Coming from modest beginnings and armed with Telugu-medium education, my journey from a small town in Andhra Pradesh to the bustling city of Seattle wasn’t one I had ever expected to undertake. But what is life but a series of surprises that shape you and prepare you for paths that you often didn’t even know existed?
My days were mostly joyful and stress-free growing up. I experienced all thehappiness an ordinary childhood could warrant. Despite the restraints, characteristic of middle-class life, I was allowed a certain freedom of spirit that helped me see the world how it could be rather than how it was.
Even though I had originally nursed the desire to become a Doctor, it became obvious that starting a career in accounting was a more natural andconvenient choice.
Why was that?
Along with balancing my studies, I used to help my father run his pharmacy. By the time I graduated from college, I already had nearly a decade’s worth of work experience. Routinely dealing with the nitty-gritty of running a small business gives you an invaluable perspective and a firm grasp of technicalities that can’t be taught in a classroom. It made only sense to capitalize on this exposure by venturing into the world of cash flows, P&L statements, and balance sheets.
I became a Chartered Accountant in 2018. As I had imagined, my work entailed navigating a territory where I had already established a foothold. Old and new learnings coupled with continuous self-study helped me grow professionally. I built my resume, holding roles ranging from Article Assistant to Finance Controller and Manager in well-known companies. By 2008, I had become the highest-paid CA in Indian history.
Truth be told, working outside India had never been part of my game plan. After all, we don’t usually hear of an Accountant moving to the US in the hopes of making it big in life, right? The emigrants are usually those with a fancy management degree or a background in science and technology.
However, when the opportunity to work abroad did present itself, I didn’t hesitate to take it. I was willing to step out of my comfort zone and see how far my abilities could take me.
The transition to the US was surprisingly easy. It didn’t take long for my family and me to adapt to American culture in our own desi fashion.
Extensive stints in companies like SunEdison, Amazon, and Starbucks followed thereafter. Within a few years, I had traversed the entire world of American corporate accounting. I was well-acquainted with its every nook and corner, had discovered its lesser known yet important alleys, and was aware of all new developments that had the potential to change the map of this place.
Nevertheless, this wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more people to benefit from my thorough knowledge of corporate accounting, not just faceless MNCs that already had deep pockets. To fulfil this desire, I started AG FinTax, a Company offering financial and tax services to small businesses. This is how the boy who got his first taste of finance while working in his father’s local pharmacy came full circle at the other end of the globe.