Geni Whitehouse, CPA.CITP, CSPM

Countess of Communication
Brotemarkle, Davis & Co. / Even a Nerd Can be Heard / Solve Services
Napa, CA
www.bdcocpa.com; www.evenanerd.com

Education: BS Business Administration/Accounting, University of North Carolina
Professional Associations: AICPA, CalCPA
Hobbies: Writing, comedy, babysitting her granddaughter

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Click here to see the other honorees
of the 2014 “Most Powerful Women
in Accounting” awards.
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1. What advice would you give to female college students about the opportunities for women in the accounting profession?

You are only limited by your own imagination. Try everything, be curious, and remember people’s names. Spend more time listening that talking. And cultivate your personal brand inside and outside your organization.

2. What advice would you give accounting firms on things they could do to better retain and advance more qualified female staff?

The same advice for staff of any gender – free them to be remote, eliminate timesheets, and teach everyone how to add real value to client engagements – via non-traditional services.

3. 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?

Yes, it is still there but our hammers have gotten bigger.

4. How have you managed to balance your professional and personal life obligations, whether that includes family, etc?

I am still working on that one. I don’t think anyone knows how to do this well unless they can afford to hire full-time staff. As women, we take ownership of everything and hold ourselves to a very high standard. I don’t see this changing.

5. How mobile are you regarding your work? How have mobile devices and apps impacted your productivity and work-life balance?

Extremely mobile – I can do much of my work from anywhere. The firm uses Citrix to provide tools remotely but still has more of a face time = value mindset.

6. What single piece of technology could you absolutely not live without, and why?

My Mophie. I love this cover/charger for my iPhone – it always keeps my phone charged so I can Tweet at conferences and events. It makes a huge difference in battery life and frees me from being a “plughound” (one who is always sniffing out the closest electrical outlet).

7. What is your favorite professional mobile app, and why?

I love Expensify because it is easy to use and saves hours of paperwork. Transactions flow all the way from receipt to QuickBooks online.