Kendall Castro’s path into accounting wasn’t planned. During COVID, while helping his brother with introductory accounting classes, he discovered an unexpected interest in the profession. Today, he works as a CPA focused on tax and real estate clients while building a firm centered on education, client relationships, and modern systems. His story reflects how a new generation of accounting professionals is approaching the industry differently.
Kendall didn’t grow up planning to become an accountant.
In fact, he didn’t even fully understand what accounting was until the COVID pandemic.
At the time, he was working a regular job when shutdowns forced him to stay home. Meanwhile, his brother was taking online accounting classes and needed help understanding the material. As Kendall started reviewing the coursework, something clicked.
The logical structure of accounting immediately stood out to him.
He already enjoyed:
But unlike pure mathematics, accounting offered a practical business application.
It combined logic with real-world value.
That realization eventually pushed him to transfer into university accounting studies and pursue the CPA path.
One misconception Kendall frequently mentions is that accounting is “all math.”
According to him, that stereotype keeps many people away from the profession unnecessarily.
In reality, accounting is much more about:
The technical side relies far more on structured thinking than advanced mathematics.
That mindset-driven approach is also shaping how younger professionals are entering the accounting industry today.
Today, Kendall focuses primarily on tax work and real estate-related clients.
His niche includes:
But beyond technical tax preparation, his larger focus is education.
He believes many accounting firms operate too transactionally:
Instead, he wants clients to actually understand what’s happening financially.
That means:
This relationship-first model is becoming increasingly important as firms compete on client experience rather than only compliance work.
Kendall also spoke openly about one of the biggest realities of the accounting profession: burnout.
Traditional accounting firms are often known for:
After experiencing parts of that environment himself, Kendall became intentional about protecting his personal time and well-being.
When he’s not working, he focuses heavily on:
He believes freedom is one of the biggest advantages of entrepreneurship—but also one of the biggest responsibilities.
This evolving perspective on balance is becoming more common across modern accounting teams, especially among younger professionals exploring remote and flexible careers.
As Kendall’s firm continues growing, one of the biggest operational improvements has been onboarding.
Early on, clients frequently sent sensitive tax documents through:
Rather than simply accepting those habits, Kendall focused on educating clients around secure workflows.
The firm implemented:
While these systems may initially feel less convenient for clients, they create stronger long-term protection and professionalism.
As firms scale, operational consistency becomes increasingly important—especially during high-volume tax periods where organized workflows directly impact service quality.
Related: tax season workflow support.
Looking ahead, Kendall plans to continue growing the firm by eventually opening a physical office and expanding the team.
But his vision for hiring goes beyond adding staff.
He wants future team members to think like owners.
That includes:
According to Kendall, accounting is a profession where learning never stops.
New tax laws, unique client situations, and evolving regulations constantly create new scenarios that professionals must adapt to.
That mindset of continuous learning is something he considers essential for long-term success.
Like many younger professionals, Kendall sees AI as both:
He believes accounting firms that ignore AI will eventually fall behind.
At the same time, he doesn’t believe AI can fully replace the human side of business relationships.
Technical tasks may become increasingly automated, but areas like:
still depend heavily on people.
That’s why many modern firms are focusing not only on technical execution, but also on improving client-facing experiences while leveraging technology operationally.
As firms continue scaling efficiently, many also explore working with a nearshore accounting company.
This allows firms to expand operational capacity while maintaining strong internal client relationships and review processes.
Outside accounting, Kendall credits several books with changing how he approaches growth and personal responsibility.
Among them:
Both helped reinforce a mindset centered around:
For Kendall, personal development and professional development are deeply connected.
Kendall’s story reflects a broader shift happening across the accounting profession.
A newer generation of CPAs is entering the industry with a stronger focus on:
And as accounting continues evolving alongside AI and changing client expectations, those human-centered skills may become more important than ever.
To learn how South Offices helps U.S. firms scale with bilingual nearshore accounting teams from Latin America, schedule a meeting!
