The CPA MOMS Podcast

How much time and effort does it take to be successful at something? And how do you know you're not wasting that time and effort on something that just isn't meant to be? How do you know when to walk away or when to keep going? It might sound a bit harsh, but it's true - there is one skill that separates the successful from the unsuccessful. It's the thing that can make that happy marriage possible, have you reaching your financial goals, help you create more hours in the day, and have you fitting into that pretty dress. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss the only skill needed in order to be successful and 4 steps you can use to apply it. You can read the full show notes for this week's episode HERE

Every working mom would love to have a crystal ball in order to see how their choices today will eventually affect their children in the future. Well thankfully I can offer you that crystal ball! I had the pleasure of interviewing my two young-adult children, Kelly Goldberg and Brendan Goldberg, about what it's been like having a working mom, how my choice to work has affected each of them, and the advice they would give to working moms who might be struggling with mom guilt. You can read the show notes for this episode HERE Need some help with parenting or mom guilt? You can book a FREE 20 minute coaching session HERE

Now that tax season is over, are you feeling less overwhelmed? Even as I'm asking this question, I already know the answer - there might be less on your to-do list, but I'm going to bet that you probably deal with overwhelm on a daily basis, not just during tax season or busier times during the year. If you're anything like the accountant moms that I coach, overwhelm is like a constant hum that sometimes gets ear-piercingly loud, but never completely goes away. On a scale of 1 to 10, it can seem to reach a 10 when you're dealing with demands coming at you from a million directions, but it can also often feel like it never actually gets below a 5. Does this sound like you: You've just normalized overwhelm to the point that a level of 5 on the overwhelm scale of 1 to 10 is a welcomed relief? Where you can't even remember your life ever being below a level of 5, especially as an accountant and a mom? This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss why overwhelm is such an issue for accountants and how to make it easier to reduce overwhelm on a daily basis. You can read the full show notes for this week's episode HERE

Whether you're a new mom, or your last child has finally left the nest, most of us at some point are going to be empty nest accountant moms. It can be hard to fathom, especially when your children are young, but there's going to come a time when they will leave to start their own lives and empty nest syndrome might set in. When the time comes, not only is there confusion about what's next for your child, your relationship with your child, your relationship with your spouse, and your relationship with yourself, but there can also be a big question about what's next for you professionally as well. What does it look like for your accounting career, to now be an empty nester? What's possible now, that might not have been possible before? This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss how to deal with an empty nest in regards to your children and how to deal with it in regards to your accounting career. You can read the full show notes for this week's episode HERE You can take advantage of the FREE 20 minute session mentioned in this podcast HERE

When looking at the stories of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in modern history, you'll often find a quote about the part that intuition played in their success. For example, in a NY Times article, Steve Jobs is quoted saying, "Intuition is a very powerful thing; more powerful than intellect in my opinion". However, that special intuition that we believe makes successful people successful, isn't as mysterious or elusive as we may believe it to be, nor is it as powerful and random as we may assume it to be. When it comes to accountants and intuition, it can be incredibly beneficial to use intuition in business, however, while many accountants and business owners may have attributed at least some of their success to intuition, this cannot exist in isolation. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss what intuition really is and how to know when to act on your intuition You can read the full show notes HERE As mentioned on the podcast, you can book a FREE 20 minute call to deal with your time management issues HERE

If you've been in the accounting profession for awhile, you've probably experienced those "OMG, there's not enough time" moments where you might have felt like you had a semblance of control over everything and then something gets thrown into the mix and it seems like the weight of it all will just crush you. Maybe you've taken a time management course or you've read some articles or books on the subject, yet you're still struggling with how to manage your time better or how to get a better sense of control over your time. The reason it's important to deal with time drama is because if you don't get a better handle on it, it's going to kill your productivity and efficiency, creating even more problems with your time. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss how to spot time drama and what to do about it. You can read the full show notes HERE You can schedule a FREE 20 minute call to diagnose your specific time management issue HERE

Have you ever been confused about which courses to take for continuing education or not known where you rate in regards to certain knowledge and skills? Well if you're interested in a more personalized approach to continuing education, then Illumeo is the answer. Illumeo has been named "Top Innovators in EdTech" year after year, offering expert-led courses, CPE tracking tools, live webinars, an enterprise platform, and on demand training courses. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we Faith Adams about the self-assessment driven continuing education courses and certifications offered by Illumeo as well as how important user satisfaction is to the instructors they choose and the courses they offer. You can read the full show notes HERE If you are interested in the 20% discount that Illumeo offers to the members of the CPA MOMS Community, you can join our free community HERE

If you feel like your time is not your own and you're constantly wishing there were more hours in the day, time boundaries might be just the thing you need. Not only will you have much better control over your time, but you'll also be able to get more done in less time, making it possible to add even more hours to your day. By learning how to set and commit to your time boundaries you make it much easier to have a balanced day, week, or year, and you lessen the fatigue that comes with making too many decisions about how you spend your time. And one of the best benefits is that you also improve your relationship with yourself, because when you honor your commitments to yourself, you strengthen your self-confidence. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss what time boundaries are, how to set them, how to commit to them, and why it's important to honor other people's time boundaries as well. If you have challenges with setting time boundaries, I can help. Email me at [email protected] and we can discuss how. You can read the full show notes HERE

With everything we have going on in our lives, it can seem like things just keep piling up on us so much that one day we wake up and realize that we've been in a bad mood for what seems like years. This realization can be jarring and uncomfortable, especially if someone else points it out to you. It can also be confusing - you're not exactly sure when or how it started, but your negative attitude has become a normal part of your day, week, month, or longer. The issue is that once a negative attitude finds a warm, comfortable place to settle into, it can be challenging to vacate it and get rid of it. Unfortunately, the more your negative attitude persists, the more you'll look for others who think and feel the same way, making it even more challenging to see things differently. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss the reason why it's so easy to have a negative attitude and how you can lose it. You can read the full show notes HERE

If you're like a lot of accountants and moms, you've probably got a running to-do list either nearby or easily reachable. You most likely have work things, family things, house things, and tons of other things on that to-do list. Most accountants couldn't even fathom not having a to-do list in order to get everything done, without having something fall through the cracks. Believe me, I get it - we have a lot to do and so how in the world are we supposed to keep track of everything if we don't have a running to-do list? Unfortunately, that beloved to-do list of yours is actually not helping you in the way you think it is. That running list of items to get done is actually one of the biggest problems with getting more done in less time. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why to-do lists are an issue and what to do instead of keeping a running to-do list. You can read the full show notes HERE If you have an issue with how to rip up your to-do list and what to do instead, I can help. You contact me at [email protected] and we can talk about how you can get more done in less time WITHOUT a to-do list.

While there are many industries that have felt the effects of the "Great Resignation", this trend has had a significant impact on the accounting profession. The truth is that, although people are leaving their jobs in record numbers, there's also an even greater sense of job insecurity than ever before. If you think about it, the days of having a "job for life" are over - that might have been the case for our grandparents or parent's generation, but that's not the world we live in today. It doesn't matter whether you are just starting out in your accounting career or whether you are a seasoned employee, job security is unfortunately a thing of the past. As private companies and public accounting firms merge, evolve, and grow, the fact that's never going to go away is that change is inevitable - the type of change that will most likely affect your belief in job security and what that holds for your future. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why leaving can be so challenging and why the concept of security is so enticing. You can read the full show notes HERE You can find out more about the CPA MOMS franchise opportunity HERE

Do you find it challenging, or even impossible, to stick to what's on your schedule? Join the club! So many of us, especially busy accountant moms, have a hard time not only managing our time, but actually following through with what we schedule, or what we plan to do. It often seems like no matter how hard you try and no matter how many pretty planners, detailed to-do lists, or apps you use, you often end up feeling like you're behind at the end of the day. When this happens it can feel like an impossible problem and as if there's something wrong with you - that you just can't seem to follow through, or that you're just missing the punctuality gene. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why it's so challenging for us to follow through and the best way to make sure you follow through. You can read the full show notes for this week's episode HERE

As a mother, you probably know all about mothering a child, whether you would consider yourself a good mom or not. You most likely know the do's and don'ts, the basic expectations for taking care of a child, and have a general idea of the ongoing things you need to learn as your children go through various stages of development. But here's what research found - when well educated mothers were asked who gives the same type of mothering support to them, for too many, the answer is nobody, at least on a regular basis. These highly intelligent mothers were tending to everyone else's needs, spreading themselves incredibly thin, and unfortunately they were rarely asking for, or getting, others to tend to their needs. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why it's challenging for mothers to allow themselves to be taken care of and how to find the balance of prioritizing your own needs with everyone else's. You can read the full show notes HERE

The term "intrapreneur" is a relatively new term used to describe individuals inside an organization who are employees, but who are also entrepreneurial. They're not just good employees, they also have a way of viewing things differently and seeing beyond what they've been tasked with, embodying an entrepreneur mindset even though they're not one yet. If you've ever watched the show Undercover Boss, you've probably seen intrapreneurs in action. The highlight of an episode is when the undercover boss discovers a diamond in the ruff - someone who shows incredible care for the job they're tasked with, but also shows the potential to take on much more than they're currently doing for the company. What about you? Are you one of those employees with an entrepreneurial spirit? Are you someone who sees the world through a different lens at work, looking for ways to not only improve yourself, but also the processes, services, and people in your company? Do you wish there was an undercover boss who would disguise themselves and discover that you too are a diamond in the ruff? This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss the qualities of an intrapreneur, how they differ from typical employees, and why we need to talk if you are an intrapreneur. You can read the full show notes HERE

So did you set any goals for this year? Did you join the gym, start a new diet, or set a financial goal? Each year we are encouraged to take time in December to reflect on the previous year, and to decide to set goals in January for the upcoming year, but unfortunately we're often frustrated about our goals by mid-February and ready to give up. Has that ever happened to you? Whatever your situation is, the feeling of impatience can truly dominate your emotions, making you incredibly frustrated at the lack of forward momentum towards achieving your goals. It can often feel like you're standing in quicksand, being stuck here when what you really want is to go there. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why patience can be such an issue, especially when working on achieving a goal, and what you can do to deal with goal impatience. You can read the full show notes HERE

Do you feel like you'd have more time or get what you want done if you could just focus? Well, you're not alone because most of the accountant moms I work with, myself included, often struggle with the ability to focus, especially when we have so much on our to-do list and we're surrounded by so many distractions. The truth is that one of our greatest assets is our attention, but unfortunately we're often doing ourselves a disservice by not understanding how much of our inability to focus has to do with us, and not necessarily our environment. Although there are many things you can do to set up your work life and your personal life in order to improve your ability to focus, we're going to share something that we know can be a huge game changer. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why focusing is a problem and what you can do to improve your ability to focus. You can read the full show notes HERE

As we roll into a new year, and those of us in public accounting roll into a new tax year, we thought it would be a great time to talk about your calendar. It doesn't matter whether you have a super organized calendar or you're a hot mess, understanding how to get your calendar to work FOR you, instead of against you, will be helpful this year. The thing when it comes to using a calendar, is that even though you may have your favorite type of calendar, whether it's digital or paper, we promise you that you probably aren't using your calendar in the best way possible. A lot of us are using our calendar against ourselves, trying to be organized, but ironically still feeling overwhelmed in the process of getting a sense of control and having things become simpler. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss 4 ways to get your calendar to work FOR you instead of against you, hopefully helping you to be able to spend more time doing what you love as well. You can read the full show notes HERE

When you add the pressure that accountants in general have, to the pressure that working mothers have, especially since the pandemic, it's no wonder so many of us are buckling under it all. It's a common sentiment among accountants that "It's just too much". But just like there's a healthy range for your blood pressure, in reality the pressure being too low is as concerning for a doctor as the pressure being too high. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness, fainting, fatigue, and loss of concentration, all due to the blood not flowing at the optimal range of momentum that your body needs to function properly. The same thing goes for you - a healthy range of pressure is what can keep you balanced and moving forward, allowing your life to function properly. The question then becomes - how can you make the switch from unhealthy to healthy pressure? What's really within your control when it comes to pressure? This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss the warning signs of unhealthy pressure, the root cause of unhealthy pressure. and how you switch from unhealthy to healthy pressure. You can read the full show notes HERE

A lot of us like the idea of possibly doubling our income, being able to be home when our kids get home from school, or being in control of our career advancement, but as soon as there's a flicker of hope in the possibility, that light quickly gets extinguished. Either the "But how?" question, or the thought that life is just too overwhelming as it is, just stops us in our tracks. Here's the truth - you are not meant to be here, as both an accountant and a mom, and just settling for your overwhelmed, overworked, and overstressed life. You are here to challenge yourself, to push past what's been possible in the past, and to create possibilities for your future. You are also meant to be an example of what's possible for your children when you stop believing the lie your brain is telling you about what's possible. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss why the idea of possibilities is an issue for a lot of us and how you can create possibilities for yourself, your career, and your life. You can read the full show notes HERE

Is it just me, or are you also hearing a lot more about having a personal brand? When you think of the word "brand" what comes to mind? Do you think of big brands like Amazon, Apple, or McDonalds? Or do you think of smaller things like the brand of toothpaste your family likes or the brand of mechanical pencils you can't live without at work? The interesting thing when it comes to having a personal brand is that, whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. You may not agree, but you actually do have a personal brand which is why it's also important to understand what it is and how you might want to mold or shape it. This week on The CPA MOM Podcast we discuss what a personal brand is and an important way to approach reshaping or creating yours. You can read the full show notes HERE

Have you ever had something happen and you weren't able to get closure around the situation? Where something ended, like a relationship or a job, or maybe something changed in some way, and you were left trying to move forward without being stuck in the past? If you've ever struggled with getting closure, we're here to tell you that it's not only possible, but that it's also incredibly powerful. You no longer have to feel conflicted or distracted, because there is a way to get closure so that you can move forward. This week we're going to discuss why closure is an issue for a lot of us and how to get closure if you've been struggling. You can read the full show notes HERE

As accountants, we live in an exceptionally data-driven world, surrounded by facts and figures all day, every day. We are the compilers, synthesizers, and analyzers of our company and client's data, helping to make sense of it all so that decisions can be made today and in the future. Unfortunately, because of the data-driven work that accountants do, we can frequently get caught in the trap of not being able to delineate between data versus drama. That accountant brain of ours is great for analyzing and processing lots of data, but it's not so great at separating out the data from our beliefs about that data. Here's why that's so important for us as accountants - because until you understand how your accountant brain works, you will overwhelm yourself with problems, not being able to truly understand what's true data and what's just drama. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast a better way to understand the difference between data and drama, and a much better way to handle drama. You can read the full show notes HERE

While excuses can often be considered a polite way of getting out of doing something you don't want to do, like bowing out of the invitation for dinner by saying you can't get a babysitter when you really just don't want to go, sometimes excuses are actually getting in your way more than you realize. Sometimes your excuses keep you stuck, have you doing things that aren't in your best interest, or create results that you're not happy with. The truth is that we ALL make excuses at various times about various things, but just because it's normal doesn't mean it's helpful. Just because we can all come up with reasons for why we didn't, couldn't, or shouldn't do something, doesn't mean they're good enough reasons or that we should keep using them. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss why your brain is so good at coming up with excuses and how to stop your excuses. You can read the full show notes HERE

What actually makes a good leader? If you ask 100 people what they think makes a good leader, you're going to typically have very different definitions, often depending on the person's experience with good and bad leadership. The simple, but powerful truth is that leadership operates from one of two places - above the line or below the line - but not in the way that an accountant would assume: Above the line leadership is open, curious, and committed to learning Below the line leadership is closed, defensive, and committed to being right In order to be a good leader, both at work and at home, you need to become more aware of where you are operating from and what to do instead. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss each of the 15 commitments of conscious leadership so that you might be able to implement them into your own approach and grow in your leadership role, both as a leader at work and at home. You can read the full show notes HERE

If you were to Google "accountants and time management", you'd see over 80 million hits, ranging from workshops, to templates and products, to articles promising to give you the BEST time management tips for accountants. It's as if the whole world knows an accountant's achilles heel - time and time management. While some of the suggestions work temporarily, the best time management system or software cannot outrun one very important thing - time scarcity. Time scarcity is a term that describes the feeling that you're racing against a clock that somehow ticks faster every day. The tricky thing about time scarcity is that it might feel like it's motivating you or pushing you out of procrastination, but it's actually sabotaging you more than you realize. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss what causes time scarcity, and what you can do to get out of it. You can read the full show notes HERE

Have you ever worried about what a particular person, or other people, think of you? Join the club! Of course it's natural to like it when people respect, admire, or like us, but have you ever considered the cost? Think about it for a minute - how much effort have you put into managing how other people think about you, whether it's socially, personally, or professionally? This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss the reason why we worry about what other people think about us and how to let people be wrong about you. You can read the full show notes HERE

Every CPA has a story - we all have a journey we've taken to get us to where we are. Every entrepreneur also has a story and journey as well. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Hale, CPA. Lauren is a mom of two-year-old twins with another baby on the way in a few weeks! Lauren worked for various public accounting firms before deciding to become a franchisee and shares that it was the best decision she ever made for her career and her family. Find out how the pandemic shifted her thinking, why she decided to reach out to CPA MOMS, and what she's learned since making the transition from employee to entrepreneur. You can read the full show notes HERE You can find out more about becoming a CPA MOMS franchisee HERE

If you've ever considered working with a coach, we've got a treat for you! This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we count down the top 5 things one of our CPA MOMS coaches learned from being coached as an accountant and a mom, and how coaching might also help you. Here are the highlights from this episode: What I discovered working with a coach is that I was trying to solve my problems with an unmanaged, accountant brain and that I was creating a lot of unnecessary stress, wasting a lot of my time, and was missing the best investment I could possibly make in myself as an accountant and as a mom. As hard working women, I think we owe it to each other to be honest and vulnerable about the struggles we've had, and if we find something that helps, we should share it. Being coached has improved my relationships, my health, my finances, my time management, my self-confidence, and especially my level of happiness. You can read the full shows notes HERE If you're interested in working with a coach, you can book a free 20-minute session HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss what really creates our relationships and how to improve yours. Here are the highlights from this episode: If you want to have fewer health problems, get more work done, as well as experience less stress, addressing your relationships can be a great place to start. Thankfully, no matter who the relationship is with or what you believe the problem is, learning a better way to handle any relationship is an incredibly important skill you can learn and apply. The funny thing is that as accountants, we're so used to focusing on better time management from the perspective of our calendars, but you might be interested to know that your relationships are affecting your ability to get more done in less time, more than you might realize. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss how to get clear about what you want for your career, how to tap into your talents, the key to networking and how to take care of your introvert needs. Here are the highlights from this episode: While your introvert nature has many benefits, it isn't necessarily going to help you succeed in your accounting career without some guidance. When you combine your high intelligence and introverted problem-solving skills with something you are passionate about, you can create exciting new opportunities. With some awareness and preparation, you can make networking a more enjoyable part of your accounting career journey. Your career and your family will benefit tremendously when you give yourself permission to have your introvert needs met. You can find the full show notes HERE

Are you still trading time for dollars? Well Dominique Molina, CPA, found a way to charge 30x what other accountants charge and to have clients on a waiting list for her services. Not only did she discover a much better way to service her clients and still have boundaries around her time, but when she had other accountants clambering to know her secret, she co-founded The American Institute Of Certified Tax Planners so that she could teach accountants how to become tax planners, as opposed to tax preparers. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss the struggles that most accountant moms go through, balancing their career and financial aspirations, with also being a mom, as well as how Dominique discovered the "holy grail" that gave her back her time. Make sure you listen until the end where she offers the CPA MOMS Podcast audience a free copy of her book "Getting Paid What You're Worth" You can read the show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss some of the misperceptions about boundaries and how to set better boundaries. Here are the highlights from this episode: As women's issues are thankfully coming to the forefront of many social injustice movements, and more and more women are empowered to stand up for themselves, we're also left with a lot of questions around the subject of boundaries. If you're confused about setting boundaries, join the club! As a working mom it can be challenging to know when and how to set a boundary, especially when you might be getting so many mixed messages. Once you understand the way I've been taught to set boundaries, it might help you to get clearer on how you too can start to set better boundaries. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss why you should love your job before you leave it, and an exercise you can use to love it before you leave it. Here are the highlights from this episode: No matter what your reason is for wanting to leave your job, I promise you that learning how to love it before you leave it, is going to be helpful no matter what your next chapter is. The truth is that if you hate your job, or just dislike it a lot, you will naturally wind up finding things you hate or dislike a lot in the next thing you do because of one very important factor - you are bringing your brain with you. Unless you uplevel your accountant brain, you are very likely to wind up with the same job and career dissatisfaction again in the future. You can get the full show notes for this episode HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss 3 reasons why it's important to be more effective and the 7 habits of highly effective accountant moms. Here are the highlights from this episode: The issue for a lot of women is that once you've gotten a rhythm going that makes it possible for you to do everything you do, you might just be on a rinse and repeat cycle, not stopping to take a look to see how you could be more effective. When you learn how to be more effective, you get clear about what you want and you're willing to figure out how to get there; you don't spin in indecision, confusion and overwhelm. It's like discovering that you had your parking brake on the entire time and that's why your car wasn't driving faster. You want to be more effective so you can uncover what's been slowing you down. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss where our comfort zone comes from and why it exists, as well as why it's important to step out of your comfort zone and how. Here are the highlights from this episode: What happens for a lot of accountants is that we gravitate towards, and can often get stuck in, comfort zones that can make it challenging to grow and evolve. The issue is that, if you don't take an honest look at your comfort zones every now and then, consider how they might be holding you back, and how to step out of them, you are going to wake up 5, 10 or 20 years from now and wish you had done something differently. When we're not growing, we wind up being grumpy, dissatisfied, and discontent because we're actually not tapping into our full potential. You can find the full show notes HERE

Every CPA has a story and this week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we had the pleasure of interviewing Bridget Kaigler, CPA, CGMA, CMA, MBA. She is a seasoned professional with more than twenty years of experience in tax and financial analyses. Bridget's humble beginnings and non-traditional path to becoming a CPA was the foundation and encouragement to begin her own company, Bringing Leadership Back, LLC. The company was founded to help aspiring leaders grow. Bridget is the recipient of the 2021 Society of Louisiana CPAs Distinguished Public Service Award and is a frequent speaker and freelance writer on the topic of leadership and career strategy. She was featured by Career Mastered Magazine, Accounting Today, Journal of Accountancy, and was the cover story "Bringing Leadership Back: Perspectives in helping aspiring leaders grow" in Lagniappe Magazine. You can read the show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss why we tend to struggle so much with disagreements, as well as two strategies to help you handle disagreements. Here are the highlights from this episode: For a lot of women, we often don't want to disagree with others out loud because we're afraid of what they will think of us, often making us go along with other people's differing opinions in order to "keep the peace". Another interesting thing is that most of us enter a disagreement feeling bad about something and then try to defend our right to feel bad. The problem is that when we believe our assumptions, or our ways of interpreting situations, are the only way to interpret them, we open the door for disagreements and we make anyone that doesn't see things our way wrong. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss what causes us to constantly feel emotionally focused on work and easier ways to disconnect at the end of the day. Here are the highlights from this episode: Because of the pressure accountant moms can often feel to be high performers in our careers, it can be challenging to not check our work email while we're making dinner or to glance at our phone and be tempted to answer a Slack message while we're watching TV with our family. There have been many studies done on Psychological Detachment From Work and the research has shown that employees who experience more detachment from work during off-hours are more satisfied with their lives and experience few symptoms of stress, without being less engaged while at work. If you think about how much we rely on our brains for the complicated, analytical work we do as accountants, we especially need our brains to "dry out" before asking it to soak up and process more and more information. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss the things that might be causing you to be an insecure overachiever and what you can do about it. Here are the highlights from this episode: The bigger reason why so many accountants work so hard, don't set clear boundaries, and don't feel fulfilled, is because we are an industry of insecure overachievers. Unfortunately, being in an industry of insecure overachievers like accounting, you wind up setting the bar higher and higher for each other, eventually making success exhausting and unattainable. The key is understanding that most insecure overachievers are just trying to feel better about themselves, but they're using actions and performance to create a better feeling. You can schedule a free 20 minute session HERE. You can read the full show notes HERE

This week we had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Elana Roumell, MD. Dr. Elana is a Naturopathic Doctor with a passion for pediatrics. She initially founded Nourish Medical Center in San Diego, CA providing holistic care to the whole family, and later created Med School for Moms. Dr. Elana is also a co-host of the popular "Doctor Mom" Podcast, nearing one million downloads! Podcast episodes air weekly which give her the opportunity to share her knowledge, stay up to date with new health topics, and interview experts in the health field. Her intention is to empower parents with knowledge so they are well informed to make the best decisions for the health of their children. She loves to teach parents how to care for their children at home and equip them with the most effective, tried and true natural remedies available. You can find the show notes and a link to the free pdf mentioned in this episode HERE

This week we discuss what "having what it takes" means and how to overcome what's holding you back. Here are some of the highlights: Just know that you're not alone with your concerns about whether you have what it takes to go out on your own. While it's normal, it's also important to know that there's a reason you're feeling that way, and it has nothing to do with whether you're capable or not. It's important to understand that your doubts are just your brain's way of trying to protect you from what it fears the most - things like change, possible failure, and the dread of disappointment. If you really think about it, having what it takes could mean a whole host of things, but I think the most important thing to consider when it comes to having what it takes to go out on your own, comes down to one thing - willingness. In order to overcome what's holding you back, one of the best questions you can possibly ask yourself when you have a limiting belief is "What if I'm wrong about that?". You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast, we discuss the difference between jealousy and envy, the connection between self-confidence, jealousy and envy, and a better way to handle them both. Here are some of the highlights: It seems like wherever you turn, there's someone that has something that you want, or you have something that you're afraid they want. Jealousy and envy can apply to where you live, your intelligence, where you went to school, how successful your children are in school, where you go on vacation, how many friends you have; you name it and women are faced with a never ending barrage of competition, jealousy, and envy towards themselves and towards others. Remember, the only reason you feel jealous is because you're worried that something you have might be taken away from you and that you need that thing in order to feel happy. Additionally, the only reason you feel envy is because you don't have something and you believe that having it will make you feel happy. If jealousy and envy have been getting in your way, there is something you can do to mitigate them. You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast, we discuss why being resourceful is important for accountant moms and how you can become more resourceful. Here are some of the highlights: I don't believe you need to be quick or clever in order to be resourceful; I believe that being resourceful means you just need to be willing to solve your own problems. When you're not resourceful, you tend to think a lot about how you have a problem, complain about the problem, worry about the problem, but don't believe you can do anything to solve it. If you're not being resourceful, your initial instinct will be to assume that you don't know anything, that you can't do anything, and that you need someone else to tell you what to do. We've become so accustomed to quickly being able to get answers to questions, that we've become incredibly dependent on others, believing it's the best way to get past the uncomfortability of a problem. I want to empower you all to stand up taller, trust yourself more, and be an example of what's possible for your children because when you become more resourceful, you show them how to be as well. You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast, we discuss the surprising reason why you feel unfulfilled, as well as what you can do about it. Here are some of the highlights: I speak to and coach so many accountant moms who have done their best during these trying times, but now that there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, they're left feeling dissatisfied, unhappy, or disillusioned and understandably not knowing what to do about it. The first thing I want you to know is that it's not your fault if you feel unfulfilled and you shouldn't be ashamed to admit it, no matter what your life situation is, professionally or personally. Secondly, as a high achieving woman, you've most likely got the misconception that external things cause how you feel, or that your actions cause how you feel, but here's the thing - you actually have it backwards. When it comes to fulfillment, most accountants are focused on taking action to feel more fulfilled like setting career and financial goals and hustling to get to some end result that they believe will be the answer to fulfillment. You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast, CPA MOMS Franchisees Lori Hinelsey and Nicole Kehl are back to discuss what their first year experiences have been being a franchisee. They share what it was like, what surprised them, and how much they grossed in their first year. Here are some of the questions we discussed: What do they wish they knew in the beginning of their career, that they know now? What the first year of a franchisee entails? What kind of training, mentoring, and coaching did they receive? Did anything surprise them the first year as a franchisee and what was it? How much did they gross, or are targeted to gross, their first year? What has been the greatest benefit of being a franchisee versus going out on your own alone? What next year's vision is for their firm and for their family? What advice they had for anyone who might be on the fence about leaving their job and becoming a franchisee? You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss what emotional intelligence actually is and how to improve your emotional intelligence. Here are the highlights: Although our industry was warned years ago about the need to tap into the skill set of emotional intelligence, most practitioners and educational programs ignored the warnings. The truth is that emotional intelligence isn't only crucial for you as an accountant, but it's also something you will want to master as a mother. Since the introduction of the concept of emotional intelligence, numerous studies have been done, pointing to the fact that EQ is becoming a better predictor of professional success than someone's IQ. As you learn how to manage your emotions, become better at being proactive instead of reactive, as well as understanding why others may feel and behave the way they do, you show your children this same skill. While your IQ is fixed and doesn't really deviate to any significant degree, your EQ is able to continually grow and improve, making it a much more important "hard skill" than most accountants have been led to believe. You can find out the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss where self-esteem comes from and 4 steps to take to boost your self-esteem. Here are the highlights: Unfortunately, when it comes to accountants and self-esteem, it's often assumed that it's not an issue because of our intelligence and the challenging work that we do. For accountant moms, having healthy self-esteem is something worth exploring because of one very important factor - the healthier your self-esteem, the less vulnerable you are to anxiety and stress. The reason that self-esteem matters is that it's so essential for having a successful career, healthy relationships, and feeling fulfilled in any aspect of life. Just know that you are worth the investment in yourself and that your self-esteem is 100% within your power to build and boost. You can find the full show notes HERE

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast we discuss why it's challenging for women to say Yes less and how you can start. Here are the highlights: Are you the person who says Yes more often than you'd like to? Does saying No feel uncomfortable to you? Do you cringe at the thought of other people being disappointed or unhappy with you? Do you worry about what other people will think or say if you said Yes less? You're not alone. You've been getting messages and programming that your brain has stored your entire life, culminating into a lot of your habits, especially the habit of saying Yes. You just need to look at the #METOO movement and you can see how challenging it can be for women to say No, and how strongly we've been conditioned to say Yes, especially to those in power. Being a good person doesn't mean saying Yes when you really want to say No, because if you think about it, you're actually lying. No matter how long you've been saying Yes to others and No to yourself, you can learn how to choose you.

This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast I discuss the three habits that create issues for your inbox and how to take back control. Here are the highlights: Unfortunately, when you don't have control of your inbox, not only does decision fatigue set in when it comes to email, but it also affects how well you can do your job. Whether you realize it or not, there are so many things associated with email and email notifications that are incredibly draining to your brain. The problem is that when you let your lower, reactionary brain dictate when you should check and send emails, you are basically allowing a toddler to rule your day. For most of the accountants I work with and know, there is a FOMO-type (fear of missing out) relationship with their email, where they're so afraid of missing out on some important piece of information, that they don't even consider how much their oversubscribed email inbox is detrimentally affecting them. If you think about it, you wouldn't put notes to yourself, reminders, people's contact information, pictures, or your to-do list in your actual home mailbox, so why are you using your email inbox for these things?

You know the old adage about "all work and no play", but for a lot of accountant moms, all work can often become an identity. When this happens, the lines become blurred between being an accountant versus being a mom, and can create real problems when trying to have a career as well as a family. While the struggle with work/life balance is not unique to the accounting profession, it is a huge struggle, especially for accountant moms who are working on average. in one capacity or another, 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. For a lot of working moms, the issue can then become feeling guilty at work for having to balance it all, so you wind up becoming a work martyr, wanting to prove that you can do it all. Work martyrdom can show up in various ways like taking work home so that you can get a jump start on everyone else, not taking all your paid time off because you're afraid it will look bad, or not being able to delegate because you're worried that no one else can do the work as good as you. Work martyrdom is also sneaky because it's often perceived to be normal, necessary, or even worse, rewarded. This week on The CPA MOMS Podcast I discuss why work martyrdom is a problem, signs to look out for, and how to stop.