Congratulations! Business is booming, sales have never been greater, and production has gone through the roof. Maybe you’ve hired more employees, or maybe you’ve had a breakthrough. But now, doing your own books is getting difficult or is preventing you from growing your business. Whatever the case may be, you realize now more than ever that you need an accountant. Enter Scott Brinser, founder and owner of Brinser Consulting. With over 25 years of experience in accounting, Scott’s journey into his own business wasn’t much different from other solo entrepreneurs. What started as helping only a few clients became a full-time venture and in some cases part time CFO for other small to mid-size businesses. In fact, Scott isn’t afraid to go above and beyond an accountant role. He often coaches businesses and even draft sales proposals. But taking that leap of faith didn’t come without challenges. In the first six months after Scott got started, his first client dropped off. And although Scott had started working with more clients by that point, it was a fresh reminder that marketing his business to more clients is just as important as helping them. That said, the biggest challenge has been overcoming client hesitancy on opening up their books. And rightly so. In a world where some people give accountants a bad name, building trust with clients is one of the most important roles Scott takes on. “[Whether business owners] are afraid, embarrassed, or ashamed, I’ve taken the mentality: You can’t scare me no matter how bad you think it is. It’s always fixable.” With a penchant for puzzles, Scott’s goal is to minimize the stress and worry by simplifying the back-end numbers. By doing so, they can become a tool for making better decisions, rather than a point of frustration. Even so, many people who recognize the benefits of an outsourced account fall into two traps. The first is that anyone can do bookkeeping, so business owners may hire a friend or relative over a stranger. The other misperception is that trustworthy bookkeepers must also be CPAs. Neither of which are true. In reality, just like hiring a professional to fix your car, past experience, access to resources, and quality of tools makes all the difference. The result? Better informed business decisions. And while CPAs can also do accounting, most small businesses don’t need many of the specialties CPAs offer, such as providing audited financial statements to investors. Bottomline: Scott’s advice to fellow entrepreneurs and business owners is to be fearless in asking questions. “There is so much more to running a business than being good at your craft. The more questions you ask, the earlier you can recognize how hiring an expert may help you.” To learn more about Scott and the services he offers, visit: brinserconsulting.com

Having something for everyone is a bold claim. Especially as a newcomer on the scene. And as a declared purveyor of healthy food, it can get even trickier. For Patrick Mika, Catering and Marketing Director for Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, healthy food for all is a welcome challenge. Initially driven by making people happy with cooking, Patrick had his sights on culinary school. Instead, he ended up going to business school and working at a local restaurant, Moe’s, as a way to earn extra money. It was here he realized being the best chef wasn’t the only way to make an impact, and found management to be his real strong suit. A short while later, the franchise owners that managed several different concepts of restaurants, including Moe’s, hired Patrick for their corporate entity. Ever since, he’s overseen the catering and marketing efforts for fifteen different restaurants across five different brands, including Mezeh. This experience helped inform many lessons on bringing healthy cuisine to the Northern Virginia area. Including catering to different diets. “We like to tell people that we have something for every pallet or dietary restriction. One of the things [we] didn’t realize is once we say [something like] gluten free, then we have people clamoring for more info on what’s in our food. And, rather than give a blanket answer and say we only respect vegetarians [for example], we run back to the research and development table and make recommendations based on their dietary needs.” Another big lesson for Patrick and the team at Mezeh is realizing every market is different. There is no universal truth to execute or pitfall to avoid. Different customers, perspectives, and obstacles have helped them grow from five locations to ten in the last year. And setup the first corporate office. To achieve this, taking feedback from guests and making incremental improvements has been instrumental. It’s part of why Mezeh is so passionate about getting involved with their local community and participating in fundraisers, kids’ soccer programs, and summer camps (to name just a few examples). Getting to know the local community is a major part of helping build it up and make it better. In fact, Patrick and the team are working on a scholarship program they hope to have ready by next summer. Long term, Mezeh has their sights on taking the world by storm! But first, Patrick hopes to see Mezeh through to their goal of a whopping 500 units nationwide. You can learn more about Mezeh, including food options, locations, and others services at: www.mezeh.com

Most people know, hiring a lawyer the day before trial doesn’t bode well. The same is true for event planning. In both instances, hiring a professional early on produces better results. Not only to build trust, but to benefit from the years of experience learned by the expert! For Edelina Rose, founder and owner of Event Details by Edelina, it is no different. With nearly twenty years in the event planning industry, Edelina started in 1999 interning for a local event planning company out of Fairfax. A few short years later, the owner decided to sell and left the remaining parts for Edelina. In 2003, Event Details by Edelina was born. Ever since, she has been on call late at night for reassurance, answering questions, and giving guidance to soon-to-be-brides, and more. For her, every event is personal. Especially weddings. Unlike most coordinators who direct and manage, Edelina takes pride in being a consultant that isn’t afraid to put in the work and get her hands dirty. Short a bartender? Down one server? No problem. As the demand for non-traditional weddings grows, so do the demands of non-traditional planning. For Edelina, this means having an on-hand team that works with her to get things from point A to point B. “It’s one thing to have everything you need [chairs, food, drinks, etc.], but who’s going to set it up? Two-hundred chairs is a lot [for one person].” It’s details like these that Edelina gets excited about seeing through. Even something just as simple as reminding upcoming newlyweds to get their rings cleaned the day before. Or having a few cars to stay behind to help clean up. All lessons learned from past events. In fact, it’s one of the many things Edelina loves about her work: learning something new. The melting pot of the NOVA/DC area lends itself to working with many different cultural nuances from wearing two dresses to helping introverts through the nightmare of center stage attention. That said, regardless of background, almost everyone forgets the total number of hours that actually go into a single event. This means finding a balance between cost and work load and factoring in unexpected “what-ifs”. In one such event, a torrential downpour required over two hundred chairs be moved under cover in minutes, which affected the entire run of events. Luckily, Edelina reworked and moved up cocktail hour. The result? Short of knowing that things were running behind due to weather, guests were dry and happily drinking. Edelina’s advice to entrepreneurs starting out? “[Running a business] really does take every bit of care, time, effort and everything else that you can think of to put into it. You really have to want it. [And that] requires effort.” You can learn more about Edelina and request a consultation at www.eventdetailsbyedelina.com

Too often we are told the odds are too great. Our best is not enough. Or that we’ll never be able to achieve our dreams. And yet, as entrepreneurs, we still look for what’s possible while the naysayers argue about what’s fair and what’s not. One need not look far on the Northern VA Advice Givers media site to find out that life is not fair. Everyone will face different obstacles, some more challenging than others. But, the WILL to succeed is a universal choice accessible to anyone. It’s one of many common threads among our interviewees. The fact is: the world is full of cynics. And no one knows this better than speaker, business consultant, and performance coach, Robert Moeller. Raised in New Jersey, Robert was “counted out” of success early on due to a learning disability. In fact, his guidance counselor in high school advised him to rethink going to college. Determined to do better, Robert enlisted in the Navy SEALs in 2003 and served for the next 14 years. In reflecting on his desire to serve, Robert credits his parents who adopted him from an orphanage in South America nearly 40 years ago. And while he accomplished many things during his service, it wasn’t until recently that he discovered his true purpose: helping others maximize their own potential. To do this, Robert pulls from his military experience and starts by tackling the “Two Brains:” Mindset and Physical “Gut” Health. Simply put: bad diet, low physical activity, poor health habits, all contribute to low energy and decreased brain function. But even the healthiest person in the world won’t get far on broken beliefs. One such misperception is underestimating the scope of work necessary to change. One potential factor may be the fact that anyone can be a “life-coach” today. In reality, there is no quick-fix, hypnotic force, or magic pill that will transform anyone over night. Robert asserts developing permanent, long-lasting change takes anywhere from 3-4 months to truly get started. For this reason, he doesn’t just work with anybody who “wants” to change. Clients must demonstrate traction in one of three “D’s”. 1. Discipline – the commitment to develop habits in spite of oneself. 2. Determination – the desire to change outweighs the pain of changing. 3. Dedication – action and follow-through, to get back up even when you fail. So, what about those lacking in all areas? Robert poses a simple question: “How do you feel?” Once he gets past “good,” the answers that follow are the most telling and come down to mindset. “I take people on a journey and really dig deep inside [to find] what their expectations, goals, and priorities are.” Provided the proper mindset, a game plan is made. Long term, Robert hopes to extend his one on one coaching methods to a larger societal context. A society that holds itself accountable and doesn’t succumb to the trappings of instant gratification. His advice to those looking for their purpose? Relax. “I didn’t discover how I was truly fulfilled until my late 30s.” You can find out more about Robert and the services he offers at: www.robertmoeller.net

Outside of Gravity, the Law of Averages is arguably the next greatest force that affects people on a daily basis. The theory suggests that the result of any given situation will be the average of all outcomes. The most powerful demonstration of this is in human potential. Hence the phrase, “you are an average of the five closest people around you.” But what does this mean? Pick any characteristic or trait. Chances are: if one person possesses it, so do their five closest friends. Drinking beer, smoking, work ethic, politics, even the way they dress. That said, what averages someone has now doesn’t matter. What matters most is whether someone is intentional about upping their average. In fact, it’s part of why Allison Felix, President & COO, Principal of Cassaday & Company, continues to foster a culture of entrepreneurship for her team. The goal? Providing objective guidance to investors seeking financial advice, with excellence and integrity in everything they do. To achieve this, founder and owner Stephan Cassaday, sought to establish an independent and employee-owned firm with fewer conflicts, and no proprietary interests. One that could act in the client’s interest 24/7 by selling advice, and not products. To complete the vision, it required an investment larger than money: the right people. People with character, not afraid of challenges and growth. Those who show mass potential exhibited by behavior. This was something Allison learned from her mentor first hand, who pushed her limits and encouraged her to get her MBA. The investment paid off. Seventeen years later, Allison grew from Executive Assistant to become Cassaday & Company’s first COO. And was just recently promoted to President. Her advice to anyone looking to achieve a massive goal: latch on to the person [with experience and credibility] who sees something more in you that you may not see in yourself. Then, surround yourself with people you can “give and take from,” that can help you reach that potential. “The best thing to be is the person talking the least in the room.” Today, she continues the work of Stephan Cassaday and promotes ownership over individual performance, learning from peers, and corporate responsibility. In fact, Allison recently founded the Northern Virginia Women’s COO Forum for local operations leaders to network, problem solve, and share resources across all industries. To learn more about Allison and the services Cassaday & Company offers, you can visit: www.cassaday.com

Most of us grew up learning the importance of taking care of the environment. From Captain Planet to Fern Gully, we’ve had our fair share of lessons. But nothing may be as powerful as the popular children’s book, The Wartville Wizard. The short story tells of one man exasperated with picking up his neighborhood’s trash when no one else will. In turn, he is granted a magic power that allows him to command litter to ‘go back and stick to the person who threw you.’ With everyone buried in their own trash, he teaches the town residents that every piece counts. Mark Gatanas, founder and owner of Gatanas Services, is one such wizard for Northern Virginia. But, instead of magic powers for litter, Mark has mastered the craft of furniture restoration over the last three decades. The idea came to him from seeing furniture left on the side of the road, waiting to be taken to the dump. Rather than letting it go to waste, he saw a whole new purpose and business. But it wasn’t all smooth sanding. Since 1988, Mark has had his fair share of ups and downs, during which his own passion took a brief hiatus. It wasn’t until 2009 that he doubled down and re-branded his company into what it has become today. What does Mark attribute to his success? An unyielding tenacity, and curiosity in all things. Skills he learned from his grandfather. His advice to entrepreneurs starting out: renew yourself every once awhile. “[You should] educate, reeducate, and look for opportunities for growth, which will better serve [others].” Through his work, he hopes that he can inspire a cultural shift in the community. A society that invests in trades, thinks outside of the box. One that abandons the black and white, use or no use mentality. You can find out more about Mark, the services he offers, and examples of previous projects on Facebook and at www.gatanasservices.com

As an entrepreneur, the daunting prospect of taking the next leap can seem insurmountable at times. Especially when you don’t know where to start. For photographers moving from hobbyist to pro, this is an all too familiar reality. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to distinguish yourself in a marketplace. One dominated by an array of skill sets ranging from unqualified to top dollar pros. And as with most other pursuits, lack of knowledge can lead to common mistakes. The biggest mistake? Jumping onto social media and asking random strangers for advice. Although the unbiased perspective may at first seem alluring, credentials and credibility are too often overlooked. Enter Dorie Howell co-founder/co-owner of IPS Mastermind, an entrepreneur “boot camp” of sorts for photographers. Her origins into photography was a much needed return to her creative roots. As a former opera singer, Dorie found the insurance world fit like a square peg in a round hole. Thus, what started with photos of her own family, quickly expanded into photos for friends and then clients. Now with over a decade of experience, she notes one common thread among photographers starting out is the practice of devaluation as means of differentiation. I.e. giving products and/or services away for free. In the professional space where the price of many lenses can run a few thousand dollars, unchecked underselling can run a business to the ground. Dorie advises: if you’re adding value to other people, never sell yourself short. But how? Dorie wondered the same thing when she sought to answer this very same question. In her quest to develop her own business, she realized there was a tremendous gap in business training that would have otherwise saved her time, mistakes, and generated more revenue. In the coming years, she met her business partner, Rachel Boer, and together they founded IPS Mastermind. You can learn more about IPS Mastermind and the services offered at: www.ipsmastermind.net