big change comes with deep reflection

are you ready to redefine the accounting profession?

by seth fineberg
at large

what can be accomplished in a year for any individual or organization is amazing. in this case, i’d like to draw attention to the efforts and, for some, the existence of the accounting alchemy network.

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in march of 2022, ingrid edstrom, alina nikishina and mathew heggem helped put aan into the world to build a network of like-minded individuals dedicated to seeing accounting’s higher purpose come to fruition. i wanted to take some time in this post to familiarize you with what aan accomplished over the past year and peek into where it’s headed.

i was personally introduced to aan last year by co-founder ingrid edstrom, who pitched the concept on an idea we both share: the accounting profession is ripe for change by the very professionals who are in it. moreover, there’s never been a better time to shape its future and have accounting be redefined and a force for good in the world.

having participated in several monthly meetings and written about one of its core ideals, “living in the uncomfortable,” i can say the past year for aan has truly been one of growth and increasing awareness.

first off, aan has assembled a series of youtube videos to help get you acquainted with their body of work. over the past year, aan has, among other achievements:

• highlighted its roots and purpose in tell-all interviews with cpa practice advisor’s gail perry
• met with jina etienne, cpa, to talk about one of the biggest challenges our industry is facing: racial inequality

however, to truly get a sense of this group’s accomplishments and thoughts on the future of aan, we need to hear from the key members themselves.

thoughts from ingrid:

many people have been looking for a long time for ways to opt out of the current status quo, the systems of oppression, extraction and exploitation that perpetuate these unsustainable norms. we haven’t been able to shift this historically because there haven’t been alternatives. we are now actively creating new alternatives for people to opt into consciously.

there may be a bit of hesitancy and suspension of disbelief, as people don’t want to get their hopes up that change is possible just to be disappointed. nonetheless, it is happening. we demonstrate that we can be the change we want to see in the world, and it is working.

having the opportunity to connect with other financial professionals around these important topics makes all the efforts we have put into building the aan worthwhile. all this work is done by volunteering on our part.

learning, growth and connections are worth more than money to me. we are already a great example of how we can shift our habits to create a fulfilling well-being structure.

i am very excited as we are just getting to the point of the growth in our community, where new leaders are stepping forward. the aan was always intended to operate on a decentralized leadership model, and we are finally at the tipping point where we can see and feel what that will look like.

we empower each member to step forward in their gifts to create the opportunities they are most passionate about and use the aan as the platform to amplify the truest expression of their values in the world. i am excited for the future because it is unknown. i am excited to see what others must bring to this work and to support those initiatives.

finally, i am excited to see what technological evolutions emerge that could create new opportunities for accounting pros to account for more than just money. i would love to collaborate with software that can automate some of the processes for accounting for our values and measuring new kpis that account for our wellness and the good we are doing in the world. it is high time for this priority shift to take effect in our society, and accountants can lead that change.

thoughts from alina:

one of our biggest accomplishments has been creating a “playbook” that outlines aan’s theory of change and how someone new to the network can get a feel for the culture and get involved at whatever level works for them. someone always asks, “okay, but how do we do this?”

initially, it felt like a very expanded concept still in a dream, so seeing how far we’ve come is cool. also, i’m excited to see that we have multiple people now making contributions, participating in education, and getting the word out through media.

for the future, i’m most excited to see the impact and ripple effects of everyone now contributing and sharing. i continue to be inspired monthly as we have unique lyceums, social forums, and educational and community discussion opportunities.

it excites me to keep learning and growing! i intend for more financial professionals to take a stand to create more positive change in the world and start having discussions in their firms and local communities about our climate, social justice and well-being.

thoughts from mathew:

one of the accomplishments i want to highlight is seeing folks starting to mobilize, take leadership roles, and help us build things like donny shimamoto, cpa, and jina etienne, cpa, to name a few. i love working with ingrid on initiatives like jedi and humane workplaces. and people who are stepping forward to host conversations and facilitate meetings.

it’s great to see that unfold because it shows that this movement is not just about us and that other people care, too! i am also convinced we are sitting on a gold mine of content. the material we’ve created/recorded through our lyceums and the content we’re investing in creating will shape an industry and move our future toward something regenerative.

i’m excited that i get to look back at what we created and have all these tangible lyceums to point to say: “yes, we talked about that in a lyceum, and that’s something that any purpose-driven business can lean into to get advice on how to be better for the world.”

i also love that we’re impacting the accounting industry because we demonstrate that even something as “boring” or “mundane” as accounting can be a pathway to social impact.

folks believe that we must work with a nonprofit on the front lines of racial justice, climate action, or in the arts or social services to have a direct impact … that’s not true! as accounting professionals, we can stay exactly where we’re at and simply do things differently!

finally, i’m proud of the groundwork that we’ve laid and the fact that we created a playbook and theory of change. these are not easy things to manifest, but they exist for the community and are a huge asset for the scalability of this community over time. we’ve laid the foundation. now it’s time to build the house and let folks in to fill it with their brilliance and beauty!

i would love to see us automate our onboarding process for new members so that it’s easy for folks to get all the info they need in a clear sequence that empowers them to be educated, informed, inspired and mobilized within a short time from finding our community. this means ensuring we have put out the welcome mat and a clear set of instructions, including ensuring folks watch and act on the playbook.

as the next few years unfold, i see more people getting involved, having to create committees to take on certain initiatives, and possibly even a conference or in-person gathering that is multiple days long where we can invest in building relationships and getting to know each other as we cultivate a strong community of leaders within the industry who serve as beacons of light for everyone else.

one of the most essential partnerships we’ve formed is with the pachamama alliance and the game changer intensive, which will have a great impact on where we go.

i know that was a lot to take in. and as aan’s founders often say, it is not just about them; there is no centralized “leadership” for the group. rather, it is about you, the accounting professionals and influencers in this space to get involved. as such, please consider joining their newsletter. it will give you access to their linkedin and facebook groups, allowing you to join the conversation more actively. you can also view and comment on the videos mentioned above.

“you have a voice. come share it.”

posted on may 12, 2024