CPa Archives - Business RadioX ®

Lisa Sretenovic, Visionating LLC, Mike Kintz, Wingman Payments, and Shawn Choi, Chastain Injury Law

October 17, 2024 by John Ray

Family Business Radio

Lisa Sretenovic, Visionating LLC, Mike Kintz, Wingman Payments, and Shawn Choi, Chastain Injury Law

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Lisa Sretenovic, Visionating LLC, Mike Kintz, Wingman Payments, and Shawn Choi, Chastain Injury Law (Family Business Radio, Episode 58)

This episode of Family Business Radio with host Anthony Chen features a series of insightful discussions with three distinguished guests, Lisa Sretenovic from Visionating, Mike Kintz of Wingman Payments, and Shawn Choi from Chastain Injury Law. Lisa talks about navigating a virtual business pre- and post-pandemic, setting work-life boundaries, and offering business coaching and consulting services. Mike explains how Wingman Payments provides streamlined payment solutions with specialized services tailored to various business needs. Additionally, Shawn shares his journey from a defense attorney to a personal injury advocate, emphasizing his unique approach to legal cases. The episode also includes reflections from Anthony Chen on building meaningful client relationships and integrating collaborative lessons into financial planning.

Family Business Radio is underwritten and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. The show is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Lisa Sretenovic, Visionating LLC

Lisa Sretenovic, CPA, has been empowering entrepreneurs to create a thriving business while focusing on their families for more than 30 years.

As The Velocity Detective, Lisa passionately brings financial literacy to both Wall Street and Main Street. She is a speaker, author, coach, & volunteer with organizations such as SCORE, Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts, and TXCPA. Along with being a leader in the nationally recognized mastermind group Coach Connections, LLC.

When businesses become more in line with their values and vision, they accelerate their impact and discover their missing velocity, resulting in a positive influence in their greater community.

Lisa lives in Austin, TX, with her husband, Milan (The Vibration Chef & music producer).

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X (Twitter)

Mike Kintz, Wingman Payments

Mike Kintz is the President of Wingman Payments.

Wingman Payments is a trusted provider of merchant services and payment solutions for businesses nationwide, delivering cutting-edge technology and exceptional support to help businesses streamline their payment processes. Wingman Payments offers a wide range of services, including credit card payment processing, fully integrated point-of-sale (POS) systems, and compliance management with PCI-DSS standards.

The company is committed to transparency, providing straightforward pricing without hidden fees, and a concierge-level of service that ensures businesses receive personalized support at every stage of their growth. Wingman Payments specializes in helping businesses reduce their payment processing expenses through innovative solutions like cash discount programs and dual pricing, which are designed to enhance operational efficiency and boost revenues.

As a merchant services broker for top brands like Dejavoo, Lavu, FRI, and National Retail Solutions, to name a few, Wingman Payments equips businesses with the technology they need to thrive in today’s competitive market. Whether working with retail, restaurants, or service-based businesses, Wingman Payments stands out for its dedication to building long-term partnerships, offering tailored solutions, and ensuring that its clients stay ahead of the evolving payment landscape.

Wingman Payments is the go-to partner for businesses looking to enhance their customer experience, optimize operations, and maintain compliance with the most recent industry standards because of its mission to simplify payment processing and offer exceptional service.

Website | Mike’s LinkedIn | Company LinkedIn | Facebook | X (Twitter)

Shawn Choi, Founder and Managing Attorney, Chastain Injury Law

Shawn Choi, Chastain Injury Law, on Family Business Radio with host Anthony Chen — **Shawn Choi, Chastain Injury Law**

Shawn Choi is the founder of the Atlanta, Georgia-based Chastain Injury Law, which specializes in personal injury law. The firm specializes in representing clients who have suffered injuries due to negligence, focusing on areas such as car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and premises liability. Committed to a client-centered approach, Chastain Injury Law offers free consultations and operates on a contingency fee basis, ensuring that clients receive quality legal representation without upfront costs.

With extensive experience in personal injury law, Shawn and his team are dedicated to securing fair compensation for their clients. They leverage their knowledge of Georgia’s legal landscape to effectively negotiate with insurance companies and litigate cases when necessary. The firm emphasizes personalized attention, tailoring strategies to meet the unique needs of each client, and strives to empower individuals navigating the complexities of the legal system following an injury.

Website | LinkedIn

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to Family Business Radio
00:40 Meet Lisa Sretenovic: The Velocity Detective
02:12 Visionating During COVID: Challenges and Adaptations
04:23 The Untethered Entrepreneur: Balancing Work and Travel
10:59 Group Coaching and Consulting Services
16:43 Introducing Mike Kintz and Wingman Payments
20:10 Understanding Merchant Services and PCI Compliance
25:37 Understanding Client Concerns
25:45 Dedicated Relationship Managers
27:04 Innovative Payment Technologies
28:35 Point of Sale and Scheduling Solutions
30:08 Loyalty Programs for Small Businesses
31:24 Client Success Stories
33:28 Introducing Shawn Choi
33:41 The Journey into Injury Law
34:54 Challenges and Nuances in Injury Cases
48:00 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Anthony Chen, Host of Family Business Radio

Family Business Radio is sponsored and brought to you by Anthony Chen with Lighthouse Financial Network. Securities and advisory services are offered through OSAIC, member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned, and other entities and/or marketing names, products, or services referenced here are independent of OSAIC. The main office address is 575 Broadhollow Rd., Melville, NY 11747. You can reach Anthony at 631-465-9090, ext. 5075, or by email at anthonychen@lfnllc.com.

Anthony Chen started his career in financial services with MetLife in Buffalo, NY, in 2008. Born and raised in Elmhurst, Queens, he considers himself a full-blooded New Yorker while now enjoying his Atlanta, GA, home. Specializing in family businesses and their owners, Anthony works to protect what is most important to them. From preserving to creating wealth, Anthony partners with CPAs and attorneys to help address all of the concerns and help clients achieve their goals. By using a combination of financial products ranging from life, disability, and long-term care insurance to many investment options through Royal Alliance, Anthony looks to be the eyes and ears for his client’s financial foundation. In his spare time, Anthony is an avid long-distance runner.

The complete show archive of Family Business Radio can be found by following this link.

From Pressure to Peace as an Expat CEO, with Bernadette Harris, The BTB Advisory Firm

March 20, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

From Pressure to Peace as an Expat CEO, with Bernadette Harris, The BTB Advisory Firm

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From Pressure to Peace as an Expat CEO, with Bernadette Harris, The BTB Advisory Firm

Bernadette Harris, the owner of The BTB Advisory Firm, joined host John Ray to share her unique entrepreneurial journey. Bernadette shared insights from starting her tax preparation and bookkeeping business in 2001, evolving into a forensic accountant and a certified fraud examiner dedicated to aiding small businesses. Her narrative includes navigating the successes and challenges of entrepreneurship, the pressure that built up over the years, how the pandemic amplified that pressure, and a health scare that led to a pivotal decision to drastically cut down her client list. Bernadette also discussed her transition towards a CEO role, moving out of day-to-day operations, and her move to Mérida, Mexico, to live as an expat. This move, she emphasized, was a crucial step in reshaping her business to focus on providing comprehensive services to a curated list of clients, significantly contributing to her firm’s evolution and her personal rejuvenation.

The Price and Value Journey is presented by John Ray and produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Bernadette L. Harris, Founder and CEO, The BTB Advisory Firm

Bernadette L. Harris is the CEO and Forensic Accountant at The BTB Advisory Firm, a small business accounting firm focused on helping entrepreneurs make confident financial decisions and propel their businesses forward. With over 20 years of experience, she has helped numerous small business leaders gain a handle on their finances, understand their financial picture, and positively impact their bottom line.

Bernadatte is not only an award-winning tax and forensic accountant, but she is also a bestselling author and keynote speaker. She holds an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and an MS from Carlow University. Her professional certifications include Certified Fraud Examiner and QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor.

Bernadette is passionate about empowering small business owners with financial literacy and expertise. Through her firm, she provides high-quality financial data, advice, and strategies to help clients make informed decisions and achieve long-term success. Her clients praise her ability to ease their fears, help them understand their financial picture, and positively impact their profits.

With a strong educational background, professional certifications, and decades of experience, Bernadette has established herself as a trusted advisor and advocate for small business owners seeking financial guidance and growth.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Welcome to The Price and Value Journey with Bernadette Harris
01:44 The Evolution of Bernadette’s Accounting Firm
04:02 Navigating the Pandemic: Challenges and Growth
06:14 A Personal Health Crisis Leads to Major Changes
10:43 Strategic Business Shifts and Becoming an Expat
15:44 The Difficult Decision to Let Go of Clients
20:46 Revamping the Team and Embracing Remote Work
22:59 Embracing Remote Work and Flexibility
24:07 The Power of Location Independence
25:59 The Role of Coaching in Business Transformation
28:40 Stepping into the CEO Role: A New Leadership Paradigm
32:33 Navigating Business and Personal Growth from Mexico
38:23 Envisioning the Future: Business Evolution and Client Relationships
42:21 Connecting with Bernadette
43:17 Closing Thoughts

About The Price and Value Journey

The title of this show describes the journey all professional service providers are on: building a service practice by seeking to convince the world of the value we offer, helping clients achieve the outcomes they desire, and trying to do all that at a price that reflects the value we deliver.

If you feel like you’re working too hard for too little money in your solo or small firm practice, this show is for you. Even if you’re reasonably happy with your practice, you’ll hear ways to improve both your bottom line and the mindset you bring to your business.

The show is hosted and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®. The show can also be found on all the major podcast apps. The complete show archive is here.

John Ray, Host of The Price and Value Journey

John Ray, Author of The Generosity Mindset and Host of "The Price and Value Journey" — John Ray, Author of *The Generosity Mindset* and Host of *The Price and Value Journey*

John Ray is the host of The Price and Value Journey.

John owns Ray Business Advisors, a business advisory practice. John’s services include business coaching and advisory work, as well as advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their pricing. John is passionate about the power of pricing for business owners, as changing pricing is the fastest way to change the profitability of a business. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, consultants, coaches, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

In his other business, John is a Show Host and Producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) studio of Business RadioX®. John and his team work with B2B professionals to create and conduct their own podcast using The Generosity Mindset™ Method: building and deepening relationships in a non-salesy way that translates into revenue for their business.

John is also the host of North Fulton Business Radio. With over 750 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in its region like no one else.

John’s Book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices

John is the #1 national best-selling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

If you are a professional services provider, your goal is to do transformative work for clients you love working with and get paid commensurate with the value you deliver to those clients. While negative mindsets can inhibit your growth, adopting a different mindset, The Generosity Mindset™, can replace those self-limiting beliefs. The Generosity Mindset enables you to diagnose and communicate the value you deliver to clients and, in turn, more effectively price to receive a portion of that value.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, marketing or branding professional, business advisor, attorney, CPA, or work in virtually any other professional services discipline, your content and technical expertise are not proprietary. What’s unique, though, is your experience and how you synthesize and deliver your knowledge. What’s special is your demeanor or the way you deal with your best-fit clients. What’s invaluable is how you deliver great value by guiding people through massive changes in their personal lives and in their businesses that bring them to a place they never thought possible.

The combination of all these elements is quite different for you compared to any other service provider in your industry. Therein lies your value, but it’s not the value you see. It’s the value your best-fit customers see in you.

If pricing your value feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar to you, this book will teach you why putting a price on the value your clients perceive and identify serves both them and you, and you’ll learn the factors involved in getting your price right.

The book is available at all major physical and online book retailers worldwide. Follow this link for further details.

Connect with John Ray:

Website | LinkedIn | Twitter

Business RadioX®: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tax Planning vs. “Tax Telling,” with Seth Peabody, iTxRe

March 13, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Tax Planning vs. "Tax Telling," with Seth Peabody, iTxRe

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Tax Planning vs. “Tax Telling,” with Seth Peabody, iTxRe

Seth Peabody: Let’s step into the business owner’s mind and go through their experience and what I’ve garnered from them, also being an entrepreneur. Most CPAs do tax telling. They take your numbers, and they tell you what you owe, and you write the checks, and then you see how much pain it is.

They don’t go into being proactive and thinking of ways to. Reduce your tax and knowing the tax code and using it to the business owner’s advantage. So, for instance, we’re here in Atlanta. A lot of us don’t know about the advantages of oil and gas, and the oil and gas companies really have deep pockets, as we know, and they paid Congress off and Congress makes the rules for the IRS.

And so they have advantageous tax code written specifically to oil and gas. To where, for example, you could take $100,000 and invest it in the stock market and it sits there. You can put it in an independent oil and gas fund and deduct a portion of that in the year you make the investment.

So if you’re at a tax rate and you put in 120 and you’re allowed to deduct a hundred thousand, most everybody’s tax rates, roughly 40%—40 percent times a hundred thousand–you just put $40,000 back in your pocket. So that’s different types of tax strategies and thinking about it differently and being proactive and getting ahead of it.

Listen to Seth’s full ProfitSense with Bill McDermott interview here.

The “One Minute Interview” series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Empowering Small Business Owners: Tax Strategies and Philanthropic Opportunities

February 29, 2024 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Empowering Small Business Owners: Tax Strategies and Philanthropic Opportunities

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Empowering Small Business Owners: Tax Strategies and Philanthropic Opportunities

In this engaging podcast, Karen Nowicki discusses proactive tax planning and charitable contributions for small business owners with Aldo Aprile, a CPA, and Donna Rodgers from the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Aldo emphasizes the importance of year-round tax advice and planning for small business owners, including Arizona tax credits, while Donna sheds light on the community-centric mission of Saint Vincent de Paul, urging listeners to contribute and get involved. The conversation touches on financial literacy, personal passions, and the significance of fostering connections for positive impacts in both personal and professional realms.

Get inspired by Aldo and Donna’s stories of personal passion and community involvement, and learn how you can make a positive impact through financial planning and charitable giving.

Aprile CPA: Your boutique accounting partner dedicated to boosting your profits and slashing your taxes.

Aldo Aprile, an ASU grad who’s been in the CPA game since 2004 (yes, that long), has a knack for turning financial gibberish into plain English.

He’s the go-to for business owners who’d rather not use their financial statements as just coffee coasters.

Follow Aprile CPA on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

St. Vincent de Paul – Phoenix provides services in Central and Northern Arizona to feed, clothe, house and heal those in need. Its mission is twofold–to help people who are struggling and to provide an opportunity for people to help others.

Programs and services include charity dining rooms, food boxes, a medical and dental clinic, housing, homelessness response and prevention, and thrift stores across the valley.

In addition to serving those in need, St. Vincent de Paul believes that strong community engagement and meaningful service opportunities create a stronger and more vibrant community for all.

Donna Rodgers worked 23 years in the legal field during which she was a paralegal as well as assisting attorneys with educating the public on legal issues, specifically elder law and estate planning.

After serving on boards of several nonprofits, including those focused on helping seniors and those experiencing food insecurity, she felt true fulfillment in helping others in need and made the decision to change careers. She has worked in the nonprofit field since 2006 with the last nearly 11 years at St. Vincent de Paul.

Follow St. Vincent de Paul on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Seth Peabody, iTxRe

February 21, 2024 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Seth Peabody, iTxRe

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Seth Peabody, iTxRe (ProfitSense with Bill McDermott, Episode 55)

CPA Seth Peabody joined host Bill McDermott on this episode of ProfitSense. Seth’s firm, iTxRe, emphasizes the importance of proactive tax planning for businesses, and he explained how their approach can significantly impact profitability by strategically reducing tax liabilities. Seth provided insights into tax planning vs. what he calls “tax telling,” highlighted the advantages of having an early and consistent tax plan, and discussed the major issues faced by the CPA industry. Seth also delved into the potential role of AI in aiding the CPA industry, and he underscored the necessity for a pragmatic understanding of accounting for better business outcomes.

Bill concluded the show with thoughts on how to manage the buyer-seller dance.

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott is produced and broadcast by the North Fulton Studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

Seth Peabody, iTxRe

Seth Peabody has been a CPA for over two decades, working in small, medium, and large firms. In pursuit of growing a niche CPA practice, he learned business owners and high-net-worth individuals didn’t have true annual income tax planning. He created a program and process for clients to reduce taxes annually.

iTxRe creates a proactive environment to assist businesses and individuals across the country with annual income tax planning. They regularly meet with their clients to customize a plan for them. Then they work to control and minimize the impact of income tax on both the business and the individual. Finally, they complete the last step of the plan, filing the tax returns.

Quite simply, iTxRe engages in tax planning, not “tax telling.”

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Seth LinkedIn

Topics Discussed in this Interview

00:00 Introduction
01:07 Guest Introduction: Seth Peabody, CPA
01:29 Understanding Tax Planning
03:13 Proactive Tax Strategies
04:08 Understanding Tax Credits and Deductions
05:28 The Importance of Quarterly Estimates
07:27 The Role of Tax Planning in Business
09:11 Differentiating in the CPA Industry
15:29 The Impact of AI in the CPA Industry
17:56 The Importance of Understanding Accounting for Business Owners
24:22 The Buyer-Seller Dance in Sales
26:01 Closing Remarks and Contact Information

About ProfitSense and Your Host, Bill McDermott

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott dives into the stories behind some of Atlanta’s successful businesses and business owners and the professionals that advise them. This show helps local business leaders get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. The show is presented by McDermott Financial Solutions. McDermott Financial helps business owners improve cash flow and profitability, find financing, break through barriers to expansion, and financially prepare to exit their business. The show archive can be found at profitsenseradio.com.

Bill McDermott, “The Profitability Coach,” is the Founder and CEO of McDermott Financial Solutions. When business owners want to increase their profitability, they don’t have the expertise to know where to start or what to do. Bill leverages his knowledge and relationships from 32 years as a banker to identify the hurdles getting in the way and create a plan to deliver profitability they never thought possible.

Bill currently serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Executive Forum and has held previous positions as a board member for the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center, Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity, and Treasurer for CEO NetWeavers. Bill is a graduate of Wake Forest University, and he and his wife, Martha, have called Atlanta home for over 40 years. Outside of work, Bill enjoys golf, traveling, and gardening.

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn and Instagram, and follow McDermott Financial Solutions on LinkedIn.

Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

October 25, 2023 by John Ray

Business Beat

Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

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Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat: Eric Pritchett, Terzo Technologies

Eric Pritchett, President and COO of Terzo Technologies, an enterprise AI company, joined host Roger Lusby to discuss the company’s technology and how it helps businesses extract valuable data from documents, contracts, and more. Eric talked about their capacity to improve decision-making and operational processes. He shared success stories that highlight the impact of Terzo on increasing productivity and efficiency for businesses, about how the company developed its product, why they moved their operations from California to Metro Atlanta and specifically North Fulton, and more.

Business Beat is presented by Alpharetta CPA firm Frazier & Deeter and is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®

Terzo Technologies

Terzo uses powerful AI technology to extract, analyze, and visualize your contract data.

Terzo’s AI data extraction capabilities also extend beyond contracts and can solve your organization’s document problems, from invoices to POs and more.

Their platform was designed on the foundation of contract intelligence, providing business teams with the necessary data to improve productivity, optimize spend, reduce costs, and manage risk and governance across their entire supplier ecosystem. Terzo has global operations across the United States, Canada, and India.

Terzo is designed to connect teams, breaking silos along the way. At Terzo, strengthening relationships is at the heart of what they do. They unite teams and unlock insights so organizations can make smarter decisions and maximize value from their suppliers, customers, and partners.

Terzo means “third” in Italian. Their founders have Italian heritage and chose it to describe what they set out to build—a platform that brings third parties together.

For the first time, Legal is now a large part of both the buying and selling teams. Terzo is the first solution to provide critical data and terms to both sides, enabling legal and business teams to make decisions together.

Company website | LinkedIn

Eric Pritchett, President and COO, Terzo Technologies

With over 20 years of experience in technology, finance, and strategy, Eric is the President and COO of Terzo Technologies, an enterprise AI platform that extracts valuable data from documents for business operators. He works with the senior team to develop and implement the overall vision, direction, and execution of the company, as well as the development and implementation of strategic customer-facing initiatives.

Prior to joining Terzo, Eric was the Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Asurion, where he evaluated and executed on strategic investment opportunities, including acquisitions. He also co-founded and led Potamus Trading, a technology-driven broker-dealer and market-maker, and PhaseCapital, a quantitative hedge fund.

Eric has a strong background in FinTech, corporate venture capital, and M&A, as well as a passion for innovation and growth. He holds BS and MBA degrees from Boston University and the Boston University Questrom School of Business.

Frazier & Deeter

The Alpharetta office of Frazier & Deeter is home to a thriving CPA tax practice, a growing advisory practice and an Employee Benefit Plan Services group. CPAs and advisors in the Frazier & Deeter Alpharetta office serve clients across North Georgia and around the country with services such as personal tax planning, estate planning, business tax planning, business tax compliance, state and local tax planning, financial statement reviews, financial statement audits, employee benefit plan audits, internal audit outsourcing, cyber security, data privacy, SOX and other regulatory compliance, mergers, and acquisitions, and more. Alpharetta CPAs serve clients ranging from business owners and executives to large corporations.

Roger Lusby, host of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat, is an Alpharetta CPA and Alpharetta Office Managing Partner for Frazier & Deeter. He is also a member of the Tax Department in charge of coordinating tax and accounting services for our clientele. His responsibilities include a review of a variety of tax returns with an emphasis on the individual, estate, and corporate areas. Client assistance is also provided in the areas of financial planning, executive compensation and stock option planning, estate and succession planning, international planning (FBAR, SFOP), health care, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and service companies.

You can find Frazier & Deeter on social media:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

An episode archive of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat can be found here.

Joe Menello and Jon Silverman, Wicker Smith

September 20, 2023 by John Ray

Business Beat

Joe Menello and Jon Silverman, Wicker Smith

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Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat: Joe Menello and Jon Silverman, Wicker Smith

Wicker Smith Managing Partner Joe Menello and Partner Jon Silverman joined Frazier & Deeter’s Roger Lusby and Courtney Mishoe to discuss the growth of their new Atlanta office. Joe and Jon talked about attracting legal talent to their office, their path to the legal profession, how the courts have changed in recent years, the liability defense work they do, and much more.

Business Beat is presented by Alpharetta CPA firm Frazier & Deeter and is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®

Wicker Smith

Idus Q. Wicker and James A. Smith formed a partnership in Miami, Florida in 1952 with the goal of providing legal services of exceptional quality and creativity to their clients.

Throughout the years the firm has changed in size and scope, but the goal of providing exceptional legal representation has remained the same.

Today, Wicker Smith is a full-service trial firm deeply experienced in handling significant and complex litigation for a broad variety of clients, ranging from multinational corporations to individuals. With over 260 attorneys, Wicker Smith services its clients through a network of 16 locations in Atlanta, Brunswick, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Key Largo, Melbourne, Miami, Naples, Nashville, Orlando, Palmetto Bay, Pensacola, Phoenix, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach.

Wicker Smith offers legal services in over 30 different practice areas and has a wealth of experience handling complex litigation for a broad variety of clients, ranging from multinational corporations to individuals.

The true strength of Wicker Smith resides in their ability to recruit and tenure a talented group of attorneys and staff professionals. Recognition from their peers serves as the benchmark for their success.

Company website | LinkedIn

Joseph (Joe) P. Menello, Managing Partner, Wicker Smith

Joseph P. Menello is a partner in Wicker Smith’s Atlanta office. Mr. Menello’s civil trial practice has focused primarily on the defense of professional and corporate institutions, as well as individuals. He has defended cases involving medical malpractice, premises liability, automobile liability, general civil litigation and professional negligence, covering a wide range of complex legal and medical issues. Mr. Menello is an active member of both the Georgia and Florida Bar Associations.

Mr. Menello earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1994 from Florida State University and continued on to receive his Juris Doctor with honors in 1998. He was admitted to practice in the State of Georgia in 2021 and the State of Florida in 1998. He is also admitted in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida and Northern District of Georgia. Mr. Menello has earned a Martindale Hubbell’s highest AV Preeminent rating from his peers. He is also an active member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Georgia Defense Lawyers Association and Claims and Litigation Management (CLM).

Jonathan Silverman, Partner, Wicker Smith

Jonathan Silverman is a Partner in Wicker Smith’s Atlanta office, where he focuses his practice on civil litigation related to general negligence, premises liability, negligent security, medical malpractice, automobile negligence, and wrongful death defense.

Before returning to Wicker Smith in 2021, Mr. Silverman was a partner at a national defense firm in Atlanta, where he focused his practice on civil litigation and insurance defense. Prior to that, he worked in Wicker Smith’s Naples, Florida office and focused his practice on civil litigation and insurance defense. He began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender at the Office of the Public Defender, 20^th Judicial Circuit, in Fort Myers, Florida, where he handled a high volume of cases ranging from simple misdemeanors to punishable by life felonies, gaining invaluable jury trial experience along the way.

Mr. Silverman earned his Juris Doctor from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2011. Prior to that, he attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science in 2006 and a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in 2007. While in law school, he was a member of the Moot Court Society and Nova Trial Association, and he also completed two internships for the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office.

Mr. Silverman is admitted to practice in Georgia and Florida.

Frazier & Deeter

The Alpharetta office of Frazier & Deeter is home to a thriving CPA tax practice, a growing advisory practice and an Employee Benefit Plan Services group. CPAs and advisors in the Frazier & Deeter Alpharetta office serve clients across North Georgia and around the country with services such as personal tax planning, estate planning, business tax planning, business tax compliance, state and local tax planning, financial statement reviews, financial statement audits, employee benefit plan audits, internal audit outsourcing, cyber security, data privacy, SOX and other regulatory compliance, mergers, and acquisitions and more. Alpharetta CPAs serve clients ranging from business owners and executives to large corporations.

Roger Lusby, host of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat, is an Alpharetta CPA and Alpharetta Office Managing Partner for Frazier & Deeter. He is also a member of the Tax Department in charge of coordinating tax and accounting services for our clientele. His responsibilities include a review of a variety of tax returns with an emphasis in the individual, estate, and corporate areas. Client assistance is also provided in the areas of financial planning, executive compensation and stock option planning, estate and succession planning, international planning (FBAR, SFOP), health care, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and service companies.

You can find Frazier & Deeter on social media:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

An episode archive of Frazier & Deeter’s Business Beat can be found here.

Two Keys for Agile Business Owners, with Marika Ponton, Office Angels

September 15, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Two Keys for Agile Business Owners, with Marika Ponton, Office Angels

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Marika Ponton: I live it. It is so crucial. When I was a flooring business owner, so many of the other franchisees would come to me because, I was profitable and I was having all these sales. And they’re like, well, what do you do? You know what, tell me how to be like you. Well, I mean, no one can be Marika, but what I can tell you is: how do your financials look?

Dig into your financials. I’m happy to look at them. And I did. And I would just glaringly see things. Hey, why are you spending on this when you know, your sales are down 50% from last month? Ooh, good point. So that’s number one.

And number two, I would say is just same things we’ve been talking about right here is take stock of non critical tasks that you’re doing. Take stock. Write it down. What are things that you are doing that you shouldn’t be doing and aren’t the best use of your time and outsource those. And that’s Office Angels is there to help you with that.

Listen to Marika’s full ProfitSense interview with Bill McDermott interview here.

The “One Minute Interview” series is produced by John Ray and the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Tax Strategy and Tax Credits, with Greg Silberman, S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services

August 14, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Tax Strategy and Tax Credits, with Greg Silberman, S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 692)

Greg Silberman, Managing Director of S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services, joined host John Ray to talk about his company’s unique approach to business consultancy, their ability to offer consolidated tax strategy, filing, and CFO services, renewable energy tax credits, some estate planning tips, and much more.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services

S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services is a boutique CPA firm that supports expanding and emerging businesses and their owners with a consultative, inclusive approach to accounting, business advisory, tax, trust, and estate services. They work one-on-one with clients to produce accurate financials, minimize taxes and ensure compliance. Their tailored accounting solutions and financially focused business consulting spans industries including manufacturing, professional services, real estate and technology.

The company is guided by the highest standards of integrity, authority, and commitment to client service excellence. Clients trust them for reliable knowledge that considers industry nuances, the economic climate, and their unique business goals.

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook

**Gregory Silberman, Managing Director, S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services**

A seasoned Certified Public Accountant with extensive knowledge of accounting, tax planning and preparation, investments, private equity and M&A, Gregory Silberman leverages his international expertise in the exclusive service of high-net-worth individuals and growing small businesses. He brings more than 20 years of global financial experience in Europe, Asia, and North America to the position.

Silberman developed an overarching commitment to quality service during his diversified career which included stints in public accounting at Grant Thornton (Johannesburg, SA); derivative accounting for JPMorgan Chase & Company (London, UK); and management consulting with Atlanta Gas Light and NASCO (Atlanta, Ga, USA).

Nearly a decade ago, he established CJ Tag LLC to provide complex accounting, tax, and business services to high-net-worth individuals. Additionally, the firm offered fractional CFO services and investment guidance to corporate clients in a wide range of industries and markets.

Previously Silberman was the Chief Investment Officer at ACG Investment Management. He was responsible for managing the firm’s private equity, hedge fund and real assets investment portfolio.

Prior to joining ACG Investment Management, Greg served as Director of Alternative Investments at Wilmington Trust. He was responsible for managing more than $2 billion in private equity, hedge fund, and real estate assets, and was instrumental in the launch of a successful alternative mutual fund. Silberman also managed more than $80 billion as a member of the research team. He was a portfolio manager, analyst, and product developer for Perpetual Investments in Sydney and JP Morgan Chase in London with a focus on structured derivative products.

Silberman earned a Bachelor of Accounting from the University of Witwatersrand and subsequently passed the South African Accountant’s and Auditor’s Board Exam, the Australian Chartered Accountant’s Exam and the Uniform CPA Examination. In addition, Silberman is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®).

When not spending time with his three daughters, Greg follows UFC and is always ready to cheer for the Springboks Rugby team.

Affiliations and Associations:
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Georgia Society of CPAs
Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Institute
CFA Institute and CFA Society of Atlanta
Kaplan Schweser, CFA review course
South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

Boards/Committees:
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Investment Committee (former chairman)
Solomon Schechter Epstein School, Investment and Finance Committee (former member)
Ariel Synagogue (former treasurer)

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Services Provided

What services does SJG offer? How do you cater to the needs of your clients?
How does your firm help clients navigate through the complexities of tax preparation and planning?
Beyond tax-related services, what other financial areas does your CPA firm specialize in? Could you elaborate on financial consulting or advisory services you provide?
As technology advances, how has your firm embraced digital solutions for services like bookkeeping and financial reporting?

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

Could you give our listeners a clear picture of what renewable energy entails and why it’s gaining so much attention?
How do these incentives work, and what benefits do businesses stand to gain?
- The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 offers tax incentives for businesses to adopt renewable energy.
Could you share examples of how different businesses are integrating renewable energy into their operations?
Beyond the financial incentives, how does embracing renewable energy contribute to environmental sustainability?
While the incentives are promising, are there any challenges businesses might face when transitioning to renewable energy?
What advice would you give to businesses that are considering adopting renewable energy but are unsure where to start?

Estate Planning

Can you explain the concept of portability and how it can be utilized in estate planning?
Could you elaborate on the increase in the lifetime gift and estate tax exemption for 2023?
Could you explain the concept of the annual gift tax exclusion and what it means for taxpayers?
What happens if someone decides to gift more than the annual exclusion amount to an individual recipient?

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Since 2000, Office Angels® has been restoring joy to the life of small business owners, enabling them to focus on what they do best. At the same time, we honor and support at-home experts who wish to continue working on an as-needed basis. Not a temp firm or a placement service, Office Angels matches a business owner’s support needs with Angels who have the talent and experience necessary to handle work that is essential to creating and maintaining a successful small business. Need help with administrative tasks, bookkeeping, marketing, presentations, workshops, speaking engagements, and more? Visit us at https://officeangels.us/.