Partner Spotlight: The Women of FJR
Working together with our partners is one of the most rewarding parts of being on The Fem Word’s team. We love to hear about the different views, stories, and experiences that form organizations like Foumberg, Juneja, Rocher & Co. FJR is our oldest partner, and they also happen to be one of the most highly-rated boutique accounting firms on the West Coast. After working directly with their CEO and head of HR, we wanted to know: who are the other faces behind that hard-earned reputation?
Joyce Tan, Kim Neumann, and Nyree Azizian are all longstanding employees within the firm, and while most people don’t think of accounting as a “bold” or, as one of our contacts once put it, a “sexy” field, there’s more to the title than meets the eye. Accounting and finance are still male-dominated fields, and the women who choose to enter this line of work are often passionate about what they do. Every story is worth telling, especially the ones that aren’t often told.
We wanted to get to know these women and learn more about their respective lives. This is the first of what we hope to be a long-term series highlighting our partners and shining a light on their unique communities, cultures, and, most of all, the individuals that make their work (and ours) possible.
Q: As a kid, you were probably asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Did you have a clear answer? How did your answer change over time?
Joyce and her husband Sean Tang, Lake Louise Canada, June 2023
Joyce: Absolutely! Since I was a child, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I always dreamt of becoming an accountant. From an early age, I was fascinated by numbers and loved organizing and managing finances. As I grew older, my passion for accounting only intensified, and my career aspirations remained steadfast.
Kim: When I was growing up, I wanted to be an accountant because I exceled in math and also enjoyed helping others. I took an intro to economics in college and really found it interesting so I decided to take an intro to accounting class since it's "the language of business” and really enjoyed it. I loved learning new things that accounting and tax has to offer. That lead me on my path to do accounting and obtain my CPA license and Masters in Taxation.
Nyree: I think my answer when I was younger was that I wanted to be a model because I was always so skinny. Then I realized that they practically starve themselves and I couldn’t walk in heels to save my life so my next thought was to be a psychiatrist. I always felt I had empathy for others and was fascinated by the meaning of dreams. To be a psychiatrist though, you would have to take science classes and that was never my strong suit. So then came accounting!
Q: Why did you choose the accounting field for your career? Were you always a “math person?”
Kim Neumann and her colleagues at a wedding, Los Angeles, June 2023
Joyce: Choosing the accounting field was a natural fit for me, considering my lifelong love for numbers and financial matters. I've always been a "math person" since I can remember. I find joy in solving complex equations, balancing financial statements, and analyzing data. Accounting allows me to use my mathematical skills to help individuals and businesses make informed financial decisions, and it gives me a sense of fulfillment to see the impact of my work.
Kim: I wanted to be an accountant because I found out early in my career that, as an accountant, you encounter financial challenges that require creative problem solving skills to optimize financial situations and that is very rewarding to help others in that way. That is one reason why I love accounting and continued on in my career.
Nyree: Funnily enough I never chose it myself. My father always worried about what I was going to do with my life. He certainly didn’t want me to have to marry for financial support. He looked closely at how well I did in my school subjects and thought I always was best at mathematics. It never came naturally, but when I worked hard I was always able to pull off good results. So he came up with Accounting, a safe and much needed industry that pays well. Surely, I should be able to support myself alone with that major. I resisted at first, not wanting him to decide my life for me. When I went to college though, I tried it out: Accounting 101. I fell in love with it. For the first time, I felt like this is where I needed to be. It just made sense.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do after work? What do you like to do on the weekends?
Joyce: After work, I like to unwind and relax by pursuing some of my favorite hobbies. I find solace in reading books related to finance and accounting, as it helps me stay updated with the latest industry trends and enriches my knowledge. Additionally, I enjoy taking online courses or attending workshops to sharpen my skills and expand my expertise further.
Nyree and her husband enjoying a night out. Her personal title: Foodie Connoisseur
On the weekends, I love spending quality time with my family and friends. We often engage in outdoor activities like hiking, playing sports, or exploring new places together. It not only rejuvenates me but also strengthens my personal bonds. Occasionally, I participate in local financial literacy programs, sharing my knowledge and inspiring others to develop healthy financial habits. Being able to give back to the community in this way brings me immense joy and satisfaction. Overall, my weekends are a perfect blend of leisure, personal growth, and meaningful connections with the people I care about.
Kim: I enjoy spending time with my family and dogs and hiking outdoors.
Nyree: My favorite thing to do after work (when I’m not watching tv with my hubby) is play videogames. Particularly a game called Apex Legends. The thrill you get when you hit your shots is addicting and I like that you have to think quickly about your next move. On the weekends, I like to spend time with my husband. We love charcuterie boards so we’ll often go to Trader Joes to get supplies to make one and pop on a movie to watch. When it’s not raining we like to go hiking together, sometimes go out to brunch. I also like to visit my family to see how they’re doing.