Today we’d like to introduce you to Krystal Russell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Krystal. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I realized I wanted to be an entrepreneur when I was in high school. I remember learning about franchising in my business class and fell in love with the idea of running a business. My approach was a practical one. I knew it took money to make money. With that in mind, I chose Nursing as my first major in college purely because I knew nurses made good money and I could use that money to start my own business. Not exactly a good reason to major in something, but it made sense to me at the time. Needlessness to say, that didn’t last long and I had to go back to the drawing board. I met with career counselors and did extensive research and soul-searching. Finally, I decided on accounting. It was an area I was interested in and good at. I also knew it was a great career to transition into entrepreneurship. It was perfect.
I graduated with my Bachelors and Masters in Accounting and went on to pass all 4 sections of the CPA exam on my first try. I started my career at one of the Big 4 accounting firms in the International Tax department where I learned a lot. It challenged extensively. No accountant works harder than a Big 4 alumni, guaranteed!
While I was there, I had to refocus my goals and efforts. I asked myself, “what is my end goal here?” Starting my own accounting firm. With the support and encouragement from my fiancee and business partners, I took the leap! I let go of the security blanket that was my corporate job and decided to invest my time and resources in an accounting company, LYFE Accounting.
Today, I work full time at LYFE Accounting. Servicing clients while also building the company to take it to the next level.
Has it been a smooth road?
I am in the beginning stages of my entrepreneurial endeavors but I have definitely gotten a taste of some challenges. Especially in an industry like accounting where things are constantly changing. It’s vital to stay on top of industry trends and updates. I conquer that by staying abreast of current events and reading articles in my field. There’s no possible way of learning everything in accounting (the IRC is over 74,000 pages!), but I commit myself to learning as much as I can.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
LYFE Accounting is an accounting and tax company servicing small businesses and individuals. We are a full-service accounting firm. We do everything from bookkeeping and tax to financial planning and CFO services. What makes us different is the fact that we are a company of individuals with backgrounds in many different areas of business, not just accounting. My partners and I have knowledge and experience in marketing, law and finance. We use this to the advantage of our clients who receive a holistic approach to our services.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I absolutely love Atlanta for starting a business and specifically an accounting business. Atlanta is a major city with numerous small businesses. And every business needs some level of accounting services which makes the demand for my business high.
Atlanta is fast paced enough to home thousands of thriving businesses but also slow pace enough to really build a network of clients and fellow entrepreneurs.
Contact Info:
- Address: 50 Hurt Plaza
Suite 260
Atlanta, GA 30303 - Website: www.lyfeaccounting.com
- Email: lyfenumbers@gmail.com
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
