Business of the Month - February 2007:
The Accounting Office, Inc.

It’s tax time! If you have been told to scramble around to get your records in order, know that there is an alternative for all entrepreneurs. Successful businesses know that tax time is a year round event and financial statements ought to be used to grow their businesses.

The Accounting Office, Inc. has built a solid reputation for serving small businesses in the Northville community for the five years they have been located here. Although the firm has been in its downtown location for a little over a year, local businesses have experienced a relationship with The Accounting Office that they have never experienced with previous accounting firms.

“We are very fortunate to have found The Accounting. There are a lot of details involved in opening a new business such as ours. The staff at The Accounting Office has been invaluable during this time.”
                – Rachel Stern (NOMI)

The Accounting Office, Inc. separates itself from the traditional by providing hands on support to its clients. Some of the ways may be experienced through the thorough financial statements that go beyond the Profit and Loss Statement and Balance Sheet. Furthermore, clients are taught to understand and use them as a tool to run the business.

“The Accounting Office set us all up and we are now totally organized. Now we don’t worry about that part of the business. We finally understand what our financials mean and how they can impact our business!”
                                              – Dana and Lindsey Fowler (Urban Blues)

Another vital difference is seen with year round tax planning. The Accounting Office, Inc. believes strongly that 2006 tax issues should not be reviewed for the first time in 2007. The firm reviews their client’s financials each month to ensure all tax advantages have been accounted for. These actions eliminate the need for last minute scrambling on the part of the client and the firm. In fact, the ‘busy time’ for The Accounting Office, Inc. is at the end of the year when all clients meet with the firms President to tie out all tax issues. January through April is merely a time to fill out forms.

“The keys to my success are to surround myself with eagles; employees, managers, support staff and professionals that exceed my expectations as I have laid them out. I have an awesome accounting staff in The Accounting Office. They have more than exceeded my expectations from the beginning. I am absolutely thrilled and I tell everyone about this firm.”
                                                                       – Lauren Beras (Lorla’s)

Businesses find that the convenience of having their monthly bookkeeping handled on-time and accurate is a great benefit of the service. Clients know what the fees are in advance as the firm bills the same amount monthly – there are no hourly fees or invoices for filling out a form.

“We are a new business in town and have recently started with The Accounting Office. The staff is so personable! What a relief to know that we have a ‘one stop’ firm for all of our accounting needs.”
                                    – Christa Davis and Stephanie Miller (Belli Couture)

All businesses lose sleep worrying about their business. The Accounting Office, Inc. feels that if you are losing sleep on the bookkeeping, financial, and tax side of the house, it may be time to seek an alternative. A good test for business owners is to determine if they are asking the questions to their accountant or if the accountant is asking questions of the business owner. As Linda Chapekis, President – The Accounting Office, Inc., says,

“If our clients are asking us the questions, we are not properly doing our jobs.”

Led by Linda Chapekis, the firm’s nine associates are indispensable to the clients. Linda is firmly entrenched in the Northville community serving as a Deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, a member of the Rotary, and moderator of Northville’s Fine Arts Committee.