It's been said that one of the best things the accounting profession can do to work better with younger professionals is to make sure that they have a voice, that their concerns are heard among higher-ups and not just themselves. So it only makes sense that one young professional decided to do just that, on a wider scale, with his own accounting publication "by millennials, for millenials."
Jeremias Ramos, a CPA at Top 100 Firm Citrin Cooperman in White Plains, N.Y., serves as the editor-in-chief of
"We’re an incubator of creativity, insightful content, and innovative thinking from today’s young accounting & finance professionals who are on the path to become the business leaders of tomorrow," the publication notes on its website. "We’re chill. We dig your vibe. And we’re here for you."
We caught up with Ramos to dig deeper into his publication, and what he thinks the future holds for his peers.
What made you first want to become an accountant?
I originally wanted to be an English teacher or a journalist; however, the job security and the compensation wasn’t as good as other professions. I hated science, but I was good at math so I decided to take a few accounting courses. Accounting came easy to me and I was able to ace all my classes with minimal effort.
What was your inspiration behind creating The Daily CPA?
I always wanted to be a journalist and I would read economics and business journals all the time. I always imagined myself writing for the New York Times or Washington Post, but then I asked myself, “Why don’t you create your own publication?” I felt there [weren't] many accounting publications for young professionals. Many of the accounting journals are high level and extremely technical, and I wanted to create a publication that explained complicated tax topics in easy-to-understand concepts.
As a publication “by millennials, for millennials,” what content do you like to focus on for the site? What are some of the issues you see as vital for younger professionals?
I focus on the future of accounting and what young professionals need to look out for in the future. I cover technology, the future of public accounting, ways to service clients besides preparing a tax return, and also current trends that young professionals might find interesting.
As someone who’s constantly interacting with younger professionals, what are some of the issues you feel older professionals in charge need to address?
I think older professionals need to understand that young professionals are willing and eager to learn. Instead of giving out tasks and telling them to “figure it out,” they need to do a better job in describing why this is important and why we do what we do. Professional development is crucial, especially with the current trends in the industry. Technologies like Blockchain and AI have the potential to eliminate mundane, repetitive tasks, so it’s up to the older professionals to lift up the expertise and competence of younger professionals.
What are your biggest aspirations for the profession going forward? What do you hope will change over the next decade?
Some in the industry are afraid of technology and fear that it might ruin the profession. Some even think Blockchain will eliminate the profession altogether. However, I believe these technologies will only improve the industry and free up CPAs to assist their clients in ways to improve their business. Instead of spending hours during busy season CPAs will drastically cut the time on audits and tax returns and spend more time finding ways to improve their client’s business.
For more on The Daily CPA, head to the publication's
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