An accounting firm opens this week in Houston.
Owned and operated by Erica Kessler, Kessler Accounting LLC is located in the stand-alone building that has housed several businesses over the years at U.S. 63 and First Street in Houston.
A resident of Willard, Kessler founded her business in 2007 and has since worked out of her home, serving many clients in the Springfield area. She has relatives living in Texas County and identified Houston as a place in need of a firm like hers.
“It seemed like there was a real need for a CPA here, so I thought I’d give it a shot,” she said.
Kessler is a certified public accountant (CPA) and certified fraud examiner (CFE) who is a graduate of Rolla High School and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Missouri State University. She has experience in accounting, income tax and audit, and spent more than 15 years working for a wide variety of companies and organizations in the Springfield area (including a national CPA firm, a non-profit, a bank, multiple small businesses and even the Greene County government).
At her new location in the newly-refurbished building, Kessler will offer individual and business tax services (including farmers), small business set up and accounting, payroll processing, Quick Books training and most other services a business might need. She said she wants to emphasize that individuals are welcome during tax season.
“I think I have the experience to really help people here,” Kessler said. “I stay up to date with my continuing education and I try to be someone who’s knowledgeable – and affordable. People won’t pay the prices you would at a national CPA firm or something like that.
“Plus, I’m a small business owner myself, so I know what it’s like.”
Kessler said her audit experience has taught her the importance of internal controls and fraud awareness for any size business, and she believes owners of even the smallest of businesses should consider internal controls and how to protect from fraud what they have worked hard to build.
She explained what being a CFE means.
“The CFE credential denotes proven experience in fraud prevention, detection and deterrence,” Kessler said. “This is important for small businesses because they are the victims of the greatest percentage of reported fraud cases.” Statistics show the median loss from fraud is about $154,000, and that most employees who have committed fraud have been with the company for more than a year and 25 percent more than 10 years.
“The primary weakness in these fraud cases has been a lack of internal controls in place,” Kessler said. “If proper internal controls are in place, fraud is much less likely to happen. I can help put them in place.”
Beginning this week and continuing through December, Kessler Accounting will be open Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. She and her husband, Steve, intend to soon move to the Houston area and she plans to have her office open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment.
As tax season ramps up, Kessler Accounting will be open Feb. 1 through April 15 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Kessler said she already has had clients referred to her, both for audit and tax purposes.
“I’m really excited about getting going here,” she said. “I think this is a great opportunity and I can’t wait to start meeting more people, making more friends and just becoming a part of this community.”
For more about Erica Kessler and Kessler Accounting LLC, log onto texascountycpa.com.
To contact Kessler, call 417-967-1040.
I’m a small business owner myself, so I know what it’s like.”