Iralma P.

Networking, they say, should focus on relationships that survive a pivot, a failure or a full career reinvention.

• Their practical rule: keep at least 20% of your network made up of people who value you for more than your title, employer, status or access to opportunities.
• Otherwise, time spent chasing contacts for their titles is wasted as soon as your circumstances change.

An acquaintance who had Iralma on speed dial for years stopped answering calls and emails after they left a public accounting firm.

• Earlier, while Iralma worked at the IRS, people walked away mid-conversation at networking events because they weren’t at a Big Four firm and couldn’t introduce them to a recruiter or partner.
• Some of those same people wanted to reconnect after Iralma joined BDO.
• The post asks how many professional relationships would survive a change of industry or employer.

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They present the list as a draft for the field, noting that three items came from personal experience and ChatGPT expanded them into the fuller set, then ask peers what they would add or change.

The ten items include BDO USA / FMA's CNAP program; a state accounting society and the AICPA nonprofit committee; a local nonprofit board treasurer role; an audit committee seat rather than just any board seat; a CFO peer group you actually attend; a working relationship with an audit partner; speaking once; publishing light but consistent insight; observing a real board meeting; and adding one recognizable nonprofit to your experience.

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Visibility, communication and advocacy matter for leadership opportunities, continued learning, mentorship, growth, entrepreneurship and healthier work-life integration.

• They offer compassion for older women who passed down advice to stay quiet as a survival tool, not out of malice — but say compassion does not require repeating it.
• Iralma distinguishes advocacy from being reactive or loud for its own sake, and puts thoughtful questions, professional self-advocacy and boundaries on the right side of that line.

An older Latina colleague told Iralma, "calladita te ves más bonita" ("you look prettier when you're quiet"), in a professional setting after Iralma asked questions about communication, accountability and leadership.

• The post considers the colleague's likely context — single motherhood, protecting a livelihood, putting family first — then rejects the lesson: ask thoughtful questions, advocate professionally, set boundaries and choose spaces where your voice is valued.
• Iralma also credits Hady Méndez's book Calladita No More and thanks peers, mainly men, who encouraged them to use their voice at tables they were invited to.

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The posts invite the profession to answer publicly, in comments or by direct message, and Iralma says their own answer could fill a book.

One post asks, "Has accounting brought any fulfillment to your life?"

• Iralma says they could write a book in response and invites accounting, audit, tax and consulting professionals to share their answers.
• A related post thanks Susan Stutzel, CPA, for introducing the ikigai framework during an AICPA ENGAGE session.
• Iralma says they will review the session handouts and exercises and notes picking up a related book over the weekend.
• Stutzel is credited with the framework; it is not Iralma's own.

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The core advice: you cannot eliminate uncertainty, only improve your positioning.

• Choose splurges intentionally, stay financially responsible, control what you can, build the right support team and still make memories.
• Disciplined people can get blindsided anyway; frugality alone will not protect a plan from a crash or a scam.

Iralma cites someone who lost a significant amount in a dating scam and moved back in with a second ex-wife, as well as people on track to retire early until a market crash erased their plans.

• The post frames its advice as "what I want to say / what I'll say," separating the blunt version from more cautious guidance: consult an accountant, lawyer and financial advisor; avoid panic selling; and hold off on major decisions when emotional.
• It ends by asking readers to send economics webinars and market outlook events Iralma's way.

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The set's most personal post explains the visibility-and-voice theme running through the career advice.

Iralma describes an older Latina colleague telling them in a professional setting that they look prettier when quiet, after Iralma asked questions about communication, accountability and leadership.

• The post explains the advice in context: older women had learned that silence protected their jobs and families.
• It then makes the case for not repeating that pattern.
• The practical advice is specific: ask thoughtful questions, advocate professionally, set boundaries and choose rooms where your voice is valued.
• Iralma credits Hady Méndez's book Calladita No More and thanks peers who encouraged them to use their voice at tables they were invited to.

For brands planning a campaign

Well suited to campaigns on women in finance, first-generation professionals or inclusive leadership. The first-person narrative and book reference give brands a concrete angle on voice and advocacy, rather than technical accounting.

This is the set's most useful post for anyone weighing a nonprofit finance career, and the clearest example of Iralma turning experience into checklists.

Iralma lists ten moves for accountants stepping into nonprofit finance leadership: join BDO USA and FMA's CNAP program; join a state accounting society and the AICPA nonprofit committee; take a local nonprofit board treasurer role; join an audit committee rather than any board; join a CFO peer group you actually attend; build a relationship with an audit partner; speak once; publish light but consistent insight; observe a real board meeting; and add one recognizable nonprofit to your experience. Iralma says they wrote three items and asked ChatGPT to expand them, then asks what others would add or change.

For brands planning a campaign

A recruiting or professional-development client could turn this list into a checklist, webinar or newsletter item. Iralma discloses that ChatGPT expanded the list, so any co-created asset should preserve that framing rather than present it as entirely first-hand.

It is the clearest statement of Iralma's networking philosophy and names the career transitions that shaped it.

Iralma opens with a business acquaintance who stopped returning calls and emails after Iralma left public accounting.

• They argue for playing the long game in networking and suggest that at least 20 percent of a network should consist of people who value you, not your title or employer.
• Iralma recalls people walking away mid-conversation at networking events when they worked at the IRS rather than a Big Four firm; some of those same people wanted to reconnect after Iralma joined BDO.
• The post asks how many professional relationships would survive a job change tomorrow.

For brands planning a campaign

A strong hook for networking, personal-brand or career-development campaigns. The 20 percent framing is specific and quotable, making it a ready-made discussion prompt, poll or workshop exercise.

It is the strongest sample of Iralma's voice and the personal-finance range alongside the accounting posts.

In a letter to young Gen Xers, Iralma says the honest answer to “what should I do with my money” is “it depends,” then offers a short practical list: choose splurges intentionally, stay financially responsible, control what you can, build the right financial support team and make memories along the way. Iralma notes their CPA status, mentions people whose early-retirement plans were erased by a market crash, and asks readers to send economics webinars or market outlook events their way.

For brands planning a campaign

Suitable for financial-planning or tax-season content aimed at Gen X. The self-aware humor and closing instruction to consult a financial advisor give brands a workable tone for a regulated category.

It is the only post in the set to state Iralma's entry point into accounting, useful context for the leadership and networking advice.

In a short prompt post, Iralma says they are a young Gen Xer who started working in accounting in the late 1990s as an undergraduate junior in a nonprofit's accounts payable department. They ask their network for memories of accounting in the 1990s.

For brands planning a campaign

A low-cost community prompt. Brands running nostalgia campaigns or “careers in accounting” content can reuse the question-and-comments structure.

It is the briefest statement of the fulfillment theme also found in the nonprofit and networking posts.

Iralma quotes someone asking whether accounting has brought them fulfillment, replies that they could write a book about it, and invites accounting, audit, tax and consulting professionals to respond in the comments or by direct message.

For brands planning a campaign

A natural discussion prompt for an employer-brand or association campaign. Iralma openly invites direct messages, a relevant detail for outreach-based activations.

The list began with three items from their own experience, then expanded with ChatGPT. It closes by asking peers what they would add or change.

Numbered action list drawing partly on firsthand experience, with the AI expansion disclosed and readers invited to correct it.

For brands planning a campaign

Useful for a nonprofit finance recruiting or professional-development partner seeking role-specific, checklist-style content readers can act on. The named programs, committees, and board roles give a campaign concrete vocabulary, while the invitation to debate the list offers a natural prompt for comments or webinar follow-up.

Examples: Source 1

The post argues for playing the long game: build relationships that last through a career pivot, scale-up, failure, or reinvention, and keep roughly 20% of your network made up of people who value you rather than your title, employer, or access. They recall people walking away mid-conversation at networking events while they worked at the IRS, then wanting to reconnect after they joined BDO.

Personal anecdote, stated lesson, and a direct question about how many professional relationships would survive a job change.

For brands planning a campaign

Strong material for a partner whose audience is early- and mid-career accountants focused on visibility and relationship-building.

• The post models a campaign-friendly prompt: a sponsored version could ask readers to audit their own network.
• The candid IRS-to-BDO arc gives the campaign a specific story to reference.

Examples: Source 1

They interpret the remark as a survival tool passed down by an older generation, rather than malice, and argue that visibility, communication, and advocacy matter for leadership opportunities, continued learning, mentorship, growth, entrepreneurship, and healthier work-life integration. The post credits Hady Méndez's book Calladita No More and peers, mainly men, who encouraged them to use their voice.

The set's most personal post, and the only one to frame a career argument through culture, generation, and gender. It names a book and a specific workplace exchange rather than offering a general list.

For brands planning a campaign

Well suited to a partner speaking to women in accounting and finance, or promoting mentorship, coaching, or leadership development. The first-person story has a clear takeaway; a campaign should let it lead rather than slot it into a generic empowerment script.

Examples: Source 1

The answer starts with "it depends," repeats standard advice to consult an accountant, lawyer, and financial advisor, avoid panic selling, and avoid major decisions while emotional.

• Its practical core: choose splurges intentionally, stay financially responsible, control what you can, build the right financial support team, and create memories along the way.
• A dating-scam story and people whose early retirement was wiped out by a market crash underline that even disciplined savers can be blindsided.

Humor and self-deprecation, with a "what I want to say / what I'll say" structure that contrasts a blunt take with a more cautious, compliance-shaped version. The post ends by asking readers to send economics webinars and market outlook events their way.

For brands planning a campaign

A fit for financial services or wealth-management partners targeting Gen X high earners, especially brands seeking a CPA voice rather than a generic money coach. The contrast between the blunt take and the hedged advice offers a natural place for a partner's disclosure or planner tool; the closing request for webinars is a low-friction call to action.

Examples: Source 1

One asks, "Has accounting brought any fulfillment to your life?" and invites answers in comments or by direct message. The other thanks Susan Stutzel, CPA for introducing the ikigai framework during an AICPA ENGAGE session, says they will review the session handouts and exercises, and notes that they picked up a related book over the weekend.

Low-production question posts and learning-in-public notes, framed largely by topic hashtags such as motivation, journaling, self-actualization, career development, and fulfillment.

For brands planning a campaign

Reflective, question-led content that credits named people and events, suited to a partner running a conference-adjacent, coaching, or journaling campaign. Ask for additional formats or assets; these posts alone offer limited depth.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

Iralma P. says they started in accounting in the late 1990s as an undergraduate in a nonprofit's accounts payable department, then asks their network to share memories in the comments.

Short, question-first posts under a recurring "Sunday Scaries" tag, used for both nostalgia prompts and a networking post. The format trades depth for reach and comment volume.

For brands planning a campaign

The recurring Sunday slot offers a sponsorable placement for a partner seeking a predictable weekly touchpoint with an accounting audience. Since the format depends on reader replies, plan for comment moderation or a follow-up post collecting the answers.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

A separate post lists BDO USA’s FMA CNAP program among the resources they relied on when moving into nonprofit accounting. The posts describe past work, not a current contract.

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The IRS is described as a past employer; no dates are given.

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These are professional-association references, not a disclosed commercial partnership.

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Jamie’s account of presenting tax topics for free to a local bookkeeping organization—and the recurring year-end work that followed—makes the same case as Iralma’s argument that your network should outlast your job title. Both also write from inside the profession about referral relationships between accountants and advisors.

Jamie teaches through wry reconstructed dialogue and personal practice-building stories with concrete revenue figures, while Iralma relies mainly on advice lists and reflective posts, focusing on nonprofit leadership, visibility, and fulfillment rather than business development.

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Lillian’s client story follows a professional who spent years in corporate work, felt stuck in a role that looked right on paper, worked through limiting beliefs, and became a campaign manager and board communications director. That arc of unlearning and re-aiming overlaps with Iralma’s posts on not shrinking yourself at work and treating fulfillment as a fair question for the profession.

Lillian writes as a self-empowerment coach, sharing client success stories and promoting a group interview series on abundance, with no accounting-specific content. Iralma focuses on accounting and finance, grounding posts in workplace anecdotes and named industry programs.

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Nadya argues that a book is an offer and a client acquisition tool, not a résumé booster; Iralma says visibility, communication, and advocacy create leadership opportunities.

Nadya focuses on publishing and book marketing as a lead-generation channel for coaches, consultants, and subject-matter experts; Iralma focuses on accounting careers, nonprofit finance leadership, and networking for accountants and finance professionals.

Read original · Original 2

The one detailed client story follows Bette Schanafelt, who spent 30 years in corporate America and was 18 months into a financial-services role before coaching helped them explore a pivot: moving into campaign management for a U.S.

• Congressional race and a State Senate race in Las Vegas, plus three years as communication director for the Nevada Republican Club.
• For a partner whose audience is mid-career professionals weighing a move out of corporate, or who wants a coach-led testimonial format instead of an instructional list, that story is the asset.
• Bajor also offers a promotional format Iralma's posts do not: a guest-speaker slot in the three-day "Activate Abundance 2025" interview series, aimed at women claiming a shift for the year ahead.

The tradeoff is subject fit.

• Bajor's posts say nothing about accounting, tax, or nonprofit finance, so a recruiting or professional-development partner gives up the specific career path Iralma supplies: CNAP training, an AICPA or state society nonprofit committee, a board treasurer seat, and an audit committee seat rather than any board seat.
• The posts are also narrow and promotional: one client success story and one event invitation.
• Ask for audience figures and commercial terms before committing.
• If the campaign needs a credible CPA voice on nonprofit finance careers, Bajor is the weaker choice.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

One post gives a concrete, repeatable play: join a local bookkeeping organization, offer free tax-planning presentations at chapter dinners, field technical questions afterward, and eventually present at the annual conference—which Herman says produced almost $300,000 of recurring year-end and tax work over three years in their late twenties.

• A second post uses a satirical wealth-advisor meeting to show how Herman frames a referral relationship from the accountant's side.
• For a partner that recruits or trains accountants on practice growth, networking, and referral strategy, that is directly usable.

Neither post addresses nonprofit finance leadership, boards, or mission-driven accounting.

• Herman's material focuses on tax planning, practice building, and advisor relationships, so a campaign built on nonprofit career development would have to stretch the content.
• The sample is also two posts.
• Ask for audience data and published sponsorship terms before committing.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

Both posts make one focused argument: a book is an offer and the first step on a value ladder; most expert-written books fail because demand is not built before launch; and an underperforming book needs repositioning rather than a rewrite. If the partner's audience is coaches, consultants, and subject-matter experts, Ramos speaks to them directly and with a clear point of view.

The posts say nothing about accounting, finance, or nonprofit content, so a nonprofit finance recruiting or professional-development campaign would gain no subject-matter credibility.

• They also repeat the same message, limiting the number of distinct campaign themes a partner could draw on.
• Ask for audience and commercial information before committing.
• Ramos is the right alternative only if the campaign's subject changes, not merely the creator.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2