The first half of my childhood was spent in Detroit going to Belle Isle, enjoying world-famous coney dogs with my grandpa at Genies Wienies on Conant Street, and doing what we now call guerrilla marketing for my parents’ novelty shop. Then, we moved to a working farm north of the city and life was all about goats and pigs.

By age 20, I had gained significant experience in multiple family businesses, including wholesaling, farming, and machinery sales.

After attending seven colleges and universities in Michigan and North Carolina, while working full-time, I graduated summa cum laude from Western Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration & Entrepreneurship. I also completed a concentration in accounting.

When the housing bubble went bust, so did all the jobs at the Asheville, North Carolina, architecture firm I managed. After being laid-off, I launched a boutique B2B consulting firm that helped Western North Carolina businesses adapt to changing economies and technologies.

Initially focused on compliance work, particularly with S corporations, I tapped into my network of architects, engineers, and consultants to build and scale the business, transforming it into the thriving accounting firm it is today.