I Am the VSCPA

Two minutes with Neena Shukla, CPA

Neena Shukla, CPA, CFE, CGMA, FCPA, is an assurance and advisory partner with PBMares in Fairfax. She obtained her BA (Hons) in Accounting from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom. She leads the Firm’s Government Contracting Niche team and serves on the VSCPA Educational Foundation Board of Directors.

I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT… Mentoring and coaching people to help them succeed in our profession. People often think that working in public accounting means sacrificing other outside interests and time with family, but that is not true. You can have a successful career and an enriched life if you work smart and focus on time management.

PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS, BUT... I was on a TV show when I was younger in the United Kingdom on BBC.

MY ADVICE TO FELLOW CPAs IS... Don’t be afraid of getting out of your comfort zone and taking on tasks that are challenging and maybe even downright scary. Too many times, people focus on the negatives and the fear of failure, but challenges are what make life interesting. This is what will make you grow, both professionally and personally. I NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT… My phone and my pearls. In today’s society, being connected is important. Constant communication with clients, staff, family and friends is vital and smartphones allow flexibility to stay connected on the go. As far as pearls go, they are my go-to for a simple classic look to get me ready to face the day. You meet a lot of different people in our business, and to quote Jackie Kennedy, “Pearls are always appropriate.”

I WISH CPAs KNEW... Change can be a good thing. The unique challenges that today’s CPAs are facing such as globalization, cloud accounting and the commodity of traditional services may be daunting but they offer tremendous opportunities for those who are willing to learn new skills, think creatively and challenge themselves.

I AM A CPA BECAUSE… I truly enjoy waking up every day and going to work. I am passionate about the integrity of our profession and the standards we are upheld to. We have a very important responsibility to the public for the work we do. I am constantly learning, meeting new people, and dealing with different industries, new regulations and challenges. n