Blake Oliver, CPA

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From Burned Out Auditor to Chief Accounting Officer: A Chat with Brandt Kucharski

If you think the life of an accountant is all boredom and burnout, think again. Brandt Kucharski burned out in public accounting but didn't stay bored for long.

Brandt left public accounting to join delivery app GrubHub as the company's first senior accounting hire. At that time, GrubHub was only operating in one or two cities (mainly Chicago) and had around $1-2 million in revenue, all tracked on QuickBooks.

As GrubHub rapidly expanded to become a unicorn (a startup worth $1 billion or more), Brandt scaled systems and controls, evolving from lone accountant to accounting infrastructure builder, eventually leading the startup's ascent to IPO as the chief accounting officer not once, but twice!

In our conversation on my Earmark Podcast, Brandt pulls back the curtain on his journey from burned-out auditor to trailblazing controller of a unicorn-making machine. From standing his ground on sketchy "Groupon Accounting" to putting the wheels in motion for SOX compliance, his accounting leadership was crucial in vaulting GrubHub into the rarified billion-dollar club.

Beyond the technical accomplishments, I appreciate Brandt's infectious optimism and passion. He makes a compelling case that CPAs can become MVPs with the right mindset.

So, whether you're suffering audit fatigue or itching for a more thrilling career trajectory, listen to this episode. Brandt provides a blueprint for leveraging accounting expertise into an exciting role driving success: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.com/61