CPA EXAM SERIES: Pushing Past Excuses

In this episode of Career Convos™ with Nikki, I’m taking it back to the beginning of my CPA exam journey. I share what life looked like right after graduating from Thee Ohio State University with my accounting degree, when the CPA exam had just gone from paper to computerized and the profession was changing fast after Enron and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX). I talk about why I started my career in industry instead of public accounting and what those first few years taught me about the real world of accounting. I moved around a lot early in my career, but each job taught me something different: from manufacturing cost accounting to joint ventures, intercompany reconciliations, and managing financial close processes. Within a few years, I went from financial analyst to accounting manager, leading a team and learning the technical and nontechnical lessons that shape how I coach accountants today. I also share what it looked like to balance all of that with becoming a mom, starting The Winston Accounting Group (now The Winston CPA Group) before I had my CPA license, and figuring out how to grow a business while still working full time. And then there’s the moment that changed everything - a conversation with a fellow board member who challenged every excuse I had for not taking the CPA exam. That conversation lit the fire that pushed me to finally start. In this episode, you’ll hear about the early years that set the foundation for everything I’ve built since. It’s the start of my CPA exam story, told the way it organically happened. #CareerConvos™️with Nikki Episode 61, Season 5 October 28, 2025 ★ Episode details: https://share.transistor.fm/s/3044cf2a ★ Additional episodes: https://www.nikkwinstoncpa.com/podcast