Meet Kevin Marquez | Tax Professional & Insurance Agent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Marquez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was to be able to educate and empower my community in the areas of taxation, finance, general business knowledge, and the importance of life, health, and disability insurance. As a child, I watched many of the elders in my community being taken advantage of by insurance agents and financial professionals who did not prioritize the needs of my neighbors. I always believed that my personal relationships with my elders and neighbors would lead them to listen to me and allow me to properly educate them regarding their finances, as they all watched me grow up and played instrumental roles in my personal development. Knowledge is power and I always aimed to provide my people with the knowledge they needed to make informed financial decisions.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started Accutax Tax Service in 2003 after graduating from Xavier University of LA. Due to a small financial market in New Orleans, it was very challenging to land a job with a B. S. In Finance, so I decided to start my own business to stay positive and productive. I encountered many challenges in the beginning, as I had to compete with larger and more popular tax companies. Through networking and building on existing relationships, I was able to build a consistent client base in 2 years. However, after my second year in business, I loss 95% of my client base due to Hurricane Katrina destroying the city in which I was born and raised. A few weeks later, I relocated to Atlanta and had to rebuild my business from the ground up. Rebuilding my business was challenging because I am not an Atlanta native, but I used the relationships that I developed with my peers in the school system to get Accutax back on track. In 2008, I changed the business name to Accutax Business & Financial Services so that I could offer a larger variety of products and services to my clients, outside of just tax preparation. The main lessons that I have learned on my journey are to value the relationships I have with my peers, persevere through adverse situations to meet my goals, constantly network to build and promote my brand, and stay open to new concepts and opportunities that are presented to me by others. I know what I know, but there is always room for growth, so learning from others who have more experience than I have is key to my success as a business owner. As far as my brand, I would like the world to know that Accutax Business & Financial Services aims to educate and empower our clients so they can be informed when making important decisions regarding their personal and business financial needs. In order to educate small business owners, I have partnered with Business Blazers Academy, through Pearson ConsultingGroup, to provide educational courses for small business owners.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When my friends visit Atlanta, I always prefer to introduce them to different venues in South Fulton, since I have been a resident of South Fulton since 2008. The South Fulton area has a slight resemblance to the places we used to frequent in New Orleans. It’s basically the same vibe in a different city. Most of my people who visit Atlanta automatically want to visit the New Orleans Daquiri Bar & Grill since it is owned by New Orleans natives. Apart from that, we also frequently attend the Captain Charles Jersey parties for the Saints vs Falcons football games. There are other places to visit, but that usually depends on the weather and/or the group’s mood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank God for blessing me with the mental capacity and ability to help those who are less knowledgeable or less fortunate than I am. I would also like to thank my family and older friends and associates in my neighborhood, 7th Ward New Orleans, who always mentored me and made sure that I stayed focused on the goals that I set for myself as a child, as well as meet the expectations that my mother and family had for me. Certain periods of my life were challenging, but I persevered because of the support that I received. I would also be remissed if I didn’t send a shoutout to my high school and grade school Alma Maters, St. Augustine High School and Corpus Christi Catholic School, both in my neighborhood of 7th Ward New Orleans. The education, guidance and support that I received from these learning institutions provided me with a strong foundation and started me on my way to success in life.

Website: Www.accutaxbfs.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/accutaxinc7

Linkedin: Www.linkedin.com/in/kevind-marquez-004164128

Twitter: Twitter.com/accutaxinc7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accutaxinc7?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@accutaxbusinessfinancialse115