Roger Pearson

President

I like the fact that your podcast is more a conversation than a list of questions. I think the best guest spots I've had is when we go 'off script'. With over five decades of deciding what I don't want to do, and being downsized three times in the 90's, it's been quite a journey to find myself where I am today.

I believe that running your own business is probably one of the most satisfying thing a person can do. Unfortunately, our current school structures (including most colleges) simply don't teach this subject. That is what I am trying to rectify. We have opportunities pass our way throughout our lives and it is the person that knows the foundational aspects of business that will recognize them and know how to take advantage of them.

As for backstory, I’ve been building or managing businesses for over fifty years, but for the last two decades+ as a Master Tax Advisor/IRS Enrolled Agent, I’ve also been preparing taxes commercially - specializing in small business taxes. During this time I have watched people lose thousands of dollars needlessly and I decided to try and do something about it. I started by writing a nine part basic business course - which I called the Foundation Series - and posted it for free on my corporate website. And while it gives a great overview of what a small business person need to know, it didn't get into the nitty-gritty of what it takes to build a solid foundation under your business. So, last year I wrote and video taped a complete college level on-line course on the three inter-connected things a business person needs to know: legal formats, paperwork requirements, and taxation. I back up that knowledge by working with my students on implementing these concepts in their personal situation.

Now, I often hear small business people say that they don’t need to learn all these things because they can just hire a CPA, accountant or tax preparer to take care of it. And at some point, you will need to bring one or more of these professionals on your team. BUT, how do you know they are doing what is best for YOUR business? If you hire the wrong person, it could cost you thousands of dollars and the only way to prevent that is to educate yourself so you can interview and hire the right one.

I think that correcting the mistakes of others is probably what has inspired me the most to spend the hundreds of hours necessary to create the tools so others may learn what they need to know to build a truly successful business.

I have found that starting out in the business world we tend to measure success by the amount of profit we make, but I've gotten to the point in life where my definition of success is how many lives I've improved - thus my mission of creating educational media that every entrepreneur needs to know, but nobody wants to learn (which does make it a challenge).