CPA Firm Seeks To Provide Clients With Excellent Outcomes

This Patch article is sponsored by M. Hughes, CPA & Company, LLC.

I started out as a sole proprietor with the desire to provide attentive service to my clients in a friendly, relaxed environment where I could put them at ease with their tax and accounting matters. Today, we have grown in both staff and the clients we serve. Offering the highest technology which proved instrumental in the virtual setting required during COVID-19. The firm continues in a hybrid fashion, offering both in-person and virtual options.

Our full services include individualized tax preparation, accounting, and GAAP financial statements, specializing in condominium associations and nonprofits. Our staff are QuickBooks certified and provide detailed analysis of your business operations.

We serve clients throughout Warren, Bristol, Barrington, South Coast, Mass. and across the country. Our “out of the box” thinking is based upon solid knowledge and experience working to provide the best results for our clients.

We also specialize in women-owned and not-for-profit business growth advisory services. Our personalized and attentive training or management in QuickBooks for businesses and individuals results in freeing up your time to focus on your unique talents or mission.

Patch had a chance to talk with Michelle Hughes.

Patch: How long have you been doing business in town and how long has your organization been in the community?

Hughes: I've been in business since April 2014 and in the community since 2006.

Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you're in and how did you get started?

Hughes: I started doing paper tax returns for my friends in high school and have always been attracted to it. I had the crazy notion that I would work hard at tax season and have my summers off, but that has never happened!

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?

Hughes: Leave the accounting to us.

Patch: What's the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you've faced in your job?

Hughes: I always enjoy a challenge and look at it as a puzzle to put together or a contest to win. I’d say my most challenging time was during the early period of COVID-19, when I first heard the news, and slowly started bringing files home each day.

It was just after one of the business deadlines, in March and I was able to seamlessly continue working because our infrastructure was already in place, however in coaching each of my business clients through the uncertainty and weekly changes that applied to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, I just kept pushing through, got up at 5 a.m. and read weekly updates on PPP rules, and continuously sent out correspondence to clients to keep them updated of all the changes.

In that first COVID-19 tax season, the IRS extended us out to July 15, which was necessary so we could help small businesses with all the PPP, unemployment, grants and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than the never-ending tax-season, which literally ended up lasting about 15 months straight, it was managing the remote learning for my 14-year-old and keeping him fed! In my profession we are constantly multi-tasking and are expert at it, distractions and urgent matters are nothing new to us, but add the task of being Mom, teacher, entertainer and short-order cook. Wow! What a time-period it was. I’ll be forever grateful for my son’s helper, and my strong community of support, including our East Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Patch: What's the most satisfying part of your job?

Hughes: Helping people and putting their minds at ease.

Patch: How would you say your business or organization distinguishes itself from the others?

Hughes: We're very down to earth and relaxed. We work hard and always go the extra mile.

Patch: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given when it comes to success?

Hughes: Do it afraid.

Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you're working on that you're extra excited about?

Hughes: We are implementing a new Cloud-based audit and review software and it's really going to assist us to better collaborate, and we'll be able to help more nonprofits in that area.

Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community? Tell us about them.

Hughes: Through my involvement with the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, we have a Fashion Show and Merchant Fair on October 31 at the Ramada Inn from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Hughes: Readers can find out more about us through our website. We are also on Facebook and LinkedIn and you can search for us with the hashtag #youreastbaycpa.