Learn why talking to your advisor before you act isn’t just smart—it’s essential for entrepreneurial success!

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Empowering Entrepreneurs Podcast! In this conversation, Glenn Harper and Julie Smith talk about a topic every entrepreneur needs to hear: “What entrepreneurs should be asking their CPA right now.”

If you’ve ever made a big financial move for your business—like selling stock, making a large purchase, or considering a Roth conversion—without looping in your tax advisor, you’re not alone.

Glenn Harper and Julie Smith share their candid insights on why a quick phone call to your CPA can be the difference between an average outcome and an optimal one.

They discuss the importance of tax planning, avoiding knee-jerk decisions, and how even small tweaks can have a big impact on your bottom line.

PureTax, LLC

Here are 3 key takeaways for entrepreneurs and decision-makers:

1. Don’t Go It Alone: Before making any material financial move, reach out to your CPA or advisory team. A quick call could dramatically improve your results.
2. Proper Planning = Better Outcomes: Acting on impulse might get the job done, but strategic planning can help you minimize taxes and maximize your benefits.
3. It’s Easier to Ask for Permission: Give your CPA a heads up before acting, because sometimes “asking for forgiveness” means missed opportunities that can’t be undone.

Running a business doesn’t have to run your life.

Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it’s easy to be so busy ‘doing’ business that you don’t have the right strategy to grow your business.

Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for success

Our clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.

Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.

Glenn Harper, CPA, is the Owner and Managing Partner of Harper & Company CPAs Plus, a top 10 Managing Partner in the country (Accounting Today's 2022 MP Elite). His firm won the 2021 Luca Award for Firm of the Year. 

An entrepreneur and speaker, Glenn transformed his firm into an advisory-focused practice, doubling revenue and profit in two years. He teaches entrepreneurs to build financial and operational excellence, speaks nationwide to CPA firm owners about running their businesses like entrepreneurs, and consults with firms across the country. Glenn enjoys golfing, fishing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.

Julie Smith, MBA, is a serial entrepreneur in the public accounting space. She is the Founder of EmpowerCPA™, Founder of PureTax, LLC, COO for Harper & Company CPAs Plus, and Co-host of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast. 

Named CPA.com's 2021 Innovative Practitioner of Year, Julie led Harper & Company's transition to an advisory-focused firm, doubling revenue and profit in two years. She now empowers other CPA firm owners nationwide through consulting and speaking, teaching them how to run their businesses like entrepreneurs. Julie lives in Columbus, OH with her family and enjoys travel, coaching basketball, sporting events, and the occasional shopping spree.

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Copyright 2026 Glenn Harper

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another edition of the Empowering Entrepreneurs Podcast. I'm Glenn Harper.

Julie Smith.

Well, is there anything more exciting to talk about than taxes? I really don't know.

Well, I think I'm the epitome of a bad client.

I would say yes.

So, you know, there's one thing I've learned is that entrepreneurs and humans move fast.

They do.

They want instant gratification. And I'm sitting in the seat of yep. Mm, Count me in. But I think what I've learned.

I know maybe you've been right on something, is although I want it done and I want to get to the end result or the finish line, as an entrepreneur or even as a human, if I'm about to do something that's outside the boundaries of what I normally do, pick up the phone and have the conversation.

We call that materiality. If it's material.

Yeah, those words, I think pick up the phone and have the conversation. Because the way that I'm going to do it is going to be the quickest, the fastest, and the most efficient. But it may not be right.

It's not that it's wrong, it's just you're not going to get the best result.

Wait, did you just say I'm not wrong?

Whatever you people do, they're going to do what they do, and it is what it is.

But if you can make that call and say, hey, I was thinking about selling a stock and making a ton of money because of the position, I want to cash out.

Or I'm thinking, my financial advisor called me, I want to do a Roth conversion, or I think I want to go invest or buy something in my business, a big piece of equipment.

If you don't share with that with your tax planning team, you might not get the best benefit of that because we didn't plan it and put it in a modeling to pull the lever and get the best results.

You got your piece of equipment, you got your G wagon, you got your press, you got your Roth IRA conversion, you got your stock cash cashed out, but you're paid this much tax when if we'd have did it, planned it right, we could have made that tax be this.

When I just think as an entrepreneur, like, and I'm sitting over here in this seat saying, like, I've done it. I know is like, I don't think like that. I don't think the way that you think. I think, like, I need X to get to Z.

And so what's the quickest way for me to get there? Where if I just would have had like X dash 1, I would have saved or been able to do it a little bit different and seen a way better outcome.

If we could just figure out a way to implant a little bit of accountant in everybody, we could literally change the world.

I think I've just learned that I'm not going to do that, but I'm just going to give you a call.

You're so missing out. But no, I think you're right. You have to do what you have to do to run your business.

But if you do a knee jerk thing, give me 12 hours or six hours or an hour, let me know as your advisor to say, oh, do it like this and this. And man, that's going to be the best result ever. It's easier to ask for permission than ask for forgiveness.

A lot of times I can't forgive you on things because I can't undo what you did, but I can plan and execute on something if you give me advance notice. So I think that's the takeaway here. Don't just do what you want to do. If it's material, ask your team. They'll help you out.

So hopefully that's helpful for everyone. Another great episode of the Empowering Entrepreneurs Podcast. I'm Glenn Harper.

Julie Smith.