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

Hi Paris, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
In 2018 our lead CFO, James Williams Jr. started working with some small business owners in Chicago who needed financial systems for their growing businesses. They were friends of ours and it was a great way to start consulting. Initially he was also supporting them with their personal finances. He soon learned that it would be more effective to focus on supporting leaders of growing companies who do not have a CFO on staff. The virtual CFO vision really evolved from the consulting he did for a few years. Once we saw the value that we could add to business owners, it became clear that we should make this a sustainable business.

Once I came on as the full time CEO this allowed us to broaden our vision and serve even more companies. The leaders we work with have built a successful business. They are ready to grow their purpose and profit but need guidance to grow strategically. They want to feel like they are looking further into the future and not just day-to-day or month-to-month. Our team fills the financial leadership role that’s missing in businesses, providing the clarity and guidance needed for sustainable growth.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our mission at Next Level Financial is to “advance entrepreneurial creativity” and we do this through creating a financial operating system for growing businesses. We are a virtual CFO company. We work to live out our values in everything we do- Care, Connection, Creativity, Contribution. We care about the businesses as if they are our own. We believe in forming human connections with each other, our clients and partners. We connect with our clients personally and professionally. Having this connection helps us to build a stronger and more fruitful partnership. We provide creative solutions and ideas to the clients we work with. We wholeheartedly contribute to the mission and vision of each company. We do this through providing a financial operating system for growing companies who are ready to bring on a CFO. Our core offer includes forecasting, cash flow management, pipeline development and financial performance review. Businesses who hire us, have the support of a CFO for a fraction of the market price.

Recently our lead CFO, James was able to support a client with a small business to grow her revenue above the million dollar mark. This came through strategic planning, a few key hires and helping her to manage accounting systems. With another client, we were able to provide a 12 month dynamic forecast, which they had never utilized before. This was a game changer for our client and we are grateful to be able to support each company to level up.

The way that we operate- keeping our vision and values at the forefront helps us to standout and offer CFO services that we are proud of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We are in Suwanee, Georgia and there are many exciting things to do here. A few of our favorite spots are: Bottles and Bones- excellent food and live music on the weekends.  D’Floridian is a wonderful Cuban restaurant in Lawrenceville. If you like to dance, they also have live music on the weekends! Huskers and Flavor Rich are delicious for breakfast or brunch. If you are looking for a play, musical or comedy show, the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville is fantastic. We also love to walk over to the Suwanee Town Center for the farmers market, jazz in the park and Food Truck Friday. It is a family friendly and fun place to enjoy life!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my husband and business partner, James. When I was unsure about my ability to run this company he reminded me that for years I ran a large school, maintained and managed a budget, hired a staff, and managed the day to day operations. He reminded me that the ability to cast a vision, set goals, adjust goals and motivate people- translates across industries. I also want to shout out a few of my favorite books: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Sean Covey), Between the World and Me (Ta Nehisi Coates), Traction (Gino Wickman), We Should All Be Millionaires (Rachel Rodgers) 10X is Easier than 2X (Dan Sullivan), BOSS Moves (Myron Golden)  and all the books by Octavia Butler. Last but not least, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) in Atlanta, has been a beautiful, safe, and empowering space for me to grow, learn, connect and contribute as a business owner. The community at RICE is simply amazing. It is the kind of place that makes you want to pay it forward for the good of our community and the world.

Website: https://www.nextlevelfinancial.co/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/next-level-financial/

Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parisnextlevel/

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