I can’t believe I get to live this life.
When my bff and I started articling at a CPA firm in 2010, we made a pact: we were going to be partners at an accounting firm in 10 years.
I also made a secret side promise: I was going to buy myself a Hermes scarf when I made partner.
Now, don’t ask me why a 90cm x 90cm piece of silk was going to be my symbol of “I’ve arrived! Yay! All professional goals achieved!”. I don’t know 🤷🏼♀️
Well, my bff and I both left public practice and walked different paths. Neither of us are partners in accounting firms. My bff is now a director at a multi-BILLION dollar corporation (she’s a total superstar).
I’ve had a bit of a rockier road.
If I’m being honest, I stuck around in public practice for a lot longer than I should have. I only left when my life became untenable:
I was dreading the start of my work week.
I was over-eating (and sometimes over-drinking) in an attempt to escape the pressures of my fancy job.
I was always doubting myself and my technical abilities - creating situations where I felt dumb, incompetent, worthless. #maximpostersyndrome
When I left my job, I had no plans: it was June 2021 which was basically the height of COVID. Nothing about my decision made sense to the people around me.
I didn’t know what my next steps were, but I sure AF knew they weren’t going to be made inside the (virtual) walls of my current job.
The next few months were spent travelling in France, writing in my journal, doing a ton of soul-searching, and working with a coach who helped me chart a new path. Without her, I know I would not be where I am today.
I remember the exact moment when I was sitting on my balcony in Annecy, France when the thought hit me:
“Hey! I really enjoyed my business strategy classes in my masters program. I wonder if I could do some strategy stuff on my own and help people?”
Here’s an actual picture of this moment: 👇🏻
Fast forward nearly two years, and most days I wake up and say to myself - “I cannot believe I get to live this life.”
Yes, there are challenges (obvi). When you eat what you kill, you need to kill regularly :) And managing a team - especially a virtual team - is a constant learning curve for me.
But I also get to do stuff like:
Work with clients I love to help them build big, successful businesses that are in alignment with their personal values AND make a lot of $$$
Go to Italy on a whim and work remotely for 2 weeks
See family and friends more often, and build a life with a partner I adore ❤️
Sue billion-dollar companies (haha)
Spend my Thursday afternoons at a fun restaurant with a team member, brainstorming about a new project we’re working on together
And have months where I bring in $60k+ of CASH 🤗
However, I’m most excited to share that my “new life” includes something special. Yes, you guessed it: on February 26, 2023, I got my Hermes scarf. ✨✨✨
My partner, Anthony, and I went to the Hermes store inside of Holt Renfrew in Calgary - keep in mind, I am the kind of person that walks by fancy stores, but I’ll RARELY go inside.
I think it’s safe to say that both of us felt super out of place inside of the store. But we did it: we went in, picked out the scarf, and paid (in case you’re wondering, it cost one of us (hahah) nearly $600 which I completely recognize is a lot of $$$…).
I know Anthony was (is??) a bit unsure of why this piece of silk was so meaningful to me, but it was. It signals to the world and, more importantly, to myself that I DID IT. I’M HERE.
And I’ll say it again - I cannot believe I get to live this life.
I'd love to help you chart a new path that takes you from the turmoil that you/your biz are in to a place of wild possibility.
I’m thinking time freedom ☑️
I’m thinking improved profit margins ☑️ and
I’m also thinking leveraging a team to increase top line revenue. ☑️
These are the big things that are happening regularly inside of my signature offer, The 7-Figure CEO. And I have 2 spots available starting May 1.
Are you ready to get started? Email me at tanya@tanyabuddcpa.ca and write “I’m curious” for details.
Take care and talk soon,
Tanya