Let's Talk Sales Tax - Man To You

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in tax but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with George Sleeman, Founder of Tax Man To You, LLC, located in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Tax Man To You, LLC specializes in a niche sub-category of the sales tax and eCommerce industry, wherein our primary focus is sales tax law compliance services. Together with my competent staff, we form a strong team of professionals whose collaborative skills provide a range of quality services, such as economic nexus studies, state registrations, state reports, and sales tax returns. Our customer base is rooted in online retail, both international and US domestic, as well as Colorado local retailers with or without an online presence.

Tell us about yourself

Tax Man To You, LLC began as a one-man mobile tax service, providing in-home income tax return services to the home-bound population of my local Colorado Springs community. In 2016, after many years of service in the income tax industry, I was approached by an established client about completing their sales tax return in another state. I provided that client with sales tax return services, and, in doing so, I discovered an under-serviced community of business owners who were faced with the challenge of running their businesses while simultaneously juggling the learning curve of interstate sales tax collection and reporting. Shortly after completing my first sales tax return, the Supreme Court ruled on the South Dakota v. Wayfair case, defining economic nexus determination criteria, and, as a result, more of my income tax clients sought sales tax services. So, I shifted gears from in-home income tax services to eCommerce sales tax law compliance services in an effort to meet this emerging need. Knowing that my skillful staff and I are providing business owners with services that free them up to focus on the expansion and success of their own endeavors is what motivates me to do what I do.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I value and prioritize my employees' personal and family well-being, and I have created and fostered a work environment that bridges the gap between their professional and personal lives. My employees are my family, and my greatest accomplishment is their continued professional growth and success, without requiring the sacrifice of their personal/family well-being.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

In the specific business of sales tax services, the most challenging effect is balancing the desire for my clients' businesses to thrive and, when their business activity surpasses the economic nexus threshold in a new state, delivering the difficult news that their success comes with the often costly requirement of complying with eCommerce sales tax laws. There comes a turning point for most of my clients, in which they must make the tough decision to press forward with the financial investment in national expansion and have faith that their business will continue on the trajectory of financial prosperity, such that the initial investment pays off. Though it is impossible to flawlessly predict the future success of our clients' nationwide revenue-generating activities, the services we provide protect our clients from the potential for legal and financial ramifications due to non-compliance with sales tax laws in eCommerce, and we take great care to address the individual needs of our clients and assist them in determining the best course of action for their optimal outcome.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Don't think working for yourself means less work than working for someone else.
2. Be prepared for an economic downturn. In other words, make sure you save when the times are good to make it through the hard times.
3. Surround yourself with high-quality people. Train each of them to do your job so that you can become obsolete and one day retire.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://taxmantoyou.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taxmantoyou
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taxmantoyou
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgesleeman/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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