We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Garrison recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Would you say you are more focused on growing revenue or cutting costs? We’d love to hear how you think about these two critical drivers.

Hey! And thank you for having me! Growing revenue is by far the main focal point as I grow. Understanding and keeping expenses under control is important., however, it isn’t a main driver in my decision model. Most if not all of the expenses that I make for my business are in the name of revenue growth. Investing in better technology, quality talent, effective marketing, and an overall luxury experience for my client, is what helps enable me to reach my target audience and envokes a feeling of trust in my company.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I am Ashley Garrison, a true native Memphian, a mom, a philanthropist, and an all around badass! lol! I have studied accounting for what seems like all of my life. I was thrown into a random accounting class in high school, and immediately thought, “This is what I want to do!” As I furthered my education in accounting and saw how crucial it is in the world of business, I knew that it was the thing for me. I graduated with both my Bachelor’s and Master’s in accounting and entered the corporate world. I spent my first 9 years post-grad climbing the corporate ladder and really enjoying the game that is corporate life. Those years were immeasurable for the amount of business acumen, innovation, and on-your-feet thinking that I developed at that time. It was great until I realized that while I was doing great, I wasn’t making a change in the world. My work really didn’t matter.

After that realization, I set on a path to start something on my own that would make a difference. While I laid the foundation for my business years ago, it took a lot for me to FINALLY make the jump from my cushy corporate path to the unknown path of entrepreneurship! So I took that jump in February 2022. Just 1 week prior to the beginning shut-down of my city in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I FREAKED!!! Surely this is a sign that I might have made the wrong move at the wrong time.

But I stayed the course, I had to change some marketing tactics and since meeting with people in person was no longer an option, I had to pivot my then tax services to being a completely virtual process. But all of it helped really set the course to where I find myself now.

Since I was forced to become 100% virtual, I focused more on more complex clients and I opened my clientele to all of the United States instead of simply focusing on my city and surrounding towns.

Now my focus is being the modern accountant for the modern and innovative business. No longer are the days of boring meetings with your old CPA that hands you a tax return at the end of the year and an invoice. Now it’s about a partnership and translating your financial data into meaningful reports that enables the owners to make sound and savvy decisions. This promotes growth and wealth to smaller companies that are often overlooked and under-resourced.

GRF Financials, LLC. as a company is about providing reliable and ethical financial support to those that we serve. If you are a business or entrepreneur that is often intimidated by their financials or tax obligations or have no idea where to start, GRF is the answer!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Consistency and reliability. We are in the era of entrepreneurs. It seems that everyone has that spirit and it is busting out! Whether it is due to being tired of the rat race, our generation drowning in debt to live a basic life, or the impact that the pandemic shut-down had on us. Entrepreneurship seems like a hot topic. Social Media also makes it seem as if working as an employee you are somehow doing life wrong.

So we are in a world where people are doing it for fast cash or quick notoriety and not because they truly have a passion and gift for it. And that often does not sustain.

So the fact that my business has not only sustained but also significantly grown, it shows that this is very real for me. I deliver that sentiment with every client engagement. This effort harbors a feeling of trust and is the number one driver of client retention.

And a satisfied client will always bring new business.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

By far the book that has had the most significance on my growth both personally and professionally is “We Should All be Millionaires” by Rachel Rodgers. It absolutely changed my mindset when it comes to money and business. It challenged me to develop a fearless mindset. I, at one point, operated with a limited mindset, “If I could just replace my corporate salary, I would be successful!” After reading that book, replacing my salary isn’t enough. That was no longer a goal, even in the short-term. I am now going for gold, because I have the ability to achieve it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.GRFfinancials.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grf_financials/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063596352273
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-garrison-cpa-183264a0/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/grf-financials-memphis