Nitai H Pathak
Business Name: Kling & Pathak LLP
Website URL: www.kpcpa.net
Email Address: npathak@kpcpa.net
Year Founded: 1995
Number of Employees: 25
What does your company do?: Kling & Pathak is an integrated accounting and consulting firm that focuses on providing professional services parallel to national accounting firms with the level of dedication one expects from a personal business advisor. Our mission is to develop innovative strategies and creative solutions to enhance productivity and improve profitability for our clients.
Kling & Pathak has built the foundation of our practice on the concepts of integrated professional services and personalized attention to the needs of our clients. We offer a wide spectrum of services from tax planning and compliance to personal financial planning, and from assurance services to outsourcing/cosourcing accounting functions. We effectively serve as the interface between our clients and their legal or investment advisors and Big Four accounting firms. Our role as your personal business advisor enables us to manage and utilize resources and expertise in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Our goal is to provide an innovative service package tailored to your specific needs to save you time and money.
Was there a specific turning point when you realized your business was moving to the next level?: The turning point happened at the end of our 3rd year in business. This is when we really knew we had something that the market needed and wanted. The companies we targeted were ready for a change in how they were being serviced. A unique solution where the companies could retain various services providers all meeting the different needs with our firm as the main accounting and tax service provider.
What processes or procedures have you implemented that have helped grow your company?:
The main processes and procedures we implemented was in having top level team members on our team that would focus on providing a hands-on approach to service so the clients felt the connection from start to finish. We took on as much support as we could provide and so nothing as too small of a task to do to make our client’s jobs easier. Coming up with creative solutions means anything is possible – such as mailing our clients tax returns for them so they don’t have to deal with the certified mailings. This may seem like a small act; however, it’s a time saver for our clients and its one less thing they have to worry about.
What is most rewarding about running your business?: The most rewarding feeling is knowing you have helped a client with an area that is usually very stressful for most people – accounting and tax. This allows them to run their business better since they have the comfort in knowing that they are in the hands of trusted advisors.
What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?: The biggest challenge that I believe all businesses face is change. We embrace the change as a means to improve and come into the current ways of doing business. This means everything from technology to addressing the hiring trends and next generation of students graduating from college.
If you were starting over today, what would you do differently?: The main thing I would do differently is ask for advice from others who have run successful business sooner. There’s a lot to consider in running a business and if you can find others who have gone before you and learn from them then you have more time and energy to devote to other areas to reach your goals sooner. However, the funny part about this is that you learn this as time goes on.
What advice do you have for other business owners?: The main message I would share is that you have to love what you do and then you can learn to improve on how to do it well. If you don’t love it then you won’t look for ways to improve. When you are so into what you are doing that all else is forgotten then you end up putting all your energy and attention on it. If you are doing it from “I have” to perspective then you will come short of giving it your all since it feels forced.
I would also encourage business owners to always look for ways to improve from your competitors or others in the market. You can learn something from most people so keep an open mind and be curious about what’s out in the market.
Please list any favorite books, tools or resources (software, website, etc.) you would recommend for others: In the CPA world every state has a chapter that offers resources and the AICPA is an organization through the US. These are great resources as they have very specific tools of the trade so you don’t recreate the wheel.
The books I would recommend are The Why Cafe and The Big Five for Life. These books applied in the business context really makes you look to see why is it that you do what you do and then to come up with the Big 5 things you want to have your business focus on as this is what will give you the greatest success and satisfaction.
What is something that people might be surprised to learn about you?: People may be surprised to know that by profession I am a CPA and by passion I am a certified professional coach. I became a coach because I really enjoy helping people to help themselves be the best that they want to be and to tap into their higher potential.
