This is Why I Believe I Can Achieve My Dreams at HORNE

Being the best is easier said than done! I wake up every morning with my mind set on being the best at what I do. I consider myself to be a competitor and that is what drives me to succeed. I plan on taking the accounting industry by storm in the next ten years with hard work, dedication, and perseverance. My personal goal is to be the best CPA I can be and also to influence the world through accounting.” 

That quote is directly from my LinkedIn bio. When I decided to return to college and pursue my accounting degree after sitting out for several semesters, I was sure that I wanted to become one of the best CPAs in the world, but I had no idea what that path would actually look like. My plan included hard work, dedication and perseverance like most plans. However, I grew to learn that in order for me to succeed I needed to start my career with an accounting firm that gave me not only an opportunity to be the best accountant I could be, but also gave me a sense of belonging and valued developing me as a young professional. I wanted to find a firm that would embrace my race, religion, culture and personality. I needed an accounting firm who was by choice a “decidedly different firm” who valued what I brought to the table as an individual.

In the spring of 2016 I was selected to attend HORNE’s Full Potential College Program. I had done a little research on the firm and I was eager to see if HORNE was indeed “decidedly different.” During my time at the Full Potential College Program I had an opportunity to meet several team members, partners and even the executive partner of the firm. I was able to get each of their personal perspectives about the firm and its unique values and culture. I came to the conclusion shortly after that experience that HORNE was a perfect fit for me!

I chose to start my career here because of the culture. It’s a culture that separates us from any other firm in the world. We focus on making sure that every individual is provided all the tools needed to reach their full potential. Each individual, regardless of race, gender or religion has an equal opportunity to be successful. Ultimately, you get a strong sense of belonging here.

For me, feeling a sense of belonging is particularly important. The job we do as accountants comes with its own challenges and difficulties, so being in an environment where I feel comfortable and at home makes it easier for me to focus on providing that excellent experience that each of our clients expect from us. 

While the stars seemed to be aligning so far here, I still had to answer one last question that was lingering in my mind. “Is HORNE a firm where I can see myself achieving my dreams?” I can honestly say that I absolutely believe I can achieve my dreams here! This firm has made an unrivaled effort to invest in us as team members and this very intentional effort directly contributes to the confidence I have that I will reach my full potential here. At this point, the only thing that can stop me from achieving my dreams is ME!

About the Author

Calvin Moore is an assurance associate in construction at HORNE. He embraces each day as another opportunity to achieve his dreams and reach his Full Potential on his journey of building the Wise Firm.