Meet Sean Sheppheard | Financial Planner & Accountant

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

Hi Sean, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was first starting out in 2019 I took that leap because of a need I saw in my community. Despite some narratives, particularly in Atlanta there are many thriving black professionals and entrepreneurs. Many of my own classmates went on to do great things like start companies, invest, or land high paying jobs. People began to come to me to discuss their new ventures and businesses. Often they had an amazing idea and good results but lacked a financial plan both personally and professionally. In a sense most people were and are “just winging it” in terms of their overall financial roadmap. Many individuals and small businesses don’t have a sense of where they stand financially and the strategic steps needed to accomplish their goals. I saw the opportunity while working full time as a business analyst for a billion dollar real estate company. Working in a large corporation allowed me to see how important workflows are to scaling operations and the power of technology to leverage services to a larger audience. In my corporate jobs I was providing value but it wasn’t the kind of value I wanted to provide. I wanted to be on the ground helping people and business thrive. I am grateful for my corporate experience in teaching me how to scale operations and think high level, but I needed to establish my own entity in order to reach the people I saw needed the most help. I didn’t have a master plan of how this company was going to make a million dollars. But I wrote a strong business plan, got advise from older and wiser people and I continue to build the company piece by piece.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
– Our Mission is “Financial Freedom for Everyone, Everywhere” We chose this motto specifically because it touches on three of our core beliefs. Financial freedom is something everyone deserves. Being “Financially Free” means something different to everyone, but whatever their definition, they deserve the chance to reach that goal. We said “For everyone” to include the marginalized communities that have traditionally been left out such as **POC, LGBTQIA, and Women.** We included “Everywhere” to emphasize our cosmopolitan mindset, that we are citizens of the world and its our duty to help each other no matter where we come from. Like many small businesses we face challenges around scaling to maximize our reach. We take each challenge as an opportunity to learn and improve the business. There are hard days that really make me question my purpose. What keeps me going is every time I talk to one of my clients and they tell me how their life has changed for the better thanks to our services. The impact we are able to make on the lives of real people has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is the best and worst place to be a tourist because there is SO much to do. I love showing friends three things, food, culture, and fun. Ideally if we can do all three in the same spot, great. All my friends know they can catch me at Yard House in Atlantic Station at least once a week for happy hour. Then late night vibes are always at Fin and Feathers on Edgewood ave. or Escobar on Peter street. Any place where there is good energy, tasty food, and strong drinks gets 5 stars from me.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My tribe is the #1 reason behind all of my accomplishments. My family, friends, mentors, and even clients have all been crucial to giving me the motivation to work towards something bigger than myself. As the saying goes “if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far go together”.

Website: https://www.sheppheardfinancial.com/

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sheppheard-financial-atlanta-2