Transition

For the first time in many years when 2008 started I was not the owner of my own business. On 1-1-2008 I transferred my CPA practice to two CPA friends that will take over my clients. I will work part-time for them. It will be a change for me to work for someone, it isn't something I'm used to. I've owned my own CPA practice, that I started when I couldn't find a job, for over twenty years. Going from working more than 70 hours a week to maybe 30 hours a week will be an adjustment but will leave me more time to work on other things like life.

Google my name you will find one hit. You will find several William Dahn's but they aren't me. The only hit is a donation to the OSCPA education fund. Google my clients you will find numerous hits. That is the way it should be. When dealing with clients' financial records (and personal records) it is best to keep a low profile and to help the clients flourish.

Many say being a CPA is boring but that is because they really don't know all that we do. Plus I have a really strong connection to my clients who feel comfortable enough with me to tell me everything about them and do. I've been through births, deaths, murders, sucides, arrests, arrests of their children, successes, failures, divorces, marriages, counseling, separations, job changes, career changes, new businesses with them. Each person is unique. Each person teaches me something. I hope that I have taught each of them something.

During my years in the business I have caught cheaters, embezzlers, and loan sharks. I've met movie stars. Had a client win the lottery. Been threatened by a member of a small mafia. I've testified as an expert witness in many trials. Been called as a character witness in other trials. Counted houses so that we could verify that the inventory of a developer was correct. Drank beer on New Year's Eve to test inventory of a brewer. They had these big bats which could have had nothing in them but water, we had to taste a sample of the bats to make sure beer was really in them.
I have several other unusual storys. I am going to share a few of them today.

I've never been rich and most likely never will be but I've helped three people that I know reach that lofy status. When I met Jon he was working out of the trunk of his car selling advertising space on radio stations. He now owns an advertising agency, a holding company, twelve fast food restaurants in California, one in Oregon and five in Washington. He is a great guy and I admire him for coming so far. Dave was fired unfairly from a job then took a chance with a loan from a bank and bought three companies. Two of those companies are now worth two million each. The third is improving. Then there is Al who started a convenience store on money he put on a credit card. He just sold his business last month for a bundle. He will never have to worry again. I'm proud to call Jon, Dave, and Al friends.

Another story is one that just tugs at your heart. I was reminded of this story when last week I read a book and one of the authors told the story of how after fourteen years of marriage she didn't even know how to open a bank account. Just broke my heart reading that. I wish that was unusual but it isn't. My client, Betty, changed my company policy. Her husband was a honcho at a major university, the next day a story was going to come out in the local paper revealing an affair that he was having. He just couldn't handle the news that was to come out and committed suicide that night. Betty was referred to me by a long-time client. When she came to me she didn't even now how to write a check. Didn't know how to make a bank deposit. I spent a lot of free time teaching her the inner workings of finances, the simple things, the how tos, and how to organize for her tax return to be prepared. It took a few rewarding weeks. She became my most organized client. She went on to raise two children who both became college graduates. I looked forward to seeing her every year. After the experience with Betty I changed my policy. I would no longer accept as clients men that wouldn't bring in their wifes into their annual interview nor women that wouldn't bring in their husbands. If my married clients didn't want to do their tax return as a couple I wasn't the CPA for them. It was fun watching the change in them many stating that they looked forward to having their tax return done because it was a date night and they often went to a movie or dinner afterward. I was also comfortable that they both knew what to do if something happened to the other.

The lottery winner? She won by accident. She was a clerk at a store when a man came in and ordered a one dollar Oregon Megabucks ticket. It was an unusual request as most tickets were sold in two dollar blocks. The clerk hit the wrong button and printed out a two dollar ticket. The customer went balistic. Because lottery tickets can't be voided she had to buy the two dollar ticket herself and print a one dollar ticket for the customer. I'm sure the customer had a heart attack when the article in the paper came out the next day about a clerk that had won 2.6 million dollars with a lottery ticket that that customer refused. Poetic justice was alive and well.

In the words of Nancy Kerrigan, "Why Me." This is a why me story. One of those married couples that were coming into their appointment together were having marital trouble. Their marriage counselor suggested a three month trial seperation where they could not contact each other. He felt that if they spent some time apart they would appreciate the time they had together more. As part of that separation they had to choose someone they both trusted to communicate through for things that needed immediate attention. Yup I was the one they chose. It wasn't the most fun thing I've ever done but both the marriage and I survived.

The mafia threat? A client was arrested for trading in a rare breed of animal that was a protected species. She was the one arrested because she was the easiest one to find. They gave her a thirty month jail sentence and six months monitoring. They wouldn't have given her jail time if she would have finked on the others involved in the trading. She didn't. She legally changed her name and moved to parts unknown to avoid the threats she was getting. Someone assumed I knew where she was when I didn't. I didn't feel the threat I received was real so ignored it. Nothing ever came of it so I'm was probably right. My will and trust are up to date though.

Just a normal life of a CPA. One of these future days I will tell you what I will be doing with my new free time.