In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, having the right financial foundation is crucial for success. Stephen Keys, a highly sought-after tax professional from Chicago with more than 10 years of experience, runs Expedient Tax, alongside his wife Essence Keys. This “Dynamic Duo” has built their company on principles of honesty, integrity, and professionalism.
They share a lot of values with U.S. Bank, and that in turn has fostered decades-long partnership with the bank that has helped countless entrepreneurs secure financial stability and growth.
“Our key partnership began quite some time ago, maybe over 10 years ago, and we met with a banker, and our relationship began to expand from there,” Stephen said.
Essence brought an artistic mindset to the business.
“I was a performing arts girl growing up on the west side of Chicago, performing everywhere from theater to singing on stage, and I went to college, graduated with my degree in corporate communications and not knowing that I would ever use it,” she said. “But when I met my husband, he had the company going and I was very passionate about customer service, and so I implemented some ideas I had in mind, and we partnered together, and we’ve been running an amazing business ever since.”
From there it blossomed, and U.S. Bank has been a valued partner.
“U.S. Bank is awesome,” Essence said. “I feel like it’s important to have a partnership with a bank like U.S. Bank because they’re so personable. U.S. Bank cares about the people and moving us forward. There are a lot of Black-owned businesses that want that success, and U.S. Bank establishes the tools that we need to be successful.”
Stephen didn’t accidentally happen into this line of work.
“I got audited, and when I got audited, there was no one that could help me,” he said. “I went to some of the local tax places, and there was no one that could assist me with an audit. I had a simple W2 and could not understand why I was singled out for an audit, so I decided to take a tax course.”
That’s how Expedient Tax got its start, and why Stephen is able to empathize with potential customers. Essence helps educate them.
“Financial literacy is essential because we use it every day,” Essence said. “For example, we have two boys, and we’ve been teaching them about entrepreneurship and managing their finances. It’s also important to share that knowledge with others. In our community, we often don’t pass along the tools and insights we’ve gained. That’s why hosting workshops is so valuable.”
The workshops create win-win situations for all involved.
“I had Stephen come in as a speaker, and he did a financial workshop that was amazing,” Essence said. “A lot of parents were able to learn different ways to complete their taxes. Instead of feeling defeated, they felt like they could win. They felt very hopeful and ready to go.”
