“I’d go through cancer again before I’d go back to not having confidence.”
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Accounting ARC
With Arpan Grewal
Center for Accounting Transformation
When Kelly Mann left her public accounting job, she had no clients, no roadmap, and no guarantee of success. But what she did have was a vision—and a willingness to take risks. Today, she is the CEO of AuditMiner, a groundbreaking software company that simplifies 401(k) audits for CPA firms across the country.
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“I was always told to stop being a bull in a china shop,” Mann recalls. “But I realized I was okay with being a bull—I just needed to leave the china shop.” That realization set her on the path to entrepreneurship.
In 2020, Mann was preparing to launch AuditMiner when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Facing both a global pandemic and a personal health battle, she nearly gave up.
“We were going to food banks for groceries, and I felt like I had made a terrible mistake,” she says. “But my husband reminded me why I started.”
With perseverance, she balanced treatment, motherhood, and business. Today, AuditMiner is thriving, with employees across multiple states and CPA firms of all sizes using the platform.
Mann believes that more women in leadership will benefit the accounting profession. “Women bring different perspectives, particularly in empathy and culture-building,” she says. “We’re wired differently, and that’s an asset.”
Reflecting on her journey, she encourages others: “Find joy in what you do. The journey is the best part.”
10 Key Takeaways
- Confidence is key—own your strengths.
- Resilience is built in the hardest moments.
- The best leaders challenge the status quo.
- Work-life balance is about adaptability, not perfection.
- Women in leadership bring unique perspectives that benefit businesses.
- Having a strong support system makes all the difference.
- Entrepreneurship requires risk but offers incredible rewards.
- Self-reflection and journaling can clarify your path.
- Overcoming adversity often leads to the greatest success.
- Never let others define your capabilities.