Malcomb Coley
Ernst & Young
New York, NY USA
"There is nothing wrong with saying these three words: ‘I don’t know.’ We don’t expect everybody to know everything. But be willing to work hard to get to the point where you do know."
Career Roadmap
Malcomb's work combines: Numbers, Business, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Accounting
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Certification
Executive Management
Northwestern University
Certification
Executive Leadership Program
Harvard University
Graduate Degree
Accounting
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was born and raised in eastern North Carolina, which is the poorest area of the state—grew up in a blue-collar family and didn’t have any role models outside of the working class.
2.
During high school, I started taking accounting classes because I was good at math and needed to fill out my class schedule.
3.
Decided to continue pursuing accounting in college—attended the University of North Carolina (UNC), where I earned my bachelor’s degree.
4.
Returned to UNC for graduate school and earned my master’s degree in accounting.
5.
While I was in graduate school, I studied for and passed my certified public accountant (CPA) exams.
6.
Began working for Ernst & Young—I’ve had the opportunity to travel to over 50 countries for the firm and work in a variety of locations including Raleigh, Atlanta, Japan, and Ireland.
7.
I’ve worked there for over 16 years and am now the Carolinas Market Leader and Managing Partner in Charlotte, North Carolina.
8.
I also serve on the board of directors for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Carolinas, Cameron School of Business Executive Advisory Board for UNC-Wilmington, and more.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I don't think I have potential.
How I responded:
I grew up in an environment where most people didn't see the potential in themselves. Once I got into accounting, I struggled with these same feelings when I was starting out. However, it was amazing to see the people who didn't look like me and came from completely different backgrounds than me, take such a vested interest in my journey. Their belief in me expanded my horizons and helped me see possibilities beyond how I grew up. Finding people that genuinely care about you is invaluable.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I grew up in a blue-collar family in a poor area of North Carolina and didn't have anyone to guide me in the world of business. I had to learn about and navigate the world of accounting largely on my own.
When I first started out in this field 30 years ago, everything was centralized. Now, everything is more global and you are constantly working with teams across the globe. My way of working has had to change dramatically over the years.