Max Getz on Upholding your Reputation

Alana Muller:    Welcome to Enterprise.ing, a podcast from Enterprise Bank & Trust, that's empowering business leaders, one conversation at a time. We'll hear from different business leaders about how they've found success in cultivating their professional networks, and keeping them healthy and strong.
    I'm your host, Alana Muller, an entrepreneurial executive leader, whose primary focus is to connect, inspire, and empower community. We at Enterprise Bank and Trust thank you for tuning in to another episode.
    Hello, and welcome to another episode of Enterprise.ing Podcast. So glad to have you with us today. I'm so pleased to welcome Max Getz. Max is a CPA with the firm Casey LeSueur Getz. For more than 10 years, he has provided tax services to business owners, ranging in size from small businesses to multinational companies. Max, welcome to Enterprise.ing.

Max Getz:    Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Alana Muller:    Great to have you. I want you to start by telling our listeners about Casey LeSueur Getz CPAs, and the areas in which the firm focuses its work.

Max Getz:    Yeah, absolutely. So Casey LeSueur Getz CPAs is a firm designed to offer white glove services to business owners. So, when you become a business owner, you learn very quickly that there is a lot that goes into it, that maybe you didn't plan on when you started the business. And so, we try to be a full service accounting department for our clients. And so what that means is, it starts with bookkeeping and the actual accounting. Making sure their financials are accurate and useful, because if they're not accurate and you don't know how to read them, they're not very useful. And then, it goes into staying in compliance with tax laws. That can be sales tax, that can be income tax, that can be payroll taxes. Making sure that they're staying in compliance because it's much easier to stay in compliance than it is to get back into compliance. So, try to stay ahead of everything, keep them in good graces with the IRS and their states that they're operating in.
    Beyond that, once we take care of the basics, like the accounting and the taxes, keeping them in compliance, then we kind of go into our consulting, which is kind of making sure that they are operating their business in the most tax efficient way possible. So that's kind of looking at their entity type, that's looking into what they have going on personally from a financial standpoint, and from a business financial standpoint. And, seeing if there's any opportunities there to possibly save them tax.

Alana Muller:    One of the things that you said was the white glove service. And it sounds like, obviously, there are some expected services that you're providing as CPAs. But this white glove notion is kind of exactly what you're describing, right? Where it's, you go kind of a level beyond the consulting part.

Max Getz:    What I think is great about the services that we offer is, at other firms, you might go to them because you want to get tax advice, and you want to have your tax returns done by CPAs, and that's, I 100% agree with it. That's how I started my career, was doing that. What we've done is, we've taken CPAs that are very good at that, are very good at keeping you in compliance and very good at giving you tax advice. And we've incorporated the bookkeeping side, and the sales tax side, and the payroll side so that the bookkeeping doesn't get in the way of that high quality advice. Because, I can't give you high quality tax advice if I'm looking at financials that are incorrect.
    So we start by saying, "We're going to make sure your financials are 100% accurate, that we're capturing the reality of what's occurred in the business." And then I'm going to give you my advice based on that accurate information. Because, I'll be honest, in the past, I have seen books that were not accurate and I've tried to give tax advice on that. And then it comes time to do the tax return, and I am starting to notice that the client provided books are not accurate. And so the advice that I gave was not actually applicable to them. That's the last thing we want to happen. We want to rely on accurate financials.
    So, we start with highly qualified and competent bookkeepers in our office, that are going to keep you on track throughout the year. That's another aspect of it is, I don't want to know what happened after the year's ended. I want to know as the year's going, so that we can be proactive and make decisions based off of this year's income. And we're able to do that with our clients who have these accurate books, because we're seeing it each month as opposed to seeing it after the fact and trying to give you advice after the year's ended, because we're really limited if we wait until the year has ended in what we can do. Whereas, if we get ahead of it, there's a lot of options we can do, to save you taxes and give you advice that goes beyond the taxes.

Alana Muller:    Well, and it seems like you're getting your whole team engaged. So it's getting to know the client's books on an intimate basis, so that you can provide accurate, reliable information. And then again, go kind of another step beyond. So that's very cool. Kind of in that process, how do you actively manage your network?

Max Getz:    So, I think the first thing that I do to actively manage my network is make sure that I'm providing really good service to whoever I have as a client. Because, in my industry, your reputation is everything. And so it doesn't matter how great my network is, if I'm not providing good service that will get out to my network, and people won't be comfortable referring me work anymore. So it starts with keeping the promises that I make to potential clients.
    And then beyond that, there's things that I do to kind of keep my name out there and make sure that people know who I am. So, for starters, I am fairly active on Instagram. That's kind of the platform that I chose early in building my business. And so, I like Instagram because it allows me to kind of get my thoughts out there. Sometimes it's about accounting, sometimes it's about tax. And sometimes, it's just about small business or it's about just showing people who I am, just because I think that's important that you have a general idea of who you're working with so that you know what their values are, and see if that aligns with your values.
Alana Muller:    So when you're on Instagram, are you on as Max Getz? Are you on as a representative of the firm? How do you position yourself in social media?

Max Getz:    So, we do both. We have an account for the firm that's Instagram's handle, CLGCPAs, but I'm more active as myself, a partner in that firm on the account. It's MDGCPA. So my initials and CPA. And the reason that I'm more active on that one is because it really is, I'm just myself on there. I'm being very transparent about who I am, what I think about. A lot of the advice that I give on there is the advice that I would give to my mother, or it's the advice that I would give to a cousin who owns a business. It's very much anything that I post on there, that's tax related, it's I'm posting this because I think it could benefit somebody. And while my focus, most of the time is just on my clients, I also understand that I have this knowledge that can benefit lots of people, and more people than I have the time to actually sit down and do tax returns for.
    So, I see Instagram as a way for me to reach people and say, "Hey, have you considered this? And, whether you're a client of mine or not, this could benefit you. And if you have a CPA that's not me, maybe you just want to have this conversation with your CPA that you already trust, and that's perfectly fine."
    One of the things that I love about my job and I love about the state of Arizona is, the state of Arizona is very business friendly. And my job is servicing business owners. And so for me, I can look at a local Arizona business and even if I'm not affiliated with them, I can still be proud that they're in Arizona business, and that they're meeting their goals here in Arizona. And then, I am even obviously, more proud when I happen to be that business owner's tax preparer, or tax advisor, or accountant. It's really cool. That's what's rewarding about my job, is seeing people pursue their dreams and getting to watch them succeed. It's very rewarding to see people break the mold, provide a service to the population, and be rewarded for that. That's really cool. And then if I can play a small part

and make them more profitable, or make their life easier, then that's what I like about what I do.
Alana Muller:    Well. So, I mean, you're saying a lot related to how you connect with people, how you reach them. And that, you're using the social network through Instagram as a means of connecting with people, even beyond your immediate network. People who you may not ever meet one on one, but you're showing an accurate and authentic reflection of who you are, and who your firm is by sharing that information and advice. And, because of the state in which you operate, you're able to do that really seamlessly. So great, great idea to leverage social media for good and not bad. I think so many people struggle with, how do you make this relevant? How do you incorporate a business element to social media that truly is beneficial to all parties? So bravo. Very, very neat.

Max Getz:    It's interesting, because given what's occurred in the past couple years, some people aren't comfortable meeting in person. I think business owners in general, have had to become or adapt to this new environment. And so, I was pretty lucky in that I started doing this prior to COVID happening. I started kind of reaching out, because I think the young business owners, they're used to doing things online. And so I figured, well Instagram, I can start talking to business owners right away. And it obviously worked out really well for me using this platform. And there's a lot of people that I feel like I know them really well, just because of what I've done, how I've interacted with them online. And it's been great for my business and great for their businesses. But it's occasionally, I'll just think like, "Oh, I've actually never met this person in real life, but I feel like I've known them for years."

Alana Muller:    Well, and essentially you're making these connections mutually beneficial. Even if you don't have a direct personal connection with them, you're establishing a connection. And, over time, that counts as a touchpoint. Maybe there will be opportunities in the future. Do you think that you've been able to land any new clients or perspective clients, as a result of your presence on social media? On Instagram specifically?

Max Getz:    Absolutely. I would say half of my growth has come indirectly from social media, and that's largely interacting with other professionals on the platform. I think it's because at some point, I became very comfortable being myself online. And I think given what I do, people need to be comfortable with who they're dealing with. And at some point, I got to a point where I said, "I can blend Instagram, the presentation I give, I can blend it between, here's information and then here's me." And so some days I might be posting strictly tax information or accounting information. Another day I might be saying, "Here's what I love about Arizona here. Here's what I got to enjoy this weekend," and just kind of say, "You can get to know me," because you can get to know me without having to book a meeting with me and come into my office.
    I think, I'll speak for myself. When I'm looking to engage the services of another professional that I've never met, before I invest an hour in the time to drive, to see them, I kind of stalk them online to a degree. I kind of want to get an idea of who they are before I commit that, my time. And I think a lot of people do that with me as well. I think in giving them the Instagram platform is a way for them to. They can follow me, see if they like what I'm saying, see if what I'm saying resonates with them or applies to what they're doing. They can hear me talk. They can hear the way I think through problems. And, if it's a good fit, they have a general idea that they want to work with me before they have to spend the hour of their life meeting with me and talking with me.

Alana Muller:    Well, what you're reminding us of is that the internet is forever. So convey the persona or the person that you want to be known as, right? This is about personal branding as much as it is connecting with other people. Right? So, that's exactly what you described. Very, very good. I know your focus is on helping business owners to meet their tax and accounting requirements while building wealth in a tax efficient manner. How has this approach shaped the way that you build relationships in the community? Is there something unique or special that you're doing, because of the nature of the work specifically?
Max Getz:    So, given what I do and the people that I work with, it's become fun for me to see the success of small business owners and local business owners, not necessarily just small business owners. And so for me it's, sometimes it's spotlighting a local business. Sometimes it's just rooting on other businesses. Again, it goes back to what I find value in. The service that I provide is helping business owners be successful in the business that they chose to do for their lives. And I take that extremely when a business owner trusts me with their financial life, a part of their financial life. I take it very seriously, because that's what they do for a living. That's how they feed their kids. That's how they keep a roof over their head. So for me, it's like rooting on your favorite sports team.
    When I see a business owner having success, it's like watching my favorite sports team win a championship. And that's kind of, I would say, that's organically kind of become my brand is rooting on local businesses. When I post on Instagram, I'm often talking about how blessed I feel to live in Arizona, surrounded by this business owners, because we're in a business friendly state. So we get to live in a state where people can try out their businesses and have success. And so, watching these business owners grow a business and be successful here in Arizona. For me, it's just I'm counting my blessings to live here. I'll put it that way. And I generally think the people that are successful in life in general, are the people that count their blessings or are grateful and see the opportunities. And so, I try to have that positivity in my Instagram feed, just saying, "Arizona's a great state. I moved here from California, and I think it was one of the best decisions I've made, career and family-wise, is to move my family out here."

Alana Muller:    I think, conveying those gratitude moments, those acknowledging what you have, I just think that's great for everyone, right? It makes people feel good. It's a virtuous cycle and you can be kind of that cheerleader to encourage people onwards. So, what a great idea.

Max Getz:    In my industry, being the tax accountant, that's the main job as the tax accountant. Sometimes people don't want to talk to their tax accountant, because they're going to get bad news basically. You owe a lot of money. And so, I try to, I frame it basically as, "We are going to try and lower your taxes. The goal is for you to operate tax efficiently, but when you owe taxes, we're not going to present it as a terrible thing, because we live in a country where you pay taxes when you have income. So let's celebrate the success, but let's also prepare for the taxes that result from your success," so.

Alana Muller:    Well, you're making it possible for people to operate. I mean, this is part of the cost of doing business, right? We're all doing that. And you're doing it in a way that says, "Okay, yeah, we know you don't want to give away all of your money. So, let's figure out what you have to give away, and what taxes you have to pay, and do it in a way that allows you to continue to operate."

Max Getz:    Exactly, let's pay as low as you're legally required. But beyond that, let's be happy that we were successful enough to generate a taxable income.

Alana Muller:    What advice would you share with someone who wants to grow or cultivate their own professional network?

Max Getz:    Figure out how you can add value. I think, all the great people that I have had the opportunity to meet and network with, that would've all been for naught if I didn't have a valuable service that I was offering. So, I started by developing this marketable skill. You know, I worked for years under very good CPAs and took skills from them, watched how they provided valuable services to their clients. I did the schooling, I got the certification so that I could add value to these business owners. And then when the opportunities arised, I was ready for them. So start by making yourself valuable. And, when you do add value, and you provide services, and you treat your clients well, more opportunities will come. Because unfortunately, not every person in your industry, whatever your industry is, not everyone's providing the greatest service.
    So when for myself, when I meet say, an attorney who does provides really good service, I'm going to remember that they treated my client well. So when the next client needs help, I'm going to go back to that attorney. Whereas, if that attorney did a really poor job, I'm not going to be anxious to send them more work. So I would say, figure out how to serve people well and provide a valuable service.

Alana Muller:    Well, and so to that end, can you talk about an interaction that you've had with someone that resulted in a breakthrough, either for you professionally or personally?

Max Getz:    So, I think back to about six years ago, I was living in California. A long time friend of mine, who's significantly older than me, has had success in business. They were more of a financial advisor/business manager, and they took me out to lunch and they said, "Hey, I need a CPA to take care of my clients that I can trust, that will treat them right." And I said, "Well, great. I'll introduce you to my boss. We'll bring you in. We'll take care of you." And my friend said, "No, Max, I want to benefit you. I want you to take the next steps. You need to be thinking about building your own practice." And, that stuck out to me as like, "Okay, you need to stop thinking as an employee and start thinking as a capitalist or as a business owner." And say, "Well, yeah, I've spent the past 10 years cultivating these skills. I can now provide a good service to these clients. Why should I constantly be passing that on to the people that I work for? Maybe I should be thinking about this as my own business."
    And so, having a friend that I trusted who has had success, who knew me, look at me and say like, "You have this good service. It's valuable. You should be offering this." That was a big breakthrough for me. And that kind of helped me take the step from being an employee to say, "You know what? I can be a business owner myself." And, even at that time, I enjoyed working with business owners who were doing things on their own. So for me, it was like a light bulb clicked. Like, "No, I should be doing this as well."

Alana Muller:    Isn't it amazing that all it took was somebody saying, "Think bigger, dream bigger." And essentially, maybe he didn't use these words, but he basically said, "I believe in you." And maybe, not to say that you didn't believe in yourself or you didn't think you could do it, but had you been thinking about going out on your own, or creating something bigger than what you were presently experiencing when you had this conversation?

Max Getz:    So at that time, I think, so I was working at a large firm and my goal was to work my way up the firm. And, in 10 years from then, I was going to hopefully make partner. And it just dawned on me when he spoke to me like that. It was like, "You don't need to wait for someone to give you permission." Like, "You've developed these skills. You can offer them to the public." And that's actually what I did. I started working, serving his clients and started building my own book of business. And I'm obviously glad I did. It's led to a lot of great opportunities, and I've been blessed to have a lot of mentors along my journey. I've worked for some great CPAs. My partner now, T.J. Casey, was a great mentor for me. And, I got to watch how he does things and the service that he provides his clients, and the values that he has.
    And so, it was really easy for me to model my practice after what he had done. So for me, now that I've had this success, I look at the next generation of accountants that are coming out of school. And, I speak to them differently than how I would have five years ago, because five years ago, I would've been teaching them how to get promotions and move up. And now, I speak to them differently and kind of say like, "Here's the economics of the business." And I tell them, "If you keep on pursuing this, and you keep on getting your education, and get your licensing, and you've learned how to provide the skill, the market values it. So, you can offer this to the market and have success for yourself."

Alana Muller:    Oh, I just think that's a great ... I mean, I'm a big proponent of the entrepreneurial mindset and that's essentially what you're describing. Even whether it's your own firm or not, it's that notion of dream bigger, create a movement, get people on board, provide value, and ask, "What can I do to be helpful?" And that's exactly what you did. So great, great story. I always have to end with just a fun question and it is this. If you could meet with anyone, say, go out for a cup of coffee, who would you want to meet and why? And, to me, it doesn't matter if it's fictional, non-fictional, living, not living. You tell me, who would you meet with and why?

Max Getz:    So I love to play golf. That's what I do in my free time. And I also love standup comedy. So, one of my favorite comedians is Nate Bargatze, and he's a big golfer. And so, if I could play around a golf with him, I think that would be a very fun four hours. So that would be my choice.

Alana Muller:    So, I don't know Nate Bargatze. Where does one go to learn about this guy?

Max Getz:    He's got a couple of specials on Netflix. I think his latest one was called The Greatest Average American. Very funny, clean comedian. You can watch him with your kids. I have three young kids, so I don't have to worry about what he says, I can put him on, even when they're in the room. So yeah, he is very, very good, wholesome comedy. And, just being a golfer, I just, I would rather be golfing than sitting in a room with somebody. So I would say, anybody that I can go golf with and keep me entertained, that sounds like a good time.
Alana Muller:    Well, Max Getz, I have loved having you on Enterprise.ing. Where can our listeners go to learn more about you, and about Casey LeSueur Getz CPAs?

Max Getz:    So you can go to our firm website, that's clgcpas.com, or you can follow me on Instagram. You can get to know me on there @MDGCPA.
Alana Muller:    Excellent. Max Getz, thanks so much for being on Enterprise.ing today.

Max Getz:    Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Alana Muller:    Thanks for joining us this week on Enterprise.ing. Be sure to visit our website enterprisebank.com/podcast to subscribe, so you'll never miss an episode. If you found value in today's program, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or telling a friend about us. Enterprise.ing, powering business leaders, one conversation at a time.
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