Earlier this year SJG decided to “reinvest” in ourselves and hire business coach Sue Groszkiewicz of Accountable for Change who specializes in working with accounting firms. Overall this has been a tremendous experience for our staff and has led to some of the operational efficiency improvements we so often encourage from our clients.
Among the great things Sue has done was to nominate us for the GNFCC Women In Business Award this past spring. Although we didn’t win, her application for Stacey was so stellar that we felt obliged to share her “testimonial” with our clients and friends.
Upon first meeting Stacey, it was clear she is a “fireball,” a force to be reckoned with and someone to pay close attention to, especially if you are a business owner seeking financial and business advice. Stacey just celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of S.J. Gorowitz Accounting & Tax Services (SJG), a remarkable feat that is accentuated by the fact that she guided her firm through the 2008 global financial crisis.
Stacey has made quite an impact in the workplace and the community in the 25 years since establishing SJG. Some notable items Stacey has accomplished:
- Servicing clients and their business who have generated more than $1 billion in revenues
- Aiding in the formation of more than 200 new businesses
- Completing the Philanthropic Advisory Leadership Institute (PALI) class
- Assisting more than 1,475 small businesses
- Providing development opportunities for staff to move up the ranks and providing an education incentive program. Assisting employees with degrees and certifications
Stacey is a quick thinker with a prominent self-assurance that embodies trust. While Stacey is in the accounting and tax business, her expertise is that of a seasoned business owner open to sharing her success and failures with whomever she meets.
She is an avid learner and planner. She implements ideas and practices in her firm before applying them in a client setting. She understands what it takes to run a business. Stacey’s been in the trenches. She knows the challenges her clients face. To accelerate her learning, Stacey is keen on establishing barriers for herself. Think of them as high jumps in track and field. It’s what Stacey does so well… and the example she sets – a very high bar indeed. Planning is her best friend, all part of her endurance race, one step at a time. Her planning is aligned with her vision as part of her overall strategic plan.
Since meeting Stacey, I have observed her passion to excel in her craft. And that passion extends to her staff – she encourages them to be their best. She has set in motion a high level, business skill development program for her firm administrator. While they’ve worked together for 13 years, Stacey believed her firm administrator would enjoy the program, so she extended the opportunity.
Stacey has an all-female staff and empowers them, too. An example includes asking them to set their schedule from a “what’s best for you” perspective. That’s highly unusual and it works well. She’s open to testing new ideas and assimilating what works best – it’s her way of being innovative.
In a recent conversation, I asked her what made her clients the best. Her response was, “they call me before they make a key decision.” Stacey has established a well-known brand by being involved and caring about the community where she lives and works.
Stacey is committed to being the CPA firm that is ‘Just the Right Fit.’ She has prides herself on being the right size with consistent teams, having a view toward long-term relationships with her clients and offering customized solutions.
