Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about your company.
Drew Aguilar: We do around 1,300 tax returns 400 business and trust returns, 900 individuals. We love to help clients with the bookkeeping process payroll, bill paying, full service or after the fact. We have four full-time staff and three to four part-timers ... and growing. We love technology the newest ways of processing. We do compiled and reviewed financials statements and homeowner association audits.
NNBW: What role do you play in the company?
Aguilar: Give love to our clients and save them money. I help clients be more effective. Train our team to do same.
NNBW: How did you get into this profession?
Aguilar: I was selling life insurance and investments to a Napa CPA. He said I knew more about income taxes than most of the CPAs in the area, so I jumped at the opportunity. It's been a great decision.
NNBW: What does a person need to succeed in this job?
Aguilar: Provide clients value and look for ways to save or make the client more money. Never-ending quest for knowledge.
NNBW: If you could have had any other profession what would it have been? Why wasn't it your first choice?
Aguilar: NBA ... couldn't jump over two Snickers bars. I do like coaching. I coached high school basketball boys, then girls beginning in the 1970s thru various stints until 2003. (This was in spare time as "off campus" coach)
NNBW: What are some of the important trends you see in your industry?
Aguilar: I think the small business accountant will get more involved in their client's bookkeeping and operations as technology allows easier communication and real time access to QuickBooks and other financial documents. We look to be the outsourced controller of more and more companies.
NNBW: What do you like to do when you're not working?
Aguilar: Charleen and I love to hike the Pinenuts, Faye Luther trail, etc. I do a bunch of volunteer stuff as I serve on several boards Austin Kirby Foundation, Douglas County Debt Commission, Carson Valley Boys and Girls Club has "Flight for Kids" barbecue and night of comedy, coming on Aug. 20 at the Minden Airport. (Call me for tickets.) Carson Valley Medical Center Hospital Foundation has the Fall Classic Golf Tournament and Oktoberfest on Sept. 16. (Call me for info.) I've been a volunteer standard bearer at the Celebrity Golf event for six years. I golf with clients and friends. I belong to the service club Sertoma and run the beer wagon for their various events. I'm a member of the Business Council of Douglas County. I think this volunteer stuff fills in for my coaching mojo.
NNBW: Have any advice for someone who wants to enter your profession?
Aguilar: Love what you do.
NNBW: Would you rather be younger, thinner, richer or smarter? Why?
Aguilar: Smarter. It's more important in the journey. Although, the journey will be longer if I'm thinner.
NNBW: What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Aguilar: Go with your gut. This was ongoing lesson from a client and dear friend in Napa, Chuck Sims. We did a bunch of bankruptcy trust accounting for Chuck in the late 1980s, early 1990s. It was high powered stuff and was a great learning experience. Chuck always wanted to know what you thought about certain situations/problems. He passed away a couple years after I moved up here.
NNBW: What are five things you can't live without?
Aguilar: Family, health, work, books and volunteering.
NNBW: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why would you want it?
Aguilar: Flight.
NNBW: What does the content of your refrigerator say about you?
Aguilar: Keep it simple, stupid.
The basics:
Name: Drew Aguilar, CPA, owner of Carson Valley Accounting
How long have you been in this job? Bought this practice in 2004 and moved here from Napa
How long in the profession? 23 years
Education: Bachelor of science degree in business administration, accounting
Best book you've read? Can't decide ... currently reading Atlas Shrugged
What's on your iPod? I'm more of a Kindle guy - music is via Pandora - Lyle Lovett channel
The best movie ever? "Young Frankenstein," "It's a Wonderful Life," "Groundhog Day" or "Die Hard."
Spouse, kids or pets? Charleen, married 30 years. Matt is 25, Diane is 27. Bernese Mountain Dog is our kid at home now.
