Michelle Hoffman

Tell us your story.

My company Hoffman CFO Consulting provides CFO and accounting services to technology companies. When the company started, it was the natural market as the DC tech community was blooming and both me and my first employee were extremely technical, having implemented large ERP accounting systems. In today’s world, the more technical you are, the better accountant you will be. Skillls like understanding an accounting system development life cycle, designing reports, queries, and custom models, and integrating and testing systems all add value to the services for your clients.

What advice to you have to share with other women and young girls?

I recommend getting work experience early as it’s important to love what you do. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. I interned with a law firm and was bored out of my mind. I changed my focus to business and interned with a computer manufacturer in the cost accounting department using a new spreadsheet tool called Lotus 1-2-3. I loved the data, the analysis, and creating reports that helped mangers make good business decisions. I knew I’d found my passion. I was further inspired by a professor who was one of the first woman accounting executives at Proctor and Gamble. She told great stories about the production of Tide and her job sounded so fun.

Pass it on!

I hope to inspire young women, who might think they are ordinary to know they can be extraordinary. I was an average student in high school and I doubt anyone ever thought I’d ever have my own business. My first accounting professor told me I wouldn’t pass her class.Well, now I’m a CPA. Never compare yourself to others and never give up. You have a special destiny that only you can fulfill.

The Women in Tech campaign exists to help redefine what women in technology means in the 21st century. Started independently by a group of professional women who, after many impassioned discussions about women in tech knew we wanted to expand this definition beyond 'traditional' technology skills. To us, it includes most every current, emerging or evolving role within an organization. By featuring leaders and emerging leaders across industries who embody this we hope to collectively 'stand up', be proud of our place in the digital world and inspire young women or those new to the 'tech space' to get involved.