While it feels like just a week ago, I’m realizing now that it has been OVER two years since I wrote one of my very first blog posts about life after five years in public accounting and some exciting adventures I had coming up. I also shared the news of a promotion that I was so happy and terrified about at the same time. How in the world has time flown by so quickly and good lord, how my life has changed so much in those two years? On top of that, in 9 days, I will receive another promotion to senior manager. Holy cow! And on top of that, in 10 days, I celebrate my seventh anniversary with KPMG. WHAT?
Where it all started…
I’m reminiscing on my first day at KPMG after college. I sat in a small conference room with three girls I didn’t know, two of which quickly because two very good friends and confidantes through my career. I picked at a salad that was ordered for me for lunch that I hated because I really don’t like salads. I wore one of my favorite dresses and had just cut my hair short with bangs! I can tell you exactly what conference room we sat in and exactly what seat I sat in. We talked about school and relationships and goals and aspirations. I said I wanted to be a partner. Everyone gasped/laughed/said, “Oh hell no, not me.” I’m not surprised, though, that the three of us are all still here. I’m so proud of both of these women for kicking ass and earning this promotion and always being by my side. There is no one else I would have wanted to do it with! The three of us are the only ones left in our starting class.
Well…I guess it’s really down to two because I jumped ship too. JUST KIDDING. But I did leave them and I’m sad about it a lot. We were like the Three Musketeers, the Three Amigos, the Three Stooges (too far?) and I ruined it. So where did I go, you wonder? Well, let me take you through a little journey of the two years since that post.
The past two years…
I announced that I was joining a rotation with my firm where I would be traveling around the country to work on transactions for a year. I first went to Houston in July. It was hot. I then went to the suburbs of Milwaukee for the winter. It was cold. My last stop was San Francisco. It was perfect.
I worked with so many amazing people during that year and was pleasantly surprised at the requests for me to consider relocating to each place that I visited. I especially loved my team in Milwaukee because I made some wonderful relationships over the six month period, but I knew I couldn’t ever live there. But after maybe a week in San Francisco, I fell in love. I’ve always wanted to live in a city, but I’m a beach girl (and felt landlocked even in Richmond, VA). What the heck would I do in New York or Philadelphia or Chicago (plus the cold…eww!)? I never even realized a city like San Francisco existed. I’d been to LA and I’ll admit it’s absolutely not my favorite city. I loved that part of California but knew I wouldn’t like to live there. But I’d never been to San Francisco…
So I loved the city – first red flag (or green flag?). Then I started working with another incredible team of incredible people at an incredible client in an incredibly fascinating new industry. You get it…it was incredible. So when my partner on this job asked me if I would consider relocating, I didn’t have to think twice. I told her that I didn’t know when, but I would live in San Francisco one day. I spent three wonderful months exploring what is now one of my favorite cities and returned to Virginia. I actually left my heart in San Francisco.
Shortly after returning home from my rotation, I had some big changes in my personal life and I realized that actually the time is now. I called my partner and told her I would be in SF sooner than we thought. I wanted to move immediately, but I had commitments to clients in Virginia that I couldn’t break, so I committed to one more year in my home office in Norfolk and worked my booty off to be the best manager I could be for these clients, even though I would be leaving them (many of which took it veryyyy personally and I know are hoping and praying I’ll be back soon). I saw through my commitments and spent what I could of the year with friends and family (thanks, COVID). And then I moved…across the country…to a new city and state…in the middle of a pandemic…
And finally…today
Today marks exactly two months in this new city and just over five weeks of working here. I’ve already been able to immerse myself in my new engagements and I’m working with three different amazing teams. It’s not exactly what I imagined when I decided to move because I am working from home and haven’t been able to meet anyone face-to-face. But! I was accepted and brought on with open arms (thank god y’all!), and I’m already learning so many new and exciting things. I’m building (currently virtual) relationships with tons of incredible new people (because let’s face it – the best part of my job is the people that I work with – always has been and always will be!). I’m literally working in the city of my dreams for the company that I love.
I’ll be the first to admit that every day is tough and has its own challenges, but I made the hardest decision of my life and there is absolutely no doubt that it was the best decision that I could have made.
Cheers to two more years in the books, another position come and gone, the tons of people that make this job worth it, and new opportunities. I can’t wait to see what the future holds as my career unravels in this new, glamorous place and I hope I can savor every minute of this ridiculous journey called life that seems to move at the speed of light since I started my career.
