We Are HORNE. And We Are Building the Wise Firm.

I remember the day I saw the very first draft of The Wise Firm Way. I was sitting in a board of directors meeting in 2015, and we had been talking about the Wise Firm outside of the walls of HORNE for less than 12 months. That initial script was rough and there was still a lot of work to do, but I remember feeling so excited about seeing our vision for our future so clearly formed. There were still some lingering questions throughout the firm about why we were choosing to make such a big push on culture externally. And I am sure some were asking why we were so vividly describing the firm we were building together to those who don’t even work at HORNE. 

But that day, when The Wise Firm Way script was read (it wasn’t even named that then!), there was a strong sense of pride that just invaded that space. For me, at the end of the day, we define our Wise Firm culture because we want to build a firm we are proud of—a place we can recommend to our friends, a place where we can all reach our full potential.

As a partner in this firm, I am moving into what you might call the legacy phase of my career. I have less than 10 years left until retirement, and I want to be a part of something bigger than me. I want to leave the firm better than I found it, and I think most of the people I work with at HORNE want that, too. That’s the very reason we define our culture at HORNE. It keeps us aspirational. It keeps us working for a goal that is bigger than one person could ever accomplish. It keeps us focused on creating something with purpose and impact. The Wise Firm Way so clearly points the way forward. And I am so proud to be a part of the Wise Firm.

About the Author

Kathy Watts, CPA, CHC, guides our Belonging at HORNE Steering Committee as we work to create a culture that is defined by a sense of belonging. She is a risk taker, one who asks hard questions and doesn’t shy away from healthy conflict as long as it pushes us forward.