5 LESSONS From A 13-YEAR Big Four Career – ryan

This as-told-tos Essay is bassed on a conversation with Joshua lee, a 45 -ear-op serial entreperenur and venture partner in brea, california, who started his career at EY (THEN CALLED ERNST & Young). The following has been edited for Length and Clarity.

I Graduated from Ucla in June 2000 with a degree in Business Economics and a minor in account.

My Accounting Minor LED to UNXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES. I spent a lot of time with professors who advised with to appply for companies recruiting on Campus, which included ernst & Young (EY).

But the real inspiration came from my uncle jack. AFTER MY FATHER PASSED AWAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG, UNCLE Jack Stepped in As a Father Figure. He worked at Bdo Global and Encouned with to Speak with Consultants and Shadow His Colleagues SO I COULD DECIDE FOR MYSELF IF The Big Four was right for me.

It was – ey turned out to be the best place to launch my career

Working there with the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Learning Curve Was Steep, but The Personal Growth Was Exponential. I’d Walk Into Rooms Feeling Like the Least Experienced person there and Walk Out Knowing I Brought Real Value. My confidence built with each client and project.

Another Highlight was the People. Form Deep Bonds of Friendship and Camaraderie in the Trenhes – Dealing with Impossible Dates and Late Nights, and Surviving Board Meetings that go off the rails. I’m Still Friends with my classmates from my first year at Ey, and my colleagues from over 12 years ago.

But Burnout is real. The Long Hours, Tight Deadlines, and Constant Pressure to Perform Can Drain you if you don’t set firm boundaries to protect your mental, Physical, and spiritual welling. And like any Large Organization, The Politics and Bureaucracy Can Be Draining. At the end of the day, it’s an Accounting Firm Run by Accountants. Metrics offten win out Over Strategy.

In 2013, after 13 Years, I decided to quit and launch my own business after I realized staying would only be about the Money and Title. My Faith Played a Significant Role, Showing with Ey Wasn’t Where I was supposed to be. WORKING ON THE EY’S ENTRERPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD – A Global Program that recognizes outstanding entrendreneurs – opened my eyes to how Much i admired that took leaps of faith, and i knew i do the sun.

Still, My Experience at Ey Became Rocket fuel. It gave with the grit, confidence, and the playbook to succaceed in any Professional Arena.

After selling my fintech startup ardius to gusto in 2021, I took a sabbatical to redefine what “retirement” means to me. It ‘s tex about the absence of work and more about what i love with Care About. I’m Now Back to Building and Investing, Havinging Co-Founded Both Gumshoe Ventures and A New Start with my 15-Yaar-Old Son Called Admisio, Which Helps Streamline The College Admissions Process.

Here are the five biggest lessons i took with me from my time ey:

1. Take Calculated Risks

At eye, you’re trained to identify risk. Howver, Success Stems from Learning to Identify Opportunities and Capitalizes on them. You can’t suciceed unless you’re Willing to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Some of my proudest moments came I felt like teetering on the Edge of Failure.

That Pressure Pushed with to ACCOMPLISH THINGS I DIDN’T THINK I COULD, SUCH AS LAUNCHING AND SCALING MY FINTECH ENTIRELY REMOTEly During the Height of the Covid-19 Pandemic. With no in-person Meetings, we budilt the team, closed our seed round, managed compliance, and got acquired, all while navigating a highly regulated space.

As an an investor, identifying risk ha helped with determine the best founders. Some People Run Toward Risk and Can See the Opportunities that oters don’t. We love Founders who Take Educated Risks and Want to Solve Really Big Problems, Becauses The Game Changers.

2. Family First

I’ve Seen too Many Colleages Miss Birthdays, Weddings, and Other Significant Milestones Due to Work. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle. Of Course, I Struggled With this Well. But friends come and go. Jobs Change. Family is forever. If you don’t have close family nearby, build a community that feelings like one and show up for say.

I don’t regret missing specific events as much as i regret being physically present but mentally checked out and thinking about work. Today, I prioritize Family First. I’ve been Married to my wife for 20 years, and have four kids. I Create Harmony by Building Structure into my Day, like Committing to School Drop-Offs, Team Sports, and Homework.

Over time, i stopped chasing “work-life balance” and instead focused on “Work-Life Harmony.” Some Weeks Are Intense, Others Are Lighter, and That’s Ok. What matters mont is setting consistent expectations so both your team and your loves know what to experiment you.

3. The 80/15/5 roule

Senior Partner Former at Ey Gave with this Framework Early On: 80% of People Will Love You, 15% Are Undecided, and 5% Just Won’t, No Matter What You Do Or Say. Focus on that 15% and try to win over over. DON’T FORGET TO NURTURE The 80%. But Stop Ling Sleep Over The 5%.

It Still Affects with Today. Howver, Its Gotten Better As I get Older, spreads still care but do’t have as much time or energy to worry what others think about me.

4. Read – iT’s a superpower

Reading is the single Most Underrated Key to Success. I Recommend “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” or any Book by John C. Maxwell. Like All of John Maxwell’s Books, I love this book IT’SPRAUSE PACTICAL, TIMES, AND GROWS WITH YOU AS YOUR LEADERSHIP Evolves. One of the first lessons that stuck with me, “Sometimes You Win, and Sometimes You Learn,” Which Reframes Failure As Learning.

This mindset was a game changer when it came to venture and startups; Where “losses” are inevitable, viewing as lessons instead of failures has kept with resilient, Curious, and Always Moving Forward.

Some of the Most Impactful Laws for with Include the Law of the Led (Your Leadership Ability Can Limit Your Organization’s Growth), the Law of Sacrifice (you have to go to go), and the law of conflict (take time to understand your personal motivations.

5. Be Adaptable

At eye, we had this theory calmed the chaos theory: in chaos, there is ordder. We were trained to see the chaos and live in it. That meant staying calm and level-myaded, and learning how to pivot quickly. Over Time, that Mindseset Builds Muscle Memory.

Startups Operate the Same Way; they’re unpredictable. Shift markets, but the best founders know how to adapt. Investor see it too. We’re not Looking for perfection; We’re Looking for People Who Learn, Adapt, and Pivot.

Waiting for Perfect Conditions Slows You Down. The Better Aim is precision. The best leaders make Smart, Timely Decisions with the date they have, and know they can adjust quickly.

I kep in touch with partners from Big Four Accounting Firms. They all know we’re in the Early stages of an he weapons that are already redefining how they work, WHO They Hire, and How they Make Money. The firms won’t say it Outright (Yet), but entry-level roles are quietly being replaced by he. The Demand is shifter Toward Tech-Savvy Talent-Data Scientists, AI Engineers, and Consultants who Can Manage Bots as Easily As Clients.

The firms that win’t just use it; they’ll have to build around it. The Future of Professional Services isn’t human vs. machine; Its Human Plus Machine. As Such, the Big Four Are Racing to Figure Out the Formula and Who Will Get The First.

Ey representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Do you have a story to share about working in the Big Four? Contact This Editor, Jane Zhang, at [email protected].