04/02/2026
Today, Asbury Accounting Advisors turns one year old!
A year ago today, I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "s**t, maybe I'm the type of person who starts a CPA firm." On April 2, 2025, at around 9:30pm, I received my certificate of formation from the state of NJ. Asbury Accounting Advisors, alliterative and available!
I'd been bouncing the idea around since before I'd even started working as an audit associate at Grant Thornton (US) over 10 years ago.
Freedom, challenge, optionality, agency - these are all things that have always enticed me. As a cold-water surfer, a former college wrestler, and a BJJ practitioner, risk, adversity, intensity - the cornerstones of entrepreneurship - are my comfort zone.
Paradoxically, my passion for surfing, my appreciation for community rather than my career, and my desire to travel more and work less had somehow led me to start a CPA firm (spoiler alert: I have not worked less this year). Corporate America equipped me with the skills to be effective in my work but I felt it also deprived me of the freedom to pursue the things I'm truly passionate about.
10 years ago, I'd floated an idea to myself - I'd stick around public accounting until manager, move to industry for a few years, and then leave to do "freelance accounting." It felt like more of a pipe dream when I'd come up with it. I also had no idea what "freelance accounting" meant but I thought the idea of having no boss and being a digital nomad sounded nice.
A year ago today, I'd remembered the plan that the naïve 23-year-old with no professional experience came up with and I made the decision to take a chance on myself.
Now, I'm a year in to building a fully remote CPA firm and I feel energized in my work like never before. I've met some incredible entrepreneurs and clients who inspire me to build and to dream. My mentors, family, friends, and my wife have provided me with unwavering support and I'm so grateful for them.
I don’t know where I'll be or where my business will be in 5 months or 5 years, but it's in my hands, and, for me, that's the dream.
