What happens when a homeless 21-year-old musician transforms into a financial leader negotiating $20 billion deals at Google? Devon Coombs shares his remarkable journey from living in his car after his recording studio failed to becoming an ASC 606 revenue recognition expert who helped shape multibillion-dollar cloud contracts. You'll discover how he leveraged technical accounting expertise to leapfrog traditional career paths, why he cold-called a thousand controllers as a first-year auditor, and his predictions for how AI will transform accountants into "orchestrators" rather than individual contributors. Plus, learn why he's leaving Google to build a consulting practice focused on helping the profession adapt to an AI-driven future.
Chapters
- (00:54) - Devon's Early Struggles and Music Industry Journey
- (02:59) - Transition to Accounting and Education
- (04:52) - Challenges and Lessons from the Recording Studio
- (06:58) - Impact of Automation and AI on Careers
- (12:59) - Devon's Path to Success in Accounting
- (17:59) - Early Career at Deloitte and Winning Business
- (22:45) - Transition to Smaller Firm and ASC 606 Insights
- (25:36) - Deep Dive into ASC 606
- (28:06) - Becoming an Expert in ASC 606
- (31:13) - Transition to Google and Work-Life Balance
- (34:18) - Negotiating Billion-Dollar Deals at Google
- (37:45) - The Role of AI in Accounting
- (48:20) - Leaving Google for Principal Consulting Group
- (51:49) - Conclusion and Future Collaborations
https://earmarkcpe.com
https://earmark.app/
Download the Earmark CPE App
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/earmark-cpe/id1562599728
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.earmarkcpe.app
Connect with Our Guest, Devon Coombs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devoncoombs/
Website: https://www.devoncoombs.com/
Connect with Blake Oliver, CPA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaketoliver
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaketoliver/
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.