My first few years out of college I spent working in public accounting employed for an international firm known today as Price Waterhouse Coopers in their emerging business services (EBS) where I gained my experience in financial statement analysis and accounting systems.

After my stint in Public Accounting, I was hired as a CFO for a large children’s clothing manufacturer. There, I built an accounting system from scratch, implementing software for accounting and inventory tracking. After several years as a CFO, I decided to scratch my entrepreneurial itch and venture out on my own.

I started my own niche, specializing in functional clothing for the elderly. Here is where I learned all about business. I took my expertise in accounting and finance and applied it to my own business. My experience helped, but what I learned on the street in my daily operations as a startup company taught me lessons and strategy that I never could have accomplished anywhere else, be it in academics or in the workforce. Areas such as bootstrapping, banking relations, sales techniques, production and costing.

I decided that it was time to give back. I wanted to take all my experience and my expertise, my ups and downs, my trials and tribulations, and use it to help the struggling company, help the fledgling entrepreneur, the individual who has the drive but not the resources. With this in mind, I successfully built up my company over 21 years – Cornerstone Capital Advisors, an advisory company with a specialty in finance and capital markets.

We now work with growth companies, as well as turnarounds. With companies that are growing so fast that they need additional funding to keep up with the pace. As well as on the flip side, with companies that are turning downwards but have the knowledge and understanding to be able to turn around.