Life In Accounting - The Where Accountants Go Podcast

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  we follow Deborah Beams, CPA through her professional journey from job shadowing with Kathy Kapka, to being a practice fellow, to being a two-time winner on the game show Jeopardy!! The Variety of Audit Deborah has always specialized in audit. She enjoys and has learned a great deal by going into the field to visit clients, which allows her to see what different companies are like. Auditors get to observe many different corporate environments and cultures. Her inventory stories are priceless! From diapers to slot machines to frozen goods, she’s counted them all! Jeopardy! The process for qualifying for the game show “Jeopardy” begins with an online test. Based on your score, you will be invited to then audition. The audition consists of another written test and a practice game where you show off your sparkling personality. Deborah had to get through five auditions in order to land a spot on the show. To be successful, you must be smar

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  Fred Olivares, CPA started his career in a rather traditional way. He began his career in Internal Auditing, and in Fred’s case, he was employed by a bank. After hearing an FBI Agent speak though, Fred began some career-based soul searching. Was there more to his career than auditing?? Maybe…. Special Agent – Special Requirements Fred decided to apply with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI. That sounded exciting and he met all the eligibility qualifications. College degree from an accredited university United States citizen Three years of work experience No history of drug use Be able to obtain Top Secret Clearance – this clearance is extensive. Your neighbors, friends, and family will all be interviewed. Once you meet those, you must: Pass the written examination Pass the panel interview The total process can take up to approximately one year. FBI Work – TV Worthy Because Fred was a CPA, he was assigned to

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  Pauline Le, CPA shares how her career in public accounting led to a career in the not-for-profit world, which then led to a very fulfilling position with a commercial, for-profit company. Whatever you do, do it with excellence! Getting Your Foot in the Door If you want a career in the not-for-profit world, Pauline’s advice to you is to make sure that you completely understand their mission, vision, and values. Once you understand them, ask yourself if they are something that you are passionate about as well. If the answer is, “yes,” you are well on your way to extraordinary success. Hiring and Managing Smart Use all the tools available to you when you are considering bringing a new member onto your team. Don’t stop with simply exploring background, experience, and competency. Take the time to investigate what motivates them and what they themselves need. Life at Birkman International Pauline has been with Birkman for over 10 years now

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  Kurt Rathmann, CPA and CEO / Founder of ScaleFactor shares with us how his business model, ideology, and management style has created an extremely successful, cutting-edge company that will double in size by next year. Big Firms? Auditing? How Do They Benefit Future Entrepreneurs? Kurt started his post-college (Go Longhorns!) career at KPMG. One of the biggest lessons that Kurt has carried away from working with a Big 4 firm was the value of learning how to interact and communicate with a wide variety of people and personalities. He also learned much from his time in auditing, because you get to see so many aspects of the business and thereby learn about overall operations. Growing a Business Businesses grow when you have a passion for what you are doing. Research your passion. Find the biggest challenge or problem surrounding your field and come up with solutions. Be the one who comes up with new ideas. And when presenting ideas to cus

Have you ever considered what law enforcement and accounting have in common?  Steve Palomino has! In this podcast, Steve points out the similarities which help us to understand why the FBI and other law enforcement organizations want to hire accountants – and it’s not the math! In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Steve Palomino, shares what these two fields have in common, including technology and ideas for breaking into consulting. Transitions After retiring from police work, Steve began working as a staff accountant. In addition to accounting tasks, Steve helped to transition tasks from paper to technology. For Steve, this seemingly small improvement resonated with him. He realized that using and understanding technology would set him apart from others by giving him an additional (and attractive) skill set. From there, Steve transitioned to working with a large communication firm. His career continued progressing through working for two of the big four national accoun

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Neha Patel, CPA, CISA shares not only how she made partner at Weaver, but how she has led the Women’s Initiative for the entire firm that has (along with the Culture Committee) created a culture that thinks and speaks candidly about ways to create an amazing workplace. Versatility and Transferability Neha’s background includes technology audit. Being an Austin Longhorn (University of Texas graduate), the trend at the time was MIS. Neha pursued this as her minor, and she became a rarity because she was an accounting major with a technology background. Neha is a firm advocate in sharing with others the versatility that comes with a degree in Accounting because of the incredibly transferable skills that accompany it.  Her diverse background allowed her to join Weaver as a manager, which is unusual given that Weaver generally grows their management team from within. She has been with Weaver now for almost a decade. Traits of Supportive Tea

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast,  Donny Shimamoto, CPA, CITP, CGMA shares his career journey, which is unique as it has been heavily focused on technology and business intelligence. Additionally, Donny also reveals what his life is like as a business owner, consultant, and public speaker! Formal Education Donny’s track in college was influenced by one of his early supervisors in an internship opportunity. That individual had a double major in Accounting & Management Information Systems and encouraged Donny to look into a similar path.  After college, his first job was with Coopers & Lybrand and the double major paid off in that he worked in a dual track handling jobs in both financial and information technology audit. If after listening to this podcast you find Donny’s career path interesting, consider Donny’s advice... take an accounting information systems course, a database course, and one basic programming course. A Glimpse Inside of Donny’s World Donny spends his d

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Danielle Supkis Cheek , CPA, CFE, CVA. Danielle has been recognized by CPA Practice Advisor on their 40 Under 40 list for four consecutive years, has been the recipient of the AICPA Outstanding Young CPA Award, and was also named twice as one of the Most Powerful Women In Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor. This podcast is jam-packed with exceptional information including the following: Risk Management for Firm Owners When you own a firm, it is prudent to have a practice continuation plan so that your team and their families can still thrive should something happen to you as the owner. Many firms can make “handshake deals” with like firms. If you are unable to find a like firm, you may need to look to a larger firm to step in if it is ever needed. No matter which way you go, make sure that you have a plan in place. Accounting is for the Cool Kids Some people think of accounting as dull, but not Danielle! She finds it exci

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Dena Jansen, CPA who candidly shares from her heart what she has learned as she has grown throughout her career from her first internship with Arthur Anderson to beginning her own business, which allows her to follow her dream of encouraging and inspiring others, igniting their curiosity, and arming them with confidence. Things Worth Looking For Dena started her career while still in college – she’s always worked. She graduated college and began working with a local firm who she connected with by way of one of her professors, Dr. Robert Freeman, with whom she worked as a graduate assistant. She enjoyed the government accounting and it was flexible enough to allow her to study for the CPA exam. When they left Lubbock, Dena joined Deloitte and she continued to grow. An interesting thing that she learned was that she really loves and enjoys people. She also learned that you need to find a niche early in your career, along wit

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Juan Carlos Almanza, CPA, CTA, CVA, of Almanza CPA Firm, PLLC, a San Antonio accountant and businessman who has enjoyed tremendous growth in his practice over the last few years. Growing Up on Both Sides Juan Carlos grew up in both Mexico and Texas. He was a Texas student by day and he lived in Mexico in the evening. This diversity gave him the natural ability to be flexible and see different points of view. He knew early on that he wanted to study accounting. Raising the Bar Juan Carlos worked for two firms early in his career. He was doing some bookkeeping as side hustle (two clients), and he had a friend who designed a website for him for this side work. Unfortunately, moonlighting was not permitted by his employer. Juan Carlos was told he had to make a choice - his employer or his side work. Juan Carlos followed his instinct and decided to leave his employer, and within a few hours of that decision he was able to get

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Dana McCartney, CPA a Tax Partner with Maxwell Locke & Ritter (MLR) out of Austin, TX. An undergrad graduate of Texas A&M, Dana was originally pre-med but switched to accounting as she saw it as a better long-term fit for herself. Dana then obtained her Masters in Taxation from the University of Denver. Life at MLR Dana started with MLR as a part-time employee, and over the years her schedule and workload gradually increased and she became a full-time employee. She works remote approximately three days a week and works from the Austin office two days a week. Remote working options are commonly supported at MLR. MLR has approximately 100 employees and they work primarily with closely-held middle market companies and high net worth individuals. They are the largest local accounting firm in Austin. Working with an Award-Winning Firm          MLR was named as one of the “2017 Best Firms For Women” by Accounting Today. Dana

In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, we speak with Edie Cogdell, CPA and Comptroller at the University of Incarnate Word. Edie will address questions such as which certifications are most valuable in accounting, and whether to consider first pursuing public accounting or industry early in your career. Education and Early Career Edie obtained a double major – Accounting and Finance from Baylor. Her first position after graduation was working as an Auditor for Arthur Anderson in Houston (one of the big eight at the time). She was offered this position because of her participation in mock interviews that were set up through the college. Edie had the opportunity to explore many different roles and types of organizations as her husband was transferred frequently in his job with the State of Texas. These public accounting roles provided a great foundation for her current role as Comptroller at University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), a role which she has held for almost 20 years

What does it take to become an investments expert? In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Doug Ward, CPA, and Chief Investment Officer for USAA shares his insight on this and other career-related topics. Doug began his career in real estate. This was his chosen career at the time, but with changes in that field in the mid-80s he decided that he needed to find a field that would create a more secure future for himself. He got a double degree from UTSA in Finance and Accounting to ensure he was always marketable. However, his real estate experience paid off in that it helped him land a job at USAA. He worked as an account representative during the day and continued to pursue his education in the evening. Following graduation, Doug obtained his CPA license as well. A Day in the Life of a Chief Investment Officer Once he began working in investments with USAA, he found great joy in managing the organization’s assets. Doug’s days include the meetings that we would expect, but the

Is it possible to completely change careers and built a successful new career in accounting? What is the difference between working for a public accounting firm and the public-sector? What certifications are most desirable? In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Amy Barrett, CPA shares her expertise on these topics as well as her experiences transitioning from Macy’s to public accounting with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC) to the public-sector with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Auditing in a Public Accounting Firm Public accounting and auditing allows you to learn about different industries and company performance styles. You can see what works well and what may need improvement. Amy focused on higher education while she was with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC) in the Boston office. She got her first experience with investment auditing there. She moved to Austin later and decided to leave public accounting at that point. Auditing with the Public Sector Amy accepted a posi

What is it like to be the CFO of a smaller organization? In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Ryan Bartholomee, CPA shares his insights and experiences as the CFO of Shenandoah Petroleum Corporation. Early Career Decisions Following his dad’s career path, Ryan knew early on that he wanted to pursue his CPA. Ryan attended and graduated from Abilene Christian University. His undergraduate degree was actually pre-med, but then he decided to sit for the CPA exam quickly after graduating. His original thought was to possibly work in the medical industry as a financial professional, but after college he ended up selecting a public accounting auditing position instead with Elms, Faris & Company LLC. While all the organizations that offered him positions were attractive, location was a big factor for Ryan. He wanted to work near his family and therefore chose Elms. Character Displays Early After about three years, he was recruited to become the CFO of Shenandoah Petroleum Corporat

In the fluidity and unpredictability of today’s market, what are the best practices that you can employ to build your reputation as a person of high value and excellence? In this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast, Clay Killinger, a highly-regarded finance & accounting executive that has spent his career with publicly-traded firms such as Valero Energy and CST Brands, provides personal insights and experiences that have helped him -- and will help you -- to do just that. Walk in Integrity If you really want to make yourself invaluable to your employer, it begins by walking in integrity. Always do excellent work and be a team player and leader people can count on and trust. Fearlessly ask for additional responsibilities. Do not wait for projects to be assigned to you. Rise to Challenges When you start asking for more responsibilities, keep in mind that these tasks and projects will be challenging and require a great deal of effort on your part. Execute these tasks with the highes

Miss Fiesta 2017 and recent UTSA graduate Carla Juarez, joined us for this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast to discuss her insights for landing a rewarding position in accounting as well has her experience becoming Miss Fiesta 2017 in San Antonio, Texas. Mastering the Recruiting Process Be aware of how the recruiting process works. Carla knew that she would have to interview but was not aware of the formal “recruiting season” so she missed out on a few interviews initially. However, once she realized what was happening Carla applied for every position that she saw in Handshake, UTSA’s student career portal.  She landed five interviews and accepted a position with PWC. Get involved The highly desirable positions generally go to the students who are involved in activities that provide leadership experiences and stem from the individual’s passion. Carla was very active in student government, which gave her the leadership experience that employers are looking for in employees. She e

Stewart Goodson, Executive Director of Tax with Ernst & Young (EY) joined us for this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast to discuss how EY is using robotics! Early Background Stewart knew after the first day in his high school accounting course that this would be his career path. After high school, Stewart worked full-time and went to UTSA full-time.  Upon graduation he joined EY because he liked the people and the culture, and he has been at EY ever since. He enjoyed working with the clients and he knew he wanted to focus on tax.  Since 2000 he has been in the role of Executive Director. Setting a Path When computers were becoming common place, Stewart saw that this was going to be a valuable tool so he became the tax department’s technology champion. The firm decided to put in a network, and while he wasn’t a computer programmer, Stewart knew how to ask the right questions and this led to his team doing the initial design. Robotics! EY has been involved with robotics for about t

Sarah Elliott, CPA, ACC, who was named one of 2017’s Most Powerful Women in Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor, joined us for this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast to discuss what can happen when you dare to dream. When the Shoe Fits….and the Hard Hat Doesn’t Sarah studied Chemical Engineering in school, but after taking an Introduction to Accounting class, she felt it was a better fit than engineering so in Spring of her senior year of college she changed her major to accounting. Graduating with 186 hours, she took her CPA exams as quickly and went to work for one of the Big Four. Sarah joined the Austin PWC office in the auditing group, and she stayed with them for ten years. Her longevity with one company provided her with great experiences and benefits, such as career progression, cool accounts, and the opportunity to explore many other responsibilities. When Sarah left PWC (a gamble on her part), she joined a smaller company. She made partner, which was her goal, and she

Dr. Holmes PhD, CPA and Dr. Lui, PhD, joined us for this episode of Life In Accounting: The Where Accountants Go podcast Two professors with the prestigious Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas have conducted research regarding student perception and engagement in the accounting field and professional organizations. Their findings were presented to the San Antonio CPA Society in a report entitled, Student Perceptions of the Accounting Profession and Professional Associations. Their findings are fascinating, especially for people who hire recent graduates or want to increase student and young professional participation in professional associations. This report is a must-read for anyone in these roles or with similar responsibilities. For Employers… You already know that young professionals are not likely to stay at your firm for ten years, let alone their entire career, so what can you do to attract and retain the best and the brightest? These days employers providing excellent working conditions are a