Claim OwnershipB4 and After
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Description
The podcast for the short-term accountant. Hear candid stories of what life is really like in the Big 4, how public accounting compares to private industry, how to survive busy season, avoid burnout, and what options are available outside of public accounting. Break down professional walls and get advice on how to maintain work/life balance and prioritize your mental health.
Taking you on this rollercoaster are co-hosts Darlene Nacional, a former Big 4 accountant, and Keegan Marquis, CPA, who left public accounting for a job in private industry.
This podcast will take you on the journey of life at B4 and the possibilities After.
Join the community @B4andAfterPod on Instagram and Facebook
Find exclusive merch at b4andafterpod.com
Taking you on this rollercoaster are co-hosts Darlene Nacional, a former Big 4 accountant, and Keegan Marquis, CPA, who left public accounting for a job in private industry.
This podcast will take you on the journey of life at B4 and the possibilities After.
Join the community @B4andAfterPod on Instagram and Facebook
Find exclusive merch at b4andafterpod.com
46 Episodes
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Sarah Foong, ACA shares her experience of Big 4 accounting in the UK, as well as some helpful insights into Big 4 jobs outside of the traditional audit/tax route that you may find less stressful. Sarah also talks about the differences between offices in small cities vs. big cities, and her tips for maintaining your health & fitness during busy season.
Laura Watson is a CPA who quit her accounting job to go all in on her online coaching business.
Listen in as Laura shares:
What it was like working in public accounting with no interest in accounting
How to navigate your own path through your career
How to know when it's time to make a career change
What is human design, and how does it play a role in your career choices
Let's keep it casual.
@b4andafterpod
@kee.gan
@darlenenacional
In today's episode, we get a unique perspective from Graeme Chong on the pros and cons of working in the Big 4 compared to a smaller accounting firm.
Listen in as Graeme shares:
The public accounting experience & CPA requirements in Canada compared to the US
Why he didn't enjoy the work he was doing in audit
How getting laid off during COVID pushed him to change direction in his career
The biggest differences between the Big 4 and smaller accounting firms, and why he might recommend starting your career in the Big 4
The options he's considering for his next career move
Victoria D'Ambrozio left the corporate accounting world behind to go all in on her own online coaching business.
Listen in as Victoria shares:
Why she decided to go into Big 4 consulting after working in corporate finance & investment banking
Her "Quarter Life Crisis" moment which ultimately led to her quitting her job to start her coaching business
Whether she felt like she was throwing away her degree by leaving the corporate world, and what it was like to let go of her "prestigious" career
Her tips on how a perfectionist mindset may be holding back in your life & career, and how to overcome these mental blocks
Today we're chatting with Kali Youngdahl, who went from Big 4 to a small firm with just 11 employees.
Listen in as Kali shares:How she landed a Big 4 job offer coming out of a small school
The logistics of how she transferred from a large LA office to a smaller office in Minnesota (within the same firm)
Her advice for those of you who are thinking about leaving public accounting (interview tips and more!)
Wondering what options are available after public accounting? You won't want to miss today's interview with former Big 4 Accountant & Recruiting Manager Heather Ceresoli!
Listen in as Heather shares:
Her journey from public accounting to finance, and ultimately to recruiting
Her advice on when it's the right time to leave public accounting (and whether you should wait until after busy season)
The different career options available after public accounting (some of them might surprise you!)
Her advice for how to capitalize on your Big 4 experience to advance your career
Where to start if you're thinking about making a career change
Want more guidance on navigating your accounting career? Contact Heather at heatherc@taylorwhite.com
We're taking a detour from our normal accounting content to bring you an incredible story from a software engineer who found fulfillment in his career.
Listen in as Jay shares:
How he discovered his passion for computers at 16 years old, and built a career out of it without ever getting a degree
The unfair scrutiny he faced as a young developer in his field, and how this affected the way he was viewed by employers and team members
His pursuit of proving his potential, and how he landed his dream job and fulfilled a lifelong career goal
The full-circle moment when he realized the real-world impact of his work
You might not expect a heartfelt story on an accounting podcast - but trust us when we say you'll want to listen all the way through on this one.
In this very special episode of the B4 & After Podcast, we interview our co-host & producer Darlene Nacional! Darlene shares her own accounting journey, and the many projects she's been working on since leaving Big 4 last year.
Listen in as she shares:
- The unorthodox story behind landing her Big 4 internship & job offer
- What it was like being thrown onto a team without a senior
- How she handled being let go from the firm as part of the COVID layoffs
- The business endeavors she's been working on and the next steps in her journey "After" the Big 4
Are you studying for your CPA exams? Be ready on exam day with the help of Becker CPA: https://www.becker.com/cpa-review/cpa-courses-ps
Sonia Rodriguez landed on accounting after she couldn't decide on a major her freshman year of college. Hear more about her experience from Big 4 audit to industry accounting, including:
- How being a DACA recipient impacted her decision to work at the Big 4
- Why she chose to go into IT audit rather than Financial Statement audit
- The culture shock she experienced when she started her Big 4 career
- Why she left public accounting for a project accounting industry position, and how this job compared to her Big 4 experience
- How she used her extra time during the pandemic to explore her side passions
- Her advice for new accountants & how to deal with the long busy season hours
John Brzozowski landed a job in Big 4 without majoring in accounting in college. Hear more about his journey through 4 public accounting busy seasons, including:
- How he uses a 45-day Consistency Challenge to maintain healthy habits with a busy work schedule
- His participation on the firm softball team and dodgeball league
- His advice for anyone going into a Big 4 internship
Sarah Fernandez left her Big 4 accounting job after just 10 months to pursue an industry position. Listen in as she describes her career journey, including:
- The unorthodox way she was offered a job at PwC
- What it was like working 100% remotely for her entire Big 4 career
- The moment she knew it was time to leave public accounting
- Whether she would have gone into Big 4 if she had to start her career over again
Listen to Alisha's career journey through public accounting, industry, and her book-keeping business!
Listen as Grayham shares his career journey through Big 4 and how he made a career pivot towards wealth management.
Listen to this episode as our guest, Maddie, shares her career journey and how she deals with dyslexia while working in accounting.
Listen as Darlene and Keegan give tips on how to give your two weeks, relationship management and more!
Follow @b4andafterpod on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Submit your questions and topics to hello@b4andafterpod.com.
Will sharing real-life stories bring humanity back to the workplace? In this episode, Gian Power (@GianPower) shares his life-changing realizations while at a Big 4 and how he was able to launch his empathy-empowered enterprise, TLC Lions.
Listen as Jenny Tian shares her journey through Big 4 as an aspiring-comedian and how she was able to balance the corporate world while chasing her dreams.
You can follow Jenny on the following platforms:
Instagram: @_jennytian
TikTok: @nomnomjenny
Listen in as we interview our guest, Samantha, about her career journey throughout Big 4 and how she handled not being promoted to senior and dealing with a loss during busy season. Check her out on Instagram and YouTube @samanthakida !
You've probably heard of @Lets_Get_Fiscal, @TheAccountingBetch or @BigFourConfessions on Instagram and Twitter - but have you met the content creator herself? This week we have Kristin Lofgren, a CPA and meme queen who came from Big 4 audit, moved to M&A and has since moved into industry.
Listen to her career journey and how she was able to balance out creating memes while working busy seasons.
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