She Counts cover art

She Counts

She Counts

By: Questian Telka EA & Nancy McClelland CPA
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 She Counts brings together respected educators Nancy McClelland, CPA, and Questian Telka, EA, for candid conversations about what it’s really like to be a woman in accounting. Whether you’re in corporate, at a firm, or running your own show, this podcast offers a space to feel seen, heard, and understood. From taboo topics to everyday challenges, She Counts is more than a podcast—it’s a community where women in accounting, tax, and bookkeeping can come together and get real.© 2025 Questian Telka, EA & Nancy McClelland, CPA Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • Still Under Glass

    Still Under Glass
    Aug 27 2025
    The accounting profession starts with gender parity… but ends with a massive leadership gap – and the discrepancy has nothing to do with either talent or capability. This episode examines the structural issues that cause firms to lose women mid-career, from unconscious bias in performance reviews to assumptions about working mothers. Nancy and Questian break down the research on interruption patterns, pay disparities, and the "motherhood penalty," then offer concrete ways leaders can create more equitable pathways to partnership.SponsorsForwardly - https://www.forwardly.com/shecountsJustine Lackey's The Incubator - https://justinelackey.com/registerKeeper - https://keeper.app/shecounts/(00:00) - Introduction and Episode Overview(00:50) - The Gender Gap in Accounting Leadership(02:18) - Challenges Women Face in the Workplace(07:13) - Personal Stories and Experiences(11:06) - Addressing Unconscious Bias(22:09) - Actionable Solutions for Change(29:56) - A Friend's Struggle and Workplace Flexibility(30:44) - The Pay Cut and Its Long-Term Impact(32:29) - The Importance of Flexibility in the Workplace(34:19) - Luma Accounting: A Solution for Flexible Work(36:28) - Closing the Gender Pay Gap(38:31) - Transparency in Compensation(41:32) - Negotiation Challenges for Women(45:34) - Client Assignments and Competence(46:26) - Training and Support for Business Growth(49:00) - Addressing Microaggressions and Bias(53:36) - Intentional Leadership and Cultural Change(55:04) - Final Thoughts and Call to ActionResourcesDespite equal entry rates, women hold only about 19% of partner positions in CPA firms nationwide.https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/landing/diversity-equity-and-inclusionhttps://www.icpas.org/information/copy-desk/insight/article/spring-2023/inspiring-progress-a-look-at-the-state-of-women-in-accountingIn broader business contexts, women occupy 14.3% of executive officer roles.https://us.aicpa.org/career/womenintheprofession/genderissues?utm_source=chatgpt.com3 Ways to Empower the Women at Your Firm - Jodi Chavez of CPA Practice AdvisorWhy women leave firms — and what we can do about it - Joey Havens of Journal of AccountancyRobin Williams - The Day Dad Made Toast” from “Free To Be… a Family”https://youtu.be/cIVnuzRf2fE?si=gEDRslsh2DqgkTK9Women+Workplaces - a community for workplaces that see the value of workers long on skills but short on time and specific availability, and women that have great skills and want to work but need jobs that can accommodate personal situations.https://sites.google.com/rawbookspdx.com/womenplusworkplaces/homeJason Ackerman on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonlackerman/SPONSORS: Forwardly, Justine Lackey's The Incubator, Keeper,Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Thank you to our sponsors!https://www.forwardly.com/shecountshttps://womeninaccounting.ignitionapp.com/https://keeper.app/shecounts/Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media
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    57 mins
  • The Elevation of Empathy

    The Elevation of Empathy
    Aug 13 2025
    Dawn Brolin, CPA, CFE and author of "The Elevation of Empathy," shares her raw story of surviving a toxic partnership where she endured cruel comments about her weight and appearance, and how that shaped her perspective on leading with empathy. Through personal examples including her own leadership failures at work and lessons from her time as a softball coach, Dawn reveals how empathy can be cultivated, practiced, and wielded as a strategic advantage. The conversation tackles the unique challenges women face when leading with empathy, the emotional labor often expected of female managers, and why caring for others doesn't make you weak – but does make you dangerous to systems built on indifference.SponsorsForwardly - https://www.forwardly.com/shecountsJustine Lackey's The Incubator - https://justinelackey.com/registerKeeper - https://keeper.app/shecounts/(00:00) - Introduction & Welcome (01:00) - Meet Dawn Brolin - The Designated Motivator (02:00) - What Motivated the Book (04:00) - Partnership Pain (07:00) - Learning From Bad Examples (11:00) - Unconditional Love, Conditional Involvement (14:00) - How to Address Lack of Empathy in Others (16:00) - Empathy Can Be Learned (24:06) - Dawn's Leadership Fail - The Softball Story (28:06) - Tools for Building Empathy - Practice Mindfulness (36:58) - Asking for Feedback as a Leader (41:28) - Validation vs. Solutions (43:28) - Women Penalized for Empathy at Work (45:28) - Managing Team Wellbeing - The Extra Load (54:25) - "I Hurt and I Keep Going" (59:22) - Vulnerability as Strength Panel (01:01:22) - Give and Accept Empathy (01:06:22) - Closing Quote LinksDawn Brolin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawnbrolin/Dawn Brolin “The Elevation of Empathy” book - https://dawnbrolin.com/books/Accounting Cornerstone Foundation - https://accountingcornerstone.org/Crisis Text Line - https://www.crisistextline.org/Randy Crabtree’s Unique CPA podcast - https://tri-merit.com/podcast/presenting-the-she-counts-podcast/Bridging the Gap conference - https://www.btgconference.com/Brad Smith - https://braddsmith.com/John Garrett - What’s Your ‘And?’ - https://whatsyourand.com/Mike Payne on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpaynejdcpa/Kellie Parks on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-parks/Catalyst 2022 Study - https://www.catalyst.org/insights/2022/emotional-tax-teamsDeloitte, “Women @ Work 2023: A Global Outlook” - https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-shared/docs/collections/2023/deloitte-women-at-work-2023-a-global-outlook.pdfKatelyn Carey TEDx Talk: “The Problem with Empathy” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=987xaGgb2XQThe Audre Lorde Project - https://alp.org/Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Don’t Call Me Darlin’

    Don’t Call Me Darlin’
    Jul 30 2025
    Nicole Davis, Forbes Top 200 CPA and CEO of Conscious Accounting, shares her journey from being called "darling" in client meetings to becoming a force who dominates every room she enters. She candidly offers advice on how to feel like you own a room… that wasn’t “built” with you in mind. She reveals how true power isn't about titles or corner offices, it's about owning your story and making others accept who you are on your terms. Nicole discusses why women are uniquely positioned to lead the AI revolution in accounting, the critical difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and how showing up as your authentic self gives others permission to do the same.SponsorsForwardly - https://www.forwardly.com/shecountsJustine Lackey's The Incubator - https://justinelackey.com/registerKeeper - https://keeper.app/shecounts/(00:00) - Introduction and Episode Overview(00:51) - Meet Our Guest: Nicole Davis(02:33) - The Story Behind 'Don't Call Me Darling'(04:57) - Defining Dominance and Power(11:04) - Representation and Role Models(18:35) - Breaking Barriers in Male-Dominated Fields(25:43) - Proving Yourself and Gaining Respect(36:30) - Maintaining Leadership Identity(37:18) - Balancing Warmth and Firmness(39:28) - Flying Your Freak Flag(42:18) - Embracing AI in the Workplace(49:13) - Women and Tech: A Perfect Match(01:01:47) - The Power of Sponsorship(01:06:48) - Final Thoughts and FarewellLinksNicole Davis on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoledaviscpa/Nicole Davis in recent Forbes article - https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2025/07/01/getting-to-know-you-tuesday-nicole-davis-cpa/Kelly Phillips Erb on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/taxgirl/Ruth Bader Ginsburg quote: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception.” - https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10433440-women-belong-in-all-places-where-decisions-are-being-madePresence is Power - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23168536-presence-is-powerTheatre of Public Speaking Fall Cohort begins August 6th! - https://publicspeaking.mistymegia.com/bundles/tops-fall25?ref=857055 - contact shecounts@thedancingaccountant.com for a 20% off discount codeAshley Francis on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-francis-seattle/Lisa Simpson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasimpsoncpa/AICPA Town Halls on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkLAoUtMuQEP70ZfJdnL_nFmaBRl5C_HQJeff Drew on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffdrewjoa/“Rewrite the guest list so that your name is on it.”Fabulous Nicole Davis quotes:"I used to do things to prove others wrong, but now I do things to prove myself right.""Authenticity is your permission slip."“Flying your freak flag is like broadcasting your wifi – others will get your signal!”"Mentors guide but sponsors vouch."Join Our LinkedIn Page!https://www.linkedin.com/company/she-counts-podcastSubscribe on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@SheCountsPodcastFollow She Counts on IGhttps://www.instagram.com/shecounts.show/Connect with Nancyhttps://www.thedancingaccountant.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-mcclelland-cpaConnect with Questianhttps://www.reqoncilefinancials.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/questian-telka-ea-78383666Earn CPE for Listening to This Podcasthttps://www.earmark.app/This podcast is a production of Earmark Media
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    1 hr and 9 mins
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