Episode 50: Making a Career Change to Cannabis Accounting Late in Life (and How to Own the Transition) -- with Tom Hawbaker

Breaking into Cannabis accounting doesn’t come with an age limit. Even if you’ve been in the same CFO position for several decades, it’s never too late to dive into the Cannabis industry if it calls to you. If you’ve been on the fence about getting started in this quickly growing niche but are worried that you’re too old or have been stuck in the same rut for too long, know that you’re not alone. Many people get started in this space late in life, and end up doing really well for themselves..

Just ask Tom.

After working for more than 42 years as a public accountant, CFO, and CPA for various companies, Tom Hawbaker, at 65 years old, decided he needed a change. He was tired of 18-hour days, tired of the same clients and the same demands, and knew he needed to reignite the passion in his accounting career. He got in touch with Andrew Hunzicker of DOPE CFO and, within a matter of months, is now on fire to start helping clients in this underserved space.

Tom sat down with Andrew recently to talk about why he made his career change late in life, why he’s never looking back, and why he’s looking forward to the day Cannabis becomes federally legal,

Highlights of Tom’s story include:

Transitioning to Cannabis after decades in another industry: Tom describes the journey he took to make a career change after spending more than 35 years as a CFO in the automobile industry (and how you can make a similar transition with confidence, even if you feel you’re ‘late in the game.’)

Essential skills and strengths to help you switch gears: you can mine your past accounting experiences and personal talents to help you transfer your skills to Cannabis accounting (and Tom shares how you can even learn to love marketing if you have natural people skills).

Leverage a support system to make the leap: one of the best ways to get started is to become part of a community full of like-minded Cannabis accounting professionals, like DOPE CFO (and Tom shares how this extra peer support from the DOPE CFO VIP community has gone a long way towards helping him quickly learn Cannabis accounting in a short period of time).

Changing your life and choosing a new track knows no expiration date! Be inspired by Tom’s story to find your own path and stake your own claim in the green rush. If you want to learn more about Tom’s individual story, check out his website at www.hawbakercpa.com.

Want more great tips and insider advice on the Cannabis and CBD/hemp accounting niches?  For more info on the DOPE CFO program, text DOPECFO to 345345 for our free Cannabis Accounting Guide. For more great tips and soundbites on Cannabis accounting and bookkeeping, make sure you subscribe today to our podcast.

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