Apple Growth Partners
AppleGrowth.com
Contact: Dirk Ahlbeck at dahlbeck@applegrowth.com

Q: Apple Growth Partners has an award-winning accounting team, but tell us a bit more about the full range of services you provide that many business owners may not realize.

Dirk Ahlbeck: In addition to tax and audit groups, we also have a very strong business valuation and support group as well as transaction advisory services for the sale and purchase of a business. We service the traditional industries like real estate, construction, non-profits and manufacturing, but also niche car washes and restaurants, which includes our breweries and brewpubs.

One hidden gem is that we are an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional accounting, consulting and service firms with similar client goals. The BDO Alliance USA presents an opportunity for our firm to expand our services to clients including international and state and local tax situations. Clients get the best of both worlds in a firm that’s small enough to care, but big enough to grow and handle the larger issues as the client grows.

Clients get the best of both worlds in a firm that’s small enough to care, but big enough to grow and handle the larger issues as the client grows.

Q: How have you helped a local brewery, restaurant or hospitality-focused business move forward with improved efficiency and what AGP calls “Healthy Growth”?

Dirk Ahlbeck: I really want to do three things with clients: Make sure the client does a monthly financial statement, benchmark those numbers against the industry, their own budget or past results, and use technology to its fullest. With Healthy Growth, we take things to the next level using checklists and get an understanding of their human resources, informational technology and sales and marketing to get more than tax planning ideas. Our evaluation covers all the aspects of the business and looks for opportunities to work on parts of the business that need improvements, do a deep dive and work to make things better.

Q: Apple Growth Partners has been in business for almost eight decades. How has it evolved over that time, especially in the last decade or so?

Dirk Ahlbeck: We have been doing tax preparation, audit services and accounting for 77 years. Now the value of our services is going beyond the tax, audit and accounting to provide consulting services including our business valuation services and our Healthy Growth checkup to provide more consulting and advice to our clients.

Also, the nature of the workforce is changing, as fewer people are graduating with accounting degrees than in past years and the number of people taking and passing the certified public accountant exam is dropping. We therefore have had to look at alternatives to supplement our workforce and be more selective about the clients we work with.

Our evaluation covers all the aspects of the business and looks for opportunities to work on the parts that need improvements, do a deep dive and work to make things better.

Q: How has the “AGP Anywhere” program helped you serve your clients better?

Dirk Ahlbeck: We strive to attract and retain top talent by improving our benefits and workplace culture simultaneously. AGP Anywhere has allowed our employees to work remotely, with up-to-date communication tools, so they can securely take their work with them wherever they choose. It is one of our benefits that make happy employees, who in turn will service our clients better and practice the firm’s core values of 1.) Be relentless 2.) Bring it and own it 3.) Seek to serve and 4.) Do what’s right.