Meet TSCPA Member Linda Biek, CPA, CGMA
“Be flexible, be open-minded, be curious,” Linda Biek, CPA, CGMA, says about how CPAs can better prepare for the future. Biek’s career path, which she describes as having taken “plenty of twists and turns,” is an illustration of how she has lived by that advice herself. After pivoting from her first career choice of marketing, Biek and her family eventually moved to Hong Kong, where she works as Director of Compliance at the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs and is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration degree at City University of Hong Kong.
Home Is Where the Heart Is
I was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina but grew up in beautiful Northeast Tennessee – Bristol, to be exact. My husband of 25 years, Mike, is from South Bend, Indiana. Our children, Thomas and Elizabeth, were born in Nashville but basically grew up in Hong Kong. They graduated from high schools and universities in Hong Kong. Thomas has been working in the advisory department of PwC since September 2021, and Liz is currently on an exchange program in Norway. I’ve tried to instill in Thomas and Liz the same sense of family, respect and responsibility that I learned in Bristol so that, no matter where life takes them, they still have that southern hospitality running through their veins. Home is where the heart is.
Opportunity Knocks
I took plenty of twists and turns before settling in Hong Kong. The short answer is that I graduated from ETSU with a degree in marketing and worked as a sales rep in Atlanta. After a couple of years, I decided that wasn’t the best career for me. This revelation led me back to ETSU where I pursued a Master of Accountancy. This opened the door to many wonderful opportunities, beginning with a move to Orange County, California to work in KPMG’s audit department. I eventually left KPMG and moved back to Northeast Tennessee to work for a smaller firm. I enjoyed auditing but disliked filling out time sheets. I really like to ponder the evidence that I gathered, and the time limitations of auditing didn’t allow me that luxury. As you can imagine – I was a budget buster. In retrospect, I would have probably been a good fraud auditor. Fortunately, Darrel Tongate offered me a job with the Tennessee Board of Accountancy and the rest is history. That was the beginning of a long career in regulation – an area that I enjoy immensely. David Costello invited me to join NASBA as Director of Governmental, International, and Professional Relationships (longest job title ever!), and I developed a passion for understanding other cultures. Ultimately, that led me to Hong Kong.
On Moving to Hong Kong
Moving to Hong Kong was stressful, but we quickly found our rhythm and settled into the city. Living in Hong Kong is truly indescribable as it is the epitome of contradictions. The famous skyline boasts glass-encased towers that seem to be artistically positioned on a picturesque harbor, with rolling mountains completing the breathtaking view. However, at street-level, Hong Kong is gritty, exciting and colorful with clothes drying from the window racks (since everyone lives in a high-rise and many don’t have dryers). Every time I find myself on one of the cross-harbor ferries, I marvel at the unique beauty of Hong Kong. Another contradiction stems from the population of Hong Kong. With almost 8 million people in this bustling city, you would expect everyone to be strangers, but I often run into friends at the grocery store, tailor or local restaurant. Hong Kong is essentially a lot of little towns that make up one huge city. The people are lovely and full of curiosity. I’m often greeted with “jóu sàhn” as I walk to work. Last, but not least, the food is extraordinary. We don’t have too many chain restaurants, but we have hundreds of good local restaurants. Couple the smell of simmering soup with the incense burning at the local temples, and it’s no wonder Hong Kong is known as the Fragrant Harbor. There is so much to love!
Up Close and Personal
I have learned so much as Director of Compliance. A number of our cases deal with listed company audit deficiencies, so I’ve expanded my understanding of international accounting and auditing standards, especially in the area of complex accounting estimates. This has given me an up-close-and-personal look at business in a global financial market. I am still learning about the different characteristics and nuances of Chinese businesses, which I hope to transform into a consulting opportunity someday. Immersion in a foreign country is the best way to gain a true understanding and appreciation of other cultures, with an added benefit of understanding one’s own culture better.
Always Learning
Hong Kong is a city of learning. It seems someone I know is always in the midst of pursuing another degree while working, so I was motivated to do the same. On a more personal note, I had planned to work for a couple years after obtaining my master’s degree, then enroll in a Ph.D. program so that I could teach at university. As they say – “Life happens as you’re busy making plans.” I was too busy to go back to school. Several years ago, I started seeing advertisements around town for DBA programs and thought, “Why not?” As a regulator, we are often criticized for having the benefit of hindsight when we assess complaints. This is a valid criticism, so I decided to use this hindsight to benefit the profession. My dissertation takes a look at auditors’ professional skepticism, using an experiment designed to identify data that could be used to help auditors improve professional skepticism.
On Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is a challenge with which I continue to struggle. I’ve always seen myself as a small-town girl with big dreams. Now, I’m living a life that is beyond my wildest dreams, so it’s difficult to reconcile the reality with my insecurities. Becoming a CPA has been one of my most significant successes, and when I’m feeling like an imposter, I remind myself that I passed the CPA exam. That achievement was possible through hard work and dedication, not luck.
Island Life
Mike and I love to take walks in Hong Kong. Bowen Trail is behind our apartment building, the world famous “Peak” is about 10 minutes away and the closest beach is only 15 minutes away. We live on an island and country parks account for 40 percent of Hong Kong’s land, so there are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors. Before COVID restricted our travel, we enjoyed trips to Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Mongolia and several other areas that are just a short flight away.
Dreams Come True
When I was a young girl, I dreamed of traveling the world. However, there never seemed to be a way to realize my dream. Finally, when I was 43 years old, I obtained my passport. I’ve used it frequently to travel to many different countries in five of the seven continents. Never give up on your dreams!
Looking to the Future
Futurist Daniel Burrus alerts us to hard trends, which he defines as those that are based on future facts. CPAs can prepare by educating themselves about hard trends and how to capitalize on them. Understanding the value of technology like blockchain, cybersecurity, etc. will help CPAs carve out a niche in areas that will continue to grow. ESG is another hard trend, in my opinion. This is an area that will continue to grow by leaps and bounds, and CPAs are poised to be in the middle of the conversation. The profession is no longer defined by audit, tax and management advisory services. It’s multi-faceted with opportunities for anyone willing to work hard.