Denise Froemming on Breaking Boundaries and Building Careers: From Wisconsin Roots to Leading the Largest State CPA Society in the U.S.
How do you go from assisting your parents with residential construction in rural Wisconsin to the top executive role at the largest state CPA society in the country?
In this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses, I sit down with Denise Froemming. We discuss her pivot from healthcare aspirations to accounting, the realities of family obligations early in a career, and the reasons she views the CPA credential as the ultimate career accelerator.
Denise is a CPA and the CEO and President of CalCPA. She built her career around organizational expansion, community outreach, and leadership development. She currently focuses on the future of accounting: talent, innovation, advocacy, and the strategies required so the profession stays essential and relevant in a dynamic world.
Denise has a strong passion for the mentorship of the next generation of accounting and finance leaders. She believes that lasting impact comes not just from our achievements, but from how we uplift and inspire others. This belief reflects a famous sentiment from Maya Angelou, which states that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Watch on YouTube:
Key Takeaways From This Episode:
The Wisconsin Work Ethic: In her youth, Denise assisted her parents with the construction and finishing work of rough houses on the weekends. This instilled a foundational belief that you simply work through any emotion or circumstance.
The Accidental CPA: As a first-generation college student, she initially wanted to study healthcare. When the program was full, her mother suggested accounting because of her strong math skills.
Family Support Pivots: Early in her career, she stepped away from a traditional firm to run her mother's business after her father was diagnosed with cancer.
The Executive Hustle: Despite a finance degree and an MBA, she pursued her CPA credential while working 70 to 80 hours a week and raising a newborn. This dedication secured her path to the C-Suite.
Support Through Loss: During the simultaneous grief of her father's passing and a divorce, she learned the critical importance of support and acceptance from unexpected places within her community.
The Future of CalCPA: As CEO, she advocates for the evolving role of CPAs in the digital age and emphasizes their necessity for verifying AI outputs and guiding businesses through complex market noise.
Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast!
CONNECT WITH DENISE FROEMMING:
Playlist
CONNECT WITH SHANNON:
LinkedIn Shannon | LinkedIn NBJV
Theme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)
The Unstoppable Power of the CPA Credential: Five Career Lessons with Denise Froemming
How do you go from a childhood in rural Wisconsin to the top executive role at the largest state CPA society in the country? For Denise Froemming, the answer involves relentless hustle and a willingness to take calculated risks.
Denise is the CEO and President of CalCPA. On this week's episode of No Boxes, Just Verses, she sat down with me to share her path from a first-generation college student to an association leader. We discuss the realities of career pivots, the importance of community support, and the reasons she views the CPA credential as a massive career accelerator.
Here are five concrete lessons from her unboxed journey, told through the soundtrack of her life.
1. The Wisconsin Work Ethic (Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac)
Denise grew up in rural Wisconsin. Her parents modeled intense dedication. Every year, they built houses to earn extra money. Denise and her sister completed their homework in cold, unfinished houses while their parents worked. This experience instilled a core philosophy early in life: you work if you are happy, you work if you are sad, and you work if you are tired. You simply work.
2. The Accidental Route (Goodbye Stranger – Supertramp)
As a first-generation college student at Marquette University, Denise initially planned to study healthcare. When she discovered the program was full, her mother suggested she study accounting instead because she possessed strong math skills. This accidental route eventually led to her finance degree and MBA. Soon after college, her father received a cancer diagnosis. Denise left her firm job to help run her mother's business. This pivot taught her that you often must put your own plans on hold to serve your family.
3. The Executive Hustle (Unstoppable – Sia)
Denise eventually returned to the corporate sector. A recruiter told her she needed a CPA credential to become a CFO. She decided to pursue the certification while she worked 70 to 80 hours a week and raised her newborn son. She brought her son to the office during late-night projects. She viewed every challenge as an opportunity. This relentless hustle paid off, as the CPA credential provided the exact credibility she needed to secure her first CFO and COO roles.
4. The Strength in Support (Lean On Me – Bill Withers)
Denise faced massive personal challenges later in life. She experienced a divorce and the death of her father. As a highly driven executive, she initially struggled to accept assistance. However, she learned that you must humble yourself and accept support from unexpected places within your community. True resilience requires vulnerability.
5. Guide the Profession (Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles)
Today, Denise brings the sunshine to her role as CEO of CalCPA. She advocates for the profession and ensures CPAs maintain a crucial seat at the table. She points out that as artificial intelligence changes the business landscape, the market needs professionals with strict ethical standards to verify data and make sense of complex noise. She proves that the CPA credential offers ultimate career flexibility.
Listen to the full episode to hear the complete playlist and get the full breakdown of Denise Froemming's unboxed journey.