WHAT IS IT?
Retained by Choice is a 3-month online training program designed specifically for experienced Seniors, Managers, and Senior Managers in public accounting who want to take control of their careers without burning out. It provides the step-by-step system to help high-performers build sustainable routines, navigate busy seasons with confidence, and reclaim their energy, time, and momentum—without quitting or slowing down.
This is not another generic leadership course. It was created by Lauren Baptiste, a former Big 4 CPA who understands the pressures of public accounting and has helped thousands of accountants rise without running themselves into the ground.
If you're a firm leader looking to retain your high performers—or a professional ready to stop treading water and start thriving—this program is for you.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Retained by Choice is built for high-performing professionals in public accounting (Audit, Tax and Consulting), especially those who:
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Are feeling stuck or falling behind, despite years of success
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Are juggling deadlines, client demands, and team responsibilities with no time to breathe
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Are being positioned for promotion but aren’t sure they can keep operating at this pace
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Want to stay in public accounting, but in a healthier, more sustainable way
Whether your firm is enrolling you or you're applying for reimbursement, this is a program that works for individuals and organizations alike.
ALL ABOUT
RETAINED BY CHOICE
HOW DOES IT WORK?
This is a hybrid learning experience delivered over 3 months. It includes:
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On-demand video lessons
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A structured 90-day implementation plan
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Interactive worksheets and exercises
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"Ask My Coach" written coaching support throughout the program
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Real-world tools to apply immediately to client work, team leadership, and personal wellbeing
Participants can complete the program in as little as 15 minutes/day. We know how full your plate is—this was built to integrate into real accounting life.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
The full program runs over 12 weeks, but you’ll have access to the materials and coaching support throughout that time. The core structure includes:
Section 1: Sustainability Audit
Goal: Identify what’s creating stress, draining your energy and has you feeling resentful at work — and create immediate clarity on what needs to change.
What’s included:
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Audit your workload, stress levels, and burnout triggers
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Uncover hidden patterns (overwork, people pleasing, over-functioning)
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Learn how your current work habits are helping or hurting
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Create your personal “Stress Dashboard” to track key burnout signals
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Set your baseline: where are you now vs. where do you want to go?
Section 2: Sustainability Practices
Goal: Build your toolkit to manage your time and mental bandwidth in the real world of public accounting.
What’s included:
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Time Management: Learn how to prioritize like a leader, block time effectively, and reduce context switching
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Delegation: Get scripts, checklists, and mindset shifts to delegate without guilt or rework
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Boundary Setting: Practice pushback language for partner/client fire drills, scope creep, and late-night demands
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Recovery Routines: Identify rituals that help you reset after long days or weeks
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Stress Resilience: Learn micro-strategies for staying calm and focused even under pressure
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Choose your “Non-Negotiables” and design your daily rhythm (busy vs. non-busy seasons)
Section 3: Sustainable Self
Goal: Move from learning to living — this is where you build your personalized Success Formula and implement it.
What’s included:
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Craft your Success Formula: a tailored plan for sustaining energy, meeting goals, and thriving at work
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Learn how to do a monthly Self-Audit to catch burnout before it escalates
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Create a feedback plan with your mentors and firm leaders
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Learn how to keep habits alive during busy season (even if you have just 15 minutes a day)
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Set goals and practices that align with your career aspirations (promotion, retention, partnership track)
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Build a plan you can actually stick to—even when your calendar is full
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING
Employee participants reported:
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100% of participants said they would recommend the program to others.
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91% reported improved time management and boundary-setting skills.
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82% said they felt more confident navigating stressful work periods.
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73% noted a noticeable reduction in burnout symptoms.
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67% had already started implementing the tools into their day-to-day routines.
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Over 85% agreed the tools were relevant and applicable to public accounting.
Firms that invested in their teams reported:
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Clearer time boundaries and stronger delegation
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Managers referencing program tools during mentorship and reviews
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Retention improvements in mid-levels previously on the fence
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Greater confidence and effectiveness during peak workload
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Managers staying — and stepping up — rather than stepping out
Why it works:
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Targeted support for the overlooked middle layer
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Private, self-paced structure means professionals can engage without pressure
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Written format creates space for deeper self-reflection
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It solves for both performance and retention
The true ROI isn’t just reduced attrition; it’s the retention of your future leaders.
Even a single Experienced Senior or Senior Manager choosing to stay — and thrive — can save your firm hundreds of thousands in turnover costs, lost productivity, and delayed promotions.
With a minimal investment, Retained By Choice delivers measurable impact across performance, morale, and culture — whether it helps one key person or an entire layer of your team. You don’t need full adoption to see results. But your people do need the right tools to stay engaged and effective.
YOUR SUCCESS IN 90 DAYS OR LESS
Having a 90-day plan gives you a clear roadmap so you can move from learning to action without getting overwhelmed. Instead of waiting for the “perfect time” to get started, you’ll start applying tools immediately — building habits that help you manage client demands, protect your well-being, and stay on track for your career goals.
MONTH 1:
GETTING ORIENTED
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Familiarize with the program process, tools and resources
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Watch the program modules
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Create your personal Success Formula
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Use Ask My Coach to get comfortable with feedback
BENCHMARKS
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Experience small shifts in mood, time, or stress levels
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Feel less overwhelmed because you now are equipped with the right tools and a plan
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Start to feel supported instead of “on an island”
MONTH 2:
EXPERIMENTATION
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Put your Success Formula into action at work and at home
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Identify where boundaries are needed most
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Start applying learned tactics in your client meetings
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Practice the skill of evaluation to to expedite learnings and overall success
BENCHMARKS
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Greater control over your calendar and workload
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More confidence handling partner or client demands without overworking
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Feeling re-inspired about your career goals and your work-life balance
MONTH 3:
BUILDING MOMENTUM
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Follow-through on your plan conistently
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Weekly use of Ask My Coach to stay accountable
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Take a vacation without needing to log in
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Apply learned strategies to everyday scenarios with more ease
BENCHMARKS
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Greater control of your career, even in busy periods
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On track for your next professional milestone while avoiding burnout
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Proactively raising your hand for new opportunities
*Note: Results and timing will vary by individual, but these reflect the typical outcomes we’ve seen from participants after years of delivering this program.
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER - ENJOYING THE PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS WITHOUT THE STRESS?
You don't have to burn out to get ahead. And you don't have to quit to feel better. You just need a different way of operating at this point in your career. And you need new tools - ones that you've never been taught.
Retained By Choice gives you a roadmap to thrive in public accounting, without running yourself into the ground.
Let's make this the moment where you finally feel confident and in control of your career.
PARTICIPANT SUCCESSES
"I've actually increased in my responsibility since working with Lauren but I've actually become more calm, more chill and more in the moment.
A lot of co-workers and family members are noticing it. I'm actually more productive. Which is interesting because I'm working less and I'm getting praises at work about how I've come in with better recommendations and solutions. I'm more open to opportunities and ideas because I'm able to be present with my team.
I am now in control of what I call my “dials”. I can figure out how and when to "turn off" when I feel that it's necessary where. The simple phrase, “I can deal with that tomorrow” has changed my life unbelievable amounts because I am able to be present with family. I'm able to be present with friends without constantly having things going on in my head and constantly having thoughts happening like, 'Mondays coming up, I should have worked on that over the weekend'.
It's really allowed me to have work-life balance."
Dayna S, Head of New Product Development
Toronto, Canada
"If you told me I would be feeling positive, optimistic and confident, I don't know if I would have believed you... But here I am. And it's the coaching that helped me...
I received a review at the end of last year that was tough to hear. It was clear that there was room for growth. It was a new role and I knew I could do better. I just felt like I needed a little more support to do that.
[Four months later, and] I just had my Q1 check in. It was very different than my end of year review last year. My supervisor was very happy with how things are going. I'm showing up more confidently, because I am doing my work in a way that makes more sense. The quality of my output is better. She's also noticing the changes.
This is the first time I've ever worked with a coach. It's different when you're venting to coworkers, venting to friends, or talking to your therapist. Lauren understands the context of what I'm going through, but she’s also able to hold me accountable to the goals that we outlined. It's been honestly really helpful to have a professional coach in my life.
It's helpful that Lauren is available between sessions and that she lets me guide the conversations in terms of what will have the most impact. Even though Lauren has a program that is structured, there's enough flexibility to make sure that every time I feel like I'm getting my most like my top concerns addressed, which is really helpful.
When I got my bad review as a high achieving woman who's always been very successful in my profession, to receive something less than glowing... it can be so easy to start beating yourself up even further, and that bleeds into the rest of your life. It's so worth it to work with Lauren."
Krithika H, Senior Program Officer
Washington DC
"While I can't control everything, I can control how I react."
The best takeaway I got from Lauren was learning that I can't control everything, especially how others treat me, but I can control how I react. This perspective shift has helped me conserve my energy and prevent negativity from further draining me in a time when I was experiencing significant workplace burnout. Even when I had setbacks, Lauren’s guidance brought me back to a positive mindset, reminding me of my worth despite occasional doubts.
Lauren’s advice to focus, step back, and manage my mind has been invaluable. I've learned to accept the ups and downs in my career and life, and not let the downs drag me down too much. This progress has been crucial in managing stress in a professionally challenging time and still maintaining a positive outlook.
I loved working with Lauren and I really enjoyed the sessions. Because of her experience and similar background in Accounting/Finance, I felt she would have a good understanding of what I’ve been going through in my job, and she did. Working with Lauren has been a great help.”
Diana K, Senior Manager
New Jersey
"Lauren helped me through a very difficult time in my career.
Lauren is an amazing human who is using her gifts to help others overcome the same struggles she has faced in managing her career and taking care of herself. It’s hard enough navigating a corporate environment, and if you are a leader, all eyes are on you, especially if you are a woman. This environment perpetuates a cycle, whereas women we push ourselves for recognition and forget to take care of our emotional, mental, and physical health.
We may have success, but it is usually at a steep cost. Burnout is real, and many of us are either on the brink of experiencing it. If this is you, Lauren will help you realign your priorities, establish boundaries, and help you live a more balanced life.
Lauren helped me through a very difficult time in my career where I questioned my contributions and self-worth. She helped me realize my worth not only in the workforce but also my worth as a human being.
When I began a new role, she helped me to feel comfortable setting boundaries, and for the first time I truly was able to achieve work-life balance. She taught me that I could still be successful and advanced my career, but still enjoy my life and not feel like I could only have one or the other.
She is patient, kind, and a great listener, but she gives you tough love when you need it. Having Lauren as a coach was invaluable, and I will forever be grateful to her."
Alex C, New York, NY
Senior Manager
WHAT EMPLOYERS HAVE TO SAY
"Partnering with Lauren has given our GBQ associates the tools and confidence to actively prevent burnout—without slowing down their careers. Her Big 4 background made her instantly relatable to our people, connecting directly to the unique pressures accountants face daily. The program’s practical, real‑world strategies have already improved how our team manages busy periods, client expectations, and work‑life balance.
The impact has been clear: more engaged associates, stronger performance, and a clear path to healthier, happier engagement teams—at work and at home. We greatly enjoyed working with Lauren and her team and would highly recommend this program to any firm committed to retaining top talent and building sustainable success."
GBQ Leadership Team
Accounting Firm
Columbus, Ohio
"Given the type of work we do, we’re always looking for ways to support our staff, and burnout is a common concern. Lauren provided our organization with a structured, comprehensive approach to addressing burnout.
The topics covered essential concepts such as stress management, time management, goal setting, creating and maintaining boundaries, and managing tendencies like people-pleasing, perfectionism, and procrastination—all directly relevant to the unique challenges faced in the profession. Employees engaged with practical tools and strategies designed to benefit their professional and personal growth. The open coaching sessions added an extra layer of support, allowing employees to bring their questions and challenges to the table and receive real-time guidance and feedback. This personalized aspect of the program helped participants feel more in control of their work-life balance, and the structured progression of topics ensured key professional skills were addressed systematically.
The feedback from staff was very positive, with many noting that they gained valuable insights and practical strategies to reduce burnout and enhance their overall well-being. Most participants reported significant improvements in their coping skills and felt better equipped with the tools needed to manage the daily challenges they face. Many also expressed feeling a greater sense of control over their work-life balance as a result of the program. Even months after the program concluded, the tools Lauren provided continue to be referenced. Supervisors regularly bring them up when a staff member could benefit from topics like time management or boundary setting, and I find myself suggesting them as well."
Accounting Firm
White Plains, New York
“Retained by Choice delivered a clear and measurable impact for our women leaders. Within just three months, participants reported significant gains in time management, boundary setting, and the ability to ‘turn off’ work—during our busiest quarter. But even more importantly, they left with a renewed sense of confidence, control, and community. The program sparked powerful conversations we hadn’t been having, and gave our team a practical language for navigating burnout, perfectionism, and the pressures of high performance. As a leader, I saw real mindset shifts take root—at both the personal and team level. This wasn’t surface-level inspiration; it was sustained transformation.”
Consulting Firm
New York, New York