Early in his accounting career, Skip Tenney was working for Peat Marwick International, one of the largest accounting firms in the world at the time.  During his time at the firm, he gained experience in many different parts of the business, from auditing to consulting, tax to business valuation.  As his family grew, Skip wanted less late hours and less time on the road, hence the shifting to different departments within the company.  “That was a great job,” Skip said.  “They treated me like royalty.  Anything I asked for, I got, including changing assignments.”  But this varied background at a major accounting firm also gave Skip a very full understanding of accounting on many levels.  When Pete Marwick and KMG were planning to merge into KPMG, Skip learned that his direct manager was starting to look for other jobs (unsure of what the merger may mean for him).  As a result, Skip decided he would open his own practice, and Harrison Tenney & Associates was born.

Oddly enough, Skip’s manager ended up staying with KPMG for several years, and when Skip’s former clients would call into their office asking for Skip, the manager would let them know that he had started his own firm.  This greatly helped Skip build his client base early on.  And not surprisingly, as the practice continued to grow, acquisition through referrals consistently remained their best form of growth.

Skip realizes that his practice (and the way he works with clients) may not work for everyone.  The first step he takes when speaking to a prospective client is to have them come to his office for a free consultation.  During this meeting, Skip goes through the prospective client’s tax documents, gives recommendations of what he would do (that the previous CPA may have done differently), and determines the type of work required to service this client.  This meeting also helps him estimate the fee structure.  But before everything is contractually agreed to, Skip offers the prospective client a trial month to get a better idea of the full scope of the work, create a more finalized quote, and determine if this will be a good fit for both sides.

When looking at the services provided by Harrison Tenney & Associates, clients will often find out how knowledgeable Skip is in the field of accounting very quickly.  His extensive background equipped him with the skills to handle virtually any situation a client may face.  This includes working with clients in different countries, learning/understanding the different tax rules/codes that apply in those countries, and knowing how to then file it all accurately in the United States.  Regardless of the client’s particular situation, Skip prides himself on finding the best solution for them, which sometimes involves negotiating with the IRS.

The interesting thing about the field of accounting is that most clients do not understand all of the services a good accountant can provide.  For example, when a client’s family member passes away, Harrison Tenney & Associates can provide a final income tax return.  What most people don’t realize is that the deceased family member’s estate needs to continue to have income tax returns filed for it until the estate is distributed.  Skip can help a client in this situation determine the best way to proceed to limit their tax liability.  He also has relationships with professionals in other fields that he can direct his clients to if they need help with something he can’t handle.

As evidenced by the strong referral base of clients, as much as Skip loves accounting, what he really enjoys the most is interacting with his clients and knowing that he’s helping them.  Many people at this stage of their careers are contemplating retirement, but Skip has relationships with his clients that go beyond just merchant-to-customer.  “I like our clients and I feel like I have to continue on for them so they don’t have to find someone else.”  This is how you grow a client base worldwide.