The CPA designation opens up opportunities that many couldn’t have even imagined when they were first considering following this path. The CPA career can be full of challenges, surprises, new beginnings, and exciting opportunities.

The possibilities are endless, and many CPAs have already proven this!

Read on to learn about:

• A CPA who is uncovering a clear story with forensic accounting;
• A CPA who is filling a data niche as an entrepreneur;
• A CPA who is connecting through tax as a trusted advisor;
• A CPA who is fostering innovation by supporting companies and entrepreneurs; and
• A CPA who is consulting clients who find themselves at a crossroads.

A CPA uncovering a clear story

Bailey Rivard CPA, CA•IFA, CBV, CFE, CFF decided early on she wanted to become a lawyer.

But first, she wanted the financial background to run a practice. “In about my third year, I heard about forensic accounting,” says Bailey. “I thought, ‘This might be a shortcut where I can get the benefit of both worlds, where I can really use my accounting knowledge in a more detailed, applicable way but still work within the legal side.

“So I didn’t end up writing the LSAT.”

Fast forward a few years, and Bailey has made that dream come true as a partner in the Valuations, Forensics, and Litigation Support Services group at MNP LLP. Her job is to bring the independent, objective financial story to a case.

“The CPA training on the accounting/tax side of things is extremely important, but I also have additional training on the investigative side as well as understanding Canadian law,” says Bailey. “Really, my job day-to-day is helping take complex information—accounting information, results of interviews, digital evidence—and bringing it together…so that somebody who needs to make a decision has a clear story.”

But it’s not just the “juicy scandals” you might see in the media, she says. It’s a lot more than that. Forensic accounting can include family law, estate disputes, employee misconduct allegations, bullying and harassment claims, partnership and shareholder disputes, investor fraud—and, yes, can even include the high-profile investigations that require a forensic accountant to testify in court.

Because of this, Bailey recommends any new or prospective CPA exploring the possibilities with the designation reach out to someone already doing what they might want to do.

“Reading articles about the scandals and high-profile stuff—that’s not necessarily what you’re going to get,” she says. “If you can talk to someone living the job day-to-day, that would be very valuable.”

Forensic accounting can be very rewarding, but also very tough. “You have to have a very thick skin and be really comfortable in conflict,” says Bailey. “I don’t have to love every day, but it doesn’t take long before I realize how lucky I am to have this as a career.”

A CPA filling a data niche

Jessa Aco-Kuchmak CPA has always had the “entrepreneurship bug,” as she puts it.

“I think I was in third grade, and I was already selling little accessories and bracelets to everyone I knew in the class,” she says.

After spending some time in public practice at PwC, Jessa moved to an HVAC and construction company. While there, she had the opportunity to help the company establish some data analytics best practices and realized it was not the only company that needed this.

Thus began Pontem Innovations, the data innovation company Jessa co-founded and now serves as the Vice-President of. She jumped at the opportunity to combine her entrepreneurial spirit and her accounting and strategy skills to fill a gap she noticed in the data world.

“It was clear around 2018 that technology was a growing and fast-evolving space,” she says. “Large companies are going to have the luxury of hiring developers to help them in the [data] journey, but small- and medium-sized businesses will not.”

Jessa and her business partner are committed to helping these businesses use data to implement simple and sustainable solutions to organizational challenges. “It’s really interesting in the sense that I technically don’t do accounting day-to-day, but really employ that strategic lens and that lens toward technology and data analytics,” says Jessa.

“But I think above and beyond that, the combination of accounting and technology has really proven to be effective because when I go into a room and speak about data analytics, the CFOs and controllers immediately understand what I’m talking about,” she says. “I can speak about technology in their language…. How is technology helping to save time, save money, and build capacity on their teams?”

When it comes to exploring the possibilities as a CPA, Jessa reminds new and prospective CPAs that the designation is not just one path—and it’s not even one path for an entire career. The designation is a great foundation, and it can provide a safety net for CPAs to “venture out and do interesting things,” says Jessa. “A lot of people change careers all the time. There’s a long ramp to life.”

A CPA connecting through tax

Navin Jagasia CPA, CA was drawn to the designation because it sounded exactly like what he wanted out of life—stability, job security, chances to move up, a large market of jobs, and a lot of variety.

In his very first co-op term, Navin knew he’d made the right decision. “I loved it,” he says. “It was what I like: interacting with people, different industries, getting to know all parts of a business. You become a well-rounded business professional, which is something I wanted.”

Now a Senior Tax Manager at FYidoctors, Navin has enjoyed exploring the possibilities with his designation. Realizing tax was his preferred area of interest was only the beginning. “Tax decisions affect business decisions,” he says.

Navin has embraced the opportunities to go beyond the spreadsheets and become a trusted advisor within the tax realm. “People really rely on you for advice, and it kind of catches you off guard because it sort of happens overnight,” he says with a laugh.

Tax may be one of those few certainties in life, but the way it’s done is constantly evolving. “Tax is very technologically forward in many ways, and I find that to be very interesting,” says Navin. “In contrast to 10 or 15 years ago when everything was on paper, there is no paper left in tax at all…. Tax technology is a huge field and super interesting, and one of the things I’m looking at for the future. Where does that go? What does that look like?”

At the end of the day, a career in tax—or generally a career as a CPA—is really what you make of it. “You really can choose your own [journey], so it’s important to think about what it is you like most about yourself and what you’re good at,” says Navin. “You must make the choice, and you must act on the choice.”

A CPA fostering innovation

Kris Cotter CPA, CMA knew she wanted to be in the room where it happens. She wanted to be a leader, be strategic, and be part of the decision-making process. She knew an accounting designation could help her get there—once she gave it a shot.

Kris started her university journey in science, took some time off after her first year, and then went back to school for accounting. “Before the end of my first term, I had decided I was going to pursue a professional designation,” Kris says. “It really just resonated with me.”

And her CPA journey ever since has been “dynamic,” as Kris puts it.

Over the years, she’s moved around quite a bit, building the breadth of her experience to get to where she is now—in a leadership role she essentially created. “The role I’m in has been one of the most exciting and challenging and productive,” Kris says. “I joined [Edmonton Unlimited] initially as a consultant to build the organization…from the accounting, the processing and procedure, the legal requirements to even negotiating the funding requirement with the city. That’s evolved into a permanent position.”

Edmonton Unlimited promotes and supports Edmonton as a global innovation capital. “The opportunity to make an impact on Edmonton’s economic future is super exciting,” Kris says. “But we also provide programming and support to entrepreneurs and their journey. Part of driving that economic change is providing companies and entrepreneurs with the support they need to start their ideas and then grow their companies.

“Being a part of that is super interesting, challenging, and exciting.”

Kris fell into accounting completely by chance but is proud of the career she’s built within it, and she encourages students to be open to opportunities. “Where you decide to start might not be where you end up,” she says. “I think keeping yourself open to that really keeps you open to opportunities you might not ever have seen for yourself. It might take you places and let you do things you’ve never done before.”

A CPA consulting on a crossroads

Christine Leung CPA was very certain she wanted to work in healthcare. So certain, in fact, that she got all of her pre-requisites for medicine before deciding to finish her undergrad in business. A doctor she had been shadowing told her it would be an asset in the medical field to understand how a business is run.

“At the time, I had to choose a specialization, and I ended up choosing accounting because it kept a lot of doors open,” says Christine.

And the door Christine is currently exploring is not her first love, medicine, but a whole different specialty: management consulting as a Manager at KPMG. “I describe it as being a doctor for businesses and corporations,” Christine says, revealing the similarities between the vocations. “A lot of the time, these companies have probably tried to consult all the resources that they could within the company, and by the time they’re seeking advice with external consultants, they’re often at a point where they’re at a crossroads….

“Consulting is really working with your clients to find solutions.”

Consulting can apply to almost every field, but you need the skills and knowledge to back up your recommendations. Christine’s designation helps with that part, but she did at one time consider exploring other CPA options.

“Before I was exposed to management consulting…I was exploring more traditional finance accounting–related roles,” Christine says. “When I first started at the firm, I was really open-minded and wanted to build up my skillset and allow things to progress. I think it’s interesting that certain doors opened and closed at the right times. I owe a lot to the people in my life too—like mentors and friends and family—who really helped shape my decisions.”

As Christine demonstrates through her career, becoming and being a CPA is not a one-size-fits-all experience. “I would [tell students] definitely don’t be afraid to try something new and reach out to people who have journeys you’re curious about,” she says. “Everyone is going to relate to a different part of everyone’s adventure.”