Nimit Nathwani was born and raised in a small town Rajkot, in the western state of Gujarat in India. After graduating from high school, he came to the US for higher education and then built a career in public accounting.  Boston has been his home for about 14 years now.

Can you tell us about your current position? How did you choose your field of work?  

I currently work as an Audit Manager at Deloitte & Touche. I majored in Economics at Emmanuel College in Boston. While in college, I took a couple of accounting courses upon recommendation from my accounting professor. Taking those courses in accounting confirmed my interest to pursue a Masters in Accountancy. At the time, Ernst & Young, offered a hybrid program called “Your Master Plan” whereby they sponsored a Masters in Accountancy degree at University of Notre Dame for aspiring college graduates to enter the public accounting profession and in return we had to work at the firm for 4 years. It provided a solid path to jumpstart your career in public accounting. I applied for this program and got accepted to it. I went on to pursue the MSc in Accountancy and then also passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) while working in public accounting. 

 How did you get to where you are today?

It was a combination of determination, dedication and discipline. Public Accounting is a challenging field. It’s a balancing act between performing top quality audits and managing client expectations at the same time. I had set a long term vision of my career early on, but I like to take one stride at a time. Every morning, I go into work with the aim to do the best job I can and make it a productive day.

 What was your first job?

My very first job was a teacher’s assistant. Within a few days after I finished my high school exams, I joined my school system and worked with third graders. It was a lot of fun working with children.

 What advice would you give to others who want a career like yours?

For anyone looking to build a career in public accounting, I would advise them to focus on two skills – technical and soft skills. It’s important to know the technicality of the appropriate accounting guidance in order to execute your work effectively and provide quality services for your clients. Also, I recommend to pass the CPA early on in your career. Even more important are the soft skills, as you define your career the way you present yourself in the workplace. Your ability to lead, inspire and pursuade builds your personal brand.

What has been your greatest professional accomplishment so far?

I consider building meaningful professional relationships in my career to be my greatest professional accomplishment. I focus on building quality relationships within and outside my firm. It has also been my way of learning from others. As I get exposed to different leadership styles, I absorb the skills that I want to define my leadership style. I also like to learn about my staff’s career aspirations. As it helps me tailor my management skills to keep them motivated and increase collaboration in my teams.

 How do you manage a balance between your Indian and American Cultures? 

As Indian Americans, we face a dual dynamic to be able to maintain the Indian values and at the same time, being able to assimilate in the American culture. India is a developing economy, whereas America is a developed one. In order to stay connected with my roots, I have been engaged in philanthrophic efforts with the Boston Chapter of American India Foundation (AIF) for the past few years. AIF engages in fundraising in order to support the marginalized people in India in areas of education, women empowerment and skills development. Indian Americans do well here in their professional and personal lives. However, there’s 800 million people in India who live on less than $2 per day. Hence, it’s our moral obligation to help those back in our motherland to come out of the state of poverty.

 What were the best things your parents did for you as you were growing up? 

My parents taught me many good values growing up. However, if there’s one thing that stands out, it’s grit. I think that’s the most important quality to possess in pursuit of our dreams. There will be many obstacles along the path, but you have to keep fighting for what you believe in and stay focused to accomplish your goals in life. After all, smooth seas don’t make tough sailors.

What do you do in your spare time outside of work?

I’m also an avid runner, biker and hiker. When the weather is warmer, I love to spend time outdoors engaging in fitness activities. I also like listening to nonfiction audiobooks. I try to listen to one audiobook per week. I’m also into fine arts and live music. Arts and music helps me alleviate stress from my everyday routines.

 What is currently in your ipod/smartphone– music?

Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Brett Dennan, AR Rahman, Lucky Ali.

 Can you finish this sentence - I believe?

I believe in a world with economic equality, peace, prosperity and happiness for all. And where the human race lives sustainably in conjunction with the environment.

 What advice would you give young people growing up as Indian Americans in the US? 

Find your passion and purpose in life, then pursue it. Your career is your life’s work. There’s no substitute to hard work. So figure out what impact you want to make in the world and then work towards that goal. But along the journey, also make time for the loved ones. And lend a helping hand when you can, as there are many in the world who don’t have the basic resources that we take granted for.

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