Congratulations on being named an IPA 2024 Best of the Best firm. To what do you owe your success?
Our Centri team. It’s the people. Their work and dedication — both to each other and to our clients. We have a set of core values that we live by and their commitment to those is why we have been and remain to be so successful. And it takes every last person to do it.
What is the single biggest challenge facing your firm now?
Like many other firms, there seem to always be challenges surrounding talent, technology and the evolving business landscape. Professional service firms need to find the right people, train them and develop them. The people are out there; when we find them, we need to invest in them. Same goes for technology. AI, automation, software — whatever it is — we need to embrace it and use it as an opportunity to grow and thrive. Last year was a challenging year for the capital markets and M&A activity, which had an impact on many businesses. New challenges will arise with a new administration and regulations, but ultimately, I believe that Centri and the professional services industry is primed to support companies that propel the U.S. economy. I’m bullish on the American Way. I believe that entrepreneurs will ensure that the U.S. economy will thrive. Any bumps or obstacles in the road can and will be overcome. If you keep your head up, there will be plenty of opportunities and black swan events to capitalize on.
Where do you expect to be focusing most of your attention in the next two to three years?
We’ll continue our focus on the capital markets. We believe that the markets will come back strong, so much so that we want to be a catalyst for that return. In April of 2025, we are hosting our inaugural Centri Capital Conference. Our hope is that this event will bring together the ecosystem around — transactions-bringing together the investors and the companies — and spur activity back in the capital markets. And who better to make this event happen than Centri. We have strong relationships with everyone tied to the deals. This event will set the stage for that to happen in early 2025. This will be an event by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. I’m very excited to see the meaningful impact Centri can make.
We’re also launching Centri Lab, a platform that our firm will use to conceive, test and apply new technologies to help our business and the clients who we serve. Our goal is to be first to market with technologies that will provide solutions for our day-to-day business needs and who better to test them on than our very own business. Plus, the Centri Lab gives everyone at the firm an opportunity to contribute to ideating about these technologies.
And of course, there are many other initiatives that we will be pursuing, but most importantly we will pursue geographic expansion. Centri has a strong footprint up and down the East Coast, but we are looking forward to expanding westward.
What is the biggest and sometimes often missed opportunity for the profession?
Too often we only think about the technical deliverable for a client. And yes, that is very important. But what I think is more important than that is making an impact for our customers and ensuring that they have an overall great experience. Our job is to be an advisor to our clients, to help them — not just with an accounting issue but to grow their business and be successful. It isn’t just about creating a memo or a financial statement, it is about helping them to build and scale their business.
What was the best advice you received as a young up-and-comer in the profession?
Remember why you came here. You came to make an impact. I think about this all the time — how am I making an impact. And I’m constantly looking to learn and grow so that I can increase that impact. Whether it is for my team at Centri or our clients, my responsibility is to continuously sharpen my skills, communicate effectively and collaborate across all parties to get to the desired solution for everyone. That is how I make impact now and for the future.
What motivates you most as a leader?
As a leader, my growth never stops. Whether it’s learning more about how to lead or expanding my industry knowledge of our business or our clients’ businesses, I remain focused on being the best version of myself for the company and for our clients. At Centri, we uphold our Core Values in all that we do and as the leader of this organization, my priority is to focus on meeting and exceeding them every single day. If I lose sight of them, I would lose sight of why we do what we do and why we’ve been so successful at doing it. I will continue to reinvent the firm and how we serve our clients and team members, and I will continue to reinvent and develop myself as I lead, but I will always keep Centri’s core values- collaboration, entrepreneurialism, networking, technical experience, responsiveness and initiative — at the center of my leadership.
I’m creating a firm that will serve as a legacy for future generations. Learning, growing, making an impact — those things are key to making that legacy happen. I try to impart them on my colleagues and team too.
Where do you see the accounting profession in five years? How do you see it changing/developing and/or how would you like it to change?
This profession has a tremendous opportunity to leverage all of the benefits that technology has to offer. Whether that’s AI or automation, a software or tech stack, that will propel the profession toward being a true advisor to our clients. If we remove the tactical tasks and use technology to complete them, we could use our skills and experience to help provide more solutions, strategy and growth to our clients.
What is a business book you’d recommend to other leaders?
I love Play Nice But Win by Michael Dell and James Kaplan. We all know Dell Technologies, but this is a story of a CEO’s journey from founder to leader. I’ve taken so much away from this book — how to overcome challenges, the ability to have foresight and most importantly that building something that lasts takes a leader to do it.
What is your proudest professional achievement?
The most fulfilling and proudest achievements for me are when I see people move up in their careers and step into roles that they are meant for. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of watching colleagues begin as associates and managers and watch them become partners and executives. There is no greater feeling of success than seeing it happen. I am so proud of how our firm does from a business perspective, but when I see professional growth in the team, that is the success I appreciate the most.
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