14 years ago I started off my career at BaCo Group while I was attending a master's program full time. At the time I didn’t really see a future for myself at the firm. I didn’t mind the work, and I really liked the people, but I was young and I wanted more than what BaCo could offer me at the time. After my third year there, I started navel-gazing other larger more reputable firms and was blinded by what other CPA firms were doing, like company-paid shopping sprees and fancy holiday parties, etc. When I graduated from my master's program, I had the opportunity to pursue my newly found affection for bigger firms. 

I moved back to California where I grew up and I knew I wanted to work my way up the public accounting ladder for the purpose of gaining the respectful title of partner. Little did I know that when I actually got there, it really wasn't what I was expecting.  

I initially became a CPA because it allows me to be part of the most important and intimate part of a person’s life, which is their finances. I became a CPA because I care. Someone once said, “Once healthcare became about making profits, it no longer became about care.” And I feel the same is true with the accounting firms of my past (and hopefully your past).  

In fact, I had my future partners telling me the sweet spot of being a partner is not the 30 years that you are a partner struggling to service clients. The sweet spot of being a partner is when you build up this big asset (or what we call a book of business), and then sell it off to somebody else who will pay you out over the next five to 10 years for your retirement. It didn’t take me too long to realize that I was being groomed to be a non-equity partner to handle the partnership liability of a retiring partner (and the equity partners who remained). 

And that got me thinking, is this what I really want to do? Sure with a bigger firm, I was able to travel and experience some pretty awesome company parties, but I never felt so empty and disgruntled. When I looked back at all the companies I've worked at, the most genuine place I have ever worked was the place I started. There wasn’t glitz or glamour to BaCo Group. We weren’t notorious like the firms of my past, but BaCo Group was genuine. We don’t treat clients like a number or a means to our own selfish profit. We treat customers like people who see the value in partnering with a CPA who cares. 

I left BaCo Group because I wanted to chase my pride. I came back to BaCo Group because I needed that humble reminder that I became a CPA because I care and I wanted to continue that same culture of care not only for the customers we served but for our employees who help create those experiences.  

So if you are a client of another CPA firm and you continually feel like you have been treated like a number year after year, know that BaCo Group exists to transform your perspective of what a customer-CPA relationship should look like. Or if you are a disgruntled accountant who is tired of being a means to someone else’s end, know that BaCo Group is looking to transform the industry’s perspective on what your career path can look like either here, or we can help empower/mentor you to venture out on your own. Regardless of where you are at in your business or career, we at the BaCo Group are here to help.