Owner Spotlight: John P. Jones

I’m John Jones, proud owner of John P. Jones Inc.

I look forward to sharing my story. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know me better.

Once I finished college, I tried other lines of work like reporting and public relations, but there was no satisfaction. I was then inspired by some friends who were CPAs to consider accounting. So I returned to college and found I liked accounting and was impressed by the entrepreneurial nature of public accounting. I also like the personal relationships with clients which you don’t get on the corporate side.

Back in 1984, when I started public accounting, fax machines were the “in-thing,” and there were no PCs, internet, email or electronically filed tax returns. Work is so much more pleasurable now with technology, and communications and accountants are much more productive too.

In the accounting world, you are dealing with some of the most consequential issues of a person’s life. Whether someone should start a business or how they should prepare for retirement are some matters accountants are consulted on.

My practice has been based on forthright communication with my clients. When that is established, I can more quickly identify problems and spot opportunities and identify their concerns. Anyone in business gets satisfaction out of solving a client’s problems; I am no different! The most gratifying thing for me is when a client tells me they place their trust in me to get the job done.

I focus on honestly describing what I can and cannot do to help people. I try to see whether a client and I are a good match and if the client is not, I assist them in finding another resource. I believe that the mutual trust between myself and my clients has helped me achieve success.

While I have had a lot of satisfying moments in business, one of the most satisfying was helping an elderly couple reach an offer in compromise with the IRS. The husband had Parkinson’s disease and little income to pay off the debt, but we successfully managed to reach a compromise.

When I am not at work, I am an officer at a local Toastmasters’ chapter which is a lot of fun. I am also involved with the Six Corners Association which is seeking to help revitalize a neighborhood that is coming back after decades of blight, and the Association has made a lot of progress.

I am also on the board of the Venture Hub, a small business incubator that helps entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities. In addition, ever since the Great Recession, small businesses have had difficulty raising money even though the economy has recovered. I see locally based equity crowd fundraising as a way to address this issue. The business appeals to its best customers and biggest fans for support.

I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things which matter to me and how they influence the way I do business.

If you or someone you know could benefit from our expertise in tax preparation and planning, I invite you to get in touch. Please visit our website at www.jpjaccounting.net.

Sincerely,

John