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Shelley Hughes

Owner
JavaPrimo Coffee House, Cafe & More
Hot Springs, AR

 

It’s okay. You can call Shelley Lea Buck Hughes a bean counter. For Shelley, it’s all part of being the owner of a growing coffee shop and café. Beans just come with the job.

Shelley didn’t start her career planning to be a coffee shop owner. And she didn’t start college knowing she wanted to be an accountant. She double-majored in math and computer science. Somewhere along the way, she decided she didn’t want to make her living writing code at a computer all day. So she shifted into accounting, graduating with two degrees – one in accounting, the other in computer science.

From there, she was able to become a CPA and build experience in a bunch of different settings, including a major wireless company, a software company and a pharmacy chain.

After several years as an accountant, she decided to make a big change. She opened a coffee shop. “I still laugh when people ask me if I’ve always worked in restaurants,” Shelley says. “I had never worked in a restaurant before this year. When people find out about my accounting background, they always tell me how lucky I am to have the tools I need to make my business successful.”

Shelley believes that no matter where life takes you, an accounting degree will always provide a sturdy foundation. “Whether you work for private companies like I did, or a CPA firm, the knowledge and experience you gain will help make you successful,” she says.

No matter what kind of beans you’re counting.

Got questions of your own? Ask a CPA.