Meet Charmone Adams: The CPA Who Took the Road in Reverse
On Episode #120 of CPA Career Paths, I had the pleasure of speaking with Charmone Adams, CPA, a Partner at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC with more than a decade in risk advisory. Charmone calls himself a “reverse commuter”: he started out in industry and only later moved into public accounting, the opposite of the path most people take. His story is honest proof that there’s no single right way to build an accounting career.
Episode #120 Summary: Highlights & Takeaways
I asked Charmone to walk through his CPA journey, from a business degree and a persistent college professor to a humbling exam and, eventually, a partner title. A few moments that stuck with me:
- Talent gets noticed: a professor nudged him toward accounting years before he finally listened.
- The exam humbles everyone: it stretched across six years, two with his head fully down.
- A strong “why” wins: his sons and a sobering statistic kept him in the chair.
- Mentors change the game: his best advocates didn’t look like him.
Listen When Someone Spots Your Talent
Charmone didn’t major in accounting. He studied business and wandered into a financial reporting course, where he earned a 95 and a professor who wouldn’t stop chipping away at him. He brushed it off for years, picturing accounting as nothing but tax prep. Looking back, he sees what that hesitation cost him.
“Listen to your own intuition and those good people around you in your circle.” — Charmone Adams
- Do your own research before you rule a path out.
- Trust the people who spot your talent before you do.
The CPA Exam Tests More Than Knowledge
Charmone admits he walked in a little arrogant, and he got humbled fast. Between a 40-to-50-hour week, a new marriage, and his firstborn son, the exam stretched over roughly six years, including a credit-loss setback when he changed states. What carried him through was deeply personal: only about 3% of CPAs globally are Black, and that number turned the goal into a mission.
“If it was easy, everyone would have it.” — Charmone Adams
- Anchor yourself to a reason bigger than the exam.
- Plan for a marathon, and guard your study time.
Why He’d Choose Public Accounting Again
In private, Charmone built deep technical reps closing the books and always knew his calendar, which made planning study time easy. But the organization felt flat, with little room to climb. Public accounting handed him variety, mentorship, global mobility, and the daily challenge he craved. The longer hours are real, yet his verdict is clear.
“The good definitely outweighs the bad when it comes to public.” — Charmone Adams
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