Today we’d like to introduce you to Hugo Rodriguez.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Hugo. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My business originated from an accident. I was 21. That year when I received my W2’s, I decided to file my return with over the counter tax software. To recover the filing fee, I asked a friend if I could do his return. By the end of the season, I had successfully filed about ten returns. The following year, I began taking accounting courses, and I continued to grow my client base. The third year most of my clients were coming from my day job as a personal banker. By year five, I surpassed the 500 client mark.
Currently, I focus on growing the accounting and payroll aspect of my business. I’m also in the real estate industry as an investor/landlord. I do this during my off season.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Operating a business has been a continuous challenge. The greatest obstacle that I faced was leaving the comfort of having a guaranteed paycheck and working in a highly structured environment for running a business and have no guarantee of success.
It’s difficult to have a work life balance. I also have to make myself available to my clients.
Risking my life savings into real estate was also very difficult to bear.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Verus Tax Service story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a tax accountant. In the fall will take the third and last Enrolled Agent exam from the IRS this year to earn my license to represent individuals before the IRS.
I specialize in individual and small business taxes. I also work on the accounting books and payroll of the businesses who I file taxes for.
I am proud of my business because I know how much effort it has taken to build it. During this process, I know that my character has grown with it. I think that I stand out from my competitors because I focus on building relationships with my clients. I also take my time with each client. This is rare in my community since most of my competitors focus on creating a production line-type service. Their focus is numbers not people. However, you accomplish both simultaneously.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has definitely played a role in my business. However, I think it was mostly the result of being at the right place, right time, and have the right preparation for these opportunities that arose. I was very lucky to be able to work at a bank and be able to market to existing clients of mine from the bank.
For Real Estate, I was very lucky to have been part of the greatest real estate crash which allowed me to buy properties at ridiculously low prices. All of this was possible because I had saved during my earlier years and because I had read extensively into real estate before I was ever able to make my first investment.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.VERUSTAX.COM
- Phone: 312-231-3797
- Email: hugo@verustax.com
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/verustax/#_=_
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?ei=dV5WW_esOJ2jjwSo8rHYCg&q=VERUS+TAX+&oq=VERUS+TAX+&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0j0i22i30k1l2.4561.4561.0.4807.1.1.0.0.0.0.110.110.0j1.1.0….0…1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.108….0.shIVfMFPm8Y
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