Aaron Snodgrass0:00
I have so many mentors, and truly if I had worked somewhere else, I don't think I would have the knowledge and some of the leadership skills that I have. I feel like I have so many people guiding me down the right path to be able to succeed in so many different ways. Yeah, so my mom is a CPA, so it's something I always wanted to aspire to be. Through the firm's funding and different channels of that nature, the firm has helped me kind of progress towards that goal of mine. I'm currently studying right now using one of the firm's affiliates for the CPA exam review courses, and I plan to sit here within the next couple months for my first CPA exam. The culture, the people that I work with, I have formed so many great relationships. On a professional level, I also have a lot of great friends that work here. We talk to each other outside of work, we know each other's lives, and we've kind of almost grown up together in our adult lives, starting here out of college and now continuing to work together. Probably my favorite part of the job is working with clients and building relationships. I've had numerous clients that I've been working with since I was an associate at the firm, and we have a very good working relationship. We talk about their kids or where they went on vacation. They've gotten to see me grow in my role and become more knowledgeable, from an associate who might not know everything and is still learning, to someone they can rely on and call to ask the important questions. Going from an associate to being a manager that they're relying on means a lot to me. I just think we really value relationships. Working with people that you want to be around, being understanding and relating to those people, it's not just about the job—it's about working with people that you care about and share values with. I think the culture here is fantastic. Starting with everyone in the office, everyone in all the offices is so friendly and approachable. Honestly, I don't think there's one person here that I've met that I would hesitate to reach out to if I needed anything or had any questions. We want our employees to be here for a long time, so we do not want to burn employees out. We really focus on their development, not so much getting as much out of them as we can. My best friend—I was actually the best man in his wedding—worked at one of the Big Four for five years. Every busy season, which for us is January through the end of April, he would send me pictures of him leaving the office at 2:00 AM and getting there at 7:30 AM that same day. We do work heavy hours during busy season, but it's nothing compared to that. That reinforces that Snodgrass treats their employees well and makes sure we have a good work-life balance. The training program, the mentorship, the flexibility we have, and the fact that we're not just a number—I truly feel valued as an employee and individual. That's really important to consider, especially when comparing to maybe larger firms. It's really important to see that you do matter and you are valued. Even times when I've not been feeling motivated, I can just say to one person that I need a little boost, and so many people are willing to give you that pep talk and remind you why you're doing it. One thing about Snodgrass is that we will help you achieve your goals that you aspire to fulfill, especially as somebody young and being a young female. I feel like you don't always get that at other places. It's awesome that you have people always trying to push you and figure out how to get you to the next step, even if it's not just a promotion. Honestly, it is the best decision I have ever made. I just feel like there's so much room to grow here. You have your associates all the way up to partners, so there is room for growth, room for promotion. There's always a way to better yourself. I definitely see a good future for me here.
