Nonprofits are always going to be dependent on a healthy donor base. The ability to secure loyal and long-lasting donors is going to be more and more important as we see the number of new nonprofits increasing. Your cause needs to be able to reach people on a personal level in order to succeed. We’re also going to see the smaller nonprofits who struggle for donor dollars aligning themselves with larger nonprofits who have similar goals, with the possibility of mergers. Since nonprofit mergers are much different than for-profit corporate mergers, it’s important that their boards select the right leaders and retain the proper accounting advisors and legal counsel to navigate them through the process.
Leaving a stable position at a nationally known accounting firm to serve as CFO at a company preparing for their IPO. I was a 25-year-old newlywed at the time with a young family and had to decide between stability or the chance at a high reward opportunity. I took a leap of faith and went for it. While it didn’t turn out to be the home run we were hoping for, it gave me invaluable experience that I really benefited from. In fact, it helped me to better understand the challenges my clients face when I returned to public accounting, and is one of the main reasons I’m in the position I’m at today.
The opposite of a micro manager. I give instructions to my team and let them get to it. I’ve always had an open door policy and will stop what I’m doing to help the team work through a problem. We have an extremely talented staff and I trust their skills. I treat them with loyalty and respect, and I get it back from them tenfold.
Passing the CPA exam. I did it while raising a young family, and it was a huge professional milestone for me.
My dad served as the ultimate example of what a husband and father should be. He gave me my moral compass, introduced me to my Christian faith and showed me what a good work ethic looks like. He was just an overall great example of a human being.
There are no shortcuts. This is a craft that you have to take the time to learn. We live in an instant culture today, but being a great accountant takes experience and time to learn the ropes. In accounting, shortcuts can be dangerous and detrimental to your future career.
