Apex CPAs & Consultants Shares Lessons Learned as Firm Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary
ST. CHARLES, Ill. (PRWEB) October 30, 2018 -- As Apex celebrates 20 years in business, founder Jim Chakires offers his insights on what it takes to keep a small business alive and growing in the central Fox Valley.
From its beginning in 1998, Apex has been an innovative accounting, advisory and tax services firm that focuses on helping business owners achieve their personal goals in life through the financial success of their company.
Over the past 20 years, Chakires has led the company through several stages of change and growth. He credits three factors for the success of Apex as a firm as well as his own personal growth, the first being “What if?” questions that keep a business owner looking forward and thinking about new opportunities.
“Before I even started Apex in 1998, the question was, ‘What if I could make it on my own? Later, as both our client base and our staff expanded, the question became, ‘What if I surrounded myself with people empowered to lead the business forward?”
“What if?” questions led to several big changes for Apex during its 20th anniversary year:
• Significant organic growth resulting from both new client acquisitions and expansion of relationships with existing clients.
• The doubling of staff to 16 employees, making Apex the largest CPA firm headquartered in the Tri-Cities.
• The merging of Morrison & Associates of St. Charles into the Apex organization.
• The introduction of a new strategic approach, termed Kairos, to help clients accelerate business growth.
Let Go to Grow
A second critical factor in Apex’s success has been Chakires’s willingness to change his role in the company. “I would never have grown Apex had I, the business owner, continued to do everything.”
In fact, one of the consulting services that Apex provides is showing business owners how they can delegate or outsource some of their day-to-day operational tasks, allowing the business owner to spend more time on strategy and things they enjoy doing most. “Empowering others accelerates growth. Here’s why. The strengths that got a business owner to today are not the same strengths that will get you to the next growth stage. There’s a point where company needs outgrow the owner’s individual strengths. If you want to take your company to the next level, you need the strengths of others to get there.”
Your Business Success Depends on Your Client’s Success
But to Chakires and his staff, the third critical factor in Apex’s success—and the most important-- is client satisfaction. “We are professional problem solvers and are relentlessly committed to our client’s success,” said Chakires.” Apex Partner Bill Morrison affirms, “It is our job to help our clients prosper.”
As Apex enters its next decade of service, Charkires offers one final point of advice to small business owners: “Have a comprehensive business strategy that will give your business a significant edge over your competition. So choose external partners who provide are not only experts in their field, such as tax and accounting, but are also innovative and strategic thinkers.”
About Apex
Apex CPAs & Consultants, Inc., is an innovative accounting, advisory and tax services firm focused on helping growth minded business owners achieve their life’s goals through the success of their company. As member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society, Apex undergoes a voluntary peer review every three years and has received the highest rating issued under the program since the firm’s inception.
For more information, visit: https://www.apexcpas.com/
Follow Apex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/apex-cpas/
Marie Lazzara, JJR Marketing, +1 (630) 400-3361, [email protected]
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