Ep. 2 - What They Don’t Tell You About Becoming a CFO (Part 2)
In this episode of The Diary of a CFO, Wassia Kamon continues the discussion about the often-overlooked realities of becoming a CFO. This ti
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Hi, I’m Wassia.
Living outside my comfort zone became second nature when I moved from Ivory Coast to the U.S. at 17.
Suddenly, I was in a world where nothing was familiar—new language, new culture, new challenges.
Not understanding 100% of what people were saying didn’t hold me back. It taught me how to navigate uncertainty, make decisions with what I had, and keep moving forward with a positive mindset.
This ability to thrive in discomfort has been a cornerstone of my career, especially when I started encountering challenges that my credentials couldn’t fully prepare me for.
See, I followed the traditional path in college—taking the right electives, interning at a local CPA firm, and later gaining experience at PwC. By 25, I had passed all parts of the CPA exam and quickly climbed from Staff Accountant to Accounting Manager.
But as I moved up the ladder, I faced new hurdles: transitioning from an individual contributor to a first-time manager without formal training, and stepping into higher leadership roles without a clear understanding of daily operations.
I soon realized that these challenges aren’t unique to me; they’re obstacles that countless first-time managers and executives face today. This learning by trial and error often leads to burnout, micromanagement, turnover, and much more. It shouldn’t be this way, and that’s the difference I’m committed to making.
My Formal Bio
About Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA
Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA is a dynamic executive and advisory board member known for making finance approachable and building bridges across business functions.
She is the CFO of Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs, a Georgia leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), and has spent the past 15 years working across the manufacturing, technology, pharmaceutical, and nonprofit sectors in various accounting and FP&A leadership roles.
Wassia is passionate about helping people develop three essential skills that businesses need and AI cannot replace: strategic influence, decision-making under pressure, and confident leadership through change.
She was invited as Guest Faculty to the Wharton Online FP&A Certificate program and delivered a session "Navigating Change and Uncertainty with Confidence."
Recognized twice as a 40 Under 40 honoree by CPA Practice Advisor, Wassia is a keynote speaker and a leading finance content creator on LinkedIn. Her insights on professional development and leadership have been featured in major publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Accounting Today, and Strategic Finance Magazine.
Wassia actively contributes to the accounting profession as a member of the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee and the Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group. She also serves as a board member and treasurer for HOPE, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting low-income single parents in pursuing higher education.
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