Patty Ou, CPA currently serves as Director, Accounting Business Process at Intuitive. In her current role, she is supporting the organization to build scalable, repeatable, and efficient accounting processes.

Here is what Patty had to say when we asked her about achieving workplace goals and challenging the status quo: 

GenHERation®: What is your favorite aspect of working at Intuitive? 

Patty Ou: The culture.

GenHERation®: What skill do you utilize the most on a daily basis? 

Ou: Collaboration.

GenHERation®: What is one of the biggest misconceptions about working in finance? 

Ou: A misconception regarding people working in finance is that all we do is crunch numbers all day. It is so different. There is a lot of collaboration with different teams and business partners. There is a lot of solving problems, evaluating, improving processes, and implementing changes.

GenHERation®: What experiences should you have on your resume if you want to work in the medical device industry? 

Ou: Medical device experience is a plus, but it is not limiting if you do not have that experience. It is more important to be able to demonstrate curiosity, technical competency, and critical thinking skills. 

GenHERation®: What processes do you put in place to ensure that you achieve your workplace goals?

Ou: Planning is key. Have a realistic plan that can be executed, and meet goals in an attainable manner. It is important to clearly define the goals and make sure they are in alignment with your team and business partners. You need to ensure that the appropriate time is set aside for participants to work through goals, and remove roadblocks when possible. Frequent communication and establishing many touch points is also key. This is important to assess the progress and to pivot when needed to meet goals. 

GenHERation®: How can you confidently share ideas when they go against the status quo? 

Ou: Mainly, think about the end goal. What are you trying to achieve? What can we do to provide efficient processes? Remind your people of the end goal and the vision for the processes. Identify how your idea can achieve that. Think big picture and how that idea will support the goal by bringing in data. 

GenHERation®: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

Ou: Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Be open to new knowledge and developing skills.

Patty Ou, CPA currently serves as Director, Accounting Business Process at Intuitive. In her current role, she is supporting the organization to build scalable, repeatable, and efficient accounting processes. Her scope includes supporting cross functional quote to cash projects focused on business enablement, system implementation, and new product offerings, as well as improving and re-engineering manual processes for controllership teams. Patty joined Intuitive in 2016,  where she made it through the ranks, implementing the new revenue accounting standard ASC 606, managing revenue reporting and close activities, and leading various process improvement initiatives. Prior to Intuitive, Patty spent 4.5 years working in public accounting in audit, and financial accounting advisory services (FAAS) at BDO and EY, respectively. In her free time, Patty enjoys traveling, trying out new eats, and weightlifting.