We all have moments that ask more of us than we think we're capable of giving: the difficult client conversation, the boundary that needs to be set, the meeting where it's time to speak up. It happened to Cassie Divine, too. In two decades leading at Intuit, she discovered that authority isn't something you earn once you feel ready. It's something you access when the moment demands it. Most career advice tells women to become more confident, more assertive, or more strategic. But what if you don't need to become someone new at all? Cassie joins Nancy and Questian to explore the idea of an alter ego—not as a fake persona, but as a way to access the version of yourself that's already proven she can do hard things. From the sixth-grade story that gave birth to "Trashy Cassie" to the executive conversations that later demanded her, they unpack why authority is a behavior, not a personality, and how to stop waiting until you feel ready.ResourcesCassie Divine | LinkedInAbout — Cassie DivineCareer | Cassie Divine | Substack SPONSORS: [Bill, Relay, Karbon] Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media

The need for “executive presence” is the vague phrase that shows up in performance reviews as the reason women don't get the promotion – even though almost no one can define it. Lindsay Patterson, co-founder and CEO of CPA QualityPro, joins Nancy and Questian to strip it down to something simpler and more meaningful: instilling confidence in others that you're the right person for the job. They dig into the double-standard that turns an assertive woman into "aggressive"; what to do when office culture rewards the loudest jerk in the room; and why walking away from a toxic culture is never failure.Show notes:•   Guest on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/lindsaypatterson•   CPA QualityPro – cpaqualitypro.com•   The Accounting Podcast – “Solving for CPA Mobility with Lindsay Patterson” – accounting.show/472•   Amy Cuddy TED Talk – “Your body language may shape who you are” – ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy•   Sylvia Ann Hewlett – Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success•   Earmark CPE – earmark.app SPONSORS: [Bill, Relay, Karbon]Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/

Nancy and special guest Melissa Miller Furgeson, stepping in for Questian, get honest about the awards nomination cycle in accounting: the longing for recognition tangled up with the dread of asking to be nominated, the fear of losing in public, and the jealousy and imposter feelings most of us have but few admit. They reframe awards as visibility events rather than verdicts, and talk through why showing up, even when you feel undeserving, gives the people around you permission to do the same.ResourcesMelissa Miller Furgeson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamillerfurgeson/Insightful Accountant's 2026 Top U.S. ProAdvisor: https://blog.insightfulaccountant.com/insightful-accountants-2026-top-u.s.-proadvisor-awardsInsightful Accountant's 2026 Top Advisor Awards: https://blog.insightfulaccountant.com/insightful-accountants-2026-top-advisor-awards Scaling New Heights - https://www.woodard.com/scaling-new-heights-2026Bridging the Gap - https://www.btgconference.com/Forbes Best-in-State - https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-in-state-cpas/Kate Johnson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-josephine-mcgill-johnson/Ask a CPA - http://aska.cpa/Bookkeeping Buds - https://www.bookkeepingbuds.com/Financial Cents Top Firm Owners to Follow - https://financial-cents.com/resources/articles/top-accounting-bookkeeping-firm-owners-to-follow/Theatre of Public Speaking - https://publicspeaking.mistymegia.com/?ref=857055AICPA Global Women to Watch - https://www.aicpa-cima.com/membership/article/aicpa-and-cima-global-women-to-watchAccounting Cornerstone Foundation - https://accountingcornerstone.org/Alicia Katz Pollock Unofficial QBO Accountant’s Podcast - https://uqb.show/141Bookkeeping Buds - https://www.bookkeepingbuds.com/Cindy Schroeder on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brightbooks/Nancy McClelland’s LinkedIn post re: Ask a CPA members in Top 100 - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7442429419517837312/Varonica Frye LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7465778446334357504/Jackie Meyer LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jackiemeyercpa_jackie-meyer-cpa-cca-phd-candidate-activity-7314405422084300800-Ba9YSandy Rehart LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sandyrehart_news-i-was-selected-in-insightful-accountants-activity-7467312899435286528-lYj7Heather Deibele LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7445849113671397376/Donna Reade LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/donnareade_i-almost-didnt-post-this-and-it-was-hard-activity-7445940183075627008-_T9n/Debra Kilsheimer LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/debliberate_insightfulaccountant-top100-accountingawards-share-7443370349401923584-8vvh/Nicole Davis LinkedIn post - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicoledaviscpa_womentalking-entrepreneurship-entrepreneur-activity-7120392377961254914-xanR/Candy Bellau on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/candybellau/Jamie Peña on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-pe%C3%B1a-teamlegacy/SPONSORS: [Bill, Relay, Karbon] Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media

Nancy and Questian make the case for why conferences can have such impact for women in accounting, and how to get the most out of them when you show up. They share their industry favorites; what they look for when prioritizing certain events over others; how to define and reach your attendance goals; and the mistakes that sometimes keep people from getting full value out of the experience. Whether you're a self-described introvert who sets out to introduce yourself to just one other person, or a woman who could spend the whole week connecting in the hallways and soaking up education… there's a conference for you. ResourcesNancy’s MSN article: “Where Accountants Are Going Next: Conferences Worth Your Time in 2026” - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/where-accountants-are-going-next-conferences-worth-your-time-in-2026/ar-AA21uJnZNancy’s MSN article - “Expert Tips For Attending Scaling New Heights” - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/expert-tips-for-attending-scaling-new-heights-2025/ar-AA1FYrFyTony Proctor on LinkedIn - Tony Proctor, EA | LinkedIn Erin Pohan - Erin Pohan | LinkedIn WAVE Conference - WAVE - Seattle Jen Posner - Jennifer Posner | LinkedIn Katie Helle - M Katie Helle, CPA | LinkedIn Greg Bossen - Gregg Bossen | LinkedIn Megan Tarnow - Megan Genest Tarnow | LinkedIn Kelly Gonsalves - Kelly Gonsalves | LinkedIn Jina Etienne - Jina Etienne, CPA, CGMA | LinkedIn Valerie Heckman - Valerie Heckman | LinkedInNicole Davis - Nicole Davis, CPA | LinkedInBrittany Brown - Brittany Brown | LinkedInCindy Schroeder - Cindy Schroeder | LinkedInGail Perry - Gail Perry, CPA | LinkedInCPA Practice Advisor - https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/Hope Brown - Hope Brown, MSA, AFSP | LinkedInTri-Merit - Tri-Merit | Maximize Tax Savings With Expert Specialty CreditsRandy Crabtree - Randy Crabtree, CPA | LinkedInUnique CPA Podcast - The “Hive Mind” Effect at Bridging the Gap: Randy Crabtree Bridging the Gap - Bridging the Gap 2026 | Top Accounting ConferenceMelissa Miller Furgeson - Melissa Miller Furgeson | LinkedIn Realize - REALIZEJason Staats - Jason Staats, CPA | LinkedInJason on Firms - Events Madeline Reeves - Madeline Reeves | LinkedInAdvisory Amplified - Advisory Amplified | Live Financial Advisor Events 2026 SPONSORS: [BILL, Relay, Karbon]Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media

In a special crossover episode with the Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast, Nancy and Questian are joined by Alicia Katz Pollock to dig into why so many technically skilled bookkeepers struggle to charge what they're worth — and what it takes to bridge the gap between expertise and authority. Alicia gets candid about her own discomfort with pricing, using a real business pivot as a window into the self-doubt that holds back even the most accomplished practitioners.ResourcesGuest on LinkedIn - Alicia Katz Pollock | LinkedInUnofficial QuickBooks Accountants PodcastA Bookkeeper’s Guide To Annual Reviews | The Dancing Accountant Royalwise OWLS (On-demand Web-based Learning Solutions)The OWLS Incubator ProgramREFRAME 2026 - Event Ticket Purchase Portal Theatre of Public Speaking - Fall 2026 Cohort Accounting Discussion Forum: Bookkeepers, CPAs, EAs | Roundtable Labs Mariette Martinez | LinkedIn The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise by Blair Enns | Goodreads BDO Alliance USA: CPA, BRN and More | BDO SheCounts - Double SPONSORS: [Bill, Relay, Karbon] Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media