Dear Accountant: Stories, Advice, and Explorations

Full disclosure… I am one of the professionals profiled in DEAR ACCOUNTANT; however, I want to use this opportunity to reach out to the young professionals considering careers in accounting and finance. After graduating college with a degree in marketing I thought I’d made a HUGE mistake. Turns out it was the best move of my life because it laid the groundwork for me to be successful beyond my dreams. I wish I had had this book during those years.What the author has done is to find successful professionals who have similar stories of doubt, struggle, defeat and failure. The professionals profiled in this book all have different stories, but all share a common theme: They were committed to their goals and outlined strategies to achieve them… even in the face of almost certain defeat along the path. Each of them identified the mountain they intended to climb and persisted until they made it.Truth be told, many of us who have achieved success are still climbing… and totally loving the journey! I’m 70 years old and still working hard every day at something I love! Isn’t that what life is all about?If you have someone in your life who might fit the bill… maybe struggling to find their place in the world, I’d heartily recommend this book to guide them into a different realm of thinking about their futures and what they can achieve. There is a reason that the overwhelming majority of people never reach their goals and ultimate potential…because it’s hard work.I have been mentoring young accounting professionals for over two decades and, I have recommended this book to them. I know they will buy it and not only read it but use it as a reference source whenever they feel they are not achieving their goals… because those days are out there. But the smart ones know that obstacles lay ahead for all of us. Most don’t achieve their goals, not because they are not smart enough, or don’t have the right degree… but because they stop trying.You can read about my own career and see what I mean. A marketing major who decided at the age of 30 to go back to college, earn an MBA, pass the CPA exam and join one of the largest firms in the world (The Big Four). Ten years older than my starting class and only 9 credit hours in accounting I became a very successful partner with my firm and still enjoy that success well into my retirement.Buy DEAR ACCOUNTANT and get motivated to achieve anything you can dream of!

Cecilia is a powerhouse, someone I look up to as a first generation low income immigrant. I first saw her on TV talking about Asian representation few years ago, love her viewpoint and authenticity. I have been following her work since. I was an economic major, but switched to accounting and data science because of her book and podcast. This is a life changing work with 20 stories of influential leaders like herself. It's shocking to see someone who is multitalented and high ranking executive to be so kind and humble. I wish to be like her some day. I struggle all my life, as an asian girl, Cecilia's work gives me a lot of hope about my future. I sincerely thank Cecilia, and I hope to meet her some day to listen to her inspiring keynote live. Thank you!!

Maybe less of us are choosing accounting in recent years as a major or career. Cece is here to change that through the power of story. If you are interested in it, but don't know if you're the accounting "type," this book is for you. There is no accounting "type." Accountants come in all types. Through the stories of her inspiring collaborators, Cece shows you that no matter what "type" you are, the possibilities are vast, and there are all kinds of walks of life and career paths you can blaze as an accountant. Learn about the profession, learn about the people, learn about yourself, and you'll feel ready to go do the work. Highly recommend!

The title of the book is Dear Accountant, but the book is so much more than just people who chose accounting as their career. It's a book about how people achieved their goals no matter what their background was and how they overcame obstacles and eventually found their path. You can start with a marketing degree and end up liking accounting and become a partner of big 4 accounting firm. You can start with an accounting degree and develop an interest in IT and become a finance and IT leader in Oracle! Just like Steve Jobs said, "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward." I recommend this book to any young professional who is trying to figure out what to do with their life. You will benefit from the stories even if you are not an accountant.

In full transparency, I am one of the featured stories in the book and wish I would have read it 25 years ago as a young accounting professional. As a first-generation college grad with an accounting degree, I came from a family with no connections or experience in the accounting profession or in corporate America. I had no idea what to expect or what I could get out of a future career with my degree. What is so great about this book is the sincere and insightful view into the lives and career of 20 different professionals who have charted a myriad of paths to their version of success. An indispensable tool for anyone is the opportunity to learn from failures and mistakes of others. I believe this book is an excellent opportunity to gain a glimpse of what is possible with a career in finance and accounting.- Anthony Menendez

I love the book “Dear Accountant” by Cecilia Leung, CPA. She shares stories about 20 individuals and demonstrates the vastness of career opportunities someone might have with an accounting background. The book shares incredible advice and enlightening stories of the path’s others have taken in the accounting realm. This book should be required reading for accounting and finance majors in college. Even seasoned accounting professionals will find inspiration in this book from others who made multiple pivots in their career. My key takeaway from the book is those who have a passion for accounting (or business in general) must be willing to take risks and be open to new challenges and opportunities. There are many rewarding career paths within the accounting discipline.

I enjoyed reading this book...an insightful and candid look into the careers and life experiences of people from the accounting profession. I think this is a worthwhile read especially for people early in their accounting careers as it is eye opening to see how many different directions an accounting background and skillset can take you!

Thank you for beautifully articulating your journey. It made me reflect on my own. I loved it!

Anyone in the business or financial sector seeking encouragement, creative examples to overcome obstacles, mentor ship or simply appreciate the inspiring paths a career can take, will enjoy this book.