I originally thought I wanted to be lawyer because I was really good at objecting with my three brothers and two sisters. Since both my parents were accountants, I decided to give the profession a shot. I was hooked after my first accounting class; the accounting concepts, solving problems and balancing the books became an interesting thrill, so I stuck with it.
Armanino’s culture, people and leadership enticed me to join, while the firm’s values are what anchored me for the long haul. The firm’s core values, wickedly smart, empowerment and positive energy, have been integral to my experience at Armanino since day one of my internship in 2007. And now, to have the firm invest in me and allow me to move quickly through the partner track has been a great testament in their belief in their people and paying off those core values.
I think the workforce of today will become more geographically dispersed to allow for industry flexibility surrounding costs and day-to-day activities. I’m seeing a trend with my clients’ core accounting teams dispersed all over the U.S. through technology adoption. As communications technology continues to advance, more accountants will be working outside a dedicated office space, with access to a breadth of resources and the ability to tackle more thought-provoking challenges. The client environment will change, but the client-accountant relationship will strengthen through advanced means of communication.
enjoy working with a venture-backed SaaS firm because of my role and how my expertise has been received and utilized by the client. I’ve been working with this company, which operates a platform to help companies create a better customer experience, for more than five years; I’ve seen them grow from a startup to market leader and continually evolve. I’ve been able to help them streamline processes, identify areas of development, and solve improvement points as part of their business growth, and it has been truly gratifying.
Without question, my mother is the most influential person in my life. She came to the U.S. from Vietnam with absolutely nothing to her name, she paid for her college education and worked her way up the corporate ladder – all while raising six kids. Among other things, she’s taught me the practices of being diligent and intuitive, and I’m thankful for her.
You need to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing first, in order to build a foundation. Everyone wants to work fast and efficiently, creating the perception that they’re good at their job, but that method won’t set the future up for success. Don’t be afraid to take your time in the beginning of your career and always ask questions to understand the work you’re doing. With time, speed and efficiency will follow.