Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nesha Pai. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Nesha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

After five years of working at a local public accounting firm (as a single mother), I was ready to work more hours, contribute more to the company, and ask for a raise. I had become used to my new normal and was able to give more of myself. The founding couple was retiring, and they had just named my immediate boss as managing partner of the firm. I went to his office one afternoon with a list of everything I had accomplished in the past five years, ready to make a strong case for why I deserved a raise. My boss denied my request. I could
feel the heat rising in my body. It was that all‑too‑familiar feeling of rejection and humiliation. I knew he was wrong. And I knew all the talent and experience that I brought to the table too. I looked at him and stated that I respected myself far too much to work for someone who did not have my back. Surprising even myself, I rose up from my chair, calmly said “I quit,” and walked straight out the door.

As I headed toward the elevator, I was still fuming. I was hurt, and I was scared. What did I just do? I was a single
mom with an eleven‑year‑old son. I had a mortgage. I had no plan, no potential next job, and no idea what I was doing. But this was my Jerry Maguire moment—I’d taken a stand for myself. And like Jerry, I decided I would start my own business with one big client, a client with whom I’d forged a solid, ongoing relationship. I knew that I could do what my ex-boss did, but even better.

I set about my goal to become an outsourced accounting department for small businesses that could not afford a full‑time CPA or accounting staff. Other CPA firms had tried offering this as a specialized service, but I built my entire company around it. Some of my Charlotte colleagues were skeptical about the niche I was creating. I was going to push the accounting industry forward. And I continue to constantly innovate and fine‑tune my services
and offerings as my business evolves.

Nesha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My biggest revelation was in realizing that if I wanted to be good at business, I needed to focus on one thing. For me, that was offering outsourced accounting services tailored to small businesses, but my specialty had to be even more specific. My firm focused on what I like to call the “front end” of accounting. This involves setting up my client’s accounting system, running it, closing the books monthly, and being a liaison to anyone who would touch the financial sector of my client’s business. We are a high touch boutique firm, which is very rare in the CPA world. We attract amazing team members and prestigious clients because of our core values and the fact that we run everyone and every decision through that prism.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Start with Why and E-Myth were the first business books I read when I started my business. Both of these gave me a solid foundation as to the why behind my business offering and also how to be an entrepreneur. Most people have no idea how to run a business and there are no classes on how to be a business owner, so reading these books really helped me shape the business I have today.

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

INTEGRITY. Staying true to who we are as a firm and what we do has led us to success. We always stand behind what is right and not what is convenient or comfortable.

Really most all of my business comes from word-of-mouth. My clientele are business owners and business owners share their resources with other business owners. If you do a good job, they will tell all of their friends, and if you do a bad job, the same will happen.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.neshapai.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neshapai/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neshapai
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neshapaicpa/

Image Credits
First three: Corrie Huggins Creative Fourth in Chair: Amanda Anderson Photography