My mantra is : "To develop MEANINGFUL relationships that leave LASTING and IMPACTFUL LEGACIES".

Ok, Shannon.  Thanks for that info...but what does this mean?

It means that I live my life with intention and my personal goal is to have a positive impact in every interaction.  Does it ALWAYS happen? No, but I try my best.

It means that my identity exceeds beyond being a Mom, a CPA and a Philanthropist. Are they all important?  Of course, but they are not ALL of who I am.

It means that my life isn't quantified by the number of clients I serve, the amount of money in the bank or how I have personally succeeded.

My life is defined by the development of meaningful human relationships and helping people create the financial life they always imagined.

How did I get here?  I'm glad you asked.

Certified Public Accountant

This journey started over 30 years ago.

I was sitting in the living room scanning the books on the bookshelf.  Encyclopedia Britannica lined the shelves along with the Accounting textbooks from my mother's college days.  I would take the books and look thru them, fascinated by the idea of Debits and Credits.....Assets and Liabilities (yes, I know.....boring!) This lead to an interest in Accounting....and after several internships with Vanderbilt University and Coca-Cola Enterprises, I settled on becoming a Certified Public Accountant with an emphasis in Taxation.

If you ask me...Taxation is the BEST part of being an Accountant....

Why?

NO ONE WANTS TO PAY TAXES.

Tammy down the street hates filing her individual returns because she refuses to write a check to Uncle Sam.

APPLE doesn't want to pay a cent to Uncle Sam.  They would rather re-invest those funds into Research and Development.  Develop more products to generate more income. (Makes sense, right?)

The E.D.G.E. Foundation wants to keep every penny they raise to support under-resourced communities.  Paying taxes cuts into the impact they can make in the world.

Thru my firm, Access Financial Management LLC - I help Individuals, Small Businesses and Corporations achieve and leverage financial stability thru Tax Compliance and Management.

That's a fancy way of saying - I make sure you file your returns on time while paying the minimum amount of tax legally possible.

 

Philanthropist

I've always felt that I was a GOOD person.  I felt like I was always nice, cordial and easy to get along with........at least 95.67% of the time.

However, as I became an adult...it was no longer satisfying to just be a GOOD person without doing some type of GOOD in the world.

Three years ago, our family made a transition when we officially became DEBT-FREE.  After savings for three lifetimes (at least it felt that way), we were able to pay off our mortgage and all consumer debt (credit cards, auto loans).

While this was personally freeing, it left us wondering.....WHAT'S NEXT ?

Then, The E.D.G.E. Foundation was created.

The acronym E.D.G.E. stands for Education, Development, Growth and Excellence which are also the pillars of our Foundation.  The creation of initiatives using these pillars helps us to identify and serve under-resourced communities.

To date, we have supplied scholarships, school supplies and served as Mentors.  We've done a lot in a short amount of time, but there is a lot more work to do.

 

Shannon Spencer Shareef (S^3 )

Speaking of meaningful, human relationships...I have to acknowledge my loved ones who are part of this journey and push me to be the best.

I am married to Cool Mill and we have two intelligent and outspoken daughters. Cool Mill is a Technology Executive who also manages his own real estate firm , KIRG Realty.

Outside of excelling in school, our daughters are heavily involved in our business affairs and our Foundation.  They help develop programs for youth (look out for COOL to be SMART Kidz!) and provide guidance on how to have a greater impact in the community.

Now that you know all about me.....I want to learn about you.  Let's see if we can help you and your family develop your lasting legacy.