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Member Moment: Five Tips for Future CPAs with Lindsey Barbour, CPA

September 09, 2025

The accounting profession is anything but one-size-fits-all—and OSCPA member and past OSCPA scholarship recipient, Lindsey Barbour, CPA, is proof that your career path doesn’t have to be a straight line.

Based on Lindsey's experience, here are some tips for students pursuing accounting or prepping for the CPA exam (or those who aren't sure yet!):

1. Don't Be Afraid to Pivot

Lindsey didn’t start out wanting to be an accountant—she actually thought she’d be an English teacher. But at age 18, an internship changed everything.

The company she was interning at assigned her to Accounts Payable based on her personality, and she quickly realized just how much flexibility and opportunity the accounting field had to offer. By the end of that internship, she had changed her major.

Sometimes you have to try new things to see what fits, and accounting is the same way! There are a lot of different paths you can take as a CPA—don't be afraid to explore.

2. Find What Fits

Even though she pivoted into accounting, Lindsey never lost her love of teaching.

After years of balancing work, family, and school as a non-traditional student, she earned her CPA license—and eventually combined both passions. For eight years, she taught at Tulsa Community College and now serves as a Managing Director at CCK Strategies in Tulsa where she gets to practice in public accounting while also supporting and educating entreprenurial clients. 

The same way Lindsey never stopped loving teaching, you might have more than one passion. Accounting is needed in every kind of business, everywhere, and you never know when your passions might overlap! 

3. Put Together Your CPA Exam Game Plan

Her biggest advice to students? Find the study method that works for YOU—and stick with it.

Here’s how she did it:

  • Reviewed each section’s study materials and took notes.
  • Used open notes on practice exams, then re-took it until she nailed it.
  • Updated notes after every practice exam, especially on missed questions.
  • Spent the final week reviewing all notes, memorizing formulas, and taking more practice tests.
  • Spaced out each test, resting at least a month before starting the next section.

"After completing this process for each section, I would spend the last week before the exam reviewing all my notes for all sections, continuing to memorize formulas and details, and take additional practice tests," she said. "I also chose to space out my tests, resting for at least a month before I would start studying for another test. This helped me to reset and start again energized."

4. Use OSCPA Resources

From the start, the OSCPA has been part of Lindsey’s journey—first with a scholarship as a student, and now with professional development, networking, and recognition (she’s a past OSCPA Trailblazer Award recipient). 

“I thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie provided by the OSCPA,” she shares. “Gathering with other CPAs can be so rewarding, as we have similar experiences and can share expertise.”

Get connected by attending upcoming student events, joining an OSCPA committee, or learning more about upcoming scholarship opportunities and CPA exam prep options. 

5. Go Beyond the Numbers

Today, Lindsey supports businesses and nonprofits across Oklahoma and beyond. Her work blends technical expertise with relationship-building and leadership—things she's passionate about because being a CPA is more than just crunching numbers, it's about helping people and businesses thrive. 

The relationships and involvement you start building now will often set you apart and open doors you don't even know exist yet. 

And when she’s not advising clients or mentoring the upcoming CPAs? You might find her enjoying her favorite meal (chicken stir fry with veggies and rice), spending quality time with her family, or supporting her community. 

Lindsey’s journey shows that accounting is full of unique paths, opportunities, and surprises. Whether you’re drawn to teaching, business, or something in between, the OSCPA is here to support you—every step of the way.