Meet the Young CPAs: Stacy Smith and Ben Cartwright

   

Stacy F. Smith, CPA

The Hobbs Group, PA

Columbia, SC

SCACPA member since 2002

Benjamin Cartwright, CPA

Dixon Hughes PLLC

Greenville, SC

SCACPA member since 2007

 

If you weren't a CPA, what would you be and why?

If salary was not a concern, right now I would really love to be a stay-at-home mom and just enjoy spending time with my family

 If I weren't a CPA, I would be a park ranger, which would allow me to spend the majority of my time outdoors and away from desks and computers.

 

When I'm not at work, you will probably find me... 
doing Karate. I am currently preparing to take my black belt test
in a few months and I am spending a lot of free time training and practicing.		 playing with my 2 year-old son.

 

Name something from your bucket list.
I have a list of places that I would like to visit one day; U.S. and abroad. Climb a big wall in Yosemite.

 

If you had an option of an all expense paid trip, where would you go?
I would love to take a month long European tour and travel throughout the country side by train, with stops at all the major cities/attractions. Iceland

 

If you could have a t-shirt printed with any message, what would yours say?
"Peace of Mind - What's yours worth?" I would use this shirt as a personal reminder to relax and focus on what's really important. It would be great to see it in your closet when you are getting dressed to rush off somewhere, really stressed out. It may help me relax and slow down a bit. Be Selfless

 

What was your first car and where is it now?
My first car was a Ford Mustang. It was not the best car when I got it, shortly after it was retired to the junkyard and met its ultimate demise with the "Crusher." 1980 Plymouth Horizon - in the junkyard

 

What is the best part of being a CPA?
I think the best part of being a CPA is all the career possibilities it offers. Being a CPA can lead you down several career paths and I really like the fact that you are blessed with so many choices. It is a great feeling not to be tied to one thing. I have already explored both a corporate and a public accounting path. The respect my clients give me.

 

What did you want to grow up to be when you were a child and does that relate to any aspect of your job or hobbies now?
When I was very young, I wanted to be the school bus driver. This is no way related to my career or hobbies now; although I did learn to drive our Dojo school bus earlier this year and even got to make the day care pick up route once. It was great! I had so much fun, but not enough to do it for a living! Growing up I wanted to be a park ranger (loved Ranger Rick magazine as a kid). Nearly all of my hobbies involve being outdoors, preferably far away from anyone other than my wife, son and good friends.

 

What made you join the CPA profession?
I was influenced into accounting by the Dean of Business School at my college, but becoming a CPA was encouraged by my firm when I made the switch from corporate accounting to public practice. Needed a career change, and CPAs that I knew had job opportunities and job security that I envied.

 

What celebrity do you most resemble?
I was once told I resembled a young Ann-Margret, before the accident, but I'm not so sure... Physically, I have been told that I resemble Ben Affleck (though I fail to see the resemblance).