Meet our DLC Finance and Accounting Consultant,
Susan Wolfson, CPA!
We are thrilled to highlight our Finance and Accounting Consultant, Susan Wolfson, CPA. Susan has been a valuable part of DLC since December 2022. Read the full interview below to learn more about Susan’s expertise, her passion for her work, and how she helps her clients thrive.
What is your hometown? Born and bred in Los Angeles! I also spent 7 years living in Houston, Texas. Since returning from Texas, I’ve resided all over the LA area: Santa Monica, Hollywood Hills, Burbank, and Glendale.
What is your alma mater? UCLA Bachelor in Anthropology, University of Texas Master in Environmental Health & Toxicology, and University of Houston Master in Accounting & Taxation.
What are your favorite things to do outside the office? Among my favorite activities are walks in my neighborhood, writing essays, fiction, and plays, seeing movies and plays, and tap dancing. Another commitment for me is to my community, for which I have served as a Parks Recreation & Community Services Commissioner for nearly 7 years. I’m also a devoted guardian to three cats and love spending time with them.
How has your background impacted your experience as a consultant? Before joining DLC, I was privileged to work as an auditor for two of the largest CPA firms in the world. After that, I worked in a wide variety of entities: financial institutions, entertainment companies, a state political party, and a small municipality. The longest period at any one entity was 7 years. This history prepared me to quickly assess situations, be flexible and adaptable, and armed me with a lot of information about different processes and industries.
What is a typical workday like for you? Usually at the end of each day, I create a calendar appointment for myself where I have a list of open items to follow up on and a punch list of items needing attention, from highest priority down to less urgent items, noting any key information such as persons to contact at times when they’re most likely to be available. Every morning, I first review this list. Next, I work my way through the list and create one for the following morning throughout the day, noting any complications, delays, and added tasks. If I’m working remotely, I make a point of making sure to check in with colleagues via Teams or Zoom as needed. Sometimes hopping on a call is worth a thousand emails! If I’m working on-site, I take advantage of the opportunity to engage in face-to-face communications.
What motivates you to wake up and go to work every day? For me, finding solutions for challenges and being of service to clients is a great motivator. In accounting and finance, there are always tangles to be tamed and it’s very gratifying when you figure them out. And nothing feels better than delivering what a client needs and exceeding expectations where possible.
What kind of work have you been doing recently? My projects have included filling a suddenly vacated senior accountant position, assisting with due diligence for a business combination transaction, and participating in a NetSuite implementation and fixed asset data clean up, while also streamlining and producing unclaimed property filings. In each project, I have enjoyed the opportunity to dig deeply into data, to deliver on project goals, and document processes and recommend process improvements.
Where do you believe you deliver the most value to your clients? My ability to quickly cut to the chase and then drill into technical information enables me to provide reliable guidance for clients about any regulatory requirements, tax-related and otherwise. Additionally, I take a very methodical and orderly approach to complicated processes, breaking them down into clearly stated steps. The value I deliver arises from creating a complete and correct plan for the work to be performed, and from my willingness to roll up my sleeves and doggedly see it through.
How do you organize environments with a lack of reporting infrastructure or inefficiency? My approach in these situations is to first develop precise objectives and methods, and then to write concise and clear descriptions. It’s also necessary to articulate follow-up questions, often on the fly during meetings. Recording meetings and calls – with the permission of all attendees, of course – is helpful in ensuring I stay on top of everything we discussed. Another helpful technique I use is to provide a follow-up recap email containing the goals and steps planned to meet those goals. Where there is a lack of direction and/or inefficiency, clarifying matters after meetings and calls usually pays rich dividends.
What’s your process like? In addition to the above techniques, I listen very carefully to clients from day one. Their priorities become my priorities, and my goal is to deliver the best possible results for them to help them improve their business and make their processes as accurate and frictionless as possible. My first step is always to assess the situation, clearly define the need and how to fulfill it, take actions, monitor progress along the way, and meet all deliverables on schedule and with high standards of excellence.
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