Erin Pohan is redefining what it means to build a successful accounting career. With over 20 years of experience in public accounting, firm ownership, and accounting education, Erin is the founder of Upkeeping LLC and the creator of Wave Seattle, a community focused conference for women in accounting and finance. In this episode of Canopy Practice Success, Erin shares insights on nontraditional accounting career paths, accounting firm growth, leadership, and the importance of community in combating loneliness for firm owners and accounting professionals.
TRANSCRIPT:
Building Community in Accounting: Erin Pohan on Connection, Career Paths, and Wave Seattle
Accounting careers rarely follow a straight line, and Erin Pohan’s journey is a powerful example of how nontraditional paths can lead to meaningful impact. With more than 20 years of experience across public, private, nonprofit, and educational accounting, Erin has built a career rooted not just in numbers, but in people.
As the founder of Upkeeping LLC and the creator of Wave Seattle, Erin is reshaping what it means to succeed in accounting by centering community, humanity, and sustainable growth.
From Walmart to Worldwide: A Nontraditional Accounting Career
Erin’s accounting story began in an unexpected place: a Walmart accounting office in Virginia. While attending community college and initially pursuing marketing, she discovered a genuine love for accounting during her first introductory course. That passion led her to switch majors and fully embrace the profession.
Early roles in private accounting, including bookkeeping work at a Marine Corps base, gave Erin hands-on experience with manual systems and behind-the-scenes financial operations. Her career took another turn when she became a military spouse, moving 10 times over the last 15 years. While frequent relocations made traditional career progression difficult, they also opened doors.
Erin transitioned into public accounting, working at CPA firms across the country, often starting wherever opportunity existed. Later, while living in Japan, she volunteered with a nonprofit to continue honing her skills and discovered a new passion for accounting education. Through work with universities and textbook publishers, she helped develop curriculum and supplemental materials, an experience that still influences her work today.
Rather than viewing her path as fragmented, Erin sees it as foundational. Each role built toward the business and community she leads now.
Why Community Matters More Than Ever
After years of repeatedly leaving communities behind, Erin learned the value of building connection quickly and intentionally. That lesson became even more important when she stepped into entrepreneurship.
Running a firm can be isolating, especially in a profession where leaders often wear every hat. Erin saw firsthand how loneliness impacts firm owners and accounting professionals, a realization that solidified during the first Wave Seattle event. During a panel discussion on loneliness, one attendee bravely shared her experience of feeling alone while running her firm. The entire room resonated.
That moment confirmed something Erin already believed: community isn’t optional. It’s essential.
Wave Seattle: Creating Space for Real Conversations
Wave Seattle, which stands for Women in Accounting, Finance, Visionaries, and Entrepreneurs, was born from Erin’s desire to recreate the sense of belonging she felt at industry conferences like Bridging the Gap. Instead of waiting another year for connection, she built it herself.
What began as a local Seattle event quickly drew women from across the United States and Canada, proving how strong the demand is for intentional, inclusive spaces. Wave Seattle creates room for the kinds of conversations that often happen informally elsewhere, conversations about leadership, growth, boundaries, and the realities of running a firm.
While Wave Seattle centers women’s experiences, Erin emphasizes the importance of allies. Men are welcomed as sponsors and attendees, and many have shared how meaningful it is to witness open, vulnerable conversations that don’t always have space elsewhere in the industry.
Upkeeping LLC: Growing a Firm with Intention
Upkeeping LLC began in 2021 almost by accident, when Erin signed up for a small online bookkeeping workshop and realized she was building a firm in real time. Within months, she had multiple clients, and by the end of the year, the business was generating real revenue.
From the beginning, Erin was intentional about building sustainably. She quickly moved beyond a solopreneur model, hiring support from within her community and creating flexible roles that worked for working parents and students. Today, Upkeeping supports around 50 clients with a small, highly collaborative team.
Erin is transparent about growth, often sharing her journey publicly on LinkedIn. As Upkeeping continues to evolve, she’s focused on making strategic hires that allow her to step further into leadership while supporting her team and clients effectively.
Fighting Loneliness in the Accounting Industry
Erin believes combating loneliness requires both intention and action. She encourages accountants to attend conferences, join online communities, listen to industry podcasts, and form peer groups or masterminds for regular connection.
Peer support, in her view, is just as powerful as mentorship. Growing alongside others who understand the challenges of the profession creates resilience and reduces isolation.
Advice for the Next Generation of Accountants
For those just entering the accounting industry, Erin’s advice is simple but powerful: show up.
Sharing your voice, building authentically in public, and engaging with the accounting community can feel intimidating, but it’s also how meaningful connections are formed. The industry is evolving, and there is space for new perspectives, new paths, and new leaders.
Stay Connected
Erin is most active on LinkedIn, where she shares daily insights about firm ownership, leadership, and community building. You can also learn more about Wave Seattle and the upcoming event on May 15, 2026, at waveseattle.com.
Through Upkeeping and Wave Seattle, Erin Pohan is proving that accounting isn’t just about numbers. It’s about people, connection, and building something better together.
