A successful accounting career and embracing your heritage: let’s dive into how the two seemingly unrelated topics come together as the perfect duo for professional success. We asked three accountants to share how they bring their heritage to work every day, and why doing so helps them become more effective professionals.
What skills did your family teach you and how do you apply them to your accounting career in ways that allow you to continue your family’s legacy?
👨🏻Name:
Abel P., CPA, CPE
💼 Title:
PwC Senior Associate, Assurance (⬅️ What does this mean? They help verify companies' records for accuracy and ensure they are up to standards.)
📍Location:
Florida
Growing up, I witnessed my family's hard work, which instilled in me a strong work ethic that I carry with me in my accounting career and that has been instrumental in my commitment to delivering high-quality and timely work.
Another important skill my family taught me is how to adapt and navigate through various challenges with resilience. Being able to adapt to changes quickly has allowed me to provide accurate financial reporting and analysis in a dynamic business environment and stay updated on the constantly evolving accounting regulations and practices.
Lastly, my family instilled in me a sense of community and giving back. As a Hispanic accountant, I actively seek opportunities to support and uplift the Latino/Hispanic community through financial literacy programs, mentorship and volunteering. This aligns with my family's values and reinforces the importance of using my accounting skills to make a positive impact.
👩🏻Name:
Bridget U., CPA
💼 Title:
WilkinGuttenplan Tax Supervisor (⬅️ What does this mean? They manage the compliance, planning, and reporting of taxes.)
📍Location:
New Jersey
As the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant family, I’ve found so many ways to incorporate my cultural values of humility, kindness, empathy, and compassion in my accounting role and they’ve proven to be a strength in my professional journey.
Bringing these key cultural values has allowed me to build meaningful, tight-knit bonds with my clients, particularly small business owners. I’ve also been able to develop great relationships with my colleagues, which allows them to feel comfortable sharing feedback that I can use to continually re-envision ways to integrate new technology in the workplace, addressing common pain points and making the work more efficient, remote, and collaborative. Having a collaborative environment has ultimately led to a culture of innovation within my team, where new ideas are encouraged and embraced.
👩🏻Name:
Jacqueline L., CPA
💼 Title:
EY Assurance Manager (⬅️ What does this mean? They help verify companies' records for accuracy and ensure they are up to standards.)
📍Location:
New York
The heritage that my parents and family shared with me has definitely served as an asset and has strengthened my impact in my role. My cultural background offers me a unique perspective that allows me to approach problems and opportunities with a fresh, informed outlook.
One of the biggest skills that my parents shared with me is teaching me the Spanish language. This skill has allowed me to build close relationships with my Spanish- speaking clients through understanding their unique backgrounds and points of view and forming trusting bonds.
Rather than masking my cultural upbringing and trying to assimilate to the perceived 'right' way to show up at work, I recommend that the next generation fearlessly embrace their heritage — not only because it brings authenticity and diversity to the team, but also because it could accelerate and support professional development.
Celebrating and integrating our culture is something we do 365 days a year, whether we realize it or not. The most important skills in accounting — such as communication, attention to detail (aka care!) — come from the values our families have instilled in us. Trust that you have everything you need to succeed in accounting; your culture has already prepared you for it.
