In First Person

Rob Colby: My Experience In Kentucky

Going into the week I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew we were going to an area in need to help fix homes for folks out there. When we arrived there, we were put into teams for different projects. Our team consisted of a partner and his father, the hr director, a senior accountant, and myself. Our group built a wheelchair ramp for an elderly woman who recently broke her hip. It was a humbling experience to see how everyone lives in that area, and to see how blessed we all are at BBD. It was good to lend a hand to those who are less fortunate. They were so appreciative of our help that “It tickled them pink”.  Something that I didn’t expect going into the week was the opportunity to build relationships with others at the firm. I guess when you spend every hour of a week with others building ramps, eating meals, playing games back at the house, and joking around you’re bound to get to know everyone better. By the end of the week I was so thankful that I participated in the service project. It was humbling spending time in an impoverished area and it was great to help out. I was also thankful for the relationships that were strengthened within our firm. It is a week that I won’t forget and I’m sure it was a valuable experience to all who participated.

Rob Colby: Reflections On Taking...And Passing...The CPA Exam

I thought I was done with studying when I graduated…

The CPA Exam… quite a unique thing. I have recently spent eight months studying, but I am finally done. It has been a great learning experience and not just concerning the content of the exam. I have also learned the difficulties of dealing with failure, how to be disciplined, the importance of friendships, scheduling, and prioritizing. This was one of the most difficult things that I have gone through, but it has built my character for which I am grateful. The exams are passable though, as long as you are willing to put the time in, which can be a struggle. It may seem quite intimidating, especially trying to balance work, studying, and finding time to rest, but it helped having supervisors that were supportive of my studies knowing the importance of the exam. Another thing that was helpful was taking a review course; without it I wouldn’t even know where to start studying. If I had one piece of advice for any future CPA candidates out there it would be to take the exam as soon as possible. Once you graduate get your application in right away and have your school to send out your transcript, so that you can get the process started. The sooner you can get done the better off you’ll be. As time passes and responsibilities grow at work and in your personal life the harder the exam gets, so do yourself a favor and get studying!