Maysaa had been having doubts about her old accountant for a long time. Tired of feeling like she was missing out on vital opportunities, she switched to Black Sheep Accountants and saved $30,000 in taxes that year!
At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Maysaa was struggling. Her business, Cinnaholic Seattle, which makes custom vegan cinnamon rolls, had lost 60% of their gross income. As a franchise of a national chain, Maysaa had always been one of the top five stores in the country, but the pandemic caused her to drop down into the 30s.
On top of the stress of running a business through a global pandemic, Maysaa felt like she was taking on a second job. Her CPA was outdated, inefficient, and unreliable. Maysaa spent hours trying to stay up-to-date on the changing laws and regulations instead of counting on her CPA to keep her informed. Payments were being sent in late and deadlines were being missed. Despite working together for 9 years, Maysaa didn’t feel like a priority, or even a concern, to her current accountant. Everything felt complicated and stressful. She needed something better.
Maysaa fell in love with Black Sheep during the onboarding process
Ready to take the plunge and find a new accountant, Maysaa asked for recommendations on a Seattle restaurants’ Facebook page. She reached out to us here at Black Sheep after our name came up not just once, but twice by small business owners who love what we do.
Right away, Maysaa felt comfortable opening up to us about her struggles. She loved that we understood what it was like to be a minority business owner, and we talked with Maysaa about the specifics of her business, her goals, and what she felt was holding her back. At Black Sheep, we love working with clients that we’re passionate about. We’re going to care about your business just as much as you do, and that’s how we help you achieve success.
Maysaa had interviewed three other accountants before contacting us, but she actually felt excited about Black Sheep. She didn’t want just another accountant; she wanted a true partner in her business.
“Make sure that your accountant wants to be in your business. It’s not a personal relationship, but they should care about your business personally.”
We couldn’t wait to take Maysaa on as a client. We finished up her onboarding process and got to work right away!
Switching accountants doesn’t have to be stressful
The first thing we did for Maysaa was start moving all of her accounts over from her old accountant and integrating her information with our systems. We knew Maysaa was worried about this step – it’s difficult to end a nearly decade-long business relationship! So we took care to make things as seamless as possible for her.
Maysaa appreciated that we handled her switch efficiently and painlessly. Already, she was feeling the benefits of having an accountant that took tasks off her hands instead of adding to her to-do list.
“Kevin got everything moved over from my old CPA. He dealt with it extremely professionally, and without bombarding me with 8,000 questions. He’s very highly aware of my time, and so he goes above and beyond to get the answers to things. It’s the little things like this that are so important.”
A new accountant can find you big wins that you missed in the past: how we saved Maysaa $30,000 in tax
Once everything was switched over, we got to work looking at Maysaa’s numbers from the past and present so we could help with her future. Maysaa had come to us specifically for tax prep and planning services because she felt her old accountant was missing opportunities. With this in mind, we reviewed her 2018 return and found a huge opportunity her old CPA had missed: By filing a special form called a Change in Accounting Method, we were able to accelerate deductions of depreciation on leasehold improvements they placed in service when Cinnaholic opened in 2018.
This ended up saving Maysaa about $30,000 in 2020 tax!
Maysaa was ecstatic, and not just about the big money-saving moves we were making for her at Black Sheep. She was quickly learning how relieving it is to have an accountant who truly cares. Whereas before, Maysaa would struggle to get a response from her old accountant for days or even weeks, at Black Sheep we aim for response times of less than 24 hours, and within minutes if possible. She trusts us to keep her informed, find the best opportunities possible for her, and be able to roll with the punches so a month of overspending doesn’t feel like a catastrophe.
“I can call Kevin up right now and say ‘where are we’ and he just knows. There’s so much less worry. Running a business and trying to keep on top of your numbers is just too much. It’s impossible. Now, all my time can be put into my business where it belongs.”
Maysaa’s advice to others: the grass really can be greener
Today, Maysaa is incredibly grateful that she took the leap of finding a new accountant. With Black Sheep behind her, she feels confident that her business is going to make it, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Her team is stronger, her bottom line is improving, and Cinnaholic Seattle has shot back up to being the second most successful franchise in the country!
Maysaa has some simple advice for other business owners out there: make the change!
“Find an accountant who can actually help you! It’s scary, especially if you’ve worked with someone for a long time. But just know that the grass really can be greener. Be clear about what your standards are and find someone who can meet and exceed them.”
At Black Sheep, we understand how it feels to be neglected, underestimated, and undervalued. Even during turbulent times, you can still feel steady in your business if you have the right team on your side. Your business is a priority, and you deserve an accountant who treats it that way. If you’re ready to gain your confidence back, fill out our questionnaire and see what a difference Black Sheep can make in your business.