Monique Hoyer

The driving force is definitely putting in hard work. My family and my children have been my biggest motivator, so I always want better for them. I always felt like since I didn't go to college, that I could show them that you can become something, even without the piece of paper. I wanted to prove that hard work and dedication can lead to success regardless of formal education.

I'm always a person that thinks you shouldn't take anything too serious. I know it's work, but we're all living life still. The best career advice I would give is don't take things personally. There's a lot that school can't teach you - a lot of things that happen in life that you just don't learn from school, that you can only learn from living life.

I would say I always tell people to leave work at work. Don't take it home with you. It's important to definitely have a work-life balance. Just hard work does get recognized, so always put your best foot forward. I think that the accounting field is a growing field, and it just takes a lot of patience. You need to really be kind and really know how to speak to people, because in accounting, there is still quite a bit of customer service involved. You have to be firm, but you can be firm and also kind, which goes way further than being aggressive.

I think one of the best opportunities is that every company is going to need an accountant. Every company is going to need someone in accounting to keep track of their finances and stuff. I think that accounting will always be needed. Some of the biggest challenges is learning that in accounting, there is still quite a bit of customer service that you have to have to deal with customers. I would say that's the biggest challenge - it requires you to really be kind and really know how to speak to people. You have to be firm, but you can be firm and also kind, which goes way further than being aggressive.

Being a person of integrity is most important to me. Honesty is crucial in everything I do. I also think people can be loving in their professional and personal life. It's always important to be kind and caring to people in all aspects of life.