Start Up Advice:
From a Universal Accounting Center Graduate
Wouldn’t you like to sit down and have a good, long discussion with someone who’s living your dream? Someone who could offer advice, tell you what to do, what not to do, and prove that what you’ve always wanted is possible. If you’ve ever wanted to have your own accounting and tax practice, then we have the motivational conversation for you.
Scott Irvins has an interesting career history, one you might want to hear about. He spent a number of years working in corporate America , and after two company shut-downs he decided it was time to start his own business as a full-time accountant. Because he lacked formal training he did something unusual; he went to a local university to get an associates degree in accounting and he took Universal Accounting Center’s 4-week Professional Bookkeeper course.This is Scott’s experience.
Scott’s Experience with UAC’s Training“The Universal Accounting course – we were done in 4 weeks. I knew everything we needed to do, and that was just getting started. As to the other one [University coursework], in that four weeks I hadn’t even finished the first class yet, and 18 months later I finally had a little piece of paper that says I have a degree in computerized accounting. But from the get-go with Universal Accounting Center , their training was fast and simple. In looking at both, it was actually more comprehensive than the 18 month class. We had to do the entire extra general education things, and they broke the training up into little pieces, where in Universal Accounting Center you got the whole picture and you got to do it all in four weeks. It was great.”
Not only that, but as Scott continued to complete his university coursework he found himself using the knowledge gained from UAC’s training to help mentor and advice fellow accounting students! In fact, some days he would actually teach portions of his classes upon the request of university faculty.
But Scott continued to enjoy Universal Accounting Center benefits even after he graduated. Scott explains: “[UAC] was great with the training, and the support staff here at Universal Accounting Center . If there was any situation to come up, they were always here to help and to get you through the problems, and to get things done right, and make sure the client is satisfied.”
How to Get ClientsUpon completing the training, Scott began working from his basement. In fact, he ran a successful accounting and tax practice from home for 10 years. Just two years ago he opened his own office, and just recently hired his first assistant. But how did he get his first clients?
“The actual client I got myself, I answered a classified ad. They were looking for an in-house bookkeeper, and I went in and talked to the owner and basically helped change their mind to say you don’t really need somebody full-time in-house. I can take your stuff and do this much more, and do it for an actual less price overall per month than what they would pay somebody in-house…”
A lot of my clients have come through referrals, so by servicing the clients you expand on it. The referrals come in. I got a few neighbors and relatives that didn’t jump on board immediately, but after seeing that I was picking up new clients and developing a successful practice, I was then able to add those on and expand quite quickly once we got a few going.”
Advice for Others Starting Their Own Business“Once you have gotten the training, it is just a matter of going out and using the marketing tools that are taught in the class. The first few things they teach you will get you a few clients to get started, and then, based on where you want to go, how much time you want to put into it, it’s just how much you continue marketing. You can have 3 or 4 clients and have a nice part time business or you can go straight out, and I am not saying you will be self-supporting in a month or two, but within 6 months you should be able to get enough clients to have a decent income and expand from there…”
The accounting experience isn’t necessary if you are going to take the Universal Accounting Center course. It will teach you everything you need to know. If I was to try to go out and do it without having taking that, even having gone through the associates degree program at the college, I don’t believe I could have done what I have done, just because they didn’t teach us how to go out and get clients, or how to start up your chart of accounts for small business and get them started. [Regarding university training] Everything was so modularized and the training was more geared to how to go out and get a job. So the first thing I say is go through the accounting program. In four weeks, you will be done. The training is well worth every penny you pay for it, and that will give you everything you need to go out and get started. You expand from there. I usually suggest to new people [to] go through the accounting. Get comfortable for that, usually for the first year, and as you are going for that point, then think about taking the tax class, because every one of your clients and more wants you to do taxes for them, since you are already doing their accounting books. So that is kind of the second step. Get settled in your accounting business and add on the tax and it will just bring in much more income.”
Enjoying the Benefits of Self-Employment“The biggest thing is being your own boss and being flexible with your time. And to go in whether you need to. The other day, my little boy was sick. You could take him in the middle of the day and take care of things like that or over the last two weeks we have had family reunions. So I took a half a week off and worked the other half, and now I am taking another vacation to San Diego next week.”
Scott’s Motto: Just Do It!Scott found that starting his own business required a leap of faith, but with solid training to back him up he felt confident that he would succeed.After comparing both university training and Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper course, he felt UAC’s program was much more beneficial.Why spend months, maybe years trying to get the training to start your own business when you could get all the information you need in just 4 weeks?
If you’ve been looking to start your own accounting and tax practice, take that leap of faith today! Give yourself an early Christmas present that will keep giving and giving and giving to your bottom line. Enroll and expand your knowledge and skills, increasing your marketability and value to potential clients. Or give yourself the gift of a lifetime and get the Professional Package, both the Universal Practice Builder and the Professional Bookkeeper Program for Big Savings off the retail price! Don’t hesitate and waste another day procrastinating, take the steps to the best decision you can make for your career.
