Latest news with #NicoleDavis
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Getting To Know You Tuesday: Nicole Davis, CPA
Nicole Davis, CPA Nicole Davis When you think about tax professionals, you may assume that they are simply number crunchers. Nicole Davis, CPA, explains that her job entails much more. 'I help businesses, medium and small, redesign their business processes by reducing or automating non-value added tasks and focusing on improving productivity and quality,' she explains. Put another way, she advises business owners on operations and accounting. Davis leads Conscious Accounting and Delite Payroll with the expertise that earned her a place on the Forbes Top 200 CPAs in America. Away from the office, she trades spreadsheets for saucepans and reality TV (a guilty pleasure), and proves her motto that it doesn't cost to have a good accountant, it pays. Here's what else Nicole had to say: Where are you now? Currently, I am in transition. We purchased two firms last fall so merging and integrating the two into our larger firm has not come without its challenges. We are also rebranding from Butler-Davis to Conscious Accounting. What's your job title, and what does it mean? I'm the CEO and, yes, Chief Hello Officer at Conscious Accounting. The CHO badge fits because my focus now is building client relationships, so every day kicks off with a friendly 'hello' that sets the tone for everything that follows. Tax, law, and accounting are such broad topics. What's your area of special interest? My heart is in accounting since I spent most of my corporate career in this field. Yet, I've become known as a tax expert but that's because I didn't start in tax and had a lot of catching up to do. I had to get up to speed fairly quickly with tax laws, preparing returns, and offering tax advice as a service. What's the first thing you typically do while at work? The first thing I typically do at work is take off my heels or flats and slip on my compression socks and fuzzy slippers. I get really comfortable. If you had an extra couple of hours open up in your day—outside of work—what would you do? If I had an extra couple of hours in my day, I would probably take more ME time. More walks, more massages, more doing something that is not work related. What's one tool or resource that you couldn't live without at work? I could not work without my cell phone. I can practically run my firm from my cell phone. This is why it's always glued to my hands. If you weren't working in the tax profession, what would your dream job be? I'd probably be a chef at an international restaurant. I love Italian food, so I'd study how to make hand rolled pasta in Bologna and open a restaurant focusing on that. What's the best tax or financial advice that anyone ever gave you? The best money advice anyone has ever given me was to don't loan money to anyone unless you are OK not getting it back. It saved so many relationships with friends and family. What books or magazines are on your nightstand? I don't have any on my nightstand. However, on my desk are 'Think Like a Monk' and 'Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks.' Who has been the biggest influence on your career? Oh, this is a hard one. I would say it was my manager at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. My time there was extraordinary. My boss was a Black CPA and before meeting her, I had no intention of becoming a CPA or working in a public accounting firm. That encounter changed everything. What would I be surprised to know about you? My first name isn't Nicole. It's Laphilia (LUH-FEEL-YUH) and it's as unique as me. I dare you find some other person alive with that name. If you had the opportunity to make one change in the tax code tomorrow—an extra credit, a disallowed deduction, whatever—what would it be and why? I'd create a refundable credit for healthcare that covers out of pocket expense for healthcare, childcare, or eldercare. What was the best tax conference, continuing education (CE), or continuing legal education (CLE) event that you ever attended? AICPA ENGAGE but I may be a bit biased since I am on one of the planning committees responsible for programming. What has been the biggest change that you've seen in the tax profession in the last five years? The biggest change has been how compliance is pretty much a tech product now. We are no longer chained to keyboard cranking out returns. Our job now is reading the story behind the numbers, then translating that into action steps on cash flow, entity tweaks, deal timing, and wealth plays. Firms that buddy-up with the bots and lean harder into human smarts? They're sprinting past the pack. What are you most concerned about or excited about with respect to the profession moving forward? I am most excited about the possibilities in this profession. There are so many people that see a path to career expansion without being a part of Big 4. Generative AI will speed this up for many since we don't have reinvent the wheel. If Uncle Sam handed you a huge refund check right now, what would you do with it? I'd probably spend it on grocery shopping and have a big dinner party. I love to shop for food and cook. You can find Nicole on LinkedIn—you can also find her on our Forbes Best in State Top CPAs List. This article is part of our Getting To Know You Tuesday series—a chance to get to know all kinds of tax professionals and understand that the field of tax is bigger than April 15. If you'd like to nominate tax professional to be featured, send your suggestion to kerb@ with the subject: Getting To Know You Tuesday. Forbes Getting To Know You Tuesday: Arielle Tucker By Kelly Phillips Erb
Health Line
11-06-2025
- Health
- Health Line
9 Foam Rolling Moves That'll Remove Every Bit of Stress in Your Body
Foam rolling may help alleviate tightness or trigger points in the quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back, lats, shoulders, and IT band, among other body parts. Foam rolling is a type of self-massage that you can do at home using a foam roller. These are available in different sizes and materials, but they all primarily have a cylindrical shape. Foam rolling may help increase blood flow and elasticity of muscle tissue, joints, and fascia — the body's connective tissue. This can have several health benefits, including: warming up the muscles for exercise alleviating muscle soreness, tension, and tightness promoting muscle recovery and flexibility preventing injuries relieving psychological stress According to Nicole Davis, a certified personal trainer, foam rolling may be great for people who sit at a desk all day or have a slouching posture, joint issues, or difficulty maintaining proper form during exercise. Keep reading to discover nine foam rolling moves to target common tight areas and muscle knots to help relieve stress in your body. Before you get started 'All you'll need is a low- to medium-density foam roller and some open floor space,' Davis said. 'Aim to complete this routine three times per week.' You can do this anytime, but Davis recommends foam rolling before workouts as a warmup or after to prevent soreness. For all these moves, you'll want to stop wherever it feels tight or tender. 'Foam rolling can be painful, especially if you're new to it,' Davis said. 'Pain in a specific area while foam rolling is typically a sign that your muscle or tissue is tight and needs some TLC.' Inhale and then, as you exhale, slowly roll your way down. Treat your body in sections rather than continuously rolling back and forth. 'Ease into painful spots by starting in the areas right around it, and sensitivity should decrease fairly quickly,' she added. 'But, if it's too much to bear, don't continue.' 1. Quads If a desk job's got you sedentary most of the day, roll out your quads to get your blood flowing and keep muscles engaged. Directions: Start in a forearm plank position with the foam roller under your quads. Bracing yourself with your upper body and core, begin to slowly roll down the roller until it reaches just above your knees. Then, roll in the opposite direction until you reach your hip flexors. Do this for 30 seconds. When you hit a tender spot, hold yourself there for a few breaths. If you're more experienced with using the foam roller, consider focusing on one quad at a time. This will put more pressure in the tight areas, but you can also be more specific with where the pressure on the quad goes. 2. Hip flexors Some research suggests that sitting for more than 7 hours daily may limit the mobility in your hip flexors. Foam rolling may help improve the hip range of motion by loosening the muscle tissue and fascia around it. Directions: Start by lying down, facing the floor on the foam roller, once again in a forearm plank position. Make sure the foam roller is underneath your left hip flexor and your right leg is bent comfortably to the side. Resting on your forearms, begin to roll slowly up and down and side to side on the foam roller to target the hip flexor, paying close attention to trigger points. Do this for 30 seconds. Switch and repeat on the right hip flexor. 3. Calves In addition to calf stretches, foam rolling is an effective way to target trigger points and muscle knots in the calves and improve the range of motion in your ankles. Directions: Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended, the foam roller positioned underneath your calves. Lift your body up so your weight is resting on the foam roller. Cross your left leg over your right for extra pressure. Slowly roll your right calf back and forth on the foam roller, navigating your body forward and back with your arms. Complete for 30 seconds. Switch legs and focus on your left calf. 4. Hamstrings Hamstrings are powerful muscles that may also be prone to muscle tightness, stiffness, and injury if not properly warmed up before exercise or treated afterward. Directions: Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended. Position the foam roller underneath your hamstrings. Lift your body up so your weight is resting on the foam roller. Slowly roll up and down between the back of your knees and your glutes. Linger on tender spots, and roll for at least 30 seconds overall. An alternative way to complete this is to cross your legs and focus on one hamstring at a time. 5. IT band The iliotibial (IT) band is made of connective tissue and runs along your outer thigh from the hip to the knee. A tight IT band is a common cause of knee pain and muscle soreness in athletes. Foam rolling may be an effective remedy for promoting myofascial release and releasing knots to relieve IT band pain. Directions: Start by lying on your right side with the foam roller positioned underneath your right IT band, or the side of your thigh. Rest your bodyweight on your right forearm. Your right leg should be straight, and your left leg should be bent at the knee with your foot placed comfortably in front of your right leg. Bracing yourself with your upper body and left leg, slowly roll along the foam roller on your right IT band between your knee and glute, stopping at tender spots. Repeat for 30 seconds, then switch to rolling your left IT band. 6. Upper back Foam rolling can release tension in your back, which may help improve spinal mobility, flexibility, and pressure point pain threshold. It may also help decrease musculoskeletal discomfort and back pain if you work at a desk for long hours. Directions: Start by lying on your back with the foam roller positioned underneath your upper back. Your knees should be bent with your feet flat on the floor. Your arms can either be down by your sides or crossed in front of your chest. Brace your core and lift yourself up into a shallow bridge position. Slowly roll up and down between your lower neck and mid-back, stopping at tight areas along the way. Repeat for 30 seconds. 7. Lats The latissimus dorsi (lats), affectionately known as your 'wings,' are located on your back, right below your armpits. Tight lat muscles can affect your posture and, in the long term, possibly lead to lower back pain. Foam rolling could help keep them loose and prevent tightness. Directions: Start by lying on your back at a 45-degree angle with the foam roller positioned underneath your right lat. Keep your right leg straight and bend your left leg into a comfortable position. Slowly roll from your right armpit down to your mid-back area, focusing on tender areas. Repeat for 30 seconds. Switch to roll out your left lat. 8. Shoulders Research suggests that myofascial exercises that target the shoulders and pecs may help improve shoulder mobility and stability. This may include exercises like foam rolling. Directions: Start by lying on your side with the foam roller underneath your right shoulder. Your lower body can be resting on the ground comfortably with your left arm out in front to guide movement. Roll slowly up and down over your deltoid muscle. Rotate your trunk slightly so you can hit part of your upper back as well if needed. Repeat for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat on your left shoulder. 9. Neck A foam roller may also be beneficial for targeting trigger points in the neck and promoting myofascial release. These can help relieve neck tension and improve neck stability, function, and range of motion. Directions: Start by lying down on your back and resting your neck on the foam roller at the top where it connects to your head. Slowly turn your head to the right, holding where you feel a tightness. Exhale and turn your head to the left. Repeat for 30 seconds. Frequently asked questions What are the negatives of foam rolling? Foam rolling is generally considered safe for most people. But it's best to avoid foam rolling an area with an active injury, such as a bruise, strain, muscle tear, or bone fracture. Foam rolling may also cause short-term pain, especially in very tight areas. Foam rolling is generally considered safe for most people. But it's best to avoid foam rolling an area with an active injury, such as a bruise, strain, muscle tear, or bone fracture. Foam rolling may also cause short-term pain, especially in very tight areas. Why are my legs so sore after foam rolling? Your legs may be sore after foam rolling if the muscles in your legs were very tight or you applied too much pressure too soon. Foam rolling may also worsen a pre-existing leg injury. Your legs may be sore after foam rolling if the muscles in your legs were very tight or you applied too much pressure too soon. Foam rolling may also worsen a pre-existing leg injury. Is it OK to foam roll every day? Yes, in most cases, it's OK to foam roll every day. But it's best to speak with a physiotherapist or doctor before foam rolling every day, especially if you have an injury or musculoskeletal condition. They can offer guidance on how often to foam roll and the types and intensity of exercises. Yes, in most cases, it's OK to foam roll every day. But it's best to speak with a physiotherapist or doctor before foam rolling every day, especially if you have an injury or musculoskeletal condition. They can offer guidance on how often to foam roll and the types and intensity of exercises.
