was actually not the main focus, that period of time certainly was filled with a multitude of experiences.  Not only did Kim have the perk of being able to travel practically anywhere in the world at that time, she also got to see much of the company itself by virtue of the fact that she worked in internal audit.  It truly was a great

If you are curious about how to pass the CPA exam, this episode is for you! On this week’s episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of www.WhereAccountantsGo.com, we interview 5 recently-certified CPAs and they share their hard-earned insights with us on how to conquer the CPA exam! Party of 5 We were very fortunate that these five newly-certified CPAs shared their time with us – Jill, Eric, Brittany, Anna, & Veronica. We put out the call for new CPAs to come on the program in an effort to help those looking to get certified with some valuable tips, and we received many responses.  Thank you to everyone that responded and offered to assist.  We couldn’t do it without you! What we asked… You’ll need to listen to the audio for all of the content, but among some of the questions that our team of five helped us with were: What is one thing that you did that you feel led to your ability to pass? What were your study habits like? Did you take a review course? If so, which one? What did you find m

Roger Philipp CPA, the founder of Roger CPA Review, joined us for this week’s episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of WhereAccountantsGo.com. From CPA to Instructor Just as with all episodes, we start at the beginning of the story and actually the beginning of Roger’s career sounds very similar to that of a CPA firm owner! Roger started out as an entrepreneur in 4th grade selling candy to his fellow students, and from there realized that he thoroughly enjoyed business.  And with accounting being the language of business, it just made sense to take that direction in college. However, after a few years in accounting he decided that it was time to do something different. It was at that point that he decided to take his previous college professor up on the offer to become a CPA review instructor, and a new career was born. From the Ashes Rises a Leader After many years of being an instructor in his former professor’s CPA review businesses, the review course industry had become much more competitiv

For this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of WhereAccountantsGo.com, we meet with Josh LeBlanc, partner with Edgar Kiker & Cross in Beaumont, Texas. From Entry-level To Partner Josh truly has a work-your-way-up story and we were honored that he was open to sharing it with our audience. Josh’s personal situation was such that he needed to work full-time in a regular job during college, and therefore he didn’t have the opportunity to search out internships because it would cut too much into his work schedule and consequently the living he needed to make.  When he graduated with his Bachelors degree in Accounting though, then it was time to get very serious about finding that first professional position.  Josh recounts the process he went through, but suffice it to say that he was very systematic in his approach and it paid off.  He started as an entry-level staff member at Edgar Kiker & Cross, and not too many years later he was offered the opportunity to become a partner at the firm. Hurrica

In this week’s episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of WhereAccountantsGo.com, we have the unique experience of interviewing John Garrett, the self-titled “Recovering CPA” that now makes his living as a featured speaker and professional comedian. We invited John on the show for a few additional reasons though. Part of John’s focus is to make we accounting professionals aware of how professionalism can sometimes drown out who we are as individuals.  After hearing John speak on the topic of “What’s Your And?”, we just had to invite him on the show to share his message even further and to go deeper into the subject. What’s Your And? You should listen to the audio for this podcast for a more complete explanation, but suffice it to say that John’s belief is that we as accountants are truly more than just accountants. Who we are as individuals is defined by more than just our professional experience and GPA.  As a matter of fact, the more interesting items such as hobbies, passions, and even simpl

Steve Goodman of Goodman Financial was our guest for this week’s episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of www.WhereAccountantsGo.com. Success through Focus As with most guest interviews, we spend a substantial amount of time covering Steve’s career progression from starting at EY through building his own investment management business to his vision for the future of the firm. One recurring point throughout the interview though is the importance of focus.  Steve refers to it a few times in the interview, but a large part of the discussion revolves around his own hard-learned lessons involving his own businesses.  Everyone could benefit from hearing Steve recount his experiences regarding learning the importance of focus.  It’s something we all need to be reminded of occasionally. Involvement Another important part of this podcast interview is the discussion of Steve’s involvement with the state CPA Society – TSCPA. Steve has been supportive of the society and their local Houston chapter for a ver

In this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of www.WhereAccountantsGo.com, we speak with the partners at JAG CPAs in the Houston, Texas area – Joe Gallegos & Shehan Chandrasekera. A Team Comes Together Given that the firm itself is rather young – about 1 year in business at the time of this recording – we wanted to get the story of how the firm was formed and how their team came together. After only one year in business, the firm already has grown to a team of five… and they did it by building from the ground up! Systems and Trust Two of the themes that come out in our discussions are systems & trust. Systems from the standpoint that both partners believe in building strong processes and systems so that the firm can continue to thrive as the client base continues to grow.  Trust from the standpoint that they believe in giving their team the latitude to do their jobs like the professionals that they are.  It truly is a great learning and professional growth environment. Bitcoin and Crypto-Curre

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with retired Air Force Pilot, Bill Heath, a CPA who is the current Vice President of Finance, Human Resources & Administration with the Fredericksburg Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Bill’s background is quite varied which you will hear all about in this podcast. This is also an excellent episode for those looking to learn more about the tourism industry! Benefits of Working in a Small Town While Fredericksburg generally doesn’t do large conventions, they do host military reunions, large meetings, and many other convention-type events. As a Convention and Visitors Bureau employee, Bill gets to travel to larger, intercontinental cities because tourism is important. He also has the pleasure of working with positive, loyal, and creative people. Bill’s role includes planning, directing, and integrating all aspects of financial, technology, human resource and administrative functions. He also oversees the CVB facilities and

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Stephen King CPA, CGMA, and founder of GrowthForce, a leading cloud-based accounting service business for both commercial businesses and non-profits. The Value of Accounting Knowledge and a Diverse Background Early in his life, specifically high school, Stephen learned that accounting was an excellent career choice for several reasons: 1)  He would always be able to find work. People ALWAYS need their books taken care of properly, no matter what the industry is – including rock-n-roll! (Listen to the audio & you’ll see what we mean) 2) If you are trying to get a new position and you know how to read a P&L, you are much more valuable to the company because accounting is the language of business. 3) In accounting, you are key to helping companies increase their bottom line. Also, while there is definitely value for some individuals in staying with the same organization long-term, Stephen decided to take a different route

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Bob Alonzo, a former analyst with the FBI and a white collar crimes adjunct professor. Joining the FBI Bob began his accounting career in public accounting, and he has been a professor and a soccer store owner as well. Right before he joined the FBI, Bob worked for the Department of Defense where he enjoyed working in many positions such as Inventory Manager, Systems Accountant, and Accounting Auditor and Manager. When Bob decided to join the FBI (it took eleven months to get hired), he began as a Financial Analyst in the San Antonio office. He held many assignments including Administrative Supervisor, Field Intelligence Supervisor – Foreign Language Program Coordinator, and he was on the white collar crime squad team. Transferable Skills Bob learned that many of his accounting skills not only transferred well to the Bureau, but that they were also the skills the Bureau valued highly in their new team members. When you joi

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Mike Goodfriend, the founder of Goodfriend & Associates in Houston, Texas. From Audit to HR Mike was a Senior Auditor with PwC (he had some great assignments!) when he had the opportunity to conduct a training class for the audit team. While he enjoyed auditing, this class lead him to the realization that he wanted to explore some other options. He returned to school to pursue a Masters in Educational Psychology and while there started a consulting business as well. The first year in that consulting business had its challenges, so when the opportunity to return to PwC in the HR department this time presented itself, he decided to return. Goodfriend & Associates In the late 1980’s, with much more business experience at this point, Mike founded his present consulting firm – Goodfriend & Associates. He works with clients basically as a ‘teamwork engineer’ to maximize their teamwork systems and their business results. This inc

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  we speak with Isai Sapien, CPA and Chief Financial Officer of Brighton Center – San Antonio. In this fascinating and insightful interview, you will hear how Isai transitioned from a machinist, to a consultant, to a retail owner, to CFO with a large not-for-profit. The True (and Surprising) World of Not-for-Profits While no one will be surprised that it feels good to work with like-minded, passionate people driven to achieve the same goal, and no one will be surprised that for some people an organization’s mission is reason enough to work there, what you may find surprising is the climate of today’s not-for-profit world. For example, at a not-for-profit you likely will need to wear many hats. There is also a true need for talented people who want to have an environment where they can continue to be challenged and continue to learn. Another thing that you might find surprising is that many not-for-profits pay very competitive wages these

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Roderick Robeson, CPA, who shares how his unique customer service style guides him and drives success in his business. Advice Given and Advice Received Roderick has both received and given some great advice along his career journey. Some of our favorites from this podcast episode include:  - When selecting a position and company (employer), give great consideration towards the culture and find one that will complement your own personality and workstyle.  - Apply for positions with the Big Four. The experience that you gain is invaluable.  - Learn everywhere you go.  - Always be on the lookout for best practices.   Creating a Practice Creating a practice provides a unique opportunity to implement the best practices you’ve learned over time. With these in mind, you will want to begin by making a plan. Planning is obviously a crucial part of starting any business if it is ultimately going to be successful. Creating reve

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Holly Raymond, Senior Vice President of Finance with Upbring. Public Accounting Life Holly began her career working in public accounting with one of the Big 4. One of the great things about this type of work is you get to see how companies operate and function from the inside - both the great, and the not so great! Holly calls this the “gypsy lifestyle” because you are working with a new client every other week. Holly started with Ernst & Young. She loved both the people and the work. It was here that she began falling in love with the cultures of not-for-profits. After several years Holly joined Maxwell, Locke, & Ritter and as a mother, she really enjoyed their flexibility and supporting of not-for-profits. Not-for-Profit Life Holly moved to Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) Central Texas later on as a part-time VP of Finance, and BBBS allowed her to contribute as a leader, but in a part-time role, supporting a missio

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  David Sweeten, CPA and Eric Arroyo, MBA from Business Brokers of Texas share their expertise on buying and selling accounting firms and businesses in general. We have discussed buying practices as a good way to begin or grow a business a few times before (see below), but today we will get into more details of how the process truly works. Buying Considerations Accounting practices are always very valuable, and they will sell. When you have a serious buyer, the sale will happen quickly. When buying a business, make sure to explore these factors: Age of seller Accounting and tax software used Geographical area of the clients What types of clients to you want Fees currently being charged Gross income desired Why Use a Broker? The benefit of using a broker like Business Brokers of Texas is they make sure the deal is fair for all parties. A broker is available to add objectivity to the process. The process can take a while somet