B4 and After: Recent Episodes
Darlene Nacional
The podcast for the short-term accountant. Hear candid stories of what life is really like in the Big 4, how public accounting compares to private industry, how to survive busy season, avoid burnout, and what options are available outside of public accounting. Break down professional walls and get advice on how to maintain work/life balance and prioritize your mental health.
Taking you on this rollercoaster are co-hosts Darlene Nacional, a former Big 4 accountant, and Keegan Marquis, CPA, who left public accounting for a job in private industry.
This podcast will take you on the journey of life at B4 and the possibilities After.
Join the community @B4andAfterPod on Instagram and Facebook Find exclusive merch at b4andafterpod.com
Sarah Foong, ACA shares her experience of Big 4 accounting in the UK, as well as some helpful insights into Big 4 jobs outside of the traditional audit/tax route that you may find less stressful. Sarah also talks about the differences between offices in small cities vs. big cities, and her tips for maintaining your health & fitness during busy season.
Laura Watson is a CPA who quit her accounting job to go all in on her online coaching business.
Listen in as Laura shares:
- What it was like working in public accounting with no interest in accounting
- How to navigate your own path through your career
- How to know when it's time to make a career change
- What is human design, and how does it play a role in your career choices
In today's episode, we get a unique perspective from Graeme Chong on the pros and cons of working in the Big 4 compared to a smaller accounting firm.
Listen in as Graeme shares:
- The public accounting experience & CPA requirements in Canada compared to the US
- Why he didn't enjoy the work he was doing in audit
- How getting laid off during COVID pushed him to change direction in his career
- The biggest differences between the Big 4 and smaller accounting firms, and why he might recommend starting your career in the Big 4
- The options he's considering for his next career move
Victoria D'Ambrozio left the corporate accounting world behind to go all in on her own online coaching business.
Listen in as Victoria shares:
- Why she decided to go into Big 4 consulting after working in corporate finance & investment banking
- Her "Quarter Life Crisis" moment which ultimately led to her quitting her job to start her coaching business
- Whether she felt like she was throwing away her degree by leaving the corporate world, and what it was like to let go of her "prestigious" career
- Her tips on how a perfectionist mindset may be holding back in your life & career, and how to overcome these mental blocks
Today we're chatting with Kali Youngdahl, who went from Big 4 to a small firm with just 11 employees.
- Listen in as Kali shares:How she landed a Big 4 job offer coming out of a small school
- The logistics of how she transferred from a large LA office to a smaller office in Minnesota (within the same firm)
- Her advice for those of you who are thinking about leaving public accounting (interview tips and more!)
Wondering what options are available after public accounting? You won't want to miss today's interview with former Big 4 Accountant & Recruiting Manager Heather Ceresoli!
Listen in as Heather shares:
- Her journey from public accounting to finance, and ultimately to recruiting
- Her advice on when it's the right time to leave public accounting (and whether you should wait until after busy season)
- The different career options available after public accounting (some of them might surprise you!)
- Her advice for how to capitalize on your Big 4 experience to advance your career
- Where to start if you're thinking about making a career change
Want more guidance on navigating your accounting career? Contact Heather at heatherc@taylorwhite.com
We're taking a detour from our normal accounting content to bring you an incredible story from a software engineer who found fulfillment in his career.
Listen in as Jay shares:
- How he discovered his passion for computers at 16 years old, and built a career out of it without ever getting a degree
- The unfair scrutiny he faced as a young developer in his field, and how this affected the way he was viewed by employers and team members
- His pursuit of proving his potential, and how he landed his dream job and fulfilled a lifelong career goal
- The full-circle moment when he realized the real-world impact of his work
You might not expect a heartfelt story on an accounting podcast - but trust us when we say you'll want to listen all the way through on this one.
In this very special episode of the B4 & After Podcast, we interview our co-host & producer Darlene Nacional! Darlene shares her own accounting journey, and the many projects she's been working on since leaving Big 4 last year.
Listen in as she shares:
- The unorthodox story behind landing her Big 4 internship & job offer
- What it was like being thrown onto a team without a senior
- How she handled being let go from the firm as part of the COVID layoffs
- The business endeavors she's been working on and the next steps in her journey "After" the Big 4
Are you studying for your CPA exams? Be ready on exam day with the help of Becker CPA: https://www.becker.com/cpa-review/cpa-courses-ps
Sonia Rodriguez landed on accounting after she couldn't decide on a major her freshman year of college. Hear more about her experience from Big 4 audit to industry accounting, including:
- How being a DACA recipient impacted her decision to work at the Big 4
- Why she chose to go into IT audit rather than Financial Statement audit
- The culture shock she experienced when she started her Big 4 career
- Why she left public accounting for a project accounting industry position, and how this job compared to her Big 4 experience
- How she used her extra time during the pandemic to explore her side passions
- Her advice for new accountants & how to deal with the long busy season hours
John Brzozowski landed a job in Big 4 without majoring in accounting in college. Hear more about his journey through 4 public accounting busy seasons, including:
- How he uses a 45-day Consistency Challenge to maintain healthy habits with a busy work schedule
- His participation on the firm softball team and dodgeball league
- His advice for anyone going into a Big 4 internship
Sarah Fernandez left her Big 4 accounting job after just 10 months to pursue an industry position. Listen in as she describes her career journey, including:
- The unorthodox way she was offered a job at PwC
- What it was like working 100% remotely for her entire Big 4 career
- The moment she knew it was time to leave public accounting
- Whether she would have gone into Big 4 if she had to start her career over again
Listen to Alisha's career journey through public accounting, industry, and her book-keeping business!
Listen as Grayham shares his career journey through Big 4 and how he made a career pivot towards wealth management.
Listen to this episode as our guest, Maddie, shares her career journey and how she deals with dyslexia while working in accounting.
Listen as Darlene and Keegan give tips on how to give your two weeks, relationship management and more!
Follow @b4andafterpod on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Submit your questions and topics to hello@b4andafterpod.com.
Will sharing real-life stories bring humanity back to the workplace? In this episode, Gian Power (@GianPower) shares his life-changing realizations while at a Big 4 and how he was able to launch his empathy-empowered enterprise, TLC Lions.
Listen as Jenny Tian shares her journey through Big 4 as an aspiring-comedian and how she was able to balance the corporate world while chasing her dreams.
You can follow Jenny on the following platforms:
Instagram: @_jennytian
TikTok: @nomnomjenny
Listen in as we interview our guest, Samantha, about her career journey throughout Big 4 and how she handled not being promoted to senior and dealing with a loss during busy season. Check her out on Instagram and YouTube @samanthakida !
You've probably heard of @Lets_Get_Fiscal, @TheAccountingBetch or @BigFourConfessions on Instagram and Twitter - but have you met the content creator herself? This week we have Kristin Lofgren, a CPA and meme queen who came from Big 4 audit, moved to M&A and has since moved into industry.
Listen to her career journey and how she was able to balance out creating memes while working busy seasons.
Listen to this episode as we talk with guest, Alex Malinis, CPA, about harsh busy seasons, non-empathetic leaders, mental health, and making the switch from tax to audit.
Christina Martin, CPA, shares her career switch from auditing at a Big 4 to pursuing her passion in the fashion industry. She shares tips on how she attended Parsons School of Design while working her usual busy seasons in public accounting. Check her out in IG @petitelystylish !
Tune into this episode as Shu Han, CPA shares his story and his exit from Big 4 during COVID.
Listen to this week's episode where we ask accounting and finance recruiters how to perform successful career pivots outside of Big 4.
A tax manager submitted a question via LinkedIn, asking: "What can accounting firms do to have staff stay longer?" and "Is it comparable to being a professional athlete?"
In this week's episode, we are joined by Alicia (@fitnessbyalicia), a first year audit staff at a Big 4 who simultaneously started the viral card game @socialdrinkersgame. Listen in as she shares how she is able to balance her multiple interests with her full-time job.
Darlene and Keegan answer the main question most college students ask on the @b4andafterpod's Instagram.
Charlie Price, CPA (@chuckswilde) shares his career journey as well as how he was able to build a following and a 2,000+ FaceBook group (Marketing Success for Accountants and Bookkeepers).
In this episode, Keegan and Darlene discuss a viral article about Deloitte's new recruiting tactic.
Original article link below:
https://www.goingconcern.com/turnover-deloitte-pretty-bad-recruit-people-laid-off-last-year/
This weeks guest, Becca Birdsell, highlights her career journey thus far while sharing what red flags she experienced at a Big 4.
Ever questioned if you wanted to quit your job? Listen to this episode as our guest, Lindsay Hanson (host of the 'Quit Your Job, Sis' podcast) shares her story about the highs and lows of public accounting and how she was able to find her passion in life coaching.
Listen to this week's episode as our guest, Zach Peranich (@zperanich), shares his advice on how to start planning your exit from Big 4 and public accounting.
Listen to this week's episode as Nicole P. shares her unexpected journey through public accounting. Follow along with us as she reveals how she was able to establish her social media presence while finishing grad school during the busy seasons. Find Nicole P. on Instagram and YouTube as @corporately_nicole.
Follow Shelja Garg, CPA (@shelja1014) on Instagram and LinkedIn. Listen to this episode as she shares her life story and highlights her career switch from public accounting to being a life coach!
Listen as Tanner Cox (@accountantfitness) shares how he is able to achieve a work-life balance while prioritizing his overall health during busy season.
In this episode of B4 and After, Host Darlene Nacional welcomes the newest member of the podcast!
Happy Thanksgiving! Learn about the history of Thanksgiving, personal traditions and challenge yourself to some "journal entries".
Kaitlin St. Pierre shares her experience working at a mid-sized public accounting firm. Listen to this week's episode as we discuss societal issues and the effects in the workplace.
This week, former coworker, Ivan Vasilev, and host, Darlene Nacional, recap their time at Big 4 while also discussing a career switch to computer programming.
This week, Madison Flotteron shares her experience navigating from college to Big 4 and discusses her tips to success for new staff.
This week, Jess Day, shares her experience on what it's like working in a corporate environment while having an out of the box "rough exterior". Listen to her unique story on how she was able to work at a Big 4 without the traditional college degree.
Former Big 4 Senior Auditor, Sophi Gorman, shares her career switch journey into law school. Listen to this week's episode as we discuss the excitement of being a first year staff and questions you must ask yourself when considering a career switch.
Listen to this week's episode where Host, Darlene Nacional, and her boyfriend, Keegan, talk about navigating from college to career, studying for the CPA exams, and dealing with busy season while holding down a stable relationship.
Dive into an intimate conversation about busy season anxiety, stress and therapy with your Host, Darlene Nacional, and her mother, Jet Nacional.
Listen along for your host's unusual journey in and out of Big 4. We're talking college, a six-year plan, a once-in-a-lifetime business acquisition, the 10-month job hump, and a separation from the company. Host, Darlene Nacional, invites you to listen in on her unconventional career adventure.
In this preview episode, former Big 4 employee, Darlene Nacional, introduces her latest post-Big 4 career move: a podcast. After acquiring two years worth of experience in public accounting, she and her guests learn to explore different and unconventional pathways outside of accounting while having candid conversations about Big 4's intense work environment.
Listen along as she and her guests unveil their career journeys through Big 4 and the possibilities After.