Alexia Pappas moved to Tampa with no job lined up, interviewed at ten firms, and nearly took a waitressing gig before finding the right fit. On Episode 112 of The Upstream Leader, she also tells Jeremy Clopton that she accepted a position in a department she had zero experience and no real interest in because the people felt right. That decision launched a decade-long career at the same firm. Alexia's path wasn't linear, starting in CAS despite wanting tax, discovering she knew "absolutely nothing" about foundational accounting, and spending years proving herself before making the switch. But that detour became her advantage, giving her a particularly deep understanding of her clients' operations. Now, as she eyes partnership, Alexia's focus has shifted from climbing to lifting. She talks about succession planning not as a threat but as freedom, about measuring success by fulfillment rather than just income, and about building a career where showing up excited matters as much as the work itself. Ten years in, she's still at the same firm, and for her, that's exactly the point.

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