When I began my CPA practice, I excelled in accounting but I didn’t know how to manage my practice. My solution was to work longer, harder and do most of the work myself. My wake-up call came in September 2004 when, at the age of 47, I suffered a serious heart attack and had triple bypass surgery. I had nearly worked myself to death!
Once I recovered, my next “solution” was to buy my way out by hiring another CPA. But she quit after tax season and I didn’t blame her for disliking my chaotic, high-stress office. Since I couldn’t see how to make the practice better, I began to shut my office door each day hoping no one would call me.
In 2006, I received a letter similar to this one from another CPA who was a Sterling client. Something in that letter spoke to me. After viewing Sterling’s program DVD and receiving a free consultation, I signed up for their program. The production increases in the first tax season alone more than paid for the initial investment.
Since Sterling has been in business for nearly 30 years, the company has a lot of experience in the accounting industry. This familiarity with the industry enabled Sterling to deliver custom services to address the specific issues hindering my practice. They didn’t just come in and tell me what to do. They devised a plan and helped me implement the right actions in the right sequence, step by step.
Nowadays, I only do a small percentage of the accounting work myself. Instead, I am the CEO of my practice and oversee others. Thanks to the Sterling program, my staff are now so productive and well-trained, they handle the load themselves. And they are so stable, I’ve had almost no turnover in 3 years.
There has been a dramatic change in my personal lifestyle, as well. For example, for each of the last two years, I’ve taken a week off at the end of March to go on a golfing trip with my son. Before Sterling, taking a week off with April 15th looming would have been “the impossible dream.”
Last year, despite the economy, my gross was up 11% and my net was up by 60%—the highest increase yet. My own personal income also hit the highest-ever mark. In addition to making more money than ever before, I now have more time with my family than ever before.
If any of this hits home to you, call Sterling at (800) 933-7538 for a free DVD and a no-charge consultation. Sterling has a proven management system that does work. It’s not a magic pill that instantly makes problems disappear; it taught me how to deal with the problems that do come up. That makes all the difference in the world.
Ralph Eldridge, CPA