Career Path Of A CPA At Rizvi And Rizvi CPAs
Amir's career path began with a political science degree and a Bank of America role, but a passion for finance and accounting led to a master's in business taxation and CPA licensure. This academic foundation, combined with experience at mid-tier firms like Markham and BDO ("trial by fire, you know, you don't get to...it's very much practice day one"), ultimately culminated in joining their family's firm during an acquisition, allowing them to leverage prior experience in a growing entrepreneurial setting.
Career Path, Public Accounting, CPA Exam, Entrepreneurship, Client Interaction
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Amir Rizvi
CPA
Rizvi & Rizvi CPAs
San Diego State University 2008
USC - Master of Business Taxation (MBT)
Political Science, American Studies
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Amir's career path highlights a non-linear progression, starting with political science, then pivoting to finance and accounting after gaining practical banking experience. This shows that career paths are not always straightforward and that exploring different fields can lead to unexpected opportunities.
2. His decision to pursue a master's degree in business taxation demonstrates the value of further education in specializing and gaining a competitive edge in the accounting field. This also highlights the importance of aligning education with career goals.
3. Amir's experience at firms of varying sizes, from mid-tier to large public accounting firms and finally a smaller entrepreneurial firm, showcases the diverse range of opportunities available within the accounting profession. This diverse experience provided him with a variety of skills and knowledge applicable to different professional settings.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
Sure. In college, like many undergrads, I wasn't entirely certain about my career path. I was majoring in political science with the expectation of possibly attending law school.
However, as I approached graduation and took a few finance courses, I became more interested in business, finance, and accounting. I graduated with a degree in political science but started working at Bank of America in their private banking sector.
This was my first exposure to banking and finance, and it was also a very client-based role. I particularly enjoyed that aspect, but I always felt somewhat limited. We could advise on very narrow areas regarding the client base, as we were only licensed to advise on certain bank products and help with mortgages, but not much else.
I enjoyed the interaction with clients and being able to advise them. So, I decided I wanted to get more into the technical business side of things. As anyone who has taken an accounting class knows, it's the language of business and provides a great foundation.
At that point, I decided to go back to school and get my Master's in Business Taxation. This allowed me to earn a graduate degree and have the credits to sit for the CPA exam in just over a year. California had recently passed laws requiring graduate school for exam eligibility.
The degree was very technical and somewhat overwhelming, especially since I didn't have an undergraduate degree in accounting. It taught me a lot. After graduating, I started working at Markham, a mid-tier public accounting firm.
My goal was to do something entrepreneurial. My dad had his own practice for over 30 years at that point. I specifically targeted mid-tier firms in recruiting because I wanted experience relevant to working for my dad or starting my own practice.
Going to a Big Four firm, which I was fortunate enough to get an offer for, would have focused heavily on Fortune 500 clients, not the kind you'd see if starting your own practice. I started at Markham and spent a couple of years there.
I had a great mentor and was exposed to everything at once. It's trial by fire; it's not like school with a lot of theory; it's very much practice from day one. I spent a couple of years there and gained a strong technical foundation.
Then, I moved to BDO, another larger mid-tier firm. I followed a manager I was close with and also moved up in roles, becoming a senior. This involved managing people and coaching, in addition to the technical skills. I spent a couple of years at BDO, totaling about five years at large public firms, outside of my graduate degree.
At that point, my dad's firm was undergoing an acquisition. I joined to assist with that, and we were going to double in size. This provided a great opportunity for me to get involved with a solid platform, rather than starting from scratch.
That's how I ended up in my current role. Anyone who has worked in a smaller or more entrepreneurial business knows that you wear many different hats. That brings us to where I am today. Over the past few years, I've managed to grow a lot, bring on more people, and generate new business. I'm proud of many of these accomplishments. That pretty much walks you through to the present day.