ARE YOU A PERSON OF INFLUENCE? 
By   Tom   Sponsel , CPA/ABV, CFF
Managing Partner
tsponsel@sponselcpagroup.com

Owners and CEOs aren't the only movers and shakers in the business world. Anyone in your company can be a Person of Influence (POI), and you should strive to not only earn that title yourself but inspire others to live up to it as well.

What makes for a person of influence? This person is like the Larry Bird of your company - they make everyone around them better! They inspire fellow employees to bring their A-game to every task. They do this through their demonstrated work ethic, professional success, can-do attitude and commitment to persevere through the challenging times.

CHANGE THE STATUS QUO - GET WITH YOUR CREATIVE SIDE
By Eric Woodruff, CPA
Partner, Audit & Assurance Services
ewoodruff@sponselcpagroup.com

Surrendering to routine is all too easy, especially in a well-established successful business, but that does NOT guarantee you FUTURE success! You may find yourself continuing to do things in a certain way simply because that's the way you've always done them. Why is this a problem? Why try and fix something "not broken?" Even if it seems like your business is doing just fine, you won't continue to grow if you don't challenge the status quo! You must instill a creative entrepreneurial spirit within your team.

First, don't be afraid to identify weaknesses or shortcomings in your processes and procedures. Putting them under the microscope will shed light on what's actually working versus what has simply and arbitrarily become protocol. Is it the best practice possible?

CLIENT PROFILE: DK PIERCE
DK Pierce & Associates, Inc. has grown a great deal since it launched nearly 20 years ago. It was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana for the third year in a row, ranking among the top five companies on the list. Currently equipped with 21 employees, this certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) started with the vision of one woman - Denise K. Pierce.

Pierce has more than 30 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical and healthcare consulting industries, working for such corporate giants as Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Her vision for DK Pierce was to build a business that would eventually be recognized as the most respected U.S. consulting organization for complex medical conditions.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: KAREN PARSON
Karen Parson started at Sponsel CPA Group around this time last year. (Happy anniversary, Karen!)

Equipped with several years of experience in the accounting industry, she provides support to the Audit & Assurance Services team, serving as an Administrative Assistant to Tom Sponsel, Mike Bedel, Jason Thompson and Eric Woodruff.

Outside of the office, Karen is happily married with two grown children and two grandchildren.

We're One of the Best Places to Work in Indiana!
 
We're thrilled to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana . Official rankings were announced at the 14th Annual Awards Dinner, and Sponsel CPA Group landed in the #22 spot out of the 50 businesses in the Small Company category. Great work, team! Let's shoot for an even higher ranking next year! 

Congratulations, Abigail and Dalton!
Let's keep the kudos coming! Congratulations to Abigail Hedges and Dalton Mudd! They were recently recognized at the Indiana CPA Society Awards Banquet for their successful completion of the CPA Exam. Way to go, you two! 

Lisa Purichia Named President of NAWBO
 
Later this month, our own Lisa Purichia will be officially installed as the new President of the National Association of Women Business Owners - Indianapolis Chapter ( NAWBO Indianapolis). Here she is on the way to the NAWBO Convention in Washington, D.C. Congratulations, Lisa!