I was born and raised in India, in a home where my parents had always worked for someone else. In fact, my father held his job with the same company until retirement. When I came to the U.S., I decided to make the American Dream mine. Armed with a CPA license, I established my own accounting practice.

Initially, managing the office with only two employees was feasible because everything happened right before my eyes. However, as the company grew, so did its inefficiencies. Jobs remained “works in progress” for long periods of time.

When I assigned a project to an employee, it seemed to disappear into a black hole. When clients called because they were receiving IRS notices, I would find their unfinished jobs tucked away in desk drawers. One employee was a “yes man” who did the opposite of what I asked, another made careless mistakes and yet another couldn’t follow directions. My soft management style didn’t help; I gave employees too many chances while the clients continued to complain and work suffered. The firm looked incompetent which hurt business.

My receivables were an even bigger problem. If a client asked for more time to clear past due invoices, I would agree to another month and then another; the money did not flow in. I knew I needed help. It was time to learn office management from the professionals, so I contacted Sterling.

Sterling showed me the road to good delegation. Using their Employment Testing Program, I was able to hire competent staff which makes me more comfortable assigning them work. The employment testing has also allowed me to weed out 90 percent of the unsuitable applicants, saving the company thousands of dollars in hiring mistakes. Instead of focusing on the day-to-day tasks, I now focus on running and increasing the business.

I have also hired my daughter. Besides discovering her love for accounting, she is a firm taskmaster and efficient office manager. Her tough approach makes sure the staff gets the job done.

Since I began with Sterling, billings have increased by over 30 percent. Not only that, implementing Sterling’s programs has enabled me to free up my evenings for my family. I am a happier man and the practice is slowly but surely improving. With my family, business and income, I now live the American Dream. Thank you, Sterling!