Ben Hays
"What’s on the website is what you’ll experience..."
I spent many years here in Arizona doing income tax work with Big Four accounting firms and then going self-employed. When my clients started asking me to assist with CFO work, I discovered that I enjoyed that more and started doing part-time work for corporations. But I missed having a firm behind me with other people to bounce ideas off of. I applied to YPTC even though I’d had no nonprofit experience and landed here in 2022 and have really loved it.
When I read about YPTC’s organizational culture on the website, I was skeptical and honestly thought it was too good to be true; the culture shown on most firms’ websites never really matches up. But I quickly found that YPTC’s culture as seen on the website matches up with the actual culture and that was a pleasant surprise. I tell our new hires that what’s presented on the website is what you’ll experience.
It’s been very refreshing to work in an environment where you’re super-supported, where you have resources for those times when you encounter something you haven’t seen before or when you want to get a second opinion.
I like how the leadership is very good at communicating the direction of the firm. We have open communications and frequent newsletters and meetings to let us know what’s happening. The executive team has regular office hours when you can pop in if you have any questions. I really like the transparency.
I also like how the Market Leader in Phoenix, Deanna Peterson, is really invested in everyone not just professionally but also as a person. I’d never had that in my previous firms.
I love our celebrations. Even though we’re so large now that we have to conduct them virtually, they make it really fun. It’s a great chance to share our stories.
Another thing that’s not prevalent in accounting circles is that YPTC wants you to have a life, to take a vacation and not take your computer with you. That’s refreshing. I know that if something comes up with a client someone will take care of it. I spent years not being able to take a vacation; you can’t go full-bore all the time because if you do, you’ll burn out. YPTC has a system so you can have a life, and I really appreciate that.
