Meet Drew Carrick | Business Innovator & Content Marketing Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Drew Carrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Drew, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Having worked both in traditional finance roles, as well as in entertainment capacities, I’ve come to believe very much so that everyone needs to find the methodology to work life balance that is right for them, in their situation, and based on their aspirations and ambitions. There are certain jobs that have a clear line in the sand between work and the rest of the life, such as a tax preparer. For this type of job, there is a set number of work items that need to be completed, and you are 100% focused on accomplishing those tasks. When you’re finished, your mind no longer thinks about the work, and you then completely become yourself. Other jobs, especially those in the creative space, don’t have the same hard line in the sand. For example, a creator doesn’t necessarily have working hours and life hours; they’re mixed together — they wouldn’t say “well, I’m at the gym right now, so I’m not going to write any funny sketch ideas that come to mind since I’m off the clock”.
In my capacity, working closely with both creatives and business minds due to my unique crossover roles, I’ve come to recognize that there is not one size fits all, and the notion that you need to allocate personal time outside of work isn’t necessarily true.
For ambition folks, who are entrepreneurial, there is no “off switch”. You are always ideating, always brainstorming, always absorbing information from the world around you. Whether I’m in the sauna, at a networking event, or at a house party, I’m constantly gathering insights because at any moment, someone could become a collaborator or business partner, or spark a moment of innovative brilliance. You also learn the pulse of the people, what’s trending, and what people are vibing with.
It’s funny, because when people ask what my hobbies are, or what I like to do on the weekend, it is no different than what I do during the week or for work: producing content, brainstorming business ideas, and talking to people/socializing. As a creator, business professional, and speaker, all of these “hobbies” are the same, or assist me, with what I do for work. For people like us, it’s about work life harmony, as Jeff Bezos has been famously noted for speaking about. You become one in the same with your work, because there are no set hours or specific tasks — the brain simply thinks and then performs. Whether you are in a good mood or a bad mood, you can still input tax return checklists, however when you need to strategize, innovate, and think creatively, your mood and what’s going on in your life can be a major impact on your success and outcomes.
Again, it’s not to say that every person must be one and the same with their work persona; for some jobs switch gears is what the job lends itself to best, but for many there is no bifurcation. I think about balance by ensuring all aspects of my life are in alignment and in sync, because I know every part of who I am is also part of what I do, and it will show in how well I create, produce, and perform, both in business and entertainment.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The questions, “what do you do?” and “where do you live?”, have perpetually been banes of my existence, because I am yet to have a concise, consistent, and straight-forward answer, due to how unique my life journey has been. Outside of my first job as an auditor, every role I have ever had has essentially been something I somewhat created or developed — so even if I had a simple answer, very few would be able to relate to what it is that the “job” actually entails.
I’ve always loved being an entertainer, creating videos, making music, and just performing in general; but I also have always felt drawn to entrepreneurship and business. I followed a very advanced educational path, graduating college in 3 years, earning my MBA in 1 year, and then completing all 4 parts of the CPA exam within 6 months. The risk averse accountant in me choose this stable and respected career path, but it quickly became apparent to those I worked with, and eventually myself, that my ambitions went well beyond reviewing financial statements. While working for Grant Thornton, one of the largest national public accounting firms, I was recognized for my creativity, and encouraged to find a way to merge my work and passions together.
In 2015, I created a persona “The Rapping CPA” and began making songs and videos about accounting, which led to my original song “Public Accounting Anthem” to circulate around the profession, and sparked an enormous influx of thought leadership and speaking opportunities. In a way, I was a representation of what breaking the accountant stereotype could look like, and an inspiration for millennials to join the profession. I started speaking and performing at conferences, webinars, and company events, and began producing assorted thought leadership content.
To give myself more time to do this, I took a budget director job in a college’s finance department, but the role quickly became less about managing the budget, and more about problem solving for a variety of change management needs at the organization. During that time, I continue to explore my creative passions, but also came to truly appreciate how many business leaders valued the way my mind could think and creatively find solutions to problems. I began realizing I had a passion for using the creative mindset to approach challenges in a more strategic manner, and think outside the box, which not everyone was capable of doing.
Following that position, I spent a year entrepreneurially building an MVP version of a Continuing Professional Education platform, where I used my network and connections to produce a diverse array of content, as well as run the build out of the product as a brand and business. A year into this endeavor, I was approached by the CEO of an LA-based fintech company, FloQast, who had seen my original accounting music video, and had a desire to tap into the value of content to help the brand marketing of the company. I went on to spend over 3.5 years working there producing, hosting, and acting in the corporate content, as well as three seasons of “PBC” a comedy web series about accountants featuring famous actors and creators like Danny Trejo, Kate Flannery, Christian Pierce, and Nick Colletti. During this tenure, the company grew from 300 to 750 employees, tripled its ARR, and became one of the biggest names in the accounting software space, valued at over $1.6B. Because of the role, I began splitting my time between my home in New York, my work in LA, my family in Florida, and my property in New Orleans (hence why “where do you live?” is such a tough question as I’d spend often months at a time at each). Getting to produce content with professional creators and entertainers for work also enabled me to participate in additional creative endeavors outside of the finance niche. I’ve been fortunate to be involved with The Shell Corp (a clothing brand created by Mike Tornabene, known most for his Dom Mazzetti internet personality) which is one example of an extracurricular endeavor.
The combination of all of these experiences, from living in different cities, interacting with different cultures of professionals, and participating in different industries, has given me unique insight and perspective on marrying the worlds of business and entertainment, and offered me a more wholistic life philosophy view as well. Almost all of this can be tied back to not being afraid to showcase your passion and put it out in the world — there was no market for “The Rapping CPA” until it was created, and even when I’ve felt that it was a dead end, I was continuously surprised by the desire of industry professionals to tap into my unique skillset as shown by the creation of myself as a creative professional brand.
Pulling on everything, I’ve now entered the next phase of my life where I can maximally tap into all of my connections, areas of expertise, and insights. I primarily consult as a content marketing strategist, and regularly produce business thought leadership content. I’ve been an evangelist and ambassador for the accounting profession, speaking on the power of content to move a market and shift a culture’s mindset on the stereotypes associated with it. I recently became the founding marketer for Count, an A.I. based accounting platform, and have begun writing my first full length business and life philosophy thought leadership book. All of this work lends itself to my creative hobbies as well, which involves making more mainstream (non-finance related) sketches, collaborating with some of my favorite creators, and founding the Drinking Games Association with some of my LA colleagues, wherein we are developing unique party activities. Of course, content is at the foundation of everything I do, whether it is for my personal brand, for a business I own, or for a company I consult for.
The universe rewards people who put themselves out there — we each have a different risk tolerance, but I believe my accountant mind with my creative energy has enabled me to be very calculated in my risk taking and get the best of both worlds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
LA is like 20 different cities in one, so it’s so tough to see everything! That being said, I’ve built out a routine that I seem to vibe with the most, and would want to have them join along for a little insight into what my LA life is like.
My buddy Paul works the bar at the Bungalow (and I also grew up at a family summer bungalow on Long Island so it has meta meaning behind it) and would definitely take them there one afternoon or evening to get the classic night out fix. One of my favorite happenings is also an event that my friends host called “Family Fridays” where everyone wears their clothing brand and we theme the house party after a certain topic (e.g. St. Paddy’s Day, 90s toys, adult BINGO) – it’s really cool because there’s always a videographer, and seeing how the content that so many across the world see is made, is just a surreal experience. The behind the scenes of life behind the social media page is something I’ve cherished. If there’s a YouTube party, which I’ve gotten to go to a few of, or a really special event like ChainFest, those are some of the unique LA experiences as well. Of course, if I can make a few phone calls, the one and only Magic Castle would definitely make the list. Then for two little hidden gems, I love The Velvet Lounge in Culver City, just as an intimate little hideaway, and as a tiki fanatic, I’d have to venture up into the Valley to bring them to Tonga Hut.
For food, I had never had okonomiyaki until I came to LA, so we’d have to get Chinchikurin in Sawtelle for an authentic experience; and as a native New Yorker who cherishes breakfast sandwiches, I’ve not found an option better than Egg Tuck.
For some day time activities, a hike to Griffith would be in the works, and as someone who’s never been to Italy, we’ll need to get our own version of Venice over by the canals. Walking through the neighborhood there is so cool. Conveniently, we’ll be right by the beach, and I wouldn’t mind a scroll from down over there up to the Santa Monica pier. I’m not the best at trivia, but when John Rosenthal hosts trivia at TRiP Santa Monica, it’s the best trivia gameplay I’ve ever been a part of. As you can tell, I’m a westside guy, although we would spend plenty of time hanging at the house with my friends CAP and Zang who live on the property in Mid City.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of my closest mentors, since I began my career, has been Frank Kurre, who has continued to give me the confidence needed to pursue greatness. As one of the most successful and well connected persons I know, his recognition of my creativity in the business world and my innovative mindset has enabled me to embody my authentic self. He continues to give me the belief that I can combine my knack for being creative with my business acumen to pave new paths for myself in any industry or profession that I pursue. Much of my early career accolades can be attributed to his encouragement and support as I paved an entertainer path within a financial field.

Website: https://www.therappingcpa.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrickdrew

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewcarrick

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/therappingcpa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realdrewcarrick

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=um1AlW9caEJOIuhK0ip6Zw

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/therappingcpa