The Empowered CPA

On today's episode, I am joined by the wonderful Arielle Leavitt. Arielle is a woman of many talents, some of which includes running her own practice, building a community of women business owners, and hosting The Connector podcast show. Arielle has a passion for networking, making introductions and bringing together people from all walks of life. We get into how we met, Arielle's path that got her to where she is now and the importance of having a strong community of businesswomen around you.   You can connect with Arielle here: @arielle.leavitt on Instagram arielletheconnector@gmail.com www.arielleleavitt.com You can also listen to her podcast The Connector on all podcast platforms   You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

In this episode, I discuss how to finish out the year strong for your business. I talk about finalizing your books, how to get ready for filing your 1099's in January and ways to reduce your taxable income. I also discuss how it is important to take the time to celebrate victories, learn from challenges and make goals for the upcoming year. You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

On this episode, I am joined by mindfulness, meditation and yoga teacher and speaker, Jennifer Gress. Jennifer is a “recovering” CPA who changed career paths after entering motherhood and finding inspiration from a yoga instructor who introduced her to the concept of mindfulness. Jennifer took a big leap, leaving behind her traditional and stable job to do what felt right in her heart. Jennifer speaks with us about the importance of mindfulness, her struggles throughout her journey, and the importance of staying true to yourself. If you want to connect with Jennifer Gress: @jenniferdailygress on Instagram You can also listen to Jennifer's podcast “Ask A Better Question” https://www.jenniferdailygress.com/   You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

Today I am joined by Shannon Palermo, founder of Modern Balance Solutions. Shannon and I talk about how she started bookkeeping on the side to make an extra $1,000/month. When the pandemic hit, she found herself unemployed and relying completely on her side hustle. Listen in for all her advice on how to successfully make the transition and build the business of your dreams. You can find Shannon here: Modern Balance Bookkeeping Solutions (modernbalancesolutions.com)   You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

Today I was joined by Dr. Rosemarie Rutecki, PharmD IMFCP, founder of Functional Pharmacy where she helps her clients find the root cause of their diseases. Rosemarie works with High-Performance Individuals, who want more energy, health, and optimal fitness to be at the top of their game. Listen in to hear how you can become a better version of yourself! You can find Rosemarie here: Dr. Rosemarie Rutecki (functional-pharmacy.com) You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

Today I am joined by the amazing Jamie Ruden, founder of Dog Spotted and Be Spotted. After becoming a dog foster parent, Jamie quickly realized there were very few services for dog parents in NYC. Jamie is now on a mission to help pet parents navigate pet parenthood as well as empower business who serve the industry. Nearly two years into her journey, Jamie made a major pivot in the services she was providing, listen in to hear what she did to make that the transition as seamless as possible! You can Jamie here: Digital Marketing for Pet Brands - Be Spotted (be-spotted.com) And here: Welcome to Dog Spotted | Dog Spotted You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

The wonderful David Doerrier is back this for this week's episode. David, a presentation skills expert, and the founder of Present Your Way to Success, guides us through principles of engagement. By learning these principles, any speaker, trainer, and presenter can learn to strategically design engaging materials and facilitate meetings and learning in various settings. David tells us about the importance of nonverbal communication, storytelling, and transitions. He also explains how to create a good pitch and introduces The Adult Learning Theory. You can find David Doerrier and his e-book at: www.PresentYourWayToSuccess.com or on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/daviddoerrier/ You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

On this episode, I am joined by Felicia Kashevaroff, co-founder of Tend Task. Tend Task is a company that focuses on creating a peaceful household partnership through their household organization app and coaching. Their company was designed to track and allocate the invisible labor happening in households but also provide solutions. They offer a subtle and direct way of inviting and offering support with essential household tasks to make room for more of what matters. Felicia gives us some insight on gender imbalances, why it is important to find balance and what motivated her to start her company.   You can find Tend Task at: @TendTask on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter You can also download the Tend Task: Household Organizer app on the App Store and Google Play www.TendTask.com You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

My guest this week, Rachel Tabacnic, has a wonderful career in public relations. Her passion for communication has landed her jobs with major companies and franchises. Through her work, she has helped various businesses survive and thrive. Rachel found a niche in restaurants, hospitality, and business entrepreneurs. We talk about the importance of communication and exposure, how Rachel started her own business, knowing your worth and all about confidence. If you want to reach out to Rachel, you can email her at rachel@prdivarach.com or find @prdivarach on Instagram.   You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

In this week's episode, I tackle how to keep up with your growing business and how to navigate through some of the problems that could arise as your businesses progresses. I talk about some of the things I'm currently dealing with, such as how to go about getting paid, how to separate yourself emotionally, understanding your value, and enforcing boundaries. You can follow The Empowered CPA at: @TheEmpoweredCPA on Instagram The Empowered CPA on Facebook www.TheEmpoweredCPA.com

In this episode, I sum up some of the topics that have come up this week at my practice. I talk about a personal victory of mine involving new boundaries and growth, I answer some questions about installment plans and how to set them up, and I talk about how I prepare for hard situations.

In this week's episode, I answer some of the best questions I was asked this week. Although they might not go together, I get asked these questions very frequently. We're going to talk about tax deductions for clothes and psychic readings, buying or selling your home or business as a self employed individual and my recent experience posting a job listing amongst my peers.

In today's episode, I focus on how U.S. taxes work for digital nomads. Digital nomads work remotely using technology and the internet while traveling in different locations. Whether traveling in the states or internationally, there is a high likelihood you must pay taxes in multiple locations. I explain what is and is not a deductible expense, how to go about both international and local tax filing and how to ensure you are remaining compliant.

In today's episode I talk with Charlett, a sales coach and feminine leadership mentor, about how she helps female business owners build a highly successful and sustainable business by shifting back and forth from feminine to masculine energy. We walk through the characteristics of the different energies and how they are both essential to be successful.

In today's episode I talk about the financial and emotional side of divorce. We discuss the feelings that cloud an already challenging situation, how personal relationships outside of the marriage change, and how seeking financial help can help put you on a solid path for the next phase of your life.

In today's episode I chat with the one and only Antonio Postorino, founder of Unfiltered PR, to talk about working with reality tv stars, getting pumped up for big events and how entrepreneurship is the best-worst-amazing mistake you will ever make and how you gamble on yourself every single day.

My guest this week, Brian Howie, has never had W2 employment. Never. This week we talk about how he watched his parents tow the company line and the impact that had on his entrepreneurial journey. His adventure started in Hollywood where he was determined to write the next great American novel. Show business suited him and he was soon directing large scale productions and now, opening up podcast recording studios all over the country. We discuss multi state tax returns, who is ultimately responsible for making sure you correctly file your returns and why we love being entrepreneurs.

Public speaking is rarely high on anyone's list of favorite things; however, it is arguably one of the most important skills you can develop as a business owner. In today's episode, I sit down with David Doerrier, founder of Present Your Way To Success, and we talk about the three secrets to powerful presentations and how to set up your space to successfully present virtually.

In today's episode I sat down with Evan Snow, founder of Choose 954 and co-founder of Zero Empty Spaces. As a Broward County native, Evan discusses how he always found himself traveling to either Palm Beach or Miami to enjoy events. Choose954 was born after a trip to Memphis, where he saw a movement for building a local art community. It started as a hashtag and quickly developed into much, much more. Focusing on bringing awareness to the arts in Fort Lauderdale, Choose954 started hosting events and giving the residents of Broward a reason to stay closer to home.

In today's episode I talk about how to stay focused on your own business when there are so many outside influences consistently in our environment showing us what others are supposedly doing. Social media paints a picture of everyone around us living beautiful, fabulous lives and it is human nature to find ourselves comparing our own lives to what we see around us. We talk about one of my clients who was mirroring her own company after what she was seeing her competitors doing online and never once did she consider that things might not be as profitable as they seem for that person.

In today's episode we talk about the conversations newly married couples need to have when it comes to filing and paying their taxes. We talk about the differences between married filing joint and married filing separately, why you need to disclose if you owe back taxes before the IRS sends you a letter that forces you to have that conversation, and what to know if the IRS withholds a refund because of those back taxes. We also discuss how one spouse might be used to getting back a refund, hello W2 employee, versus the self-employed spouse always owing and why discussing expectations early is the key to avoiding hostile tax filings every year.

Are you considering starting a business with a partner? In this episode we talk about what conversations you need to have before you join forces. First, complimentary skills are vital to the success of your business. Everyone needs a role in the business, and it is important that everyone doesn't have the same skills. Second, have an open conversation about the financial expectations and goals of the business. How are you funding the business? What are salary expectations? What are your time expectations? What roles are each partner taking on? Third, if you decide to part ways, what does that look like? Create a clear path to transition to try to avoid the ending being a blaze of glory.

We are officially halfway through the year, in this episode we talk about all of the things you need to be doing to ensure you are on track for a successful year. From reviewing your budget, how to get back on track (if necessary), quarterly tax payments, the importance of rest and making sure you have done something this year that scares you.

In this episode, I talk with Gaby about how she started her career as a special education teacher and after a big move from NYC to Florida, decided to make a big career change. After much deliberation, she decided to start a marketing company called Stars Marketing Group. Her big break came after she took a chance and reached out to a reality star she loved watching and ended up connecting with him and later signing him as her first client. We discuss the high points, the low points, how to deal with the naysayers, and her love for learning.

My guest this week is Miami based designer and South Florida resident Wade Hallock. Wade is the founder of Hallock Design Group, a boutique design studio in Miami focusing on how to work synergistically with clients to create spaces that are both beautiful and timeless. His newly launched fashion line Wade Allyn, which debuted a women's line earlier this year in Miami, how been nationally acclaimed and is a testament to his work ethic and vision garnered from a young age. In this episode, we discuss how his respect for privacy has made him the go to designer for elite clientele. We'll discuss how he approaches each client, and what his goals are when trying to create a space or piece of fashion. Whatever he is doing, Wade is sure to capture his audience's full attention.

Have you ever wondered what happens if you can't pay your taxes all at once? In this week's episode, I chat with fellow podcaster Janene about how to create an Installment Plan (fancy tax lingo for payment plan), how long it takes for the IRS to process tax returns and the best ways to go about hiring a tax professional. I also share a few tips about how to speed up the process from filing your tax return to receiving your refund.

Every year (sometimes more frequently) I do something that completely terrifies me. My logic has always been that if I always stay within the walls of my comfort zone, I will never truly know how far I could possibly fly. I have found that these experiences have been some of the best of my life. This year I have committed to getting more publicity which requires me to really put myself out there. In this episode, I talk about how I was working with a publication on what I thought was going to be an article about my accounting practice and it turned into an article about how I manage my time to protect the things in my life that are most important to me. I share my time management tools, how I set my priorities, and the things I need to keep myself running smoothly.

In this episode, we discuss the process of pricing your services. We talk about how pricing has been done historically, how the current economic climate is making us re-evaluate our pricing more frequently and the conversations I have with my clients to ensure that their pricing matches up with their ideal client.

Stabilize, Strengthen and Sustain – this is the foundation that Morgaine's firm, Honestly Bookkeeping, is built upon. Instead of niching by industry, she has chosen to niche by technology stacks and processes. Morgaine talks about how her employees do not have fixed hours, she allows flexibility in physical location, and how she built her firm around her love of travel. In this episode, we talk about how she uses Xero as her accounting software as an alternative to well known Quickbooks products. The main differences between the two technologies and what she loves most about Xero. We talk about the not for profit she has been involved with since she was a child, land conservation, summer camp for kids as well as her work helping to create a green cemetery

Mortality is something that most of us avoid talking about as it isn't exactly the most joyous topic. We put off making plans, including creating a trust or a will, because when it all boils down to it, we don't want to have those hard conversations. I recently lost my grandmother and spent a week out of state working with family to attempt to make heads or tails of her final estate. When I returned home after an emotional week, I felt I had to discuss the importance of being prepared for the end. In this episode I talk about what you can do now to help your loved ones when that time comes. I talk about naming guardians for children, creating a will and trust, how to manage your business while you are away and other steps you can take now to make your final wishes known.

To lead, or to learn, you must first listen. In this episode I had the opportunity to talk with Florida House Representative, Christine Hunschofsky. We discuss her journey through politics, which began with volunteering in community roles, moved into the City Commission to Mayor and then most recently, joining The Florida House of Representatives. We talk about how she handles the judgement that comes along with being a public figure, the job title she is most proud of, and how a community tragedy solidified her mission to normalize and improve accessibility to mental health services.

In this episode I celebrate wrapping up another successful tax season. I discuss how I intentionally set up my practice to be different than the industry norm; which includes working until exhaustion and normalizes major health issues as just part of the job . We talk time management, guarding your health fiercely, why your tribe is critical to your success, and how to be honest about your expectations.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Monica Rivera; Curious Storyteller, Speaker & Podcaster. Monica's electric personality and passion for everything she does has pushed her outside of her comfort zone and into a life she loves. As a first-generation Puerto Rican/Cuban American, she was raised to believe a stable, dependable job was success. After several years of living that life, she started podcasting in her free time to fill the creative void she was experiencing in her professional life. We discuss her transition from her stable career to the NPR experience that changed her path forever.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with the one and only Andrew Martineau. Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, he attended the International Fine Arts College (now the Miami University of Art & Design) in 1995 and worked in creative in the Advertising field for several local and multinational advertising agencies for a number of years. As a visionary of the arts and community champion, who along with his team are elevating artists in South Florida, Andrew utilizes his background in public relations experience to give platform to up and coming artists. From hosting Art Fort Lauderdale to Zero Empty Spaces which provides small scale art studios, he is changing the way everyone experiences art. In this episode we will discuss how he stumbled upon a local eatery showcasing Mezcals from a small farm in Mexico during the COVID lockdown of 2020. And it was meeting that artist, and learning about the spirit and passion they had, inspired Andrew to lever his prior experience to hold events for these artists and others looking to share their passion with the world. This episode could be summed up by saying that Andrew's passion fuels his every move and I promise you will want to be a part of it.

In this episode, I talk with Cait Potter, founder of Cait Potter Creative, about how she carefully crafted a plan to go from a W2 employee to entrepreneurship. Her experience with AmeriCorps VISTA led her into a career of service through not-for-profit organizations. In her free time, Cait started a photography side hustle as a creative outlet. After a short period of time, she realized that photography wasn't her passion but the systems that go along with running a photography business were. Systems and operations management allowed her work smarter, not harder. Just like that, Cait Potter Creative was born. We talk about all of the steps we took to ensure the transition into Entrepreneurship was a smooth one.

In this episode I take a deep dive into what you need to do today, to get ready for the future. To make progress you need to see what is happening currently and forge a clear path to where you want to go. We talk strategy, goal setting, life cycles in business and in your personal life, and how it is up to you to create the business you want. I discuss what has worked for me personally, the boundaries I have put into place, why I quit taking on new clients this year and how I am working on other projects that continue to drive my business into the future and fill my cup.

In this episode of the podcast, I sit down with Amanda Hamilton, the founder of Hamilton Raye, a leading services Company whose mission is to provide Founders, Executives, and Leadership with reliable, professional, and trustworthy support to unlock their most valuable asset: time. We'll discuss how was Amanda was driven to create Hamilton Raye through her own administrative experience. We'll discuss how she started off wanting to create a business with location flexibility, to now employing over 25 people all over the country. She'll dive into her unique onboarding process that that has proven reliability, allowing clients to get off the ground smoothly and efficiently. Of course, we'll discuss how we can be better through tools…exploring help with calendar management, inbox curation, travel planning and content management.

I'm so pleased to be able to speak to Dr. Adia Gooden, licensed clinical psychologist, with a B.A. from Stanford and a Ph.D. From DePaul University. She is a TEDx vet, who spoke on Cultivating Unconditional Self-Worth which has cultivated almost a million views to date. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on what expecting mothers need to know before going out on maternity leave. What “work capital” us Moms need to raise with our clients before the due date, what key components of the business need to be identified and assigned (if possible), and what we need to do to ensure that when we're ready to come back that there is work ready for us.

In this episode, we enter the world of social media with Cristy Harfmann, creator of the Happy Family Blog.  Cristy is a South Florida native, wife, mother, and one of the most sincere and genuine people I've met in my time here.  We discuss how the Happy Family Blog came to be, swallowing pride and reaching out for help and finding joy in the everyday.  We talk about the different ways to monetize your information and how to position yourself for exposure.  She'll also discuss how her past role in marketing was a natural fit for blogging, how creating a business that helps others openly and honestly isn't necessarily giving up the secret sauce, and why she hates the word “influencer.”   

In this episode of the podcast we speak to Josh Wenner, founder of Emotional Resilience Training (“ERT”) and co-founder of K4 & Valor. His curriculum and frameworks are being used to help men, first responders, veterans and medical professional who deal in high stress and trauma to reintegrate back into everyday life. We'll discuss what led him to create ERT to service others, only to discover that the very creation of ERT itself was something he personally needed most. He'll break down the frameworks he uses, and what tools you can use daily to shed the noise and truly be presents. We'll also discuss high stress environments, the four levels of trauma and the different methods of armor he teaches in his programs to combat emotional instincts and allowing you to thrive in your personal life.  

In this episode of the podcast, I talk with Meghan Phillips. Meghan is the founder and owner of Honey, a creative studio based in Sacramento, California.  She is an entrepreneur, accomplished businesswoman, wine lover and Sonoma Valley native.  Honey focuses on supporting brands in their creative process in a holistic, collaborative way.   We talk about what it was like to restructure her business, being vulnerable with people to achieve greatness and what she is planning for the next phase of her journey.  

In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Ashley, a jewelry designer, that I met in the lobby on the way into the studio to record. She was asking me some tax and accounting questions before I started recording and I asked if she would like to join me for an episode. We talk about how she went from corporate sales, to running her own business and the challenges she encountered. We talk about Fashion Week, goals, shame and why planning during the good times is essential to long term success. We even talked about what it is like to live on a boat - and why you don't want seals as neighbors!

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about some of the most important things you can do right now as an entrepreneur to get for tax season.  We discuss how to organize your information and why you need to quit mixing personal and business accounts NOW, to what is a quarterly tax payment and why it is essential for an entrepreneur.   The goal of this episode is to educate and instill confidence to one of the most daunting parts of running a business.     

In this podcast we discuss how leaving my comfort zone led me into the world of beauty and partnerships…with an emphasis on both! Erin Martin, wife, mother, photographer and my now business partner dives into her background as a South Florida photographer and purveyor of glamour in our community. We discuss how she has grown to appreciate the process around running a glamour business, and how our unlikely meeting resulted in an education for both her and I on working together to run a business and how to pivot to keep moving forward despite what was going on around us.

Nani, of Nani's Dough, and I talk disruption, the path less traveled, when to put down the cold brew and how new adventures fuel his consistent passion for change.  How Nani went from tech to donuts, and the experiences along the way that changed how he approaches Entrepreneurship.    

In this inaugural episode of the podcast, I share the adventures that have led me to this point in my journey.  The moment I realized that I could no longer stay in my bubble, I had an obligation to share my knowledge and experiences.  I am surrounded by incredible people, and I can't wait to tell our stories so you could learn and grow along side with us.  No matter where you are starting from, dreaming of starting a business or a seasoned Entrepreneur, there is something here for you.  Join us as we become better Entrepreneurs, together.   

A sneak peek at what's ahead on the Empowered CPA...