Hire the Best Tax Preparers in Tennessee

I enjoy solving accounting and tax puzzles. I am a CPA licensed in both TN and UT, registered as a tax preparer in New York and formerly was an Enrolled Agent before I earned my CPA license. I own a little tax problem solving / QuickBooks ramp-ups consulting firm in eastern TN. I have 28 years experience in full charge bookkeeping and construction job costing as well as I deeply understand other industries. Most people don't know this but if you change how and when you enter data into QuickBooks you can unlock all kinds of keen performance insights into your firm and its operations as well as timesavers. I have just invested these past two months into learning how to drastically reduce the amount of time it takes me to do a full QuickBooks cleanup or ramp-up, using the Microsoft Copilot AI, Excel spreadsheets analytics, and a couple of additional 3rd party apps that integrate with QuickBooks. The AI makes mistakes about a third of the time so its work must be verified carefully by me. But, my new CPA client advisory service skillset I just acquired has cut my time needed to do the ProAdvisor full cleanups down from a year to just three weeks to six weeks [full-time hours equivalent] for the really complex ones. I used to work for Intuit on its prestigious QuickBooks Live Cleanup Team. I also recently worked for Tax Act full time to prepare small business returns during its busy season. I formerly taught accounting, business law, business management and human resources management at Bryant and Stratton College located just outside of Buffalo NY. I am a certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and certified in QuickBooks payroll as well. I know 3rd party payroll workflows / data entry as well as apps integration. Why I Created My Virtual Small Business Incubator website: To help struggling USA entrepreneurs and overwhelmed adult learners reclaim control of their finances, business systems, and confidence—using simple, affordable tools and strategic thinking. You don’t need a big budget. You just need the right strategy plus realistic marketing and pivot planning feedback. There are six different "voices" you need to learn how to pay attention to in order to become profitable and locate / stay within your firm's unique prosperity zone. I teach them to my business incubator entrepreneurs. I also teach 3 college classes, self-study at your own pace and tuition free, including QuickBooks Online Foundations inside my business incubator online community. Other Things About Me That Set Me Apart: * We were able to use our job skills, my community empowerment research and an emphasis on workplace safety to turn around, thrive and grow my husband's specialty pressure washer business on less than half of the operating cash that it took his competitors to run on. [It was restaurant hood cleaning firm that also repaired commercial cooking appliances.] We are willing to share how we did this! There is much you can do with your buildings and equipment to control your overall costs. I am a highly trained physical facilities property manager. * I am excellent at getting data into QuickBooks from other apps and helping you sync apps with QuickBooks or other management apps. * I am able to spot and fix errors in your QuickBooks and help you implement internal controls to prevent future errors. I've been using QuickBooks Online and Desktop since before Intuit was Intuit and I am expert level ProAdvisor. * I am also a paralegal, able to quickly and accurately do legal research. While I cannot represent you nor give advice as an attorney, I can do pre-tax court problem solving intervention plus prepare/package the evidence needed for your tax attorney to be much more likely to prevail in a court case. I am adept to find fraud and other accounting errors and help you build tax timesavers into your QuickBooks workflows. * I was invited to be a guest lecturer at an international conference of educators held in York, England, Great Britain in 2014. I shared my research on how to use technology to empower struggling adults. * Cleanups, setups, and rebuilds are hard to predict. I never know exactly what I will find in my QuickBooks Ramp-ups and management consultants as there are so many wildcard variables at play as far as what has gone wrong, the time / effort needed to fix it, and the number of business transactions that your company has. For this reason, I prefer to use a pay-as-you-go milestones method. I do not commit to more than 10 hours of work per week, so I can make sure my work is top quality. We agree on up to $500 work-block milestones [14 hours] and I take your project as far as I can during those approved hours. You pay only for the actual project time it takes me to get the project done. You will be asked to sign up for a 3rd party integration app or two for a couple of months, to help reduce my bookkeeping data entry time. We re-evaluate the project and my work tasks together at the end of each milestone.

Need more than a bookkeeper? I provide complete financial leadership for growing businesses. I’m a Fractional CFO, Business & Tax Strategy Specialist, and founder of Financial Bookworm. My team and I deliver end-to-end financial management, including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and CFO-level strategy—so you don’t need multiple vendors. We help business owners improve cash flow, increase profitability, and scale with confidence. ⸻ 🚀 Services We Provide 📊 Fractional CFO & Financial Strategy • Financial forecasting & budgeting • Cash flow management & projections • Profitability & pricing analysis • KPI dashboards & executive reports • Business planning & growth strategy • Investor- and lender-ready financials 🧾 Bookkeeping & Accounting • Monthly bookkeeping & reconciliation • QuickBooks Online setup, cleanup & optimization • Catch-up & cleanup bookkeeping • Payroll processing & expense tracking • Accounts payable & receivable (AP/AR) 💡 Tax & Compliance • Business & personal tax preparation • S-Corp election & entity structuring • Payroll tax compliance • Multi-state compliance • IRS/state notices & correspondence ⸻ 🎯 Industries Served • Agencies & consultants • E-commerce & Amazon sellers • Real estate investors • Professional services • Online businesses & startups ⸻ ⭐ Why Clients Hire Me ✔ One-stop finance team (CFO + bookkeeping + tax) ✔ Proactive year-round tax planning ✔ Clean, audit-ready books ✔ Data-driven decision support ✔ Clear, plain-English communication ✔ Long-term strategic partnership ⸻ 📌 Credentials & Experience • IRS AFSP Participant • Advanced Accounting & Tax Strategy • Founder of Financial Bookworm • Trusted by growing U.S. businesses ⸻ If you’re looking for a Fractional CFO who can also manage your bookkeeping and taxes, let’s talk. Click “Message” and tell me about your business goals.

I’m not just your accountant, I’m the person you bring in when your business is growing, getting more complex, and you need real financial clarity. With 30+ years of experience and a 100% Job Success Score on Upwork, I work with business owners who are ready to move beyond basic bookkeeping and start making informed, strategic decisions with their numbers. I specialize in service-based businesses, SaaS companies, and multi-entity structures where accuracy, compliance, and forward-thinking strategy actually matter. What sets me apart: I don’t just “do the books.” I clean them up, structure them properly, and turn them into something you can actually use to run your business. Core Services: Full-Service Accounting Clean, accurate, audit-ready books—whether you need a full cleanup or ongoing monthly management. Financial Reporting That Makes Sense Clear financials that give you visibility into profitability, trends, and performance. Tax Strategy & Compliance Proactive planning, not last-minute filing. I help minimize tax liability while keeping everything fully compliant. Virtual CFO Support Cash flow, forecasting, pricing decisions, growth planning—I help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next. Startup & Scaling Infrastructure From initial setup to multi-entity expansion, I build systems that support growth without breaking. Operational & Process Improvement I streamline your financial systems so you spend less time chasing numbers and more time running your business. What clients say: "Lisa is a great accounting professional especially for growing businesses that need help w/ managing increasing complexity... You better work with her now, because at some point I think she'll be full on clients she's willing to take on." "Lisa has been my accountant for over two years, and she is by far one of the best I’ve worked with… incredibly detail-oriented, knowledgeable, and proactive. I trust her completely with my financials." If your books are messy, your numbers don’t make sense, or you’re making decisions without clear financial insight, that’s where I come in. If you’re ready for clean financials, smart tax strategy, and real direction behind your numbers, let’s talk.

With over 30 years of proven experience in accounting, tax, and financial strategy, I help business owners cut through financial confusion and gain the clarity they need to grow. Whether you're looking for a strategic CFO, a reliable tax professional, or a long-term financial partner—I'm here to provide professional, timely, and tech-powered solutions you can trust.

I am a professional bookkeeper with a bachelors degree in accounting, a love for tech, eCommerce, numbers, and organization. I am QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor certified, have plenty of experience in both maintaining and cleaning up QuickBooks, and have spent years in both QuickBooks desktop and QuickBooks online. The bulk of my clients have had a range of needs, from simple on-going month to month reconciliations, to a multi-year clean-up. I also have experience in Shopify and eCommerce businesses, which greatly improves my efficiency and guidance for my clients. I am open and honest, and love bookkeeping and organizing. I choose to incorporate as many time-saving and automation techniques as possible so that the client pays less, and I work less. Please reach out to let me know your needs! • I am honest, hard working, and abide by timelines and due dates. • I communicate quickly and directly. • I am very skilled in research, and will find the answer if I do not immediately know.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED, HARD-WORKING AND TECHNICALLY SKILLED BOOKKEEPER, CERTIFIED QUICKBOOKS & CERTIFIED XERO ADVISOR known for accuracy, attention to detail and timeliness in managing disbursement functions for a diversity of vendors. A/P career spans 3+ years of experience in mining exploration, the seafood industry, and non-profit organizations. Bookkeeper career spans 15+ years for individuals and small to mid-size businesses, as well as both individual and corporate taxes. Backed by AAS in computerized accounting and BBA in accounting & finance with proficiencies in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as well as MS Office Suite, Great Plains to Peachtree accounting software, a certified QuickBooks ProAdisor, Xero Certified Advisor and a Registered Tax Return Preparer; MSC has the skills to help you achieve your business’ goals.