Edi Osborne, CSPM, CPVA, CPBA
CEO, Mentor Plus
Carmel Valley, CA
www.MentorPlus.com
Education: City College, San Francisco
Professional Associations: Target Training International Associate, Member Consulting Accountants’ Round Table; Member, CPA Practice Advisor Thought Leader Symposium
————————
Click here to see the other honorees
of the 2014 “Most Powerful Women
in Accounting” awards.
————————
- What advice would you give to female college students about the opportunities for women in the accounting profession?
The sky’s the limit! There’s never been a time to design the career of your dreams. As the profession moves toward a multi-disciplined approach to serving clients, you have both a rock solid foundation as an accountant and the opportunity to expand your area of expertise in so many non-traditional areas such as advisory work, technology, financial services, etc.
- What advice would you give accounting firms on things they could do to better retain and advance more qualified female staff?
I believe the profession needs to provide a more flexible path to partnership. One that allows for part-time leadership roles during a woman’s family focus years.
- Do you think that there is still a glass ceiling in accounting firm senior management and partner levels, or that the profession has moved to a mostly gender neutral state?
The millennial generation is gender neutral. They seem to have a much better grasp on the concept of diversity. It will take time, but we will eventually get there as the younger staff take on more leadership positions.
- How have you managed to balance your professional and personal life obligations, whether that includes family, etc?
A good marriage and/or support structure. You can’t have it all at one time, but you can find a balance if your firm is supportive and you have a supportive husband/partner.
- How mobile are you regarding your work? How have mobile devices and apps impacted your productivity and work-life balance?
I am completely mobile. I am able to conduct business from anywhere/anytime.
- What single piece of technology could you absolutely not live without, and why?
My laptop is still my workhorse. Although I see a lot of people being able to function on a tablet, I still like the full keyboard and larger screen. Yes, it gets a bit heavy, but that’s what rolling cases are for.
- What is your favorite professional mobile app, and why?
I am a big fan of Evernote because it helps me organize research documents on the fly.
Thanks for reading CPA Practice Advisor!
Subscribe Already registered? Log In
Need more information? Read the FAQs
Tags: Advisory, Firm Management, Technology
