Meet Koko Foster of Green Balance Accounting
Tell us about what you do. What steps led you to where you are today?
I started AUM as a freshman in 2002. Fast forward four years later, I am a graduate with my BSBA in Accounting. I moved to Indiana to attend Indiana University to work on my Master’s in Science in Accounting degree. Even though that was the hardest, most rigorous studying I have ever had to do, I graduated in 2009.
While I was working on my master’s, I got my first job as an accountant in a manufacturing company. After just one year of working there, I got promoted as a controller. This promotion was huge considering they were asking people with at least seven years experience, and I only had one. I moved to Mobile with my husband in 2010 and commuted every quarter to Indiana until 2013. I worked at Continental Motors at Brookley Field from 2013 to 2018.
After that, I decided to come up with my own business, Green Balance Accounting, that is an outsourced a la carte accounting service that helps small businesses that can’t afford an in-house accountant. My friends would come to me and ask for help because they knew I had a corporate background and would ask me questions since entrepreneurship has grown tremendously in Mobile. Because of my background, I am able to help these small businesses get an experienced corporate accountant on their side.
What are your favorite things about Mobile? How do you like to spend time with your family in the summer?
I love fishing, so naturally, I love the water. I have a two year old son, eight year old daughter, and sixteen year old son, and as soon as Easter hits, Fowl River season also hits for us. We also like to frequent the beach and OWA. My children also like to stay involved in extracurriculars. You can find me at a tennis match, football game, or entertaining my two year old ball of energy. Another one of my favorite things about Mobile is the downtown area. It is so different from where I am from, but it has so much culture. This city may not be huge like Atlanta or New York, but it’s big enough for me- it is home for me.
Have you ever worked in a coworking space before? If not, why did you choose to participate in coworking, especially at the Container Yard?
I have never worked in a coworking space before, I’ve always worked at home. I first met Stacy at one of her Wix seminars in early 2018. I talked to her about working at the Container Yard since I can get bored and unproductive at home. I popped in a few times to work at the Container Yard, but I fully committed in January. Now, I can’t see myself anywhere else- I love coworking! The Container Yard just has this great energy. It feels like I am in a big city, especially in the new space, because of how upbeat it is. There are so many moving parts. People are always moving, talking, laughing, working and I feed off of their energy, and that makes me a better worker.
If you could describe Container yard in 3 words, what would they be?
I could give you a whole paragraph about why I love the Container Yard, but the three most predominant words that pop into my mind are: interactive, collaborative, and approachable (about the people). I imagine that Container Yard is Mobile’s version of Google’s workspace and that is why it is the coolest place to work!