"From day one, I knew this was more than just a job, but a calling to grow CPA Solutions into one of the most respected and trusted accounting and consulting firms in Central Florida.”
A familiar face for those who seek CPA Solutions’ services, Anthony Chessa is both the firm’s trusted business development manager and an integral member of the team despite starting his professional journey at the University of Central Florida with a focus on business administration and legal studies with the aspiration to become an attorney.
Having spent the better part of a decade working at a local law firm and working his way up from an intern to paralegal, Anthony starts by telling us how he was able to work alongside his managing partner and other attorneys to grow the firm he worked in, improving their operations while helping to ensure client satisfaction.
As his job scope gradually shifted from legal practice to firm operations, Anthony began to find himself motivated to pursue an MBA rather than his JD.
“While obtaining my MBA from Crummer Graduate School of Business, I took a role as a director of acquisitions with a local investment company. In this role, I was responsible for maximizing investor returns. As I was preparing for graduation, I decided to move into a role as a compliance consultant in heavily regulated markets across the country. With this, I was able to put my research skills to work and gained valuable experience in communications, customer service, networking, negotiations, and problem solving.”
However, traveling soon became extremely difficult with the rise and concerns fostered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Longing to make a return to his hometown in Winter Park and “put down roots” for the future, an opportunity arose from CPA Solutions, who were looking for the right person to head their business development efforts.
To Anthony, being in business development meant more than just a sales position. Instead, he sees it as an evolving role for one to help assist in growing the company they believed in.
“I have worked in various industries across my career and though each industry had different requirements, regulations, and duties. One thing remained constant, every industry needed accounting professionals and clean financials.”
After researching CPA Solutions and their growth plans, Anthony felt a kinship with the team and was eager to help assist them in their journey to come.
“I knew I could take what I learned throughout my career and put it to work for CPA Solutions. In my role, I am connecting business owners with our skilled accounting professionals to provide a wide variety of financial services.”
In his current role, Anthony is now able to develop strategies for gaining new business through client relationships, keeping himself connected across numerous industries and business owners to help them evaluate the best financial decision they should make. By making sure every experience with CPA solutions is as enjoyable and valuable as possible, Anthony works on many internal projects within the firm to improve their operations and enhance their client’s overall experience.
“I have the freedom to create business development initiatives and lead internal projects with the goal of growing the firm. The leadership at CPA Solutions is always there when needed but also gives you the room to grow personally and professionally.”
Taking a peek at the internal side, Anthony comments warmly on the team’s close interactions and how everyone likens each other to family, translating this closeness into their working relationships with clients as well: “I can see day in and day out how hard our employees work for our clients. Our employees truly care about the finances of these companies as if they were their own and strive to be their trusted partners.”
Looking back at his own memorable experiences during his time at CPA Solutions, Anthony brings up Dalia and how much influence she has brought to the team through her personal interactions with clients.
“Dalia brings real life experience from being a business owner starting in the 2008 financial crisis and truly lives by our motto of ‘Partners First, Accountants Second,’ immersing herself in our client’s finances to become a true partner. She can go from general business planning to precise tax strategies without missing a beat. I am new to the team, but witnessing Dalia's constant passion on the job has allowed me to look forward to creating many more memories and assisting business owners across Central Florida.”
Regarding the topic of workplace diversity, Anthony echoes the same sentiment as Nicole regarding the gender disproportion that exists within the accounting field and CPA Solutions’ efforts to break this norm (“CPA Solutions is over 65% females, and we also have staff from all over the globe to bring unique ideas to the table”).
Likewise, Anthony also acknowledges that a diverse workforce is an important asset as it acknowledges the individual strengths of each employee and the potential that they bring from their different backgrounds.
Similar to the rest of the members at CPA Solutions, Anthony sees CPA Solutions’ potential in becoming the most respected and trusted accounting and consulting firm beyond Central Florida in the next 5 to 10 years.
“With our business development efforts, constant improvement of internal processes, workplace diversity, and expert accounting stills, CPA Solutions is optimally positioned for growth.”
