Why We’re Here: Making It Better

Recently, we were inspired by Simon Sinek, author of “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action,” to define the “why” behind our role as a CPA firm:

“We’re here because business owners and governments need solutions to their challenges — not a commodity product. Through our dedication to teamwork, development and relationships, we will help our clients thrive.”

The following is part of a series illustrating our “why.” 

Helping our clients thrive starts with helping our staff do the same. This mantra is anchored firmly in our core values, and it’s why the first non-billable, non-administrative position we hired was a full-time training coordinator. As we’ve grown, our training program has evolved into one of the mainstays of our firm’s culture.   

Part of our program’s success, I believe, can be attributed to its use of internal resources. Although we regularly bring in outside trainers for the benefit of their perspective, our people lead the majority of our firm’s educational seminars. For example, we typically hire 15 interns each January. To train these individuals, we rely on staff members who came onboard within the last three years. Not only does this provide a valuable peer-to-peer learning connection but it also gives our interns a meaningful way to get acquainted with their future coworkers.  

Relationships truly are the crux of our training philosophy: beyond the know-how, it’s the know-who. No one is going to know everything after training. We make sure new hires become acquainted with staff throughout all levels of our firm, so they know where to turn when questions arise.  

As we look ahead, our training committee, which includes representatives from all areas of our firm, is focused on opportunities for ongoing training and personal development. One such initiative we are especially excited about is “AEM University,” which will provide our staff with technical training as well as success and software skills. And we’ll continue to look for ways to improve all aspects of our program. As one new hire recently said, “What’s great about our training program is that we never settle; we’re always trying to make it better.”

Better for our staff and, ultimately, better for our clients. And that’s why we’re here. 

Until next time,
Steve