Accountant Spotlight: Kathy Chmiel at Full Send

Our Accounting Spotlights highlight inspirational leaders in the profession who are making a difference for their clients and community. Know someone who deserves to be featured? Submit a nomination. ‍

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In our latest Accountant Spotlight Series, we're thrilled to introduce Kathy Chmiel, Director of Accounting at Full Send. Her story is one defined by compassion, drive, and community.

A hidden talent for numbers

Starting her professional journey in the front office, Kathy Chmiel’s impressive career as an accounting leader wasn’t always expected. As a customer service and sales support team member, Kathy’s exposure to accounting during those early days was by chance. Serendipitously assigned to a project within the accounting department, Kathy’s potential was immediately recognized, resulting in her first role as an accounting clerk.

New to this field of work, Kathy’s initial hesitancy bloomed into a natural passion for solving the puzzle of numbers. From connecting the dots between transactions to understanding the flow between balance sheets and income statements, she was fascinated with the subject. Quickly promoted to various accounting roles, Kathy eventually moved into senior accountant and manager positions within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) space. Today, she serves as Full Send’s Director of Accounting, continuing to evolve her expertise and leadership.

Company culture meets CPG

Joining Full Send in 2023, Kathy’s nearly two years with the organization are marked by incredible people dedicated to an important mission. “Full Send doesn’t just ‘talk the talk’; we are actively working to elevate financial data and make this a great place to work,” she asserts. Despite the challenges that accompany rapid growth within the firm, the team continues to feel heard, seen, and valued, a priority that Kathy holds near and dear. Annual holiday get-togethers, monthly team outings, and daily fun in the company communication channels create an ongoing sense of connection, while instilling a healthy sense of work-life balance.

With a robust industry background, Kathy currently manages Full Send’s portfolio of CPG clients. Drawn to the tangible nature of the vertical’s products, Kathy appreciates how the flow of numbers so closely mirrors the lifecycle of product production. “It’s normally fairly complex accounting,” she explains. “There’s a lot of nuance and a lot going on in a company. I’ve always found it to be challenging and invigorating to work for clients in this space.”

Harnessing human value through technology

As industries adapt to the evolving world, internal processes and roles must follow suit. For Kathy, this requirement is especially relevant, having recently shifted into an onboarding role aimed at improving the experience for new team members. To establish, document, and disseminate such processes, Kathy has looked to the application of AI. “Being able to use AI for this aspect of my role has been so impactful,” she shares. “It saves an incredible amount of time, and I can reference things without relying on my memory of personal note-taking, which has been huge for my efficiency.”

Kathy’s enthusiasm for time saving technology extends to Ramp’s user-friendly spend management platform. “My favorite aspect of Ramp isn’t a single feature, but rather its user-friendliness and the evolution of the product in the last year,” she explains. With a dedicated Ramp support team and an intuitive solution, Kathy can set up bill pay, approval workflows, and reimbursements with simplicity and ease.

Beyond the impact on Full Send’s internal processes, Ramp has greatly benefited the firm’s client relationships as well. Making Ramp a core part of its standard software recommendations, Full Send is able to provide clients with a valuable, easy-to-use tool for financial management. With common business needs, many clientele find value in the procurement module, bill pay, and approval workflow features. “Our clients are very happy when they use Ramp,” she exclaims. “We’ve received great feedback about how user-friendly and intuitive it is.”

Solving complex problems with creative solutions

With extensive knowledge of the CPG space, Kathy has come to intimately understand the unique challenges of the industry. Common amongst this client profile are difficulties in achieving positive cash flow and product margin. “Balancing cash coming in versus cash coming out is always a significant focus,” she explains. “Ensuring that margins are sufficient to sustain overhead is crucial.” Addressing these cash challenges often requires clients to do more with less, calling for creative solutions.

Recently, Kathy encountered a new client who had a rather complicated accounts receivable process. With disconnected systems, ineffective collections, and improper payment records, an overhaul was in order. “When I first brought this to their attention, it was a very stressful experience for them,” she reflects. “However, they quickly learned that Full Send has expertise in this area and a clear plan of attack.”

Jumping into action, the team at Full Send helped the client collect over $400,000 of past-due cash, clean up and document processes, and provide visibility into receivables. Redoing a year’s worth of cash applications, collections, and reconciliations, Kathy and the team worked fast to make order out of chaos. “This gave the client peace of mind, as they now know what money is coming in, what has already been received, and which of their customers are past due or might need extra attention,” she shares.

Bringing clarity and insight to her clients, Kathy finds fulfillment in providing the fuel for data-driven business decisions. Whether it’s skyrocketing sales or overspending, the ability to identify outcomes from actions allows Full Send to be a strategic partner. “I celebrate my client’s wins and truly act like I am a part of the team,” Kathy shares. “I want to see their company's success and help them grow.”

A flexible, efficient future of accounting

As a leader in the accounting field, Kathy has big ideas about the future of the industry. Maintaining a strong professional community, her engagement through LinkedIn, newsletters, and media ensures that she is consistently connected to the latest developments and trends. Praising her founder Roman Villard’s newsletter, No Half Sends, Kathy values delivery of information in a digestible and personable manner.

Central to Kathy’s informed perspective are the benefits of rethinking the traditional 9-to-5 work day. “The flexibility and freedom I feel at my current role has allowed me to spend more time with family and see more of the world, all while being very present in my work,” she explains. “I firmly believe it makes me a better accountant and a better human.” Placing emphasis on the unique human value that employees offer, Kathy is equally passionate about the opportunities afforded by new technologies, especially AI. By integrating AI into accounting processes, the potential for enhancing efficiency and providing deeper insights brings advancements to the profession.

Finding a people-first purpose

Placing value on human connection, creativity, and culture, Kathy is a true strategic partner to her clients, holding their best interests at heart. While accounting can often be perceived as strictly numbers and compliance, she views it as an opportunity to empower businesses. “For me, it’s about going beyond the basic financial reporting and diving deep into what the numbers mean for a client’s operations and future,” she asserts. Bringing a proactive, problem-solving mindset to her work, Kathy prides herself on her ability to translate complex, financial information into clear, actionable insights that bring clarity to the business.

Embodying her philosophy on work-life balance, Kathy loves to travel, looking to maximize her time exploring new places. “I find different cultures, foods, and places in the world to be filled with magic,” she says. “It fuels my day and gives me purpose in life.” When she’s not on the road, Kathy enjoys the stress-relieving act of gardening, cultivating both a vegetable and flower garden at her home. Opening her doors, she also occasionally fosters dogs, a significant yet often emotional experience. “It’s so fulfilling to see a dog that hasn’t had the best life transform into a playful, joyful creature and find their forever home,” she expresses.

Known to her family and friends as loyal, helpful, and humorous, Kathy extends compassion and levity to all those around her. Going above and beyond for the people she cares about, this mindset translates to her role as an accountant, as well. “I care about my coworkers and clients, and I want people to succeed and truly thrive,” she says. ‘I aim to bring something positive to their lives.” The team at Ramp applauds Kathy’s compassion and dedication, and is proud to have her as an Accounting Partner.

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