The emergence of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence is going to make a profound impact on the auditing and accounting industry as a whole. The firms and individuals who don't adapt to this new technology are definitely going to be left behind.
Machine learning and the capability of machines to do accounting for you is going to revolutionize the industry. We may still be years away, but we need to recognize that it's going to move accountants away from traditional accounting functions and into more of an advisory role.
I’m not the biggest fan of stock-based compensation expense calculation. I don't see the value in it for the users of financial statements. It's one of the more complex and time-consuming calculations that you have to do, and is especially burdensome for small private companies.
I really enjoy working with clients who are looking to form a collaborative relationship with me for the long term. I like being challenged, and working with clients that challenge me with rapid change in their business is something that brings me a lot of joy.
I try to be very collaborative in every aspect of my job and make myself available to my team 24 hours a day. I like to empower my staff and the people who I work with to take control, not only of their current job, but their careers as a whole.
With clients I try to be as efficient as possible. I realize that they have other jobs to do besides assisting in the audit process, and I want to prioritize things so we can be as efficient and effective as possible with their time. We're very collaborative with our clients—we like to work upfront with them to make sure there are no issues or surprises at year end.
My parents are the biggest influences in my career and my life. My dad taught me the importance of hard work and how it can pay off over time if you persevere. My mom taught me how to be a good person, live my life the right way, and be kind to people.
Professionally, one of our partners, Dan Bowen, took me under his wing after just nine months on the job. He’s taught me everything he knows over the past 12 years and has molded me into the partner I am today. Honestly, I couldn’t have gotten here without his guidance and support.
One of the big things I always tell aspiring accountants is to pass your CPA exam as early in your career as possible. The longer you wait, the more responsibilities in your life, the more challenging your work gets and the less you have that desire and focus to sit and study.
