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When I opened the door to my office yesterday morning the first thing I noticed was flowers.  Nancy, as she normally does, opened the office and on her way in she picked up some flowers for the office: a small plant for the reception area, one for Kerri’s desk and a small bouquet of red tulips for the conference room.  While this doesn’t sound like much it has a big impact on how the office looks and feels.  “Pride of ownership” maybe?  Esprit de corps?  Whatever you want to call it, it’s a sign that people are happy to work here.

When I opened my office at the end of July 1998 I didn’t want my suite to look like an “accountant’s” office.  You know…beige walls with stained wood trim and doors, brown carpeting, heavy and dark oak furniture, dark red leather bankers’ chairs.  Instead I chose bright colors, modern furniture and made a conscious effort to show that there is life here and we have a goal beyond the tired and overworked stale CPA image.  Still, with just me in the office little things like flowers went by the wayside as my attention was drawn elsewhere.  No longer!  I have been making big changes around here both with infrastructure and staff and these efforts are starting to gain traction.  Like spring flowers on a dreary winter day.

This was sort of a crazy week.  There is lots of “new” around here; new copier, new staff, newly filled offices, new organization, new greener philosophy, etc.  With all that newness comes conflict and misunderstanding since a few of the priorities bump into each other.  The ability to work through these things and land on your feet is a true talent and the office team was able to do just that.  Good show!

SO the big issue was tax organizers. Normally these are mailed to our clients about two weeks ago, but production delays (newness!) held things up.  On the other hand, 2009 1099 forms were completed this week and are already in the mail, those being about a week ahead of last year’s time line.  The upside of all this is that next year we are going to have all of this experience behind us and can avoid delays and move things through in a more efficient manner.  Two steps back for five forward!

The challenge now is to look for new clients to fit our recently uprated capacity.  That requires time at networking events, calling clients, being out and about.  It’s hard (emotionally) to fit that in with young kids at home that want their Daddies and Mommies though.  No pain, no gain is easy to live by at the gym, but when little kids are only little for a short time, it sure is difficult to pull away and hang out with cold eyed adults when I could be cuddling with the little ones.

All in all, this should be an interesting  tax season.  In the past I have done most of this on my own with a trusty assistant at the front desk - I am used to heavy lifting so at the very least I can do that again and pump in the full weeks of long hours, but with luck, skill and fingers crossed I’m hoping this season ends as it started with everyone working and learning and growing.

Today is a funny day, a pivot point between my personal life and my work life.  What’s the big deal with today?  January 15th is the due date for Q4 estimated tax payments.  While that’s not a major event on many calendars, for me it signals the true end of the holiday season and the beginning of tax season.

Right around today my office is sending out tax organizers to individual clients and to do lists for our business clients.  I may or may not have to work this Saturday depending on how much of a mess my office is and what is collecting dust on my “must do” shelf.  I’m still undecided about this Saturday but a couple of hours behind my desk wouldn’t hurt.

What does hurt is the reaction I receive when the kids see me heading off to work on what’s otherwise a “fun” day.  Just the other day when I came home a little later than normal my son asked, “Daddy, is it tax season already?”.  Little dude broke my heart.  He is 5 and already knows that tax season means he and his sister are children of a single parent until April 15th.

This year should be different though.  I’ve hired a CPA to help with production and I’ve replaced my admin with a more focused person who is very organized and interested in making changes around here.  I do anticipate a difficulty delegating work to them.  I haven’t had to work with a team in 13 years.