Cheryl’s Fusion of Accounting and Technology

In the world of technology, accounting and numbers play a crucial role in driving informed decisions and ensuring financial stability. For Cheryl Lutz , combining the precision of accounting with the dynamic field of technology has been a defining aspect of her career. 

Her journey from a CPA to various roles in tech showcases how the fusion of these disciplines can lead to creative solutions and impactful outcomes.

Cheryl has consistently leveraged her accounting expertise to drive technological innovation and efficiency. 

In a detailed interview, she shared insights into embracing change, continuous learning, and volunteering wisely.

Liliya: What kind of work do you do in tech? What is your role?

Cheryl: In the tech part of my career, I was a customer success manager, documentation manager, release communication coordinator, implementation manager, and consultant. The main goal I set for myself in all those roles was to deliver accessible and practical insight into how to use the software and to provide all available options, including best practices, for using the software.

Liliya: Who did you want to be when you grew up?

Cheryl: I wanted to be so many different things as I grew up! An archeologist, an interior designer, a psychologist, a dancer. I took an accounting elective on a whim my senior year in high school and by the end of the year, I knew that accounting was the path for me. 

I love the logic of accounting, how I can use the data to help management make better business decisions, and how my problem-solving, time management, and organizational skills would make me successful in this career.

Liliya: Can you share your journey into the tech industry? What or who inspired you to pursue a career in technology?

Cheryl: Pursuing a career in technology happened by accident for me. I worked as a CPA in a public accounting firm for 4 years and then transitioned to industry accounting. The company I worked for decided to implement BlackLine and I was lucky enough to be chosen to lead the BlackLine Implementation. Using accounting software was a routine part of my job, but this was the first time I participated in a software implementation, and it was a career-altering experience. 

I realized that although I enjoyed financial accounting, I had to take a chance and explore jobs that would allow me to use my accounting skills in connection with technology to help other accounting teams achieve the same success I did when implementing BlackLine. So I pursued employment at BlackLine and the rest is history!

Liliya: What are some of the accomplishments you're most proud of in your career?

Cheryl: I am most proud of the fact that I took a chance and pursued a career in tech after having an established 15-year career in accounting. I never thought I would stray from the typical financial accounting career path, but I discovered that combining my accounting skills with technology was my passion. 

While I have led many sizable accounting and tech projects over the years, I am very proud of my first BlackLine implementation due to the resulting significant reduction of time and effort needed to submit financials from 8 employees working for 3 days to 1 employee working for 2 hours and complete automation of reconciliations for 50% of accounts. 

This improvement not only benefited the company by expediting the financial reporting close process, it also resulted in shorter work days for my co-workers during the financial reporting close process.

Liliya: How do you balance the demands of a high-pressure tech job with your personal life?

Cheryl: I think it is important for each person to identify the experiences, self-care, and responsibilities that are critical to them for a happy and healthy personal life and build boundaries around those personal commitments. I personally have made exercise, nutrition, and healthcare a priority. 

And while I may need to make sacrifices in other areas of my personal life to meet work commitments, I don’t make sacrifices in these areas. 

Personal commitments are unique to each person, so I believe it is important to explore all types of experiences before deciding what will provide you with a rewarding personal life and to review and adjust those commitments from time to time as your life changes.

Liliya: What challenges have you faced as a woman in tech, and how have you overcome them?

Cheryl: Women in tech often struggle with gaining acceptance for their ideas and the associated plans for executing their ideas. The way I overcome this challenge is to incorporate the following methods…

• Present the idea/plan to the team and request feedback/changes. If feedback or changes are not incorporated, provide the team with specific reasons “why” so that they do not feel their feedback was ignored.

• Review the status of the idea/plan with team members and incorporate any changes needed to successfully execute it.

• After specific steps from the plan have been assigned to individuals, track that each step was completed competently, but refrain from micromanaging how the steps are completed.

• Give praise and recognition to team members often throughout the project. Never take credit for an idea or accomplishment that belongs to another team member.

Liliya: What advice would you give yourself in college?

Cheryl: You will encounter companies where you just don't fit. This isn't about your level of responsibility, intelligence, or competency; it's just not the right match. Listen to that feeling and don't try to fight it. 

Big companies have established their own culture, and they are often very protective of it. It's almost impossible to fix a culture from within. Not everyone will like you, and that's okay. So many others will. It's better to find a place where you truly belong.

Liliya: What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the tech industry?

Cheryl: Technology changes very quickly so make continuous learning a priority. A supportive employer will see the benefit of continuous learning and will support you in this pursuit by providing time and resources. 

If you need to use your own time and resources, google “free online tech courses” for a list of approximately 20 reputable companies that offer many free, beginner courses that can keep you updated on the latest technologies.

Be open to all of the career opportunities available to you in tech: programming, security, support, sales, training, implementations, customer success, administrator, consulting, etc. The list is endless! 

The core skills that come naturally to you are just as important as technology-specific knowledge, so don’t let your lack of experience in a specific area dissuade you from exploring job opportunities. I would not be in tech today if I did not make the leap from accounting!

Liliya: How can men in the tech industry be allies to women and underrepresented groups?

Cheryl: One of the most important, and easiest, ways to be an ally is to direct attention to women and underrepresented groups during meetings, including redirecting the conversation back to women or members of an underrepresented group that were interrupted while speaking. 

Here is a method that can be used to help manage this situation. Give each meeting participant three playing cards. Every time a person speaks, they surrender one playing card until they have none left. This provides equal speaking time to meeting participants, and it forces each person to consider if what they were about to contribute to the meeting is worth relinquishing one card. 

Also, this can help bring personal awareness to how much or how little each person speaks so that individuals can change their own behavior in future meetings, potentially without the help of the playing cards.

Liliya: What emerging technologies or trends are you most excited about and why?

Cheryl: I am excited about the integration of artificial intelligence with healthcare. Using AI in healthcare can assist with earlier and quicker disease diagnosis and with developing personalized healthcare plans. Although this application of artificial intelligence won’t directly affect my career, I believe it will have a huge impact on the health and life quality of every one.

A question from Manar🌟 Hamid who was recognized in Women in Tech prior. You can read her journey here.

Manar: What strategies have you found most effective in decreasing barriers and working towards equitable opportunities for women and growth within your organization or the tech industry at large?

Cheryl: Women in tech may find they are not given proper credit for their achievements. If managers do not associate women with their achievements, they are apt to exclude them from consideration when filling leadership roles. We can help bring deserved attention to women by…

• Giving public praise and credit to women in your organization and encouraging others to do the same.

• Giving women the opportunity to talk about their accomplishments in meetings, town halls, and other work events.

• Discussing the contributions, ideas, and successes of women during informal, one-on-one conversations with managers.

Liliya: What else would you like the readers to know about you?

Cheryl: I am a devoted volunteer and have dedicated my time and energy to many causes including sexual and reproductive healthcare, unhoused individuals and families, critically ill individuals, senior dogs, primary and general elections, electoral candidates, and voter protection/registration/education. 

There are so many global problems that need to be resolved and it can become overwhelming and paralyzing.

When I dedicate time and energy to causes that are important to me, it gives me a sense of control and hope. Even a few hours per month of volunteer time can go a long way!

Liliya: Do you have any suggestions on how to enjoy volunteer work and avoid feeling overwhelmed?

Cheryl: People are often afraid to volunteer because they believe it will require a significant time commitment. However, you should feel free to set boundaries with volunteer work, and organizations should be utilizing your skills effectively. Volunteer work, like any other work, should align with what you are good at within the time you have available. What are your skills? Use those skills. 

I find organizations where I can apply my specific skills to tasks that I’m good at. I may not be putting in a ton of hours but I am making an impact through the specific work I do. 

In the current organization I’m working with, I create a list of things that need to be done and find people who are good at those tasks to take them on. For example, we might offer a task that requires just two hours of work once a week or every other week. This approach reduces the anxiety people might feel about committing to volunteer work. We need to ensure we are utilizing people’s skills properly and using their time wisely.

Conclusion

Cheryl's journey is a powerful reminder that the intersection of different fields can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Her ability to merge accounting with technology has not only shaped her career but also brought significant value to the organizations she has worked with. 

Cheryl's experience highlights the impact that passion, perseverance, and setting boundaries can have on professional success, including volunteer contributions.

She reminds us that life is a big combination of taking opportunities and running with them.