I opened my Lowville, New York CPA practice in 1996. By the end of tax season 2000, I had six staff and was working seven days a week for months. When off-season came, I had to redo $60,000 in work. Something had to change if I wanted to survive.
I’d received a card from Sterling. It looked promising, so I called. Sterling sent a video. The practice owner mentioned in the video could have been me, the personification of, “the more you do, the behinder you get.”
I had a professional Sterling consultant fly out to work one-on-one with my staff and me. Part of the program was a full battery of personality, IQ, aptitude and other tests. The results spoke volumes. I’d never hired the right people. Of my six original staff, one remains with me today.
We’re now an office of three, and thanks to Sterling’s help, we get more done, do it better, in less time, and with greater billable profit than six did in years past!
I can’t overstress that Sterling services produce the greatest results when they’re all used. Courses are enhanced by professional one-on-one consultations. Seminar-format Practice Management workshops are complemented by conferences, where affluent practice owners discuss their successful actions with those on the way up.
Seldom a week goes by when I’m not on the phone going over my statistics with my Sterling consultant, coming up with game plans to make them better, and seeing positive results. Practice owners need someone who understands their situations, the issues similar practices have gone through, as well as what worked and what didn’t. And, let’s face it, you can’t bounce ideas off a competitor and rely on their advice.
John Hirschey, CPA
