Linsey Groth, 31
Accountant/business owner
Business: BGE Financial Consulting
Lives in: Kingsland
Professional responsibilities: As a small business financial consultant, I help small business owners manage their finances effectively. This includes analyzing financial data, creating financial plans, providing financial advice, and helping business owners make informed decisions about their finances. Though that all sounds very overwhelming, I take pride in doing the overwhelming part for the business owner and explaining in bite-sized pieces how to grow their business to be more profitable, rather than just giving them a lot of accounting jargon they don't understand.
As a small business owner myself, I also have all of the responsibilities of running my own business, which has been a learning experience. It gives me a unique perspective to help business owners through their struggles, as I know first-hand that everything isn't about the numbers.
Accomplishments/Honors:
Growing a small business from one employee (myself) to a team of seven in a span of two years.
I have also been entrusted to lead our local BNI chapter as president of the group.
Community Involvement: I sit on the Camden County Chamber of Commerce Board under which I am part of the Executive Committee. I am also a member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and the Professional Women's Council.
Why did you go into your particular field? I was originally attracted to accounting because I worked at a bank as a young adult. I specialized in small business because I enjoy helping other business owners not only keep their business alive, but make it thrive! Only 50% of small businesses survive more than five years, and I want to help make that number much higher here in Camden County.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? A mom. That was truly all that I knew I wanted to be when I grew up as a kid, and I got the privilege of doing just that for eight years while my boys were small thanks to my hard working husband who supported me staying home with them. As much as I love what I do now, I wouldn't give anything for the time I got to spend at home with my kids while they were small.
What was your first job? My first job was waitressing at one of only two restaurants with waitresses in my hometown, McRae, Ga.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “Don’t ever let anyone make you doubt yourself, not even me.” – McKenzie (business partner)
It’s a reminder that your own self-worth and confidence should not be dependent on the opinions of others. It’s important to trust yourself, maintain a strong sense of self-worth, and approach feedback with a growth mindset.
If ever anyone says anything that makes me feel small, she reminds me to look back at all that I have already accomplished just to get here.
This echoes how my dad raised me and I need the reminder often.
What’s your favorite thing about your job? Taking the leap to start a business is an exciting, yet scary thing to do. I’m fortunate enough to be a part of that adventure with businesses in the area and my favorite thing is being able to help turn their dreams into realities. Not only that, but I’ve got an amazing team of women who I get to do all of this with!
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started your career? I wish I had known the importance of taking breaks to enjoy a good cup of coffee. I used to think that powering through the day without taking any breaks was the best way to get things done, but I've learned that taking a few minutes to relax and recharge can actually make me more productive and focused. Plus, who doesn't love a good cup of coffee?
Who do you consider to be your greatest mentor and why? I have been fortunate to have several mentors who have helped guide me throughout my career. However, one person who stands out is Danny Riggins.
Danny was an invaluable source of knowledge and guidance for me over the time I got to work with him. He taught me that you don't have to change who you are to run and grow a business. Yes isn't always the right answer, but you don't have to be rude or ugly about it, and you can help everyone you can without being taken advantage of.
I have so many others that I could mention here, including Alison Shores, Mitch Blyler, Dan Udy and so many others that I have met along the way these past few years, but I can't take up the whole paper!
When you’re not at work, what do you do to relax? As a mother of three energetic boys, I am always on the go, so I try to make the most of my free time by soaking in all the family time. Whether we’re going on a hike in the mountains, playing golf with my husband, having a movie night, or spending rainy days playing board games, I cherish all the time I get with my husband and kids.
What is something about you that most people don’t know? Prior to starting BGE Financial Consulting, I was actually a doula for several years! Quite the leap from helping deliver babies to accounting, right?
How do you hope to grow in your career? I hope to always continue to grow and learn in all aspects of this field. Whether it's mastering new software, learning how to deliver killer presentations, or simply becoming a better communicator, I'm always looking for ways to improve. I know that with each new skill I master, it’s another tool I can implement into a client’s business that will help their business grow, and not just mine! More importantly, I hope to expand my network of clientele and contribute to other people’s success stories.
If you couldn’t do what you’re doing now, what would you be doing? If I couldn't do what I'm doing now, I think I would want to be a professional food critic! Despite having sensitivities (and allergies) to entirely too many things, I love trying new restaurants and exploring different cuisines, and I think it would be amazing to get paid to eat for a living. Plus, I'd get to travel to all sorts of awesome places and sample all kinds of delicious food.
However, I’d have to write eloquently about my experiences. I may struggle to articulate a review, but I make up for it with my ability to navigate some pretty impressive spreadsheets! For now, I'm happy to keep crunching numbers and helping small businesses grow.