EP# 102: Valaise Smith with Tried and True Financial Services
Feb 19, 2024
Lisa
When Valaise Smith transformed from a finance enthusiast into an empowered entrepreneur, she didn't just launch a business—she sparked a revolution in how small businesses approach their finances. Our latest episode features the maverick behind Tried and True Financial Services, who's tearing down the daunting facade of accounting and revealing its engaging core. Valaise's personal tale of reinvention after her previous workplace shuttered paints a striking image of resilience that's sure to ignite a fire under budding entrepreneurs. Journey with us as we unpack the intertwined worlds of accounting, budgeting, and credit processes, and learn how mastery over these can propel a small business from surviving to thriving.
Beyond the balance sheets, Valaise's passion veers onto the open road, where motorcycle riding provides her with much-needed 'wind therapy'. Her anecdotes of riding through personal challenges add an authentic twist, proving that the road to success is as much about overcoming personal hurdles as it is about financial acumen. Meanwhile, we tip our hats to Valaise, our recent guest from the Good Neighbor podcast. Her insights enriched our conversation, offering a glimpse into the soul of the local enterprise and community in south east Michigan. This episode is a testament to the power of community spirit and a clarion call to support and celebrate the mosaic of businesses that define our neighborhood.
When Valaise Smith transformed from a finance enthusiast into an empowered entrepreneur, she didn't just launch a business—she sparked a revolution in how small businesses approach their finances. Our latest episode features the maverick behind Tried and True Financial Services, who's tearing down the daunting facade of accounting and revealing its engaging core. Valaise's personal tale of reinvention after her previous workplace shuttered paints a striking image of resilience that's sure to ignite a fire under budding entrepreneurs. Journey with us as we unpack the intertwined worlds of accounting, budgeting, and credit processes, and learn how mastery over these can propel a small business from surviving to thriving.
Beyond the balance sheets, Valaise's passion veers onto the open road, where motorcycle riding provides her with much-needed 'wind therapy'. Her anecdotes of riding through personal challenges add an authentic twist, proving that the road to success is as much about overcoming personal hurdles as it is about financial acumen. Meanwhile, we tip our hats to Valaise, our recent guest from the Good Neighbor podcast. Her insights enriched our conversation, offering a glimpse into the soul of the local enterprise and community in south east Michigan. This episode is a testament to the power of community spirit and a clarion call to support and celebrate the mosaic of businesses that define our neighborhood.
Speaker 1:
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Lisa Swiftney.
Speaker 2:
Welcome everyone to episode number 102 of the Good Neighbor Podcast. Today we have with us Good Neighbor Valise Smith and she is with Tried and True Financial Services. How are you doing today, valise?
Speaker 3:
I'm doing wonderful Lisa, thanks for having me, oh, thank you for being a guest.
Speaker 2:
Why don't we first start off by telling our listeners about you? What about your business? Tell us about it.
Speaker 3:
Yes, well, tried and True Financial Services was established in 2015, and we were established to educate service-based small business owners on the ABCs of finance to simplify their accounting, budgeting and credit processes. So, in the accounting space, we offer income tax planning and preparation, budgeting and or bookkeeping, and then building business credit, because we believe that those three things fit neatly together to help entrepreneurs get their finances together so that they can get access to capital that they need, whether it's applying for loans or certifications or whatever it is they need. Those are three critical, foundational elements that we believe fit nicely together to set them up for success.
Speaker 2:
That is amazing. I know we talked earlier this week or actually last week it's Monday last week about it and I am truly amazed at everything that you do offer. Yeah, so tell our listeners about your journey. How did you get started in this business?
Speaker 3:
Well, lisa, finance is my jam right. I love all things finance and I'm a lifelong learner. My undergraduate degree is in finance and I have over 20 years of working in the financial services industry. And before I go too deep into that, can I just have a transparent moment?
Speaker 2:
Sure.
Speaker 3:
So entrepreneurship was never on my radar. I was taught to go to school and get good grades so that I can get a good job. But what's that? Yeah, a lot of people's story, right? Yes? Well, once I had accomplished that, I figured that I had arrived. However, when the good job that I had landed had to close its doors, I couldn't see myself going out to brush up my resume to get another job, so I didn't. I actually, having worked with several small businesses throughout my journey, I decided to marry the tax preparation skills that I had with the portfolio reconciliation skills that I had been doing for the investment advisory firm that I was working for, and I launched Trident True Financial Services, in the beginning just helping other small business owners manage their finances well when it came to tax prep and bookkeeping.
Speaker 2:
That is a awesome journey and I know sometimes it's really hard to work for somebody else, so it's good that you have that entrepreneur spirit in you.
Speaker 3:
Yeah, and I was spoiled. I didn't know what I would go out and look for, as it pertained to a job because, like I said, I had been working for that financial services company for over a decade and it really was my quote unquote good job. I really enjoyed working for them. If they were still open today, I'd probably still be working there because I just loved it that much. But God really has a way of pushing us out the nest and causing us to fly and he does.
Speaker 2:
He does so, can you tell us about any myths or misconceptions that you hear about in your industry?
Speaker 3:
Wow. Yeah, there's a few of them, for sure, but I think the one that I would lean in on right now is that accounting is boring and tedious. But I beg to differ. In my opinion, making money and counting it up is super fun. Like who doesn't want to do that?
Speaker 2:
Great, great, great.
Speaker 3:
I really think people tend to overthink the process, which is something we all do in various areas of our lives, right? But I often ask people how do you eat an elephant? Just one, buy at a time, and so when we break things down into buy-size pieces, that way it's much easier to manage. And it's the same thing with accounting and tracking your business finances.
Speaker 2:
So you need to schedule that time or actually they need to hire you to schedule that time and do it for them.
Speaker 3:
Either way, I always tell people you have two options. You can either DIY it or DFY. Either do it yourself or have it done for you. But not doing it is not an option, Right.
Speaker 2:
That's a very good one. I like that up to remember those. So when you're not working on your business, tell us, what do you like to do for fun, fun, fun, fun.
Speaker 3:
Well, Lisa, believe it or not, whether permitting, I love jumping on my Harley-Davidson soft-tail heritage classic and getting some wind therapy. I'm a biker chick and I love it.
Speaker 2:
It's so much fun. Yep See, I learned something new today. Yeah, biker chick. So what is the best ride that you've gone on so far?
Speaker 3:
Well, I will tell you, I've owned my own motorcycle for about 10 years now. My dad used to ride so as a daddy's girl he always rode me and then when I became an adult, the rise just wasn't coming quick enough, which is why I ended up getting my own bike. But I don't do a lot of riding. It's just like a guilty pleasure, like when I want to ride then I can go and do it. But as far as I haven't been that far, I haven't done any long distance rides or anything like that. I'm not part of a club or anything like that. But I would say my favorite ride is over on the east side of Detroit, riding up out to Gross Point and just riding past that water and getting just looking at that beautiful view of the water on the side there.
Speaker 2:
That sounds like an amazing ride, so that is great. So can you describe one hardship or a life challenge that you can say you rose above and now say because of that challenge that you're better for it and or stronger?
Speaker 3:
Oh, wow, lisa, you're pulling it all out today, all the stops. Well, I will say and this is a stat that many people in the business world may be familiar with but the average business fails within the first five years, and it's often due to poor cash flow management or lack of funding, and that's a challenge that many business owners, you know, find themselves in that five year mark. Well, in my fifth year in business, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Well, and so I'm sure stress was a contributor, and so 2019 was a year that challenged me but also made me stronger as I fought through this life-threatening illness with the support of my tried and true tribe. So I'm grateful to be here today to testify about the goodness of God and how it just made it through that life challenge, because managing a small business is challenging in and of itself, but then being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness is another layer of challenge at that early stage. But I'm here today to still talk about it.
Speaker 2:
That's amazing, and we are glad that you are here today for us. Thank you. I am very, very familiar with the breast cancer world. I worked for a charity for a number of years. Okay, and it's in my family. So, yeah, you are a strong lady. Yeah, thank you. What is one thing that you wish our listeners knew about your business?
Speaker 3:
I kind of alluded to it earlier, but I would say the one thing I wish listeners knew is that it's not as hard as you think. Just like anything else, it requires focus, consistency and commitment, like you said, setting aside the time and committing to just facing it and doing it, biting it off one chunk at a time. So I really wish that people wouldn't shy away from it or wouldn't, you know, tuck it in the back so much, but just what? Really embrace it head on, because it's not as hard as you think it is.
Speaker 2:
And I wrote those three words down Focus, consistency, commitment. Yeah, that's it Great. So our listeners are intrigued. They want to learn more about you or they want to hire you to help them with their bookkeeping and finances with their business. How can they get in contact with you?
Speaker 3:
Well, I definitely would invite everyone to subscribe to our YouTube channel, which can be found under my name, Belize Smith. But also we have a very comprehensive website at triedandtruefscom, so that's wwwtriedandtruefs, like financialservicescom. On that website you'll find all kind of cool information about the programs that we offer, the services that we offer, how to schedule a free consultation, which we do offer free 20-minute consultations. You can book that right up on our website. There's all kind of links to cool discounts and resources up on our website. So I really would invite our listeners to check us out on our website and if they'd like to talk more specifically about their particular information, their particular situation, then setting up that free consultation, I believe, would be a great first step to take.
Speaker 2:
And it sounds like your website is an amazing resource for any small business owner. Yes, thank you, lisa. Oh, thank you Belize. Thank you so much for being a guest today on our Good Neighbor podcast.
Speaker 3:
You're very welcome, it was my pleasure.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast Rochester. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GnPRochestercom. That's GnPRochestercom, or call 248-988-9640.
