Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Parker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 2005, I graduated from Savannah State University. The semester I graduated, was also the semester I gave birth to my son, so my career goals immediately came to a halt. Prior to my son, my plans were to move to North Carolina and work for a CPA firm. Right after graduation, I was still living in Savannah, with truly little opportunity coming my way and quite frankly, I was afraid of letting my parents down. I was working for temp agencies and only making $11/hr. Three months after graduation, March 3, 2006, I landed a job with my aunt working for a payroll company, as a Tax Assistant and I moved to Atlanta, the very next week. My salary was $32,500/yr, and although I thought I could and should have been making at least $60K, that just was not the reality of corporate.
I must say learning the ropes of corporate America was initially tough for me. There was nothing “fair” about this “new” world. I thought my skills were good enough, that my hard work would help me excel. And boy, was I wrong. I bounced around to several jobs. If the pay was better, I was on to the next better paying job, that was just my mentality. No one saw my worth, so why not just get the money as it comes and move on? Right? Ummm, maybe! Well let us just say this, I come from a city where everything is about a “good” hustle. Yes, Atlanta was the “Big City,” but if you can make it out of Savannah, you can make it anywhere. I was at a point in my career, where I was feeling defeated and like another number, just running a rat race with the rest of the bottom feeders. My husband said something to me that I carry with me until this day. He said, “You’re street smart and book smart Ashlee. Apply your same street hustle to your job.” I also had a manager that once told me, “Ashlee, you’re street smart and book smart, and that’s going to take you far.” So, I had great qualities that everyone else saw in me, I just had to see it for myself. And you know what? I DID! And Proficient Tax, LLC was born and the year was 2009.
I decided to further my education and obtained my Masters in Accounting and Financial Management in 2010. A month after graduation, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, and the reality of my urgency to increase my income became a reality.
I worked for several corporations over a span of 14 years. But it was not until my last four years where I understood my purpose of being in corporate America. I used this time to understand the different aspects of the business structure from marketing, organizational flow, forecasting and budgeting, and customer service. I was so intrigued with the many facets of running a business; I became a shining star within my organization. And I am going to be honest. It was not because I was at all interested in growing the company I was working for, but I was learning skills that were growing my own business, and I was LOVING IT! My constant need to “know” helped me to excel as a top tax preparer because you see in having a successful business, you must be “nosy” in the right areas. In your areas of expertise, I do not mean street gossip. I was constantly researching ways to improve my clients’ tax situations, new tax laws, applications of laws, etc. I noticed that year after year, I was exceeding my forecasted projections for Proficient Tax, LLC, and that is when I knew it was time for me to take my business to another level. I had been running my business while working for a corporation for ten years, and now IT WAS TIME. It was time for me to do what I knew would help people like myself to grow their finances through taxes. There is so much information out there and tax laws that is beneficial to individuals and businesses that most filers miss every year. Being successful in your tax health means that you must get rid of the BASIC. You must think beyond the regular tax forms, and this is what I educate my clients on.
Has it been a smooth road?
There has been some trying times in operating and making my business successful. Having a child while in college and still motivating myself to continue with my vision has been something I battled with myself for several years. It always appeared to be easier to just be like the norm and work a 9am-5pm, but the passion that I had for educating others was so much greater.
Being a small business also required me to run my business and work a full-time job, which was ultimately the biggest challenge. By the time I left corporate, I was making well over $100K, so being able to follow my vision through, so that my family would not feel a shift in the finances, was a huge stress factor. I constantly questioned, “Will I be successful at running my own business”? When will I know if I’m over my head”? “Will I fail my family”? All very legitimate questions. And as always, the hardest step is the first step of walking away from my falsified “security” in corporate.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
At Proficient Tax, LLC, my first goal is to make sure my clients understand at least the basics of taxes. Like the saying goes, “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” And I do not want any of my clients dying worrying about their tax situation! Although I specialize in individual and business taxes, I also offer several other services. Because I have an extensive finance background, I also coach businesses on how to grow their business and maintain profitable margins. I’ve also been known to be the “Truckers Accountant”, which is expected, because of my family trucking businesses. In addition to being a well diverse Accountant/Tax Preparer, I have also obtained my real estate license. I saw this as a way to help my clients find a great investment that will benefit their tax situation for years to come.
Throughout the years, I am mostly proud of my personal growth, as well as business growth. My first year in business, I started with 25 clients. I have continued to grow every year with an average of 83% more than the prior year. And what most of my clients do not know, is that I run my business solely by myself. From marketing, operations, customer service, admin duties…I do it ALL. I decided to operate this way because it has always been my goal to maintain the integrity of my business. I would prefer to turn clients away to provide quality work over quantity. This is a business of integrity and trust and I know that’s one of the attributes that my business possess, because it shows in my client retention and yearly growth. And because I am the only operator of the business, I contribute my success to my clients and their many referrals and remaining to be myself; personable, down to earth, genuine, and knowledgeable.
I built my processes on a virtual platform, therefore I can service anyone, from anywhere. I provide convenience, with an in-office feel.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta is a great city to start any business. There are over 332 million people in the United States and just about everyone needs to file their taxes. I have personally encouraged and helped to start several of my friend’s tax businesses. Atlanta is the home of small businesses. So, it will definitely be beneficial to understand business taxes. This is not a profession to be in if you are motivated purely by the financial gain. You should understand the tax laws and how to apply them.
Contact Info:
- Address: 195 W. Pike Street Ste 202
Lawrenceville, GA 30046 - Website: www.proficienttax1040.com
- Phone: 678-628-4896 or 912-689-6518
- Email: aparker@proficienttax10
40.com - Instagram: iam_proficienttax
- Facebook: ashlee.h.parker
Image Credit:
Mecca Gamble
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