Stephen Keys is a highly sought after tax Chicago professional with over 10 years of experience. He is a speaker, author, and entrepreneur who saw an opportunity and decided to name his business Expedient Tax Service.
As CEO/Founder of Expedient Tax Service, he leads the company with his wife, Essence Keys, Co-Founder/Vice President of Operations. They are the “dynamic duo” and together with their Expedient Tax team, they aim to provide their clients with an exceptional experience.
Keys teaches the approach of honesty, integrity and professionalism in dealing with clients and other tax professionals. He knew giving back was important, so he created The Expedient Tax Institute in 2012.
How did the idea for your business come about?
I was audited by the IRS, and no one could help me. I decided to take a tax course and after completing the course I retired from auditing. One of the doctors I was working for at the time needed help with his taxes and I was able to help him. Once the word got around the office, everyone came to me for tax help, and the rest was history.
What was your main motivation for becoming an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship has always been a part of my life, starting with my late grandmother Bernice Keys who owned a restaurant. I worked in the restaurant to learn skills that could help me in the future. My driving force is that I was determined to leave a legacy and legacy that would last for generations to come.
How to build a successful clientele?
I’ve built a thriving clientele by building relationships and delivering great results with fantastic customer service. The power of referrals, Google and social media has helped grow my customer base.
How do you market your business and what tactics have been most effective?
We market the business using the website, our mobile app, email marketing, social media and referrals. We also used Google. As recipients of Comcast Rise, we received an advertisement from the company which is currently airing on television for 90 days. All of these have played a role in our business, but the most effective so far has been referral-based.
What kind of culture exists in your organization and how did you establish it?
We value family. We believe in God, honesty, integrity and professionalism. I consider it a fun, professional and relaxed environment. We want our customers to have the ultimate carefree VIP experience that is also fast and efficient.
The more we worked with clients as well as staff, through trial and error, we began to see what worked. The culture of the organization was established by what you would call the dynamic duo myself and my wife Essence Keys who is the co-founder and vice president of operations.
Rolling Out’s Paperwork Project Presents Business Boulevard is on Tuesday, February 21.
To attend the event, please register at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/RollingOutBusinessBoulevard