I’m sure you know “What” I do and maybe even some on the “How” I do it, but what about the “Why” I do taxes and accounting.

Growing up in Southern California near the ocean in a well-to-do area, I can honestly say I was not “good” at anything. Yep – just average. Average in high school, average in surfing, average in my work as an employee, average son, average, average, average. My parents also didn’t offer me any praise – maybe since there wasn’t much to praise?

In my Master’s Degree in Taxation program, I soon realized my calling. I had always been interested in tax preparation and accounting but this Master’s degree program was a different experience. I studied all the time and experienced being fully involved in learning. I aced the entire curriculum. I was hired into my first career position from a contact at this school. So started my CPA path.

Being “good” at something gives me a sense of self-worth that can’t be explained easily – it’s just that feeling of inner joy. It drives me to continue to stay on top of my game including how I can do this work better using new technology. I promote a work culture to provide exceptional tax and accounting services so the team members can too enjoy this same feeling of being good at their work. Its this feeling of being good at something that drives me. I love it!

In strategy games you need to prevent your opponent from getting behind you – or you open yourself up to becoming vulnerable. It’s the same with accepting average tax or average accounting work that a business owner accepts. This enemy (average or less than average tax and accounting work) now gets behind that business owner. That owner now risks it surfacing later creating bigger problems. I’ve personally seen businesses go bankrupt solely due to their failure to secure good tax and accounting services. They fail since they left their back door open.

From time to time I run into potential clients that, in their own way, make it clear that good tax preparation and good accounting is not really something they care for.  Just not their priority.  This then forces one of us to change.  Will I give up being good at what I do to accommodate their low standards of tax preparation and accounting?  Will I give up that inner joy of doing excellent work?

So that answers the “Why” I do what I do.