Choosing The Road Less Travelled
Randel Da Dalire, CPA, U.S. CMA Passers

I could still vividly remember when my dad taught me to drive a motorcycle whenever we went to the farm. His instruction was simple – ‘follow the track others drove through,’ eagerly pointing at the road lines where other riders went through. As early as then, I wanted to ask him “how about driving through a new track, and not always following others?”

Since childhood, I always had the appetite to take the roads less travelled since childhood, and that attitude was reinforced by famous people we meet in history. The inventor of Tae Bo, Billy Blanks, quoted “To succeed, particularly early in life, you have to grab on to the thing that separates you from the herd, something that you love intrinsically, and go for it, all out.”

When I entered the academe with a fresh Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License last year, a lot of people were asking why I did not choose public practice or instead work for multinational companies, since most of new passers enter audit firms or become employed with private companies. I couldn’t sign audit reports until after three years, because I know I still need to learn a lot. Global competitiveness fascinates me – such an awesome undertaking to embark on.

Barely two months after the rigors of the CPA board examination, I met Sir Angel V. Secerio through a facebook chat expressing my utmost interest (or call it obsession) in the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential. I was worried of the financial requirements in gaining the certification, thus I planned to take the exam later the next year. It was a huge investment, and I was half-hearted when I was given the initial forecast of fees, not until I learned of the exclusive 50% discount given to fulltime instructors. My bill would be slashed in half, and before I knew it, I was filling out the Insights registration form after being offered a flexible payment plan. I eventually agreed to schedule my exam two months after, which I was happy about, as soon as I received my review materials after Christmas of 2013.

I was leisurely talking to close friends and celebrating the holidays, watching the TV Series Suits when I received the complete set of Wiley CMA Review Materials last December 2013. I told myself “this is it.” The size of the books was overwhelming, some twice my definition of a ‘large book’ in the undergraduate, (two books of that size), plus another two books of compressed outlines. I will be celebrating my 2nd decade birthday 3 days onwards, and there were the four Wiley books at my doorstep waving at me. I always wanted to pursue the CMA title, but that was one of the few days I smiled and jokingly told myself “be careful what you wish for”. So I scanned, smiled at every familiar topic, and got the chill with every unfamiliar topic I saw. I ended up chilling that day, so I planned out a review schedule to start after my birthday.

When work resumed in January, I started using the Wiley online testbank. It was just as overwhelming as the books, daunted at seeing the “unanswered questions” versus the “answered correctly” and “answered incorrectly.” It was then that I disapproved the thought that it was as simple as the Management Advisory Services in the Philippine CPA Board Exam. I knew a two-month preparation plus work was Herculean, certainly not enough to cover all topics, so I ended up categorizing topics according to time allocation. I lingered studying for Part 2 Exam, which covers most of the topics not taken up in the undergraduate like international investment terminologies, US GAAP vis-à-vis IFRS, investment topics unique to US, and US Laws on Financial Reporting and Auditing such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

The two-month preparation was way fast-tracked. I planned a quota of 100 MCQs per day in each of the parts the test bank, but I knew I still need to read through the theory parts. Just like the BIR missing earnings targets, I always answered short of my quota per day, hence adding more and more to my backlogs. I scheduled reading during my free time in the office, but each time didn’t always finish the schedule topic, which replaced my schedule at night assigned to answering the test banks. In most instances, I got too tired after work that I needed to take a good rest. It was mad race against time, against ensuring that I covered all important topics within schedule while ensuring mastery. As the exam date drew closer from months to weeks, I honestly began to worry a lot. I prayed for the topics I did not understand, asking God to shuffle the testbank excluding those topics, or to give me only easy questions instead. The earliest sleeping time was 1AM, and I needed to be ready for work by 7AM. Nevertheless, though the stream of topics was overwhelming, the pacing and strategies of the Wiley Testbank and other Wiley materials greatly helped me to reach ‘safe-zone’ scores. Just as when you thought you learned enough after the CPA Board exam, going global demands lifetime learning. Wiley materials remind financial professionals that: “Wait, there’s more [to learn].” I travelled to Manila a day ahead of the exam schedule. I entered the building ahead of time, so I had a chance to calm down the excitement rush inside the prayer room. I entered the Prometric testing center, verified my schedule, and was instructed to leave everything in the locker, even my rosary. I only got my red hanky inside, which I needed to spread before entering the testing room. The strategy at answering MCQs was the same, you can leave questions consuming much time. On answering the essays, I typed every key as if the keyboard was moving away with time, and I knew I was making noise. On honest regard, the two exam days were filled with the rush of experiencing something new, especially when I realize, “hey, I’m in Ateneo dude!”, and it’s CMA!

The next six weeks was an ‘agony in the garden.’ Waiting for the exam result was like singing “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri – an LSS on the line “I have died everyday waiting for you.” Of all the questions asked, all I dreamt about were the questions I knew I answered incorrectly. That was when I asked myself ‘what about the rush?’ of taking the exam with barely two months to prepare when I could have sat for the testing window in June. I remembered I was not well prepared for the February exam.

April 11. I was in Manila for an audit field work in the Philippine Cooperative Center in Quezon City. I received an SMS from Insights asking me to check my mail and give them a feedback right away. Time stood still. I occasionally sipped coffee to calm my nerves. While I was doing an aging analysis for their receivables, an unknown contact called me up. I knew it was not a domestic call, with a number extension +968, I knew it was Sir Angel. It took a bit of courage to answer my phone, and I greeted him “Hello sir!”

“Hey Randell how’s everything?”

“Okay lang po ako sir. Nasa Manila po ako, nakafield po sir. May result na raw po pero ichecheck ko po mamaya” I answered. I planned to secretly peek at the results after the call, so I can pretend I did not take the exam in case I fail, but I stumbled when I realized, “pero wait sir, ‘di ba may access po kayo sa account ko?”

“Hahaha. It’s ok. You passed!” was all he answered. I was like a delighted 5 year-old boy receiving a dream helicopter toy. And it took a bit of time lag to confirm: “Talaga sir? Whoah. Sure na po ba?” I came back to the ‘doubting Thomas’.

“Yes, you made it Randell!” was few of the best words I heard from a very supportive mentor. Even the staff in PCC was overwhelmed, and I couldn’t contain such excitement any further, so though it was my first time to conduct a field work in PCC, we had a good time smiling at another God’s blessing. Again, it’s CMA dude!

It took a lot of courage, self-confidence, and faith in God. Two months straight preparation brought back the exam anxiety during the CPA board, only it’s an entirely new level, and it also brought back the unwavering hope of reaching the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. Warm congratulations from friends after conquering one of the most sought-after certifications worldwide is an honor and a privilege, indeed.

I have a long list of reasons to be thankful for, but on top of it is our Almighty God, who always conquers my stubbornness in reviewing my notes by renewing my strength every day, for his wonderful ways, for every great people he sends in my life. Again, I still could not believe that Sir Angel, whom I only met through facebook, offered me flexible payment terms for the fees barely five days after we met, mentored me all throughout my review, and was the one who called me up all the way from Oman to tell the great news. I’ve already passed the two part exam, but I am yet to meet him in person. Some might think of it as coincidence, but in reality, it’s God’s plan that’s slowly working out. Undeniably, it is one of the best pleasures in life – to witness how his blessings unfold to those who believe in him. At the end of the day, we are all, in fact, entrusted with duties to accomplish great things. In so doing, we are in turn privileged that we may help others accomplish theirs.

And as for me, great achievements spring from a steadfast commitment – a single-minded passion for what we do; an unwavering desire for excellence in the way we think and the way we work. Genuine commitment is what launches us out of bed in the morning, and through the day with a spring in every step. No matter how short the preparation time is, the most basic things should be done, quoting from the words of Padre Pio – “pray, hope and don’t worry.”

My memory is still glued at the “Congratulations!” part of my e-mail from the ICMA Senior VP, Sir Dennis Whitney. For young Filipinos with ambition, there is really no other way to go than to go global, and as for me, dreams are really one of the few great things God purposefully made without limits. Dreams are the ones which separate us from the herd. Dreams define our potentials, our motivations, and our attitude at pushing out limits – the imbued burning passion to conquer the world is every Filipino’s dream. We have just begun doing things we are known to be good at.

Taking the road less travelled such as entering the academe gives us academicians a headstart and an extra mile. My extra mile was not passing the 2-Part CMA Exam, but instead the courage to take the risk, to invest, against all odds, all out, and at all cost. The extra mile was doing things we have never done, to achieve things we have never achieved before.

It pays to move out from the crowd and dare to make a difference.

To God be All the Glory.

Reaching for the Star

From being a scavenger of junk to being the first ever The Voice Kids Grand Winner… That is Lyca Gairanod’s Cinderella story.

Her powerful performance of Basang basa sa Ulan, originally by the local band Aegis, captured the heart of the viewers thus earning her a standing ovation not to mention getting the highest percentage of votes. From not having enough to now owning millions-worth of properties and cash prizes, her life was changed forever. After nine years of poverty, Lyca was able to turn her life around through her God-given talent in singing.

As used by Milo for its tagline, great things indeed start from small beginnings and Lyca is the epitome of this popular saying.

The kid’s story is close to my heart because it reminds me of a friend’s journey to being a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). He did not scavenge junk but instead, scavenged a lot of disappointments before he finally became a CMA.

Failing three times was not easy. It broke his self-esteem in shattered pieces. To fail once was tolerable, twice was breaking but three times? Can you just imagine how so down he felt to not make it the third time? However, like Lyca, he was determined to make his dreams happen. He perfectly knew that the only way was to take the exam again.

And so he did.

He used his disappointments to push himself to give more. He hung on to his faith that he was meant for greater things such as being a CMA, and beyond. He studied night and day and in between breaks during weekdays and was almost an anti-social during weekends. He treated his goal as if his life depended on it. He believed in himself and never entertained negative thoughts during his conquest.

After two to three months of waiting, his determination and commitment to win over his failures rendered him positive result. Alas, he passed. True enough, nothing worth having comes easy. He’s now working as a Senior Finance Analyst in one of the biggest utility companies in the Middle East.

I cannot picture the amount of positivity that my friend still has even after failing three times. Could you?

I guess it’s really just about perspective:  Seeing the glass as half-full rather than half-empty.

Nonetheless, the fact that he never stopped believing in himself played a vital role on his success. His is a story that is worth sharing and also inspiring in so many ways. Perhaps, it’s through his story that we may realize that our failures do not seal our future. What we do after failing in our individual endeavor does. It is not what we achieve but the setbacks that we overcome that really matter. That’s what makes the fruit of every labor and sacrifice so much sweeter.

How we are able to rise above unfortunate situations is what makes us a better person. Like my friend, let us use our failures and struggles to better our self, equipped with the realization that obstacles are thrown our way to test us and our resolve from time to time on how much we really want to achieve our goals.

Fraud And The Role Of Accountants To Address It

As idealists we wish to live in a utopian corporate world that is free from vices like accounting frauds and ‘white collar’ crimes. However, ever so often, we come across cases of fraud in the corporate world, across all geographies. On its surface, it might appear that entities from developed countries are faring better than emerging economies and the under-developed world in matters of preventing corporate accounting fraud. However, the reality might be shrouded by the sophistication in how frauds are committed in the modern times; cybercrimes and computer fraud proliferate which threaten our economic well-being, our private lives, and the system that protects us from abuse and harm.

By the very nature of their occupation, accountants invariably would come across such frauds in some form or the other as they discharge the duties of their office. Faced with such glaring occurrences, what should an accountant do to address such corporate frauds? The below mentioned points may be used as a guide for accountants who wish to understand their roles and responsibilities when they encounter fraud:

Subject matter expertise: Before concluding that there is something out of place in your organization’s accounts, one must understand and analyze company financials fully. For instance, the starting point may be to tally the three financial statements, namely, profit & loss statement, cash flows and the balance sheet. Most fraud signals can be detected at this level of analysis itself, as when an item or items susceptible of misappropriation sticks out as “un-ordinary”. Check, re-check and dive deeper into payment vouchers, all the way down to the source documents to ascertain that, indeed, fraud has been committed.

Articulate your concerns to superiors: It is an accountant’s duty to immediately alert superiors as soon as probably cause for the commission of fraud is established. The articulation must be data driven, not qualitative or subjective. The more quantitative the articulation, the more it is probably that your superior or persons in authority will be able to support your case. Providing hard evidence to back up your claim makes it easier for your superiors to understand your findings.

Escalation to higher management: If the discussion with superiors does not lead to any action on ground, it’s the accountant’s duty to escalate their findings and recommendations to higher management. Perhaps the management is unaware of happenings in the lower rungs of the company. It is important to communicate to them what the nature of the fraud is. Here, the communication form should be different from how you have previously communicated it to your superiors. Communicate the detail in a concise, non-technical manner complete with documentary proof and your findings; in this way, management is quickly able to grasp the crux of the matter.

It is each company’s duty to provide a workplace that adheres to pronounced ethical practices. Despite this, when an accountant witnesses or discovers anomalous and highly irregular transactions, he should be ready to face the risks involved in analyzing and reporting frauds in the workplace. While it is true that his job may be at stake, still, one must consider whether working on the wrong side of the law is going to remain unnoticed in the long run. Overlooking a crime is, sometimes, equivalent to participating in the same. Therefore, as an accounting professional, if you happen to observe an anomaly, understand the details, gather the relevant data, and report it at the opportune time.

In The Face Of Strong Adversity

There are times when we believe we have on hand a good plan to achieve our aspirations in life. Just for the sake of hitting the mark, we prepare ourselves physically and emotionally, willing to do everything humanly possible, and apply every thinkable strategy to mitigate, if not obliterate, the possibility of failure. After all, who would like to fail?

Sometimes, though, what we dread most ends up happening anyway. Defeat stares upon us despite following our master plan with utmost diligence. Things go awry as we execute our plan. We’re left to wonder where we had gone wrong; what we could have done better that could have averted the negative result.

Indeed, earning the prestigious CPA title means confronting a worthy adversary. But if, in the face of strong adversity, we decide to surrender our position, feel daunted at the fear of failing once again, if we continue to focus our mind at the fear of receiving another failing score, years from now we will find ourselves being more disappointed by the things that we didn’t do than by the ones we did.

Setbacks happen every now and then in our personal lives, even in our quest for professional and career development. It’s part of every human’s very existence. Not being able to achieve our goals can tend to bring us down and lead us to think that everything we did was just a colossal waste of time.

If you’ve reached this point, there are but two ways your life could go, and it all depends on your attitude and how you accept this “hump”. You could view it as a total failure or as a sign that you shouldn’t have pursued your dream to become a CPA in the first place, which then make you give up on your goal altogether and train your sight somewhere else.

Otherwise, you could view it as an opportunity to learn and do better. As daunting as it may sound, the latter requires uncommon valor, and makes you summon every ounce of courage from inside of you. After all, it’s never easy to pick yourself up, and give it one more again.

Most people will just choose to withdraw, brood about their mistakes, and then stop trying again. Well, it’s the easy way out anyway. But if you’re truly set on achieving your goal, come strong wind and high waters, you will push forth, sail on, ‘til you cross the finish line.

Being able to handle temporary defeat is the key to becoming triumphant in this journey. Many candidates tend to feel utterly discouraged when they encounter setbacks, and allow a failed exam to consume all their energy and will to go forward. Of course, when we don’t achieve our goals, we tend to be plagued with self-doubt, thinking that we’re not good enough, that maybe we should stop our obsession to earn the CPA title.

Rather than seeing it as a failure or as something that puts an end to your hopes and dreams, look at it for what it truly is:  A mere temporary setback that should not hinder you from reaching for your goal. Run a self-check and do the following:

1. Recap what you did. This is a good way for you to see where you went wrong and what you should do better next time.

2. Accept that things didn’t go as expected, and move on. You could dwell on your problems and your mistakes, but that won’t change your situation or bring you any step closer to your goal.

3. Prepare better. This is an offshoot of #1. Once you know where you went wrong, you will be able to take appropriate measures to prevent foreseeable problems in the future.

4. Give yourself time to recover. You don’t have to go for your goals right away. You need time to gather your wits together, as you plan your next move.

Make no mistake. The CPA title is something not to be missed. When things don’t go according to plan, always remember that missed goals are not missed opportunities. Instead, they are opportunities to do things better on your next try.

Allow me to leave you with this inspiring quote:

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi

Never Too Late, Never Too Old
Learn to Lead

Do you know what Richard Branson’s greatest motivation is? It is “to keep challenging myself. I see life almost like one long university education that I never had—each day I am learning something new“.

Most people like to say that they’d like to do and experience everything that they can while they’re still young, insinuating that after a certain age it might be too late. This young generation of technocrats believes that people stop being motivated and creative as they reach middle age.

On the brighter side, this way of thinking can fuel your desire and determination to see and do everything possible while you still have the energy and will to excel at the early stages of your life. I personally know of one colleague who, after earning his baccalaureate degree in accounting and passing the Philippine CPA examination, immediately pursued the MBA course, then the CMA certificate thereafter. At the age of 25, he has a CPA, MBA and CMA title. If you think these are remarkable achievements, wait ’til you hear this other one. He completed his accounting degree and passed the Phil. CPA exam in 2011 at age 20. As family migrated to the U.S. he took and completed all four parts of the Uniform CPA examination last year. This June, he took Part 1 of the CMA examinations.

Sometimes, though, it makes you think that once you hit a certain age and you feel you still haven’t achieved anything in your professional career, you start to believe that you have pretty much failed and that you can’t do anything about it anymore.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who think that they’ve let so many chances pass by and that they already failed to grab any opportunities in life. Others also tend to adopt the idea that they’re just too old to try and learn anything new, and that whatever they know is sufficient. Thus, many of them just plod along without striving to be better at their jobs or in life, and without exploring any possible new opportunities that could improve their career. They just stop being enthusiastic anymore. Some people become complacent as they mature, and no longer have interest in learning current industry trends. I am glad I fought this off as I realized that even in mid-40s I could still motivate myself to pursue international certifications (CMA and U.S. CPA).

It is important for us to realize that age is indeed nothing more than a number. It doesn’t say anything about one’s ability to learn something new. It doesn’t restrict us from achieving. And it certainly shouldn’t be a barrier to how much we could change and how much better we could become. Opportunities should not just be restricted to younger people, after all. For “old-timers” (like the author), it is imperative that we recognize that having the right attitude and positive outlook in life is still the key factor to success. Equally so, being cautious should not be mistaken with looking at situations or opportunities negatively.

In addition, you want to stay relevant in your field, or at the very least be able to understand what other people are talking about. You don’t want to get left behind, and you certainly don’t want to become the kind of person who just looks on as new developments arise and are unable to get on board because you didn’t bother to learn new things. It is the ability to adapt and embrace change that can bring success to us as professionals.

So the next time you catch yourself thinking that you’re too old to try something new, take a course, or learn how to use a new gadget or software, stop and think for a few minutes. By merely contemplating to pursue a post-graduate course, or to upgrade your skills by enrolling in personality development training or seminars, these already are important indicators as these circumstances show that you still want to learn.

Don’t let others write you off just yet; prove you still can, despite your age.

Making time to improve yourself

Who isn’t busy these days? It often seems like there are so few hours in a day for us to accomplish everything that we need to. Just think of all the hours we spend at work, the time we spend getting to the office and traveling back home, and the precious few hours of each day we have for our family. Given everything that’s going on in our lives, who actually has time to make room for anything else?

That’s something that so many people often say about themselves, and that often serves as an excuse for why they didn’t get started on a personal project, why they didn’t get to exercise that day, or why they aren’t pursuing other activities that will improve their lives, boost their careers, and teach them new skills. But if you find yourself blaming your busy, hectic life all the time for your inability to work on improving your life, you might want to step back first and take a good hard look at yourself and your schedule.

First of all, you have to consider whether or not you’re really as busy as you seem. Of course you have work, other hobbies, and your responsibility to yourself and your family. But there are inevitably some quiet spaces between each activity. What do you do during those moments? Do you sit back, relax, and do nothing? Do you spend them online? Are there any other things you do which are unnecessary and are done simply for you to kill time?

Second, you have to remember that every minute counts when you’re trying to learn a new skill or update your knowledge. If you’re really pressed for time, you don’t need to spend long hours studying and practicing. Block off at least a half-hour each day, and spend that half-hour on yourself, without any distractions. It might help for you to learn to give up some non-essential activities to make room for learning–sure, spending hours on Facebook or playing games is fun, but they don’t contribute to your improvement. You’ll find that giving up some activities is a small price to pay for long-term self-improvement.

The important thing is for you to really commit to your intention to improve yourself. No one will do it for you, and no one will rearrange your schedule to allow you to work on your self-improvement efforts. It all starts with you, and once you’ve learned to prioritize yourself and on becoming better, to commit to your goal, and then really make time for it, you’ve already taken a very big step towards self-improvement.

Why You Should Update Your Skills

When people have been in a particular field for a long time, there are those who tend to fall into complacency and think that they know everything that there is to know about their career or the industry. It’s easy to think that your experience and the number of years you’ve spent in your career are sufficient qualifications–until you realize that everybody else has moved on, that they know more than you do, and that your skills are hopelessly updated. No matter how long you’ve been in your career, you have to keep moving forward, making sure that you know the latest trends, theories, and methods in your field, that you study them, and apply them in your job. Otherwise, you risk getting left behind and you’ll have to play catchup with everyone who took the time to learn something new.

Your field is constantly changing. Therefore, you have to keep up with new ideas if you want to remain ahead of the pack. At the same time, ensuring that you have the best, most sought-after skills increases your value to the company and keeps you competitive. And if you’re gunning for a promotion or a new job, you want to make sure that you are the most qualified candidate available.

Workshops and seminars are always available for those who are interested. Your employer might also provide training to employees, which is something you should definitely take advantage of. Otherwise, you can ask your colleagues for information on any trainings, or you can approach relevant organizations. Of course, many workshops charge a certain fee, but you should just consider the fee as an investment in your future and your career.

It’s not just the skills you use in the field that you should work on. It would also help for you to update your computer skills, to start with. It’s practically unthinkable these days for any professional to not be familiar with a computer. At the very least, you should be well versed in an office productivity suite such as Microsoft Office. It would also help for you to learn to establish your Web presence and understand social media, as being able to do so can help put you in touch with potential clients and assist you in networking.

Ultimately, updating your skills keeps you fresh, knowledgeable, and relevant–and that’s something you want to be if you want to stand out among all the professionals in your field.

Life After Conquest

Studying for the CPA examinations is kind of addictive. You may find yourself crawling in the first two weeks in to exam preparation, but as soon as you get your groove going you soon feel something’s lacking each time you do not open your FAR book in a rest day, or knock off a few Wiley exercises on AUD, or listen to your Ninja Audio on REG.

It’s been almost a month since I learned I passed REG, the final leg of my CPA journey. I want to share with you how more meaningful life has become after winning it back.

I had gone for a short stop to Manila in March 2013 to celebrate my victory with my mom, siblings, friends, and employees of our small public transport business, Pamana Transport Services. The feeling is just so consuming when you look back and think about how you had successfully overcome a worthy adversary. Every ounce of sacrifice that I have invested in this journey is truly gratified, with hefty dividend paid in full.

One of my immediate plans is to start writing a book on Financial and Management Accounting and, hopefully, to release it toward the middle of next year. Indeed, life’s opportunities just become too manifest after a professional’s conquest of the CPA title. I have earned my Philippine CPA license more than two decades ago, but having the U.S. CPA title tucked under my belt just takes everything to a whole new level.

From the time I first joined Another71.com as a Ninja candidate way back in 2011 I have seen several Ninja posts shouting at the top of their lungs how jubilant they were upon completing their own CPA journeys, yet oddly asking how they’d now spend loads of their spare time previously allotted to studying. To be honest, my first impression was that these Ninjas were just being plain “arrogant”. Surely, they could always go back to doing what they used to be doing previously was what I thought was just pure logic. They could go back to being the loving, caring dad that they used to, or the wife or mom who consistently takes good care of her husband and kids on a full time scale.

If you’re not among the extraordinary CPA candidates who breezed past the CPA journey in just less than 6 months, chances are you will be able to relate to what I’ll be talking about.

CPA candidates on the average take about 12-24 months to complete the CPA journey. Yes, the often rocky road to success requires you to focus your whole being to studying that long to be able to reach your destination. Deviate from this even for a little and you expose yourself to receiving some heart-breaking 74s and discouraging 60s. And so, all for the sake of conquering this monster we learn how to say no when our kids ask us to play chess or badminton with them.

For a long while I thought I had fallen in love once again, not to a woman thank goodness, but to something known in this community as “CPA”. I knew I was “in the groove” when all I thought about then was studying for my next exam; when nothing else mattered anymore but passing.

When even in deep slumber you could hear Ninja Audios reverberating like a cool sound of morning dew, you are definitely on your way to your CPA.

Then, come the day of emancipation. Freedom. Sheer radiance at the end of the tunnel. Just as any CPA candidate had always looked forward to. Yet you suddenly find yourself disconcerted, confused with mixed feelings.

So, what is life after conquest? Without sounding negative, things will never be the same again. The things that you do and had grown living during your journey will linger on. Whatever it is that you continue doing afterwards is a matter of preference. I chose to continue listening to my REG audio because I didn’t want to lose this precious knowledge about federal taxation that I have already acquired. I still try to knock off about 20 MCQs twice a week for, honestly, how many of you REG passers do still remember the intricate rules on “basis of partner’s interest”?

On the personal aspect of things I am so thankful because my CPA journey has taught me how to reflect on the real value of spending time with the true VIPs of my life: My wife and my children. I missed a lot of quality play time with my kids for almost two years, but now can enjoy life to the fullest by redirecting all my spared energy to the very same people who supported and inspired me in each battle.

After CPA, life is truly no longer the same, because this journey do not only teach us become better accountants but, more importantly, make us become better persons.

The Journey That Wasn’t A Thousand Miles After All

Some people need something that will inspire them before they commit to doing something worthwhile for their own careers and professional advancement. Others choose and look up to their study buddies, intending to draw strength among themselves as they take on the challenges they will face in preparing for an exam. To the uncommon few, they go forth chasing their dreams with full dedication and might, willing to sacrifice everything, whatever it takes.

Whatever the cost, they pursue their dreams wherever they take them.

Like you, I had always aspired to bring out the very best in me. Way back then, I had always been fascinated by people that bear either a prefix or suffix attached to their names. Come to think of it, these enviable men and women are just normal people, like you and me, who dreamed, and persevered.

I first heard about the Certified Management Accountant’s (CMA) title in December 2009 from a colleague and friend at PICPA. I immediately fell in love as soon as I browsed the CMA program, which aims to administer a certification designed to validate competence and practical skills of accountants and finance professionals employed by today’s dynamic business entities.

It was only in late January 2010 that I have registered for membership at the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and, at that same moment, also have registered to sit for the first batch of the then-New 2-Part CMA examination in June, 2010.

The study and exam preparation phase was grueling and tension-filled each day as I was also providing free live lectures to then aspiring Filipino CPA candidates (most of whom are now CPAs) for their own Special Middle East Philippine CPA exams back in December 2010. The odds and daunting challenge did not make me change my mind and, despite urges from within to procrastinate, I headed straight to achieving my goal.

With Mighty God’s help in sustaining me of wisdom and strength I was able to pass both parts in the same testing window in June, 2010.

I was privileged to have known several candidates of different nationalities who had contacted me through the IMA portal, LinkUpIMA, who had asked me for advice if they should continue despite failing 3-4 times (one of them even failed 9 times trying to pass Part 1).

Indeed, earning the prestigious CMA title may mean travelling a thousand miles to some. There’s that rather insurmountable-looking criteria right there. But, unless and until you take that one big step, if you stay daunted at the fear of failing without giving it a shot, if you continue to focus your mind on hindrances and excuses which keep you away from achieving your dream, that distance between your dream and where you are now will stay a thousand miles away.

There is no secret formula to earning any gold standard international certification. No shortcuts either. People who successfully complete the U.S. CMA program and earn the illustrious CMA title undergo rigorous examination to assess the practitioners’ skills and knowledge that qualified management accountants must possess in guiding top management as they make important business decisions.

To those aspiring to become one, how long have you been holding back? How much longer would you wait ‘til you take that leap of faith that you, too, can “live the dream”? Need some help in understanding things about the CMA Program and on how this could add value to your professional career?

Let the Insights team of experts guide you on how you can finally unlock your full potential. Empower yourself from this year onward by choosing to believe.

For all you know, your journey may turn out to be far less than a thousand miles after all!

About the Author: Angel V. Secerio, Jr. is both a U.S. and Philippine Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Management Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Chartered Global Management Accountant. He is the managing director of Insights Financial Review Services and, concurrently, a director of Pamana Transport Services, a public bus transport service company in the Philippines. He also serves as the founding president of the Institute of Management Accountants-Philippines Chapter and a fierce advocate of pushing international accounting certification credentials to the Filipino accounting community.