Reflecting on Five Years of R Accounting: A Journey of Growth and Gratitude

A Journey of Growth and Gratitude

As we hit our five-year mark at R Accounting, we’re filled with awe, gratitude, and a sense of accomplishment. Reflecting on the journey, it’s impossible not to say, "Wow, what a ride so far." Nothing quite happened as we thought it would; the world zigged when we expected it to zag, and a broken leg and a pandemic both crashed our early months of business. Yet, here we stand, looking back at the whirlwind that brought us to this point and forward as we chart our course for the next five years. We can’t help but feel thankful and blessed. 🙏

Concept to Reality

The seeds of R Accounting were planted while still in the industry and business world. It was 2015 when I first ‘began thinking’ and dipped my toes into working with private clients while also holding the role of CFO in a day job. Nikki, our now Director of Client Services, and I had been friends for years and had worked together for almost a decade earlier in our careers, so when it was time to grow the idea – a 10-year idea, a 9-year plan, and now 5 years of life – she was the first person I hoped to get involved. In 2016, Nikki added (then named) CFO Louisville as her side-gig to her day job. 🤝

The Catalyst: Scaling New Heights

During this period, a career led to a top CPA firm where the Client Accounting Services (CAS) department was being developed within a traditional tax firm model. It was here that I began defining my vision for how CAS services should be structured to best serve our professional clients. Attending my first accounting conference, Scaling New Heights in Atlanta, 2018, lit the final fire, and the commitment was made to launch R Accounting by the next annual convention. 🔥 Time was invested in learning additional systems, attending webinars and training, figuring out and outlining the type of firm we wanted to be.

This photo from the first SNH conference marks the moment our journey was set into motion.

Building the Foundation

Countless hours were spent defining our services, understanding our client base, and shaping our promises. Within months of opening our doors, the business world went crazy with unprecedented times, and we joined the roller coaster of helping clients navigate the new landscape. 🎢 Now, five years later, we’re both looking back and figuring it out again. Those early road maps show we’ve held a fairly solid course. Though detours popped up regularly, we’ve always felt we had a solid core of who we are and what we wanted to be as a firm.

Our Philosophy: Quality Over Quantity

At R Accounting, our CAS services have always been rooted in the premise that solid financials are the basis of all. Our desire is to build long-term relationships with our clients and partner with them on their journeys. Quality has always been more important than quantity. In fact, we plan to remain focused on a smaller group of clients, working with them in greater depth as their concierge firm. We assist with a wide range of accounting and operational needs, functioning as their outsourced accounting group, controller, and CFO advisory. 📊

Milestones of Success

By 2021, we grew the firm enough for Nikki to join full-time. Again, wow, it has been an fast trip! As we entered 2023, we added to our team, allowing us to achieve the team-of-three service profile outlined in those early strategy sessions and feel our team is the right team for our clients and our firm as we move forward. As we hit our five-year mark, we are incredibly proud of what we have built and who we’ve gotten to know on our journey. 🏆

Expressions of Gratitude

We owe so much to those who generously shared their time and expertise with the broader audience. The Woodard community has been part of our journey since the beginning. 🌍

We will always remember the promise made at SNH 2018. After watching a main stage session that specifically touched on the industry we had clients in and walking the floor, speaking to other attendees, I called Nikki from the show floor and spoke the intention into existence. It was declared that by next year's show, I would be all-in the business, and that we would build it up enough for both of us and beyond. Since then, I—and later, we—have returned to each annual conference, continuously growing and evolving. 🚀

We are also deeply grateful to individuals like Veronica Wasek, Hector Garcia, Dawn Brolin, Matthew Fulton, Jason Staats, and all the QB trainers who have hosted sessions, and many more who have shared openly about their own journeys, dead-ends, and successes ~ you lit the path and guided the way. ✨

Personal Thanks

To those we know more personally, who have been on the other side of the chat bubble when needed: Michele Ball Brown, Denise Hanlon, Heather Warren, Sandy Petty ~ all we have is ❤️.

To my Nikki… not enough space to speak all the words, but you’re the best of friends, a sister of my heart, and there is no one else I’d rather spend the day with. Thank you for joining on this crazy idea I pitched to you and Randy over a meal at Taco Mac and asked, ‘if I ever did it, would you think of joining up’. So glad you said yes!! You make so much of it happen every day. 💖

To our local communities and professional partners, your support and collaboration have been vital to our success over the past five years. We have enjoyed getting to know many business owners and professionals locally and value the friendships we’ve made. 🏘️

To our team and families… you have taken the ride with us and definitely leaned into the vision as we worked to bring it to life. Bless you 😊

And finally, to our clients, whose support and partnership have been invaluable—some of you have been with us since the CFO Louisville era, and together, we have grown and thrived. Thank you for your trust and loyalty over the years. 🙏

We thank you all! 🌟

Recognitions and Looking Forward

Recent recognitions have shown that our roadmap is working. In 2023, I was named a Top Up-and-Coming ProAdvisor, and this year, a 2024 Top 100 ProAdvisor. This year, Nikki was recognized as a 2024 Top 25 Up-and-Coming ProAdvisor, and R Accounting was honored as a Top 50 CAS firm. Each of these represents the effort and work that our team has put into building our firm, which translates to the level of services we offer our clients. Our vision has always been to be a boutique firm offering top-tier services to a favorite portfolio of clients. 🏅

Continuing Our Philosophy

Moving forward, we plan to continue with our philosophy of “Focused on Numbers, Driven by Results” while identifying clients we can best partner with on their journey. We are a boutique firm focused on relationships and client services with top-tier responsiveness and a concierge approach. 🌐

We believe in the power of preparedness, particularly in being ready for an exit or opportunity. This mindset promotes best practices and sound business strategy. By focusing on operational efficiencies, we create value for owners and align business, personal, and financial goals for a sustainable, long-term perspective. 🗂️

Commitment to Excellence

In summary, we help business owners achieve the life they imagined when creating their business by being a trusted resource for their round-table advisory group.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to our core values and mission, excited for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. Here’s to the next five years and beyond! 🥂

With gratitude,

Sheri Radler & Nikki Mullins

~ now and then