Raaj Parikh has always had a fondness for numbers and the stories they tell. As a Corporate Accounting Manager, Parikh works with numbers on a daily basis and says that they can give insight into the lives people live, and how businesses operate.
Parikh is one to get behind the books to get a better understanding of a company. He has a keen interest in corporate finance and oversees the financials for some of his firm’s key clients – 40 entities in total.
The firm Raaj Parikh works at went public via IPO in 2019, and he says it’s an interesting time to be in the accounting industry and to be working as part of such a successful company that continues to expand.
“As you can imagine, we are a company going through tremendous transformation,” says Parikh.
Raaj Parikh says that his team is working with Management and Human Resources to bring new people on board all the time, paying generous bonuses and offering opportunities for growth.
“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to take on new challenges and develop new skills.”
Parikh is also an avid reader. He recommends reading about investing, finding passive income streams and learning about how to achieve financial independence.
“I recommend reading ‘Mister Money Moustache’, ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’, ‘The Millionaire Next Door’ and Your Money or Your Life,” says Parikh.
He also recommends that people ask themselves what they truly want from life.
“I find many people have ambitions and a desire to do well in corporate America, but often times have to trade their passions, relationships, and time to achieve these goals which is not ideal” says Parikh.
To Raaj Parikh, the most satisfying part of his job is the people aspect. In his role, he gets to mentor recent college graduates. Raaj enjoys sharing some of the obstacles encountered and lessons he learned early in his career so that they are better prepared.
“As a people manager I am quick to praise and slow to criticize,” says Raaj Parikh, who believes in setting an example for his team by leading with kindness and positive reinforcement.
Raaj Parikh says he is always looking for new opportunities for his employees to develop themselves, as well as opportunities for them to get promoted.
Most recently, he helped one of his mentees get a full scholarship NYU’s Stern school of business for his MBA. Writing recommendation letters, Parikh was one of the biggest advocates for him to try to make that pivot in his career.
Parikh says making a career change can sometimes be a good choice, but it’s important to try to make that switch as early as possible, because organizations generally prefer to invest in training their younger employees.
“Generally, I encourage young professionals to pivot sooner than later if they are unsatisfied with their careers whether that’s a new role, moving to a new organization or going back to school.”
As a Corporate Accounting Manager, Raaj Parikh works with numbers and oversees books for corporations, but his role is about so much more than that.
It’s about making a positive contribution to his team and community.
