We recently connected with Nicole Freeman-Kirkland and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I reached a point in my life where I was feeling unfulfilled, overwhelmed because I was working a full time job as a Chief Financial Officer, and running my Accounting Practice full time which was growing but not making the income to cover my household expenses. I was going through a divorce, working around the clock, traveling from Detroit to Atlanta for business, no time for self care, no time for family actvities, I was constantly juggling my daughters school activities and falling short. I realized something had to give or I was going to mentally break from exhaustion alone. Giving up my practice was not an option, the years of education, hard work, hours building my practice, the money invested and I truly enjoyed running my business. I determined my immediate goals were “freedom”, financial growth and I wanted to relocate to Atlanta the only way to reach those goals was banking on myself. I began to work on my self confidence, and position myself financially to resign from my six figure job, and move to another state. I looked at my expenses and began to cut back in areas that were a want versus a need, I was willing to sacrifice for the payoff later, I found medical and dental insurance through the marketplace that was affordable and I gave myself 6 months to make the transition. The 6 months was to build my savings a little more, payoff some bills, sale my home and purchase a home in Atlanta. I believe in operating in truth and full transparency so I met with my boss and told him my plans to resign in 6 months to pursue my business full time and move to Atlanta. Risk #1 – My boss could have fired me on the spot. Risk #2 I gave him the ok to find a replacement for my position which meant there was no turning back. I was fully set on working with whatever happened after this meeting because I belived in the power of prayer and myself. The self talk in the mirror preparing for this meeting is one for the books! Then the miracle happended. My boss looked at me and said ” I do not care where you move, you will still be our CFO”, I just sat there with a blank look on my face, none of my scenarios played out like this. I gathered myself and asked what would be the best way to handle this situation. We came up with a contractor agreement, that allowed me to keep my current salary, continue my health benefits for a few months until I got settled in Atlanta, and I could continue my duties remotely. My employer became a six figure client just like that! Me taking that risk, was life changing and I am forever grateful that my boss saw my value, and considered me worth keeping.

Nicole, 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?

I am The Profitista, a Certified Public Accountant, Business Educator and Motivational Speaker. I have worked with over 2500 businesses, assisting with profitability, developing accounting systems, tax strategy and tax preparation, business coaching, online business courses for business owners looking to take their business to new levels. I enjoy what I do, in helping businesses reach their full potential, running a business is not a straight line, there are heels and valleys and owners don’t have to feel alone, or make unnecessary mistakes when there are resources available, many don’t know where to look and some just give up on a great business because all the innerworkings become overwhelming. I am so excited each time I meet a new business owner, or speak at an engagement, or teach a class and see the light bulb go off in their minds, it’s a great feeling because the entrepreneurial spirit is contagious and I love being in that energy. I am currently wrapping up a 16 week online course called “The Blueprint to Profits” which will take attendees through sessions that discuss “the best business entity for their business, how to set up an efficient accounting system, tax strategies and business deductions, understanding payroll vs contracted workers, and more. The course will launch August 1st and I will be hosting live sessions during the course for Q&A. I am truly excited to share this information. If you are interested please visit www.theprofit-ista.com

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Reputation is the most valuable asset to your business, especially in the financial arena. I built my reputation early on by being authentic, showing integrity and a strong work ethic (i.e. being timely, valuing my clients, and admitting and resolving mistakes when made). Being consistent and treating all your clients the same goes a long way.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My best source of new clients has been client referrals, I have been fortunate to have great clients that have referred their friends and family to me for services over the years. I like this approach because the circle just continues to grow. I have met clients through marketing promotions, and speaking engagements however the percentage of those potential clients that follow through has been about 70%.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theprofit-ista.com
• Instagram: theprofitista
• Facebook: theprofitista
• Linkedin: Nicole Freeman-Kirkland

Image Credits
Nick Nelson Brandprenuer and Angelia Malbrew Photography