Glenda Long, CPA

Glenda Long has been practicing in Oklahoma for twenty years. Her practice is in Hydro, Oklahoma, a retirement community where she grew up. She owns her own office building there.

"I've been a Sterling client since June of last year, when I went out to Glendale for twelve days of training. I wanted to change everything in my practice. I was so tired of my accounting practice and an unhappy partnership arrangement that I did not want to face, that I was ready to quit my accounting practice altogether. When I went to Sterling I was at my wit's end.

"I know how to do the CPA side, and I love getting new clients. That's easy for me, I really like the sales side of it. But I didn't feel like I was competent in managing people. I had started three businesses (a CPA practice, a registered investment advisor investment company, and an insurance agency) and the growth was unbelievable and overwhelming. I have a total of six staff (including two CPAs) just for the CPA practice and the investment company. The insurance company is all contract agents, and I probably have 10-20 of those.

"I handled the unhappy partnership agreement by ending that relationship within a week of my return from Sterling. Then I hired another CPA, so my two CPAs can do all the darn CPA stuff I don't like to doÉ (I'm probably not supposed to say that!) So they are going to do that and I am going to do what I like to do. I will be doing promotion, sales and supervising my staff. I have a lot of broker relationships; if I could sell every day we'd make a lot more money. I've been so tied down with this other stuff I haven't been able to do it.

"My ex-partner and I were not on the same page; we didn't have the same views. It had gotten to the point where we just weren't communicating at all. I have a lot more energy now and it gave me a great feeling of freedom. Without my consultant and going out to Sterling, I would have probably just stayed in that relationship; I don't know if I would have ever gotten out of the deal. I wasn't very good at confronting, and I am really good at it now. This was something I gained through Sterling. Sterling helps you with your personal life and business. If you apply the principles to both, the results are amazing! "Sterling was the reality check of a lifetime. It was an eye-opening experience. I can see a lot of progress in this office as far as the attitude. People are stepping up saying, 'Glenda, what can I do to help you?'

"My consultant has really helped me to screen and hire the right people. Before, it was like a dart game. Sterling has helped me not to continue to make the mistakes I was making as far as personnel hiring. I would have made two more mistakes on my own, but my consultant said 'No.' So I didn't hire them.

"My consultant says I am moving at a very fast pace with all the changes that I've made, and that we're doing okay. The first day with my consultant was worth my whole trip. Then it got better! At the end, we had my strategic plan ready to go. We are trying to move forward on that at a very rapid pace. I expect to make back what I've spent on Sterling in six months.

"The Hubbard management technology itself is awesome. We're just now starting to implement all the statistics, the bonus system and so on. I am doing an hour a day of executive training, and I think it makes all the difference in the world.

"My advice to other CPAs is to just do the Sterling program. I told one CPA I talked to that I'd looked at all the money I'd lost from not having made these changes previously Ð I figured it would be $100,000 or more. But you've got to be willing to make the changes. If you're not, don't do it.

"Things are falling into place. I see a lot of progress. I think I'm going to survive now, physically, mentally and every other way. I am very excited about doing the Speedoª program in-office visit and getting everything implemented. I told my staff and they are all excited about it: the fact that I am going to spend the money on this program to have the Sterling consultants come into our office. They know that I feel they are worth the effort, that they are the people I feel are the right people to have in their positions and that we are going to move forward with it. They were ecstatic. I really do think I've got good people in place now. Things absolutely look much better than they did just months ago!

"I used to thrive on stress, or I thought I did. I like tax season. I like having all of that stuff going on. But the stress I had going on was not good stress. My stress level now for my life, and my outlook has changed. I was to the point of nearly giving up the practice. That was pathetic! That first day with the consultant was worth the whole trip! I should have done this years ago!"