KPMG Women in Finance

• There’s often more than one right answer.
  
  I attended Mumbai University studying to be a computer engineer. My sister was working on her CPA exams, and I helped coach her on some of the accounting systems she was using. That’s when I became interested in one of the practical applications for information technology and decided to apply for a Masters Degree at Indiana University. In that environment, I began to have conversations about how to solve business problems with technology.
  
  Those conversations helped me with an important realization early in my career. I had come from a culture where it was important to be “right,” and I had to learn to accept that there are different ways to be “right” by learning to be inclusive of different perspectives. In an inclusive and diverse environment, team members bring different perspectives about what needs to be done, which in the end is the “right” way to solve a challenge.
  
  Rather than becoming an idealist in order prove that I was right, I needed to stop and consider the complexities of each situation to achieve results. That takes maturity and patience.

• Be a student for life.
  
  I love to learn, to be a sponge and a student for life. To do that, I have to surround myself with diverse thinking. Not only does this help me and my future, but it also helps my clients who are looking for new and different ideas.
  
  Our present sets the stage for our future. By investing in training and building new skills, I can be ready for opportunities ahead of me. I learn from my teammates to help me think out of the box and keep my mind sharp. In our line of work, being stuck in a mindset is probably the easiest way to limit oneself. I try my best to challenge myself to have the courage to be creative and use critical thinking to achieve the outcomes that are needed.

• Building truly diverse teams creates “magic.”
  
  One of my mentors taught me about bringing the right team together to solve whatever problem the client needs help with. He said it was all about bringing the right athletes to the race. As a leader, I’ve built teams made up of many different disciplines, ethnicities, genders and ages, and it’s amazing how collaborative that environment can be if everyone comes with an open mindset. When the right mix comes together, and everyone understands what they bring to the table, the results can be rewarding. We spend more of our lives with people we work with than we do with our families. Having trusted collaborators has provided me with a family and a community that I can rely upon and learn from. 

"It’s about bringing the right talent to the table to collectively solve the problem at hand."
- Preeti Bangali

• Look for opportunities to work with great people.
  
  A career with Consulting has been a great fit for me because I enjoy the chance to meet different people, travel to unique places, and solve problems in a team setting. It has been exciting to be part of various projects.

• Take everything as an opportunity to learn.
  
  I value any opportunity where I have the chance to learn and evolve. I think that personal and professional evolution is very important. As challenges come up, they can be an opportunity to think critically—and maybe differently—to reach a better end result.
  
  This can include how to approach a new project for the most optimal result for a client, or how to approach decision making in general.

• Mentorship is a way to grow as a leader and to help open doors for others.
  
  When I first started in my career, I was still searching for the right place to fit in. I was very lucky to connect with leaders along the way who opened their doors and offered great guidance. By opening those lines of communication to share experiences, these leaders helped me grow, understand the bigger picture, and to learn about myself.
  
  I like to pass that practice on to others and to champion the importance of mentorship. I believe I succeed when those around me flourish.

"What draws me to consulting is the opportunity to work with great people."
- Amelia Cisneros

• Gain access to as many opportunities as possible.
  
  I moved from St. Louis to Houston for my college career. I was a finance student with the intent of going into medicine, and when I realized that working in science was not for me, I turned to accounting and finance. I became a CPA and worked in the oil and gas industry for 12 years. At a career fair, I learned about the consulting field, KPMG, and new ways to use my skills. The career fair allowed me to get exposure to as many opportunities as I could. I didn't know all the possibilities that were available.
  
  I also sought out mentors. This gives you opportunities to shadow them and learn valuable lessons about situations that you may, one day, encounter in your career. It helps you feel more confident about the decisions you make for your long-term goals. Without a doubt, being open to mentors and learning from them has been instrumental in my career.

• Embrace discomfort. It leads to learning.
  
  Early in my career, I was very resistant to being uncomfortable, but I’ve learned that if those experiences align with your long-term goals, or an experience gap that you need to fill, they can be real learning opportunities.
  
  I remember being afraid to work with one particular boss, early in my career, because I knew that I wasn’t ready for those challenges. They then became my mentor and I started listening and absorbing much of what was said. Had I not been okay with being a little uncomfortable in the beginning, I would have missed an amazing opportunity that has helped me build the career I have today.

• Include people so their voices are heard.
  
  It brings me great joy to help people coming up in their careers navigate various situations and work through challenges. I feel this way because I was there once. Mentors have seen things in me that I didn’t know I had, but they saw that I could handle more. That’s helped me trust myself.
  
  I truly enjoy creating authentic relationships—both inside and outside of KPMG. I want to be able to tap into the talent that my team, my professional community, and my mentors can bring. By continuing to uplift and support one another, we can do the unimaginable together!

"Lift others as you climb"
- Leslie Viehland