The CPA MOMS Podcast

Among the countless number of things that the pandemic of 2020 has changed, one of the biggest shifts is where people now get their work done. If you can get your work done remotely, a lot of companies are not only happy about it, but are requiring it. Due to everything happening in the world, working from home may become the new normal for more people than ever before, whether you like it or not....

No matter where you live, the subject of shame is being addressed in a more global way than ever before. Social movements like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, have had us all facing situations from our past that we may have wanted to keep hidden and the unconscious beliefs that we may now need to address. Since shame is having such a global moment, it's also time to take a look at it on a personal l...

Every CPA has a story - we all have a journey we've taken to get us to where we are. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Caroline Van Wassenhove, CPA, a member of CPA MOMS for over 3 years. Caroline reached out to CPA MOMS CEO, Mayumi Young, CPA for some guidance on expanding her small practice and never anticipated how much she and her business would be able to grow in such a short amoun...

Have you ever noticed that you gravitate towards articles, stories or shows that promise to teach you how to do something. You may not know this, but when creating a title for a blog, podcast or anything else that you want to capture people's attention, using "How" in the title is highly recommended. The reason is because we all have the desire for more, especially more knowledge when it comes to...

I don't know one person who isn't being affected in some way or another by the current social and economic challenges we are facing. As the saying goes, the one constant in our lives is change, and it seems like we have all been thrust into a giant wave of change lately. On the one hand, I don't think any of us were truly prepared for such immediate, drastic and unwanted changes. On the other hand...

If you have a desire to leave your job and be your own boss, you are at the right place and time in history. Never before have there been so many opportunities to go out on your own, especially as an accounting professional and working mom. Just the thought of not having to deal with a difficult boss, having your own clients to service and being able to make your financial goals a reality can be e...

Do any of the following sound familiar? It's probably not going to happen, so why bother I don't know if I can do it I just can't take the risk I can't handle the disappointment if it doesn't work out What will people think? I'm going to wait to see what happens before I do anything Things like this just typically don't work out for me For busy, often perfectionist, accountants like us, it can be...

If I asked you what you want right now, how easy would it be to give me an answer? Would it be easier for you to tell me things you want for your children, for your family, for others or for the world? When we become mothers, we are so strongly conditioned to make sure our children are taken care of physically and emotionally, that we can wind up one day having no idea what we want for ourselves....

How's your bank account balances right now?  Have you looked at your 401k lately?  Are your clients freaking out, scrambling for help with loan options?   Right now many people are understandably experiencing a lot of fear around money.  The economy is going up, down and all around, like a vomit-inducing roller coaster that we never asked to get on.   We are all looking at our 401k's, investment a...

What happens when you become the main breadwinner in the family whether by choice or not? How is this current pandemic affecting the typical roles of caregiver and breadwinner? In this fascinating interview with award-winning journalist, Jennifer Barrett, we discuss the shift in the role of breadwinner, how mom guilt needs to be addressed more than ever and how we can redefine what being a "good m...

As a CPA in public accounting for over 30 years, I have lived through many financial crises; some were blamed on accountants, while others were helped by accountants.  However, this current health and financial crisis is like nothing many of us have ever seen during our accounting careers.   This pandemic is being felt by everyone, no matter where you live on this planet, or what you do for a livi...

How's your level of anxiety right now?  If you are like most people, this COVID-19 pandemic is not making it easy to keep calm, feel safe, take care of your family or get your accounting work done.   Everywhere we turn, we are being updated with statistics of people getting sick and dying, of businesses closing and of stricter precautions to take in order to keep our families safe.  The planet is...

Why does it seem like some people can take life's challenges in stride, while others are brought to their knees?  Life can seem like a series of blindsides, but what makes it possible for one person to cope calmly and rationally, and another person freak out over the same situation?   The key is resiliency and it's never too late to learn the skill.  No matter what challenges you're facing, resili...

What's it like to be a 2nd generation CPA mompreneur?  What does it take to never give up on getting the designation of CPA, even if it means achieving it 15 years after you passed the CPA exam?    Every female CPA has a story and Heather's is fascinating. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Heather Satterley, CPA.  Heather is a second generation CPA mompreneur and shares her unique journ...

Whether you feel stuck in your current job, your marriage or in indecision about a host of other things, feeling stuck is a very common problem, especially for working moms.  The struggle to make the right decision for yourself and your family can create an overwhelming sense of pressure, confusion and frustration.   Saying things like "I don't know what to do" or "I'm not sure about this" is so c...

Have you ever woken up and just felt off?  Or you've woken up in a fine mood and then all of a sudden you're feeling blah, and you can't put your finger on it other than to describe it as being in a funk?   As working moms, we all go through funks now and again.  Sometimes you start off the day feeling tired, checking your phone and seeing 20 emails waiting for you and the kids aren't being cooper...

As accountants we know all about managing other people's money, as well as how to help them make more and keep more of it.  But what about you? Would you like to make more money?   That's not a trick question - do you honestly want to make more money?  The reason I'm asking is because I can show you how to make more money, but you first have to be clear about why you have the money you currently h...

Have you ever noticed that your female brain likes to talk A LOT!  The constant conversations going on in your brain are mostly unconscious, but are as busy and noisy as Grand Central Station in Manhattan at rush hour.     On the one hand, there's nothing wrong with having an inner dialogue because it's just your brain's way of interpreting and processing your daily experiences.  It's the way your...

Every female CPA has a story - we all have a journey we've taken to get us to where we are now. Not only is Jen's CPA journey fascinating, but she has a lot to share about how CPA MOMS® works and how it can help talented CPA's as well as the businesses that want to work with them. Jen didn't have a "typical" road as a CPA. She didn't start out thinking she wanted to be an accountant and didn't ini...

On the surface it would appear that self-confidence shouldn't be an issue for accountants; the inherent combination of intelligence, respect and professionalism, should make self-confidence a non-issue. As an accountant and a mom, you should have even more to be confident and proud of, and should be strutting around like a proud peacock. So, since on the surface it would appear that self-confidenc...

Is it just me or does it seem like wherever we turn, there's another story of tragedy or loss?  Whether it's news of accidents, children being mistreated or animals being abused, my mind seems to be having a battle between finding gratitude and allowing gut-wrenching sadness.   Unfortunately, no matter how positive you may try to be, pain is just part of the human experience.  There are going to b...

For accountants, busyness seems like a necessary part of the job; like having a computer and a calculator.  An accountant who isn't describing themselves as busy is looked upon as either lazy or in trouble.   A typical busy day as an accountant and a mom often starts with waking up and already dreading the busy day ahead, walking into the office and getting hit with other people battling busyness...

If you've ever been told that you think too much, but not in a good way, there's a reason for that.  Your female brain is significantly more active than a male brain, especially in the areas involved in impulse control, focus, mood and anxiety.   So it's not just your roles as an accountant and a mom that causes you to overthink; your female brain is wired for it.  This can make it difficult to re...

As an accountant you deal with risk and uncertainty every day as part of doing your job.  You are called on by bosses and clients to make predictions about how various trends will affect their financial success, based on constantly changing information, in an ever-changing world.   As a mom taking care of your family's needs 24/7, you also have to deal with countless things that you are unsure of....

Last week I discussed the increase in women-owned businesses and some challenges for CPA Mom entrepreneurs.   Many smart, driven CPA Moms are choosing to go out on their own for various reasons and creating businesses that are a reflection of who they are and how they want to be of value to their clients.   But even with the growth of CPA mompreneurs, the vast majority of CPA Moms are employees, m...