Summary & Takeaways:
In this inspiring episode #90, I had the pleasure of speaking with Amy Vetter—CEO of the B3 Method Institute, keynote speaker, and workplace transformation consultant. From her roots as a Big Four auditor to building her own advisory business while raising children, Amy shares how she found her own path in accounting and created a life of balance and fulfillment.
Top Takeaways:
- Trust your instincts and experiences to guide your career.
- Don’t let traditional paths define your future.
- Flexibility is a strength, not a weakness.
- Work-life balance is possible—with intention.
- Building your own business is challenging but deeply rewarding.
From a Family Legacy to a Career Calling
Amy’s accounting journey was sparked by stories of her grandfather, an immigrant CPA who bartered services like fur coats and symphony tickets during the Great Depression. “From a very young age… I was saying I was going to be a CPA,” she shared. Her mom ran small businesses, and Amy learned early how accountants could help entrepreneurs thrive.
This deep-rooted connection to accounting inspired her to pursue her CPA license to support small businesses like her mom’s.
Learning What Doesn’t Fit is Just as Important
Amy began her career at KPMG in audit—but only after realizing that tax wasn’t for her during a college co-op. “That really helped me to understand I didn’t want to be in tax,” she said with a laugh. Even though she didn’t love every part of public accounting, it gave her access to people, companies, and insights that shaped her long-term vision.
Her advice? “Your first job… you may love it, but you probably won’t. Keep your eyes wide open.”
Pivoting to Purpose—and Parenthood
After relocating to Florida, Amy took a role in internal audit at Ryder Systems. Despite discouragement from others, she trusted her gut: “I loved internal audit. It was very operational focused.”
Things changed dramatically when Amy became pregnant and was put on bed rest. With limited maternity leave and no remote options, she worked from her bed to keep up. “It was a different world then,” she said. “I learned how to do that job from my bed.”
Ultimately, motherhood prompted her to leave corporate life and start her own business—what we now call client advisory services. “I just wanted to get back to helping small business owners,” she explained.
Building a Business, Building Balance
Starting a firm wasn’t easy. Amy took on adjunct teaching and per diem audit work to create income stability while growing her practice. “I had to network, go to chamber events… I got a lot of business from tax accountants who didn’t want to do what I did.”
Eventually, her firm was acquired and she became a partner at a CPA firm. Through it all, she found ways to balance her career with motherhood and live her B3 Method: Business + Balance = Bliss.
Final Thoughts
Amy’s journey is a powerful reminder that no career path is linear—and that being a CPA opens the door to so many possibilities. As she said, “There are so many ways you can do this job.”
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