The 2022 Top 100 People: If you were to do it over again...

December 9, 2022 10:00 AM

It's spin on the age-old question: If you could do it all over again, would you make the same choices? And it's an especially illuminating take on it, when asking accounting's leaders if they would still enter the profession today, given the number of challenges and even roadblocks that seem to be preventing the next generation from seeking accounting careers.

Specifically, we asked the Top 100 People, “If you were a young person starting your career today, would you pursue the same career? Why or why not?"

The vast majority answered with a resounding and enthusiastic: Yes! But even then, they offered caveats or ideas for how accounting can make today's young professionals equally as enamored with that career prospect.

(To see the full responses of all the candidates for the Top 100, click here.)

Absolutely. In accounting, the opportunities are endless and varied. Accounting remains the backbone of business. One cannot go wrong with proficiencies in this space. There's equal appeal and place for the person who loves "routine" or the one who seeks to constantly innovate and do new, different things.

— Michelle Golden River, owner/president, Fore LLC

A resounding yes! Despite the incorrect and unfair stereotype of accountants, we have fabulous careers because we are interesting, smart people who revel in the opportunities to continually interact with people to improve their lives. These people include clients, staff and contacts in the community. And… CPAs earn a great living, more than 99% of all people. Being a CPA is a wonderful career!

— Marc Rosenberg, managing partner and founder, Rosenberg Associates

Wright-Candace-Postlethwaite & Netterville

I would. This profession has offered me so much opportunity, and I have found great satisfaction in contributing in a variety of ways. I enjoy helping clients and working with our young professionals. I also enjoy working at the national level, helping to shape the future of our profession. Being a CPA requires equal parts of technical and people skills, and I believe it was a really great fit for me.

— Candace Wright, chair of the Private Company Council of the Financial Accounting Foundation

For myself, yes. It's been a great ride. For accountants: The best advice they can get is that their career is not about accounting. It's about helping people achieve their dreams. The best accountants already know this.

— Rick Telberg, CEO, CPA Trendlines Research, a service of Bay Street Group LLC

Absolutely, I would! I had no idea of the opportunities that existed then, and the positions I've held (including this one) would have never been dreamt by the younger me. This is part of why the pipeline is so vital. We must ensure that future generations understand the true diversity of opportunities within the accounting profession. We must be better storytellers – because we have amazing stories to share!

— Calvin Harris Jr., CEO, New York State Society of CPAs

I couldn't imagine pursuing a career that wasn't underpinned by an entrepreneurial spirit, or supporting SMBs. Inspired by my parents, I've always had a passion for numbers and tracking, even going so far as to keep a ledger tracking money in and out on a cigar box that held my money as a child. Supporting accountants and small businesses who are at the heart of our communities, and are critical to our economy, is what drives me every day. I'm grateful for the partnerships I've been able to form with other inspiring entrepreneurs and accountants throughout my career.

— René Lacerte, CEO and founder, Bill

Not sure, so many more choices today. Yes, I was always good at accounting — but I am better at building businesses — would have made a lot more money if I built a different business. More choices.

— Gary Shamis, CEO, Winding River Consulting

I would have become a consultant earlier. I tried to when I first joined Arthur Andersen out of college, but they said everyone needed to start as an auditor! I eventually found out I was born to do what I'm doing.

— Gale Crosley, president and founder, Crosley+Company

I would! I love this profession. The professionals I interact with are smart, caring and in their hearts they love what they do. They want to do the right things for clients, team members and the profession as a whole. I would do it all again for sure!

— Sandra Wiley, president, Boomer Consulting Inc.

No, I would not train as either a financial or a management accountant, as neither profession, through their current rules, principles and practices, has fully embraced sustainability as the basis for long-term value creation. If, on the other hand, there was a hybrid profession which had one foot in accountancy and one foot in sustainability, I would embark on this as the career opportunities would be without limit.

— Jeremy Osborn, global head of ESG, AICPA & CIMA

Definitely! The profession of public accounting is an amazing one. I wish I were a younger man as the opportunities I see now are so much greater than they were when I was a young man.

— Philip Whitman, CEO, Whitman Transition Advisors

Yes, but I would anticipate an accelerated rate of change and focus on my unique abilities.I am grateful for my education in economics and experience in technology as well as my degree in accounting and CPA.CITP and CGMA certifications. The profession provides great opportunities for those who are willing to learn and transform.

— L. Gary Boomer, founder, visionary & strategist, Boomer Consulting Inc.

Yes, I would. I'm very lucky to have enjoyed so many different and interesting roles throughout my career — many of which have been off the beaten path. As a CPA, there are so many things you can do, so many opportunities that come your way, and there is always a demand for your knowledge and expertise.The options are limitless in terms of the direction you can take your career and serve the communities in which you live.

— Jennifer Burns, chief auditor, AICPA

I would choose the same career path. The accounting profession has provided me with everything that I wanted in a career. However, there would be reason to pause based upon the cost of higher education – specifically, the requirement of an extra 30 credits (in any subject) to become a CPA. This requirement was not in place when I was starting my career.

— Daniel Geltrude, founder & managing member, Geltrude & Co.

If I had the chance to restart my career, I would probably go into design or communications. And while I may not choose this career again personally, I do believe it is a great time for a young person entering this field. Digitization, hybrid work models, and more modern business models, present significant opportunities for people to build a firm out of their home office, serve clients and leverage a team from across the country while doing the work they are truly gifted at. Our profession is moving away from taking every client that walks in the door and working countless hours to achieve profitability.

— Darren Root, chief strategist, Right Networks

Perhaps. To the extent being a CPA led me into other areas, then yes, I definitely would pursue the same path. The imponderable is the fact that I didn't know what those other areas were going to be when I wanted to be a CPA.

— Ron Baker, founder, VeraSage Institute

Yes, I would. My career path has been a little like Lombard Street in San Francisco, but I wouldn't change it. The respect and admiration I have for this profession and the people that make it up fuels my passion to work to make it even better.

— Rebekah Brown, CEO Maryland Association of CPAs

Like many young people today, I might opt for a degree/career path around computer science. Lots to choose from — systems, development, reporting & data analytics — but that's where the innovation, excitement and money are. Accounting experience paired with IT has been an invaluable combination, but computer science has become the starter profession of choice for so many coming out of school, and even those that have decided to minimize or forgo a four year college degree.

— David Cieslak, EVP, chief cloud officer, RKL eSolutions LLC

Yes, I think I would still want to be an accountant/business advisor, but I would put more emphasis on learning data analytics and accounting/ financial tools.

— Roman Kepczyk, director of firm technology strategy, Right Networks