Women's History Month: Erica Smith

In celebration of Women’s History Month and the incredible women in leadership roles at HHM CPAs, we are proud to highlight Erica Smith, a partner at HHM CPAs in the Memphis office. With a focus on audit, Erica specializes in employee benefit plans, governmental, nonprofit, and for-profit entities.  Her journey to becoming a partner at the firm involved overcoming obstacles. However, through perseverance and dedication, she obtained her CPA license and achieved her goal of becoming a partner within just a few years.

Erica's advice to aspiring women in leadership roles in the accounting field is to believe in themselves, be authentic, support other women, advocate for opportunities, learn from mistakes, and uphold core values. As a female partner, Erica hopes to inspire the next generation of female accountants by highlighting the unique perspectives and experiences women bring to the profession and empowering them to embrace their voices and strive for excellence. See below for a 60-second interview with Erica.

What is your role at the firm and areas of focus?

My role at the firm is a partner and my area of focus is auditing.

Can you tell us about your journey to become a partner at our firm?

Everyone’s journey is unique and mine is no exception. I came to the firm with over 20 years of public accounting experience in tax and audit as a senior manager. My goal upon hire was to become a partner but I had an obstacle in my path. I had never taken the CPA exam. I got too busy focusing on managing client relationships and getting work done that I never took the time to sit for the exams. I took the first year and a half at HHM getting settled in and learning the firm’s clients and building relationships with my team. Toward the end of my second year at HHM, I felt comfortable in my new role, set my mind to pass the exam, and began my study program. I would not say it was easy managing a team, keeping up my hours, and studying but in the end the result was well worth the effort. I obtained my CPA license in my third year at HHM, and the following year made partner. The important thing about goals is just to keep moving toward them and do not give up even when it is hard. There is a lot of truth in the saying that nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except because of hard work.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in the accounting industry, and how did you overcome them?

Over the course of my career, I have encountered stereotypes about my abilities or suitability for certain roles because of my gender. I have never seen this as a negative, but rather as a motivating force to excel. I have never let someone else’s misconceptions or short-sighted perceptions define me. What I have chosen to let define me is my work ethic and intelligence. This has never failed me because at the end of the day highly successful organizations and industry leaders are focused on achieving results and I only want to be associated with excellence.

What advice would you give to other women aspiring to leadership roles in the accounting field?

Believe in yourself and your abilities. Be authentic, to inspire trust and loyalty. Lift other women up and never participate in or tolerate gossip. Advocate for yourself and seek out opportunities. Learn from missteps and be coachable. Most importantly stay true to your core values and principles.

What impact do you hope to have on the next generation of female accountants?

As a female partner, I want to highlight what unique perspectives and experiences women bring to the profession and to encourage them to celebrate those attributes. I want them to understand their voice is of value and deserving of a seat at the table.

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