A picture-perfect career
Cynthia Priest quit her day job to pursue her passion but still finds ways to use her CPA designation
What better way to mix things up than by quitting your job to pursue your hobby as a career? That’s exactly what Cynthia Priest CPA, CMA did. After more than a decade taking pictures for fun while working a nine-to-five, she knew it was time to make the switch to full-time professional photographer.
Back when Cynthia was deciding on a career path, she initially wasn’t sure if she even wanted to be a CPA. After graduating, she was torn between pursuing her designation or an MBA. “Ultimately, I decided it was better to be part of a designated profession rather than having an MBA,” Cynthia explains. “I am not a big fan of writing papers and doing my designation turned out to be much more fun!”
The designation wasn’t just more fun; it was invaluable in her previous career in banking. Cynthia worked in anti-money laundering and even uncovered a human trafficking case. While the job was interesting and rewarding, she decided she wanted to flex her creative muscles and try something totally new.
Cynthia started her professional photography business in early 2021. She had no experience being an entrepreneur, but her designation gave her many necessary skills to run her own business. “You need to learn to work outside of the business,” says Cynthia.
Thinking about her business objectively and taking a step back help Cynthia make better decisions. She is particularly excited about the big-picture thinking. She loves planning, conducting SWOT analyses, and dreaming about where her company can go next.
Cynthia didn’t expect to use her CPA designation in daily conversations with her photography clients, but that’s exactly what happened. While doing headshots for clients, she regularly discusses the big-picture strategy behind their organizations. “People find it weird that I’m a CPA and a photographer, but it piques a lot of small businesses’ interest,” says Cynthia.
For CPAs hoping to start their own businesses, Cynthia urges them to leverage their designation for networking. Since her business is mostly built on word of mouth, Cynthia understands the importance of maintaining relationships. She is still in touch with her cohort from her studies for her designation and keeps a network of makeup artists, hair stylists, and fashion designers who refer clients to each other.
She also recommends setting boundaries. “I joke that I didn’t want to work nine to five, so now I work all the time,” says Cynthia.
Making time for family and other commitments is very important. Due to the nature of photography, Cynthia often has to work evenings and weekends, but she has committed to taking Wednesdays off to take a break and recharge.
And Cynthia’s biggest piece of advice? New business owners are going to make mistakes, so take time to learn and don’t worry too much about perfection. “It’s okay to put your ego aside when you are starting because there’s a steep learning curve,” she says.