Wessel Completes Principal Accelerator Program, establishes SMB Accounting and Tax Practice in Nashville, Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dark Horse CPAs, a top accounting and tax firm serving small businesses and individuals across the nation, announces the promotion of Wendy Wessel to Principal. Wendy's technical excellence, vast experience and strong relationships with clients and colleagues alike earned her a seat at the table, becoming an equity Principal of the firm.
Wendy entered the Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program in July 2023 and built a multiple 6-figure tax and accounting practice. She loves working with entrepreneurs, learning about their businesses and partnering with them to bridge the disciplines of tax and accounting to inform their strategic planning. Because of her exceptional work and embodiment of Dark Horse's core values, the decision was made to promote her to Principal effective January 2024.
Speaking to the challenges posed by the Accelerator Program, Wendy stated, "the hardest thing was actually taking that first step, that leap of faith, to build your own practice. You know you have the technical chops as a CPA but are unsure of how that will translate to building a practice. You also have others telling you it's too good to be true so it's easy to second-guess the decision. What I found was that the combination of my skills, experience and knowledge, the resources and community at Dark Horse as well as the coaching provided by the leadership team was all I needed to build the practice I wanted in a very short amount of time."
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her journey in the Accelerator Program, she responded, "I love interacting with prospective and current clients, learning about their business and all the fascinating things they're doing. Being able to support them in their personal and professional endeavors has made me enjoy being a CPA again!"
In regard to what differed most from her expectations, she explained, "I was dreading the sales aspect of the job; selling myself as the CPA for them. Instead of hating it, it turns out that it ended up being my favorite thing. Justin Kurn was so helpful in his coaching and motivation, it helped me find my voice in an authentic way and made the conversation less about selling and more about presenting and showcasing value."
And, as to what she would want other potential Accelerators to know about the Program: "It's not too good to be true, despite what the naysayers might tell you, including the voice in your head. It's been everything it's advertised to be and more. The support you get from not just the leadership team but also from your Dark Horse peers is amazing. It's a team effort on all fronts to make sure everyone is setup for success."
Moving forward, Wendy looks forward to, "carving out my own practice and being in charge of my financial future. I'm not waiting for a year-end review, or a year-end raise or bonus. It's all within my control which is equal parts scary and exhilarating but I know I've got the right team around me to help me get where I want to be."
"Wendy dominated the Accelerator Program," says Chase Birky, CEO & co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs. "She may not have had the confidence level that she has today when she joined, but she followed the game plan and built confidence from her successes, which became a domino effect. Now, we're talking about someone who has built a practice north of $200,000 in recurring revenue in 5 months. It's just awesome and I'm so happy for her. And, I'm looking forward to bearing witness to her growth journey as a Principal."
About the Dark Horse Accelerator Program
The Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program was created for entrepreneurially-minded CPAs that want to build a scalable book of business without the personal and financial sacrifices required of starting a firm from scratch. Dark Horse empowers their CPAs with the resources and support to grow intelligently and profitably. Their proprietary technology, flexible staffing and industry-leading systems and processes enable CPAs to focus on being the trusted advisor to their clients, unlocking unprecedented value in these relationships, so that they will continue to be relevant long into the future while their counterparts become increasingly displaced by technology.
Accelerators are put through a training program that acclimates them to the firm's exclusive tech stack, followed by proprietary sales training and one-on-one coaching. Upon completion of training, they begin building their book of business by fielding inquiries from potential Dark Horse clients. To facilitate their growth, Accelerators have full-time and fractional professional personnel support at their disposal. A collaborative group of like-minded CPAs go the extra mile to help them out in areas where they lack expertise. This new CPA firm business model includes an active corporate team that ensures their work is of high quality and strategically focused. After successful completion of the program, they can become an equity principal of the firm.
The Dark Horse Principal Accelerator Program is currently accepting new Accelerators. Interested CPAs are invited to dive deeper into the program on Dark Horse's recruiting site, abetterway.cpa or by info@darkhorse.cpa.
About Dark Horse CPAs
Dark Horse CPAs provides integrated tax, accounting and CFO services to small businesses and individuals across the U.S. The firm was founded to save small businesses (and their owners) from subpar accounting and tax services and subpar client experiences. These small businesses are Dark Horses among their larger and more well-known competition. Being a Dark Horse CPA means advocating for small businesses by bringing to them the tax strategies and accounting insights previously reserved for big business. To learn more, visit Darkhorse.cpa.
Media Contact
Justin Kurn, Dark Horse CPAs, 6197361404, [email protected], https://darkhorse.cpa/
SOURCE Dark Horse CPAs
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