We recently connected with Shackisha Clark and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shackisha, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

Regarding the most important lesson and experience I had in a job that has helped me in my professional career, my most recent venture is health and life insurance sales. I had my license in 2019, but I actively started to use my license to make sales in October 2021 when I got hired by an Affordable Care Act under 25 health insurance company for the state of New Jersey. This company is the largest health insurer in the state. I was brand new when I walked into this company while everyone else was experienced. I love a challenge so I decided to take a deep breath and decided my goal was to learn as much as God wants me to learn. Of course, money is always motivating but I learned long-term lessons. I learned the health insurance laws, security laws, and privacy laws. I gained a more business mindset to use in my own business. I also learned about having soft skills such as patience and detail-oriented. Teamwork is also very important.

As a tax professional, I learned the basics from one of the most established tax firms in the country. I also had great leadership during my two years working with other firms before starting my own firm. I learned tax law, privacy, and security law, and how to run a business.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I became a small business owner in the field of finances because I am committed to informing, helping, & educating others, especially the more vulnerable communities of individuals. I also enjoy the freedom that being self-employed gives me to enjoy my personal life & to lead. I realized that I am creating a difference in my family as far as education and becoming the first to accomplish many things including graduating from college with my Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. My goal is simply to help do my part in the world and act on my purpose by changing the minds and financial literacy of the people in my community. I was born in Jamaica and came from a poor community. I gravitated towards this field because I know I can make an impact and will continue to do so.

I am so proud of Lifetime Tax Professionals. I began my career in December 2017 & started this business at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020. I have served over 500 clients collectively over the past 8 years. L.T.P has served over 200 individuals & families over the past 4 years. We build our business by building rapport & gaining referrals from current clients. Our biggest accomplishments were serving the community, and volunteering to teach the children about taxes & finances, & we have been featured in 7 different magazine articles since 2020 and will be 8 including this one.

Lifetime Tax Professionals provide tax preparation, health insurance, life insurance, and business services as of October 2024.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my business was my faith in God in heaven and integrity. I believe honesty in your business and within yourself as a person will draw more people to you. Whether you are brutally honest or take a softer approach, integrity will take you a long way. When people feel like they can trust you and you have built a system within your business that reassures your clients they are in safe hands, your clientele will grow. Most businesses are built based on word-of-mouth referrals because your customer trusts you. Always lead with integrity.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me has been social media. Utilizing social media in a positive & informative way when you are providing a professional service is a must. Most of my clients came from social media and through referrals. Many clients can watch you to see how professional and knowledgeable you are about your product or service. You can also draw them into your personal world as well. Most people want to feel like they are a part of your world and business. Social media should be part of all business plans.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lifetimetaxprofessionals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifetime_tax_professionals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifetimeTaxProfessionals
• Linkedin: Lifetime-Tax-Professionals