Meet Rachael Willingham

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

Hi Rachael, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have been in the tax industry since I was 17 years old but never had the vision to start my own business until my marriage of 14 years failed. I was left with 5 children to raise on 37,000 a year with a senior in high school going to college the next year. I made too much money for food stamps but not enough money to live on. That first year was the hardest living paycheck to paycheck and relying on food banks for food. I finally listened to God as he said to begin to build the business. I even applied for a promotion at my current job and was going to give up tax prep all together as the long hours took a toll trying to keep up with two jobs during tax season. I was denied the promotion I wanted and given another position with a slight raise, and I do mean slight. I continued to poor into my website and Facebook page and prayed for God to give me a name for my business that was going to represent who I was now, my past, and my future. Butterfly came to me and after researching the process a butterfly goes through, I immediately knew my name for my business was BUTTERFLY TAX SOLUTIONS as my entire life has been in comparison of the phases a butterfly goes through before they open their wings and fly. I am now embarking on my 5th season of entrepreneurship, and even though there have been ups and downs along the way, this is by far the best decision I have made throughout my career.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I try my best not to compare myself to other tax companies as I have worked for the two largest tax companies in the world and honestly my success is attributed to the skills I gained while working for them. For my own company, I had to bring out what I love the most about tax prep… and that is the people. I truly enjoy helping each family I service. I love being able to bring excitement about tax refunds and even for the least exciting part of when people owe. I still take that opportunity to bring knowledge about how their situation can change for the next year. Every kid that walks into my doors receives a toy on their way out. It’s my small way of making sure all the babies remember the Butterfly Lady! I gain so much joy running into parents and kids that “remember” they get a present when they leave or the kids that don’t want to leave the playroom. I have a special playroom dedicated to the kids that are waiting so they can have fun while they wait. I am also involved in our community with events such as our annual Trunk or Treat. Last year, we had over 300 kids to stop by. The fire department also participated and enjoyed judging our trunks. I always decorate the office for Holidays and do a Christmas give back to families in need. The company has participated in many career days with our local schools. Business life is not easy. Every tax season holds its own set of questions, worries if the clientele will return, who will be the help since turnover in a tax company is always high, will you make more or less money that the prior season, and more stress as you approach the season knowing its 104 days straight with no break. The reward is knowing that is hard work for 4 months, but I get my summers back with the kids and I get to enjoy football games and fall activities not being confined to a normal 9 to 5. The most valuable lesson I have learned along the way is no one will ever be able to pour into your business like you do. It’s ok to make mistakes and changes as your vision and process changes. I want the world to know that at Buttefly Tax Solutions we are always “Changing Lives, One Return at a Time”. I truly care about each client and their financial tax situation and show that through kindness, knowledge, and proficiently.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would start our mornings off with some breakfast at a local staple Jerry’s Country Kitchen. The biscuits are homemade, and the staff is so welcoming. After breakfast, we will get some exercise in by walking the Greenbelt and enjoying causal conversation. Once we have freshened up, we would stop by the square for some delicious lunch at Brown Dog Eatery. The fried green tomatoes are delicious. After lunch, we would head out to Banning Mills in a small city next to Carrollton and enjoy some horseback riding or ziplining. After a long-filled day, we would enjoy a nice dinner at another local favorite, Little Hawaiian. After this amazing day we would head out to
Crafty Rabbit Meadery to enjoy some line dancing and wine tasting,

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I must give the credit to God for his vision and the people he put in place to help me. After my divorce my credit was terrible, and I was living paycheck to paycheck so the idea of having extra money to rent a space did not exist. I told my friend what I had envisioned but expressed I didn’t have an office to bring clients too. He said, “ok, give me some time”. To be honest, I never even expected him to help. I wasn’t used to receiving help for anything and for him to help me when he really didn’t know me well yet seemed too good to be true. We met not too long after my separation and became good friends almost instantly. He called me late November 2021 and said, “I got you a space for the season”!! He is the reason I was able to start off with so much success. He promoted me to people he knew to help my business grow and over these past few years if I need something done at the office, I know he is only a call away. Thank you, Barry! You have truly been a blessing to me and my company.

Website: https://butterflytaxsolutions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterflytaxsolutions/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-harrison/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/butterflytaxsolutions

Other: Tik Tok

https://www.tiktok.com/@butterflytaxsolutions