Finding Connection in an Isolated Profession: Building Community Through Vulnerability

In episode 147 of The Woodard Report Podcast, host Heather Satterley sits down with Woodard’s Manager of Communities and Member Success, Shirley Koss, for a heartfelt conversation about isolation, connection, and community in the accounting profession. Drawing on months of travel to industry events and ongoing work with Woodard members, Shirley shares what she is hearing across the profession and offers practical ways practitioners can reconnect, nurture relationships, and sustain their well-being. 

What practitioners are feeling right now 

After a summer on the road at events like the Xero Roadshows, Bridge the Gap, Women Who Count, and Intuit Connect, Shirley sees a clear theme. Practitioners are showing up for clients and teams, yet many feel increasingly alone in their day-to-day work. As she put it, “Folks are very much feeling isolated.”  

Shirley describes how this often goes unnoticed until people step into a conference hallway or a roundtable and suddenly recognize how much they have missed real connection. That realization can arrive like burnout, a quiet sense that something is off, followed by a rush of relief when community shows up.   

Why the post-pandemic work pattern matters 

Remote work remains a strength for many firms, but it carries a cost when it becomes the only mode of interaction. Heather noted a shift she hears from her own community, observing that “most of us now work from home” and rarely visit client offices or gather with teammates. The two reflected on how the convenience of distributed work can mask a growing distance from colleagues, peers, and the profession’s shared energy.  

The power of in-person moments 

Events offer more than CPE. They deliver a surge of human contact, shared purpose, and informal mentoring that is hard to replicate on screens. Shirley sees that lift at every stop, from quick hallway check-ins to deeper conversations over lunch. Yet there is a letdown after the conference glow. Building continuity between events requires intention, habits, and a few simple systems that keep relationships warm.  

Small practices that sustain real connection 

Shirley recommends making connection a daily discipline. She keeps a simple list and sends check-ins, helpful links, or light “pebbles” of encouragement. A short message can be the nudge someone needs on a tough day. Heather added that small gestures create outsized impact, recalling how a thoughtful note or small gift changed the trajectory of a professional relationship for her.  

Both emphasized that consistency matters more than grand gestures. A quick text, a five-minute call, or a shared virtual co-working session can make distance feel shorter. As Shirley put it, “It’s a superpower to feel.”  

Physical presence still matters 

The conversation also highlighted what no technology can replace. Heather reflected on a moment after family had visited, sharing, “I forgot what it was like to actually feel and embrace of another human being.” That recognition is not sentimental. It is a reminder that humans need proximity, shared space, and the quiet validation that comes from simply being alongside one another.  

Vulnerability is a leadership strength 

Fresh from Brené Brown’s keynote at Intuit Connect, Shirley underscored that vulnerability is not a weakness in firm leadership. It builds trust, invites collaboration, and helps team members bring their full selves to work. In Shirley’s words, “You are a better leader when you are more vulnerable, period.”  

That posture matters when peers are struggling. It creates room for honest answers to “How are you?” and it normalizes asking for help. Done thoughtfully and with appropriate boundaries, vulnerability turns a firm into a community and a community into a support system. 

When the hard moments come 

The episode also addressed grief, setbacks, and the real challenges firm owners face. Team departures, failed initiatives, and personal losses are part of the journey. Shirley shared how showing up for one another during those seasons can become a defining experience, not because the right words are found but because presence is offered without judgment. She captured an important reframing when she said that “asking for help is helping other people find their purpose and putting them into service.”  

Practical ways to reconnect this month 

• Make connection a habit. Choose three peers and send a genuine message each week. Rotate the list monthly. 

• Create micro-rituals. Schedule 25-minute virtual co-working sessions. Share a quick goal at the start and a short win at the end. 
  Use the dinner table strategy. When traveling to an event, book a table for eight and invite newcomers. It lowers the barrier for first-timers and accelerates friendships. 

• Name what you need. If you could use a call, say so. If a colleague needs a steady check-in, set a recurring reminder. 

• Lean into communities. Join roundtables, mastermind groups, or member forums where showing up is the only requirement.  

A path for first-time conference goers 

If you have never attended an accounting conference, Heather encouraged listeners to consider Scaling New Heights and to explore the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation for support. As she explained. "There's a wonderful organization out there called the Accounting Cornerstone Foundation that can help you to get there.” The Foundation provides financial assistance and connects recipients with a cohort and mentors, so you never have to navigate your first event alone. 

Closing thought 

This episode is a reminder that professional excellence and personal well-being are inseparable. Accounting is a people business, and people need people. Whether you start with a single text or a dinner invite at your next event, the smallest step toward connection can change someone’s day. It might also change yours. 

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Thank you to our show sponsor, Canopy!
Unclunk your firm with Canopy, the fully integrated practice management that helps accountants build the firm they always wanted. The suite includes client and document management, workflow, time and billing, engagements and proposals, and more. Check out getcanopy.com.