After working in the restaurant industry for several years, Robert Yates realized that his true passion was working with numbers. He took the skills he picked up in monitoring management costs and pivoted into a position as a staff accountant at MCI USA, where he has been for the past two years. Learn more about Robert’s passion for finance and for his unique pets — a pair of sugar gliders.

  1. What do you like most about working in finance?
    I like making a positive difference through numbers, saving clients or the company money. Who doesn’t like saving money or making more money? Those things make me happy because if the whole business can [thrive], then each individual working there [thrives, too]. I do my best to be as productive and efficient as possible in my role and make sure that the business is doing the same.
  2. How are you planning to advance in your career?
    I am planning to earn my CPA. I appreciate that MCI USA has a lot of flexibility, so I have more time to study and work on my classes. I’m starting in August. It takes about 18 months to earn the certification between taking classes and studying for and then taking the test. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and grow in this industry.
  3. What career advice would you give your past self?
    Always be yourself. If any employer doesn’t [allow you to be authentic], then you don’t want to work for them. That gives you the opportunity to find a place that’s a better fit.
  4. What’s something that people are surprised to learn about you?
    I have a pair of sugar gliders! If you don’t know, sugar gliders are tiny possums. I met the first sugar glider I owned at a random exhibition where I was working at a booth selling cabinets. I saw one of the other stations had a long line, so I went over there and saw the sugar glider. He went under my collar, and I knew I had to adopt him. I have two now, and they’re best friends — a common grey named Bobo and a platinum named Cici.
  5. What is it like owning sugar gliders?
    It feels sometimes like I have children. They’re very needy, just like toddlers. They’re nocturnal, and occasionally they will get loud at night when they want something. They’re also not cheap, but they’re worth it! Mine have mostly free range around the house, but they also have an enclosure that I line with eucalyptus, which is part of their natural habitat. They use the restroom there, and it masks the smell. I feed them fruit daily, and they also get pistachios, ground turkey and insects, which I hate touching, but they love them.
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