We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Al-Nesha Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Al-Nesha below.

Alright, Al-Nesha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

I believe the accounting industry has it wrong when it comes to the mindset that burned-out accountants are good accountants. Who said it had to be that way?? After spending 10 years in Corporate America (4 years at a Big 4 accounting firm, and 6 years at a Fortune 100 company), I was convinced that there had to be a better way. I was being forced to decide between pursuing promotions or prioritizing my family as if there wasn’t a world where both of those desires could co-exist. This was in 2016, and by then, I was a mom of 3 and I wasn’t happy with settling for one and sacrificing the other. I also started to feel like I was giving all of my talents to the population that didn’t need me most. So I started thinking about what I had the ability to change, and what would make me feel more fulfilled. I was on a personal pursuit for flexibility and financial freedom, and a professional quest to serve my community in an impactful way. I started a firm (ASE Group) where small businesses know they’re a big deal. Where team members don’t have to choose between meaningful roles and monumental family moments. Where we could amplify our impact. I stopped looking for what I wanted and what my community needed – and I created it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Al-Nesha, CPA, MBA, and MOM (of three). I’ve only ever been an accountant. I’ve had the pleasure of working in public accounting, financial reporting, and now I specialize in small business accounting, taxation and advisory in my practice. ASE Group (named after my favorite 3 humans, my children), is a unique full-service accounting, tax, and advisory firm focused on empowering small business owners to build strong and sustainable businesses.

Many of our clients are first-time entrepreneurs, and we’ve found that many businesses struggle or fail not because their idea wasn’t great, but because of all of the other things that they had no idea about — like business registration, entity types, sales tax, income tax, employees vs contractors, etc. That’s where we come in and help them transition from hustling or hobbying, to running a business.

I’m passionate about increasing the number of sustainable businesses in marginalized communities, changing the stigma that successful accountants are burned-out accountants, and helping to create more diversity in the accounting profession.

My biggest accomplishment to date has been creating rewarding career opportunities for my team members that mirror the opportunities I didn’t have when I left my corporate career. I currently lead a 100% female team, where they have flexibility in both their schedule and work location, to ensure they can prioritize all of the nouns that bring them joy. Team members are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work, so that they can spend less time trying to fit in, and more time sharing and celebrating the things that make them unique. The firm’s 4-day work week has inspired some clients and other practitioners to do the same, creating more balance for their teams as well. In addition to operating in a way that inspires clients, the firm’s subscription-based model significantly increases communication and predictability for clients so that they can get the proactive support they need, when they need it, without worrying about surprise bills.

In addition to managing the firm, I was recognized as a 2023 Top 50 Woman in Accounting, 2022 NJCPA Ovation Award Winner for my Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, a 2021 CPA Practice Advisor “40 Under 40” Professional, and I’m currently a Participant in the ProConnect Customer Council for Intuit Inc., 2021 – 2024, a member of the Intuit Trainer/Writer Network, an inaugural member of the CHIP Professionals Council (CHIP is bridging the gap between consumers of financial products and financial professionals of color), a member of the National Society of Black CPAs (NSBCPA), National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), and a mentor at my alma mater, Montclair State University.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I regularly repeat to myself “Life comes in phases and stages” and “Pivot accordingly.” They’re two of my favorite things to remind myself of. When I started my career, I had lots of free time to explore career opportunities, so it was perfect for my time in Big 4 Accounting where overtime was the norm. As I started to grow and began to get serious about going back to school, I needed to pivot to another avenue in accounting that would allow me to travel less and have more predictability in my schedule. That’s what led me to the next company I worked for, and while I was there, I earned my MBA and gave birth to all 3 of my children. That also presented another opportunity to pivot into entrepreneurship and the opportunity to serve a different population (individuals and small business owners). Over the last 7 years as a business owner, I’ve seen many pivots… from changing my business model less than a year after starting my business to becoming laser-focused on the clientele I’d serve and having to let go of clients who were no longer a good fit.

When I first began my career, I wanted to be a partner at that Big 4 firm I started at. I wanted my future children to see what their mom had accomplished. I wanted to be in a position to create opportunities for others that looked like me. Although I’m no longer with that company, and I’ll likely never be a Partner at a Big 4 accounting firm, I’m still accomplished, and I still found my way to be in a position to disrupt this industry for the better.

I think it’s so important to be fluid in the way we attain our goals. There are so many avenues, and there’s no harm in finding out that this way is no longer the best way. It doesn’t mean we’re off-path; it just means we’re taking a different route.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

In March of 2020 (which feels so long ago, and also feels like yesterday), I actually believed that the Covid-19 pandemic could have only lasted for the 2 weeks that they shut schools and businesses down for. Luckily, because I started the business with 3 children and my youngest was only 2mos old, I built it to operate virtually. Transitioning to 100% remote work was easy. Transitioning to 100% remote work with 3 school-aged children was not. Transitioning to 100% remote work with 2 parents who were almost immediately impacted by Covid felt impossible. By the end of March, my mom was in a coma fighting for her life against coronavirus and my dad was home sick, refusing to go to the hospital and starting to give up. I was trying to keep it together for my team members who were seeking direction from me, my children who needed Chromebooks set up, and my parents who didn’t know if they’d ever see us or each other again. I imploded. My team members were applying for unemployment due to my inability to reply to them and give them direction, clients had so many questions about PPP, EIDL, Unemployment, and Taxes…. I was sure that my “best year ever” was turning into my “last year in business.” (It was during this time that I learned how inadequate our process documentation was because my team needed more direction from me than I had initially thought they would have in the event of my extended absence, but that’s made our processes much stronger today.)

I put up an out-of-office auto-reply message asking for patience from clients, I asked my husband to take the lead with our children, and I focused my energy on keeping my family healthy while supporting my parents as best as I could. My mom awakened from her coma, my dad went to the hospital and got the help he needed to recover from coronavirus, and I was starting to catch my breath. I finished that year with one part-time employee, we stopped accepting new clients in March 2020, and didn’t start again until mid-year 2021, but I finished. And I came out stronger, and with much better process documentation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ASEgroupoffices.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asegroupoffices/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asegroupoffices
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alneshajones/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ase-group-west-orange

Image Credits
Tamara Fleming Photography (pictures of Al-Nesha and Team) RB Photography (pictures of the kids)