How We Work

Accounting, Business Tax & Advisory Services for Growth-Oriented Tampa Business Owners

Strategis CPAs & Consultants provides ongoing accounting, tax, payroll, and advisory services for growth-oriented business owners in Tampa, North Tampa, Lutz, Carrollwood, Wesley Chapel, Odessa, Land O’ Lakes, and the surrounding Tampa Bay area.

We work primarily with owner-operated businesses that have outgrown reactive bookkeeping and once-a-year tax preparation and are looking to build a more organized, scalable, and financially stable business.

Our process is designed to help business owners:

  • Understand profitability
  • Reduce tax surprises
  • Improve financial visibility
  • Maintain compliance
  • Make better business decisions
  • Support long-term profitable growth

Unlike traditional tax-focused CPA firms, our services are built around an ongoing monthly accounting relationship that combines:

  • Monthly accounting and reporting
  • Payroll support
  • Year-round tax planning
  • Business tax preparation
  • Financial guidance
  • Structured communication and workflow management

We primarily work with:

  • Professional service firms
  • Specialty contractors and skilled trades
  • Real estate professionals
  • Established owner-operated businesses
  • Medical and healthcare practices
  • Service-based businesses
  • Financial services businesses

Most clients have:

  • $300,000 to $5 million in annual revenue
  • Fewer than 25 employees
  • A desire to improve profitability, organization, and long-term growth

We are generally the best fit for business owners who:

  • Want to grow and build a stronger business
  • Value proactive financial guidance
  • Want reliable monthly reporting
  • Stay engaged and responsive
  • Are open to systems and process improvements
  • View accounting as an important management tool

We may not be the best fit for businesses that:

  • Want only transactional bookkeeping
  • Resist organized accounting processes
  • Expect unlimited on-demand support outside engagement scope
  • Do not prioritize timely financial reporting
  • Have little interest in understanding their financial performance

Many Tampa-area business owners come to us because they are frustrated by:

  • Delayed financial reporting
  • Reactive tax preparation
  • Poor communication
  • Inconsistent bookkeeping
  • Payroll problems
  • Tax surprises
  • Cash flow confusion
  • Lack of proactive guidance
  • Feeling financially disorganized despite strong revenue

Many growing businesses eventually reach a point where the owner realizes the business has outgrown DIY bookkeeping and reactive year-end accounting.

The relationship usually begins with introductory conversations focused on understanding:

  • Your business
  • Your goals
  • Current accounting systems
  • Existing frustrations or pain points
  • Payroll and tax complexity
  • Financial reporting needs
  • Current bookkeeping workflows

We also discuss:

  • Communication expectations
  • Workflow responsibilities
  • Reporting deadlines
  • Technology systems
  • Whether the relationship is a good operational fit

For many business owners, this is the first time they have experienced a structured accounting process designed around ongoing financial management and business growth rather than reactive tax filing.

Most new clients tell us this is the most valuable and insightful time they have ever spent with an accountant.

The onboarding process is designed to create structure, clarity, and reliable financial reporting from the beginning of the relationship.

The initial strategy session may include:

  • Reviewing your current accounting process
  • Discussing short-term and long-term business goals
  • Reviewing existing accounting and tax issues
  • Discussing reporting expectations and deadlines
  • Reviewing payroll and contractor processes
  • Identifying opportunities for operational improvement
  • Establishing communication and workflow expectations

Depending on the engagement, onboarding may also include:

  • QuickBooks Online setup or review
  • Bank and credit card feed setup
  • Chart of accounts standardization
  • Payroll system setup
  • Secure client portal setup
  • Vendor payment workflow setup
  • User access review
  • Basic QuickBooks training

One of the primary goals of onboarding is establishing a consistent monthly accounting rhythm that supports:

  • Accurate financial reporting
  • Better decision-making
  • Payroll compliance
  • Tax planning
  • Reduced financial surprises
  • Long-term operational growth

A successful accounting relationship requires collaboration.

Clients help us work efficiently and accurately by:

  • Providing requested information promptly
  • Communicating changes proactively
  • Asking questions early
  • Maintaining organized records
  • Participating in planning discussions

Delays in receiving information can affect:

  • Financial statement delivery
  • Payroll processing
  • Tax projections
  • Compliance filings
  • Monthly closing timelines

Many accounting problems occur because information is incomplete, delayed, or spread across multiple systems and accounts.

To maintain accurate books and reliable financial reporting, we generally require read-only online access to all business bank and credit card accounts connected to the business. This allows our team to:

  • Verify transactions and balances
  • Confirm deposits and expenses
  • Reconcile accounts accurately
  • Identify missing or unusual activity
  • Reduce bookkeeping errors
  • Deliver more timely financial statements

Our recurring monthly accounting services may include:

  • Bank reconciliations
  • Credit card reconciliations
  • Payroll processing
  • Loan reconciliation
  • Maintaining fixed asset and depreciation schedules
  • Sales tax return preparation
  • Monthly reporting reviews

Our standard monthly management reports generally include:

  • Balance Sheet
  • Statement of Profit & Loss

Depending on the engagement, we may also:

  • Manage bank and credit card feeds in QuickBooks Online
  • Enter accounting transactions as needed
  • Maintain accounts receivable and accounts payable balances
  • Reconcile bank and credit card accounts monthly

The goal is not simply to produce reports.

The goal is to help business owners:

  • Understand where the money is going
  • Improve profitability
  • Reduce tax surprises
  • Spot financial problems earlier
  • Make better decisions
  • Understand whether growth is actually improving profitability

Monthly accounting usually becomes important when:

  • You’re making money but still wondering where it went
  • Tax season is always a surprise
  • Your books are always behind
  • Payroll, bills, and cash flow are getting harder to manage
  • You’re too busy running the business to stay on top of the accounting
  • You don’t fully trust the numbers you’re looking at
  • You’re growing and need better financial visibility to make decisions confidently

Many Tampa-area business owners eventually realize the business has simply become too complex for reactive bookkeeping and year-end tax preparation alone.

Many business owners start by handling bookkeeping internally or trying to manage accounting themselves.

In the early stages of a business, that can sometimes work temporarily.

As the business grows, however, DIY accounting often becomes one of the biggest operational bottlenecks, limiting visibility, profitability, and sustainable growth.

Common problems include:

  • Inaccurate financial statements
  • Tax surprises
  • Payroll mistakes
  • Not really understanding where the cash is going
  • Missed deductions
  • Delayed reporting
  • Unreconciled accounts
  • Compliance problems
  • Increased cleanup costs later

Common warning signs that a business has outgrown DIY accounting include:

  • Financial reports are consistently delayed
  • Bookkeeping is always “catching up”
  • Tax season is stressful every year
  • Payroll and bookkeeping are disconnected
  • Business and personal expenses are mixed together
  • The owner is spending nights and weekends doing bookkeeping
  • Major decisions are being made without reliable financial information

Many business owners discover that the systems and habits that worked at $150,000 in revenue no longer work effectively at $1 million and beyond.

For clients requiring payroll support, services may include:

  • Payroll processing
  • Direct deposit coordination
  • Payroll tax filings
  • Wage reporting
  • PTO tracking support
  • Payroll compliance review
  • Payroll integration with accounting systems

Payroll onboarding may include:

  • Payroll system review
  • Pay-period verification
  • Employee setup review
  • PTO policy review
  • Payroll tax verification
  • Reporting requirement discussions

Strategis provides ongoing tax planning services for Tampa-area business owners throughout the year rather than focusing only on year-end filing.

Depending on the engagement, services may include:

  • Business tax preparation
  • Personal tax preparation for business owners
  • Tax projections
  • Estimated tax calculations
  • Entity structure review
  • Compensation planning
  • Quarterly strategic reviews
  • Year-end tax planning meetings

Our goal is to help business owners:

  • Reduce surprises
  • Improve profitability
  • Make better financial decisions
  • Support long-term business growth

We use structured communication systems designed to improve responsiveness, organization, and security.

Depending on the situation, communication may occur through:

  • Secure client portal and document exchange
  • Zoom meetings
  • Phone
  • Email

Sensitive financial information should generally be exchanged through secure systems rather than standard email attachments.

We encourage clients to ask questions early rather than making assumptions. Many accounting and tax issues are easier and less expensive to address proactively before transactions occur.

Most recurring accounting relationships are structured using fixed monthly pricing rather than hourly billing.

This allows business owners to:

  • Budget accounting costs predictably
  • Communicate proactively
  • Maintain an ongoing advisory relationship
  • Avoid uncertainty around routine support
  • Focus on running and growing the business

The monthly fee generally includes the recurring services specifically outlined in the engagement agreement.

From time to time, clients may request additional services that fall outside the normal monthly scope.

Examples may include:

  • Major bookkeeping cleanup or reconstruction projects
  • IRS, state, or local tax audits
  • Tax issues related to periods before becoming a Strategis client
  • Additional QuickBooks training after onboarding
  • Budgeting or cash flow forecasting
  • Loan applications and financial package preparation
  • Business purchase or sale consulting
  • Job costing or project costing analysis
  • Preparing personal financial statements
  • Multi-state registrations or additional jurisdiction filings
  • Payroll amendments or correction filings
  • Workers’ Compensation or unemployment audits
  • Specialized reporting or custom financial analysis

When possible, we discuss out-of-scope work in advance so expectations, timing, and fees are clear before additional work begins.

Strategis primarily supports modern cloud-based accounting systems designed for collaboration and efficient reporting.

Systems commonly used include:

  • QuickBooks Online
  • Payroll processing platforms
  • Secure client portals
  • Vendor payment workflows
  • Cloud-based document-sharing systems

We generally recommend systems that support:

  • Collaboration
  • Reporting efficiency
  • Secure access
  • Workflow consistency
  • Remote access for business owners and management

Transitioning to Strategis CPAs & Consultants is designed to be a straightforward and organized process.

Typical next steps include:

  1. Signing the proposal electronically
  2. Completing engagement and ACH authorization documents
  3. Gathering setup and onboarding information
  4. Scheduling the onboarding and strategy session
  5. Setting up systems and workflows
  6. Beginning the recurring monthly accounting process
  7. Completing an initial 90-day financial review

If you are a growth-oriented Tampa-area business owner looking for ongoing accounting, payroll support, tax planning, and proactive financial guidance, we welcome the opportunity to discuss whether Strategis may be a good fit for your business.

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Dive into “10 Mistakes that Increase Your Risk of a Tax Audit” and discover actionable strategies to enhance your cash flow and elevate your business.