Kendale King, CPA, didn’t know how his accounting degree was going to get him to Hollywood, but he made it happen on his own terms. Now, even while he’s busy achieving his own dreams, he wants to be a catalyst for change in the profession.

King, who is founder and owner of KCK CPA in Los Angeles, has made a name for himself, not only for his skills in creating financing solutions for influencers and those in the crypto space, but also because he’s bringing a fresh, honest perspective to the issues facing the profession he loves. 

The fall 2025 issue of NewsAccount, now available online, shares King’s story, from growing up in Cleveland, where he initially considered other professions before landing on accounting, to finding success on the traditional accounting career path but ultimately deciding that the Big Four structure wasn’t for him. 

From there, he headed to the West Coast, accepting a position with the Siegfried Group, where he worked to build his experience in the entertainment industry. In 2021, he struck out on his own. 

Finding His Passion

King’s passion for the accounting profession runs deep. You can hear it in his voice and see it in his daily activities. Alongside running his own firm and tending to many other professional commitments, he speaks around the country, leading conversations that bridge finance, technology, and culture. 

He says that amidst his many endeavors, he chooses projects that align with his interests so that even when he’s working, he’s having fun. 

“I’m working in the gaming and entertainment industry, putting together partnerships with companies like YouTube and Coca Cola. I’m talking to an influencer who didn’t pay taxes last year. This is all fun and cool to me,” King explains.

Reframing the Accounting Profession’s Image

Based on his own story – one of combining the profession he loves with his passion for the entertainment industry – King wants those who don’t view the accounting profession as cool, fun, or rewarding to take note to the contrary. 

“You align yourself with a field that doesn’t feel boring or stuffy,” he says. “It’s about opening up people’s minds to the access and the opportunities. This profession can always benefit from different perspectives. It would serve us well to go outside our comfort zone.”

Pushing the Profession Forward

Early in his accounting career, when pursuing a more traditional path, “there was job security, but there was also this sense that employees should feel ‘lucky’ they got this job,” King explains, recounting how someone even commented, ‘You should be paying us,’ in reference to the experience that new hires would be gaining.

That, says King, is a dangerous mindset, which can be traced back to how individuals found jobs in the days before the internet and social media. 

“People needed jobs, and they chose to do what they saw around them,” he says. “Now, you can go on social media and see all of the different opportunities. … It has opened up so many different avenues for young people.”

Unfortunately, King says, the accounting profession hasn’t updated itself to reflect this new generation.

“The days of guilting people into, ‘Here’s a good job, and now you owe me’ are gone,” King asserts. “Now, we have to consider how we can make it more attractive to future professionals.”

King has so many ideas on that front, and he studies other industries to learn what they’re doing to attract customers with things like loyalty programs. How can that be applied to attracting accounting talent?

“We have to incentivize people to come to us,” he says. 

More from Kendale King

For a deeper dive into King’s story, along with his insights on how the accounting profession can modernize its talent retention strategies, check out the full article, “From Audit Trail to Hollywood Tale: A CPA Turns His Dreams Into Reality,” in the fall 2025 issue of NewsAccount. 

Join us at PEAK: The Colorado Accounting and Finance Summit, Nov. 12-13 in Denver, where King will share his ideas on the future of the profession, including fresh approaches to recruiting, retaining, and inspiring a multigenerational team. 

Don’t miss the inaugural PEAK Summit, bringing together CPAs, financial leaders, and accounting professionals from across Colorado for an immersive experience of learning, networking, and collaboration. Don’t delay; registration closes Nov. 4. Register today!

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