Raquel Mena

I attribute my success to being pretty persistent and not giving up even when I encounter setbacks. I do get discouraged pretty easily, but I've been very lucky and blessed to have people along the way that encouraged me to keep going and to believe in myself. Had I not believed those people, even if I didn't believe in myself at the moment, I don't think I would be where I am today. My persistence combined with the support and encouragement from mentors and colleagues who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself has been the key to my professional growth and achievements.

The best career advice I've received is from my current boss: never stop pushing yourself and to have thick skin, because in order to make it in any industry, you have to have thick skin, and to not take everything so personally. This advice has been invaluable to me as I've navigated my career, especially during challenging times and when facing setbacks. Learning not to take things personally has helped me grow professionally and maintain my persistence even when things get difficult.

My advice to young women entering the accounting industry is to not take everything so personally and to have thick skin. It's important that they have a mentor and somebody guiding them, showing them how to navigate the corporate world. I believe women do need a mentor, especially another strong female to help them navigate the complexities a woman can encounter in the corporate world. Having that guidance and support from someone who understands the unique challenges women face has been crucial in my own journey, and I think it's essential for young women starting out.

I think one of the biggest challenges in accounting is to continue learning. Accounting is very repetitive by nature, so to constantly and continuously learn can be difficult. There is a point where a person can kind of max out in knowledge, and then it's like, what's next? I've discussed this with my boss, and she said I can branch out into management if I wanted, or I can pursue a higher education, like going back for an MPA or something like that. She stressed to me to never stop learning, even if it feels like in my field it could be difficult. Whether it's refining my skills in Excel, learning Power BI or something like that, the key is to never stop improving or adding to my skill set. The challenge is finding ways to keep growing when the work itself can become routine.

The values most important to me in my work and personal life are honesty and integrity. These principles guide how I approach my professional responsibilities and my relationships with colleagues and clients. They form the foundation of how I conduct myself both in the workplace and in my personal interactions.