In this episode of Beyond the Ledger, I sit down with Raquel Hardy, Senior Director of Accounting Operations at Parkland Health, whose 30-plus-year career spans audit, technical accounting, and financial operations. Raquel’s story is a masterclass in staying curious, betting on yourself, and turning every role — even the hard ones — into a stepping stone.
Raquel shares how she moved from the audit world into operations, physician contracting, and hospital accounting, mastering each new area along the way. She’s candid about the tough transitions too, including a layoff that left her feeling worthless — and how she pushed through it to land a higher-level role within a month.
We get into the power of surrounding yourself with people who believe in you, why self-advocacy is so hard for accountants, and how a “process flow” mindset lets her serve any role a company needs.
🎧 Whether you’re early in your accounting career, navigating a hard transition, or stepping into leadership, you’ll walk away with honest, practical wisdom from someone who’s done it all.
🎯 Key Quote:
“I am comfortable saying what I don’t know, asking for help, and letting the experts do their job.”
⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & Welcome
01:20 – What You Won’t Find on Her Resume
02:32 – “I’m an Operations Gal” — Defining Her Identity
03:41 – Seeing Life as Process Flows
04:07 – Starting Out in Audit
04:30 – Moving From Audit Into Operations
04:36 – Getting Into Physician Contracting
06:28 – When People Take a Chance on You
09:01 – Surrounding Yourself With Believers
10:12 – Why Self-Advocacy Is Hard for Accountants
11:02 – Learning Hospital Accounting
15:12 – Surviving a Layoff — and a Fast Comeback
17:15 – The Feeling of Worthlessness in Transition
18:02 – Why Getting Let Go Doesn’t Make You a Bad Apple
20:34 – Leading Accounting Operations at Parkland
20:59 – Learning Governmental Accounting
22:17 – Selling Change to a Team
24:46 – Take Chances: Advice to Her Younger Self
Subscribe for more leadership conversations that go far beyond the numbers.
🎧 Listen now:
Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-promoted-in-accounting-even-after-getting/id1843448325?i=1000776033917
Spotify
Connect with us:
Raquel Hardy on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raquel-hardy-cpa/
Parkland Health LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/parkland-hospital
Parkland Health Website:
https://www.parklandhealth.org/
Troy Ashby on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyashby/
Troy Knows Talent Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/troyknowstalent/
Troy Knows Talent Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/troyknowstalent/
