Stephen Keys is a highly sought-after tax professional from Chicago with over 10 years of experience. He is a speaker, author, and entrepreneur who saw an opportunity and decided to name his company Expedient Tax Service.
He is the CEO and founder of Expedient Tax Service, and he runs the company with his wife, Essence Keys, the co-founder and VP of operations. They are the “dynamic duo,” and together with their Expedient Tax team, they aim to give their clients a great experience.
Keys teaches the approach of honesty, integrity and professionalism when dealing with clients and other tax professionals. He knew that it was important to give back so he created The Expedient Tax Institute in 2012.
How did the idea for your business come about?
I got audited by the IRS, and no one could help me. I decided to take a tax course, and after completing the course, I got myself out of the audit. One of the doctors I worked for at the time needed help with their taxes and I was able to help him. Once the word got out around the office, everyone came to me for tax help, and the rest was history.
What was the key driving force in you becoming an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship was always a part of my life starting from my late grandmother Bernice Keys who owned a restaurant. I worked in the restaurant learning skills that could help me in the future. My driving force is that I was determined to leave a legacy and inheritance that would last for generations to come.
How do you build a successful customer base?
I built a successful customer base by forming relationships and providing excellent 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 which tactics have been most successful?
We market the business using the website, our mobile app, email marketing, social media, and referrals. We have also used Google. As Comcast RISE recipients, we were granted a company commercial that 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 would consider it to be a fun, professional and easygoing environment. We want our clients to have the ultimate VIP carefree experience that is also fast and efficient.
The more clients we worked with as well as staff, through trial and error we began to see what was working. The culture of the organization was established by what you would call the dynamic duo, myself and my wife Essence Keys.
Rolling out’s Paperwork Project presents Business Boulevard, sponsored by U.S. Bank, is Tuesday, Feb. 21.
To attend the event, where Stephen and other Black business owners will be, please register at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/RollingOutBusinessBoulevard
