Her Story
About Kimi
I decided I wanted to be a CPA when I was young after my high school accounting teacher noticed I'd never gotten a question wrong on an accounting exam. He recommended I attend the University of Illinois, calling it the best school in the country, and that's exactly what I did. I graduated from the University of Illinois and passed all four parts of the CPA exam at one time, which was particularly significant given that African Americans are the least represented race in the CPA profession. Thirty years ago, I founded a company that has grown to become the largest Black woman-owned public accounting firm in the country - an achievement I'm most proud of. As managing partner, I specialize in a really niche type of accounting called fiscal agent services, where I essentially serve as the outsourced CFO for large nonprofit organizations. My superpower is my ability to take difficult financial information and explain it in terms that everyone can understand, whether I'm sitting on a board, working with clients, or managing my firm. I'm passionate about breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for others in the profession.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kimi
01What do you attribute your success to?
I can attribute my success to two things. Number one, I had the most supportive parents that God could have ever given me. They always made sure that I not only received a stellar education, but I was always loved and cared for and nurtured in my home life. The second thing is my ability to talk to people in difficult situations, but talk to them in a way that makes them understand it. I'm able to take financial information and explain it to people who are not finance people, whether I'm sitting on a board explaining what the auditor means when they're saying something, or if I'm the acting CFO presenting to board members. My ability to comprehend and explain difficult financial information in terms that everyone can understand them - whether I'm the managing partner of my firm, sitting on a board as treasurer, or working for a client - that's what I call my superpower.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to any woman, number one is choose your education wisely. I watched people over 25 years of doing individual taxes make education decisions that affected them for the rest of their lives, but they were doing it for different reasons. Number two, choose your circle wisely. So many people think that when you talk to young people about choosing their circle, they just assume it's a romantic partner. I'm talking about your overall circle, whether it's your romantic partner or your girlfriend group. Choose it wisely, because it will literally either help to elevate you or drain you. So you have to choose it wisely.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think trust and honesty are really two of the most important things that I value in my relationships, whether they are social, whether they are business, whether they are philanthropic. Being able to trust the person that I'm talking to, making sure they know that they can trust me is super important. When I was younger, they say word is bond - your word is really what people pay you as a professional for, your trustworthiness. So I think that is so paramount.
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