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You wanna be the boss. Do you want everything that comes with it?
Ask your career questions. Click the “Message me” button below to submit your questions.
You show up to work everyday doing all the things like you’re supposed to. Leadership comes to you first with their questions. The people in other departments speak highly of you. Your work product is on point.
Then that voice in your head says: “If I’m doing all this. I might as well be runnin’ the show.”
I get it.
Understand that being excellent at the work and being prepared to lead the people doing it require different skills. Before you decide you wanna be the boss, you gotta understand what comes with being the person who signs the checks, hires and fires people, and gets called down to the carpet to be questioned by management.
Career Advice for Corporate Employees
I recorded this voice note voice as a candid conversation about ownership, leadership, and having enough self-awareness to be honest about where you thrive, and where you still have work to do. It’s also a reminder for you to be real with yourself about what you CAN do vs. what you’re WILLING to do in your professional life.
Play your position without feeling like you’re being played.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t address the leadership side of this. People managers have a responsibility to coach and guide employees and empowering them to pursue excellence.
#CareerConvos™️ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts focused on career advancement and corporate life in accounting, come along for the ride and subscribe below.
Leadership for the Accounting and Finance Teams
For my accounting and finance people: be curious about where your work goes when it leaves your desk - and how it got there. As the Controller, I bring my team together after month end close to review the P&L. They deserve to see what their work looked like after it left their desks, understand the questions stakeholders would ask, and learn to tell the financial story themselves.
I recorded this on the go w hands-free because (1) it was on my mind and (2) because somebody needs to hear it.
Listen to my 19-minutes of lived-in perspective on acknowledging that everybody can’t be the boss.
What are your thoughts? Be a part of the conversation. Leave a comment below.
Also: Here’s the career development article I wrote for Forbes called Do You Have What It Takes To Be The Boss?
Click here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2019/02/26/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-be-the-boss/
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
The question “Will AI replace accountants?” is showing up in accounting classrooms, conference sessions, CPE programs, firms, and finance departments.
Nikki Winston, CPA, has a direct answer: AI will not replace accountants.
AI in Accounting can support transactional work, generate draft journal entries, assist with research, help users locate information inside ERP systems, organize data, and supplement an analysis. The distinction is that Accounting work extends far beyond task completion.
Accountants interpret what happened, explain why it happened, advise stakeholders, protect confidential information, verify the evidence, and take responsibility for the work. Those obligations require organizational context, professional judgment, relationships, and human accountability.
In this episode, Nikki discusses supplemental AI versus generative AI, the risk of accepting the first output, the consequences of weak prompts, client confidentiality inside CPA firms, and the danger of allowing technology to replace critical thinking. She also speaks directly to accounting students and new professionals who are evaluating whether the profession still offers a viable future.
The Accounting profession is changing. The work that survives will demand deeper thinking, stronger communication, sound judgment, and the ability to use technology without surrendering the brain behind the work.
Learn about Accounting, tax, and NIL & Taxes services from The Winston CPA Group at WinstonCPAGroup.com.
Explore CPA exam coaching, accounting career coaching, leadership development, and speaking programs from Nikki Winston CPA at NikkWinstonCPA.com.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
In this episode of #CareerConvos™️, I’m sharing a true story from earlier in my corporate accounting career when I was the youngest and least tenured person in the department, applied for an internal role anyway, and created a one pager to help me stand out in the interview.
I didn’t get the job, but I did get powerful feedback from the hiring manager. Then my manager asked me to share the one pager with her, and I said NO.
This conversation is about managing your manager, workplace boundaries, internal interviews, corporate politics, protecting your work, and having the audacity to go after opportunities even when the odds look stacked against you. In this episode, I talk about:
A few career lessons from this episode:
Resources mentioned:
This episode is for corporate employees navigating difficult managers, workplace politics, internal interviews, burnout, microaggressions, promotion conversations, workplace visibility, and the emotional side of advancing in corporate America.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
Join thousands of corporate employees who are getting the career advice they need to navigate the dynamics, politics, and microaggressions at work from #CareerConvos™️365 Day of Career Development.
Hiring managers are paying closer attention to your LinkedIn profile than your resume, and many candidates do not realize how much weight it carries in hiring decisions.
In this episode, I break down how hiring managers and recruiters actually evaluate candidates, why LinkedIn has become a primary screening tool, and what professionals need to understand about how their profile is being interpreted before an interview ever happens.
We talk about the differences between resumes and LinkedIn profiles, how hiring managers use LinkedIn to assess credibility and fit, and the common mistakes professionals make when their LinkedIn profile does not align with their experience.
This conversation is especially relevant for professionals navigating corporate roles, accounting and finance careers, and anyone preparing for a job search or career transition.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
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.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
What happens when your job disappears, but your bills and ambition Don’t? In this raw and powerful episode of Career Convos™️ with Nikki, I talk candidly about what it really feels like to be laid off, and how to navigate the messy middle between endings and new beginnings.
From that gut-punch calendar invite from your boss and HR that changes everything to the silence that follows, this episode is your voice of reason and reminder: you may have lost your job, but you haven’t lost yourself. We get into:
If you're navigating career transition or feeling stuck after a job loss, let this episode walk with you.
Additional Resources:
The Self-Exploration Exercise - start yours for free.
Book 1:1 Career Coaching on NikkWinstonCPA.com
Let’s Connect:
Website: nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
Substack: Supercharged Self-Care
Threads: @NikkWinstonCPA
Share this episode with someone you know who's between jobs, rebuilding their confidence, or needs to be reminded that they are still that person - with or without the title.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
How do you start your day? Are you rushing from one thing to the next before you’ve even had a chance to breathe? In this episode, I share how creating intentional morning rituals - like my WOOSAH Room - transformed not only how I start my day but also how I approach my career decisions.
But let’s talk about interviews. How many times have you walked into an interview hoping they’d like you?
What if they do like you - even love you - and still lead you straight into a toxic work environment? The interview isn’t about being liked. It’s about finding out if the company is worth your time and energy.
If you’re preparing for an interview, especially as an accountant, this episode will teach you how to avoid toxic work environments by asking the right questions. You’ll learn how to evaluate company culture and ask the key interview questions that professionals often overlook.
This is the career advice you need to stop making bad job decisions and start taking control of your career development. I'm breaking down:
If you’re ready to transform your mornings, make smarter career decisions, and learn how to avoid toxic workplaces, this episode is for you. Tune in for actionable career advice and insights designed to help you thrive in your accounting career and beyond.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
Going back to the basics with the CPA exam.
Before you start studying for any section or buying course materials, there’s a very important question you must ask yourself: are you MENTALLY prepared for the CPA exam?
I’m publishing a Financial Statements Overview session soon but for now, listen to this super important conversation about getting your head in the game and get ready to beat the CPA exam. Transistor.fm
#podcast #accountingandaccountants #cpaexamreview #cpacandidate #womeninaccounting
https://www.nikkwinstoncpa.com/cpaexam
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
You’re tuned in to #CareerConvos™️with Nikki: unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build a career you actually want in corporate America. If you’re an accountant, analyst, finance manager, controller, or just trying to figure out what’s next in your career… you’re in the right place.
We talk about navigating layoffs, dealing with microaggressions, managing up, and advocating for yourself in rooms where no one looks like you. Grab your coffee, an old fashioned, or some lemon mint water and let's get into this conversation.
If you haven't already, join thousands of corporate employees who seek out my career advice to navigate the things they deal with at work everyday with #CareerConvos™️365 Days of Career Development. Each week I'm giving you a new piece of career advice plus career development resources you can use right now.
And of course as a Black CPA, I must address the accounting pipeline issues, the fear future CPAs feel about the CPA exam, and how my proven CPA exam review and coaching programs have helped CPA candidates finally pass those exams they keep failing. CPA candidates tell me my CPA exam coaching program helps them easily understand difficult accounting concepts and they appreciate my way of CPA exam review that's less boring.
You'll come across special edition episodes of #CareerConvos™️with Nikki as I'll occassionally pause (like you should at work) and talk about wellness, money, kids, entrepreneurship and more. I'm glad that you found the #CareerConvos™️with Nikki podcast and excited for you to come along for the ride.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
In this episode of CareerConvos™️, I’m sharing the story of my real job while I was working on my undergraduate accounting degree — the job I had instead of doing accounting internships. I talk about why I skipped public accounting and how that experience gave me valuable, transferable skills that shaped my career in unexpected ways.
From negotiation and empathy to real-world communication, these lessons helped me build my leadership style and succeed on my own terms. If you’ve ever felt like your career path doesn’t fit the traditional mold or worried you’re missing out, this episode is for you.
I want to encourage you to own your story and design a career that feels right for you. If you want to build your career on your own terms, this conversation is for you.
Let’s keep the conversation going at nikkwinstoncpa.com/career
If this episode reflects what you’re living through at work, book time on my calendar for career coaching. We’ll talk through the realities of your current job, what’s shifting around you, and how to position yourself for the job you love - and loves you back.
CPA exam coaching sessions are available on my CPA Exam page. I've also shared CPA exam coaching session replays, exam tutorials, and the exact steps I took to pass the CPA exam over there.
Make sure we're connected - I hang out on Threads (@nikkwinstoncpa), LinkedIn, and on YouTube.
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