Member Spotlight: Ryan McClung

Was it worth it to get your CPA credential?
Absolutely! In my opinion, it’s probably the most recognizable and respected designation in the financial world. There’s a perception among non-CPAs that we have a very high degree of technical expertise. That has been very helpful over the years. I would say, of my various designations, it’s been by far the most valuable to me.

Who inspired you along the way?
I had several early bosses/mentors that were CPAs and they encouraged me to get mine. Also, to expand on the answer to the first question, I looked around the accounting and finance world and a lot of the people I was most impressed with were CPAs. We have a skillset and work experience (i.e. auditing) that is very hard to achieve without being a CPA. I feel like we oftentimes are in a category of our own in terms of expertise. I wanted to be part of that group.

What do you love about your job?
I’ve been able to merge several topics that I love into a combined business offering. I love all things about the topic of personal financial planning (I’m a CFP®). I really like assisting businesses owners with business and tax planning. In many cases I’m almost viewed their CFO (I’m also a CGMA). I recently obtained my Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation also. So my practice focuses on helping business owners plan for retirement and position their business so that it is sellable for a price that will fund their desired retirement. Most small business owners have the majority of their net worth tied up in the business. Unfortunately, statistics show that 70% of businesses will never sell. This is because the characteristics of many small businesses make them unattractive to buyers. Therefore, good business strategy is to have a business that is designed to be attractive so that it is sellable. I get to tie in all these things together into what I do each day.

How has being an OSCPA member and a committee volunteer benefitted you?
It’s always good to hear what other people are doing and get other points of view. In this business we spend a lot of time in front of clients. But unless we get involved with organizations like the OSCPA we don’t necessarily cross paths with a lot of other CPAs in our daily lives. I feel like this is one way that helps me stay in touch with what’s going on in the industry here locally.

What advice would you give a new CPA?
Get involved, connect with other CPAs, and never stop learning. If you are interested in a particular subject area or areas there is probably a way you can be creative and make a business out of it.

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