Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Ciccone.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I wouldn’t say that I am the typical Accountant or CPA. At least not the type that has been cast in movies or TV shows. I grew up in Walpole Ma, before going to Boston College High School. This was a unique choice for me since I decided to trade a 10 minute commute to school for an hour and fifteen minute public transportation commute into Dorchester Ma. I stayed on the Eagle path and attended Boston College before receiving my Masters in Taxation at Northeastern University. I played Rugby throughout my High School and College careers which culminated with being elected Captain my senior year at Boston College and being named to the D1 North East All Stars.
After college I followed the typical trend into Big Four accounting and joined Ernst & Young where I was sure I would get “one on one” time with the CEO’s and CFO’s of global conglomerates in navigating both domestic and international tax and accounting rules. I began my time at EY gaining a background in all types of tax and audit before I began my focus on International Taxes. I worked at EY for 8 years helping to implement worldwide tax strategies and assisting in complex audits and global bankruptcy filings.
Throughout my time at EY I always felt as if I was missing something. I am a “people person” and I have always found enjoyment and satisfaction in helping people in need or in using my education and experience to help guide others. I needed my professional life to be built around a set of interpersonal relationships.
I decided after 8 formative years at EY that it was time for a new challenge. It was time for me to join a firm where I would be able to work more closely with business men and women directly on a larger variety of issues. Four years ago, I joined my father’s company Stevens & Ciccone Associates P.C. CPAs, where I knew I would be able to assist a large variety of clients in all aspects of both Accounting and Taxes. Throughout this time, I have been lucky to work with entrepreneurs from the date they formed a company through their first hundred thousand or multi-million dollars in sales. I have been able to assist in all financial aspects of the company, preparation and review of the financial statements, tax filings, cost cutting projects, representing them during IRS and state audits, and some financial consulting. I have been able to work with three generations of families in tax planning and tax filings from the Grandparents at the end of their lives wondering about estate planning all the way down to grandchildren and individuals having their first job and filing their first tax return. The client interface and interaction, and the variety of our clients’ needs, make every day different and is what makes being an Accountant an intrinsically satisfying and enjoyable job. Every day that I go into work I am able to learn something new and assist all different types of businesses and clients. Last year I was appointed to the City of Boston Audit Committee, which allows me to fulfill my civic duty by using my skill set to assist my city.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A challenge that I have encountered upon joining Stevens & Ciccone was that I needed to establish and develop the professional relationship with my father. My dad and I have always had a close relationship as he coached a lot of my sports teams growing up, but there is a transition when you move from viewing your father as an authoritative figure to working in a collaborative atmosphere, especially during the throes of busy season when we are in the midst of our sixth consecutive 90 hour work week. It took us a little while to recognize each other’s professional strengths, but I feel like having an open and honest professional dialogue has allowed our professional relationship to thrive which has by default brought us significantly closer as father and son. I knew that joining Stevens and Ciccone carried with it a risk that we could possibly damage our relationship, but as I sit here four years later I truly believe that being able to work with my father everyday has been one of the best decisions of my life. I am able to learn from someone with over 42 years of experience whom I have the utmost respect and admiration for, both personally and professionally.
Please tell us about Stevens & Ciccone Associates.
Stevens & Ciccone Associates is a firm of Certified Public Accountants. It was established in 1978 when my father and his partner left their previous firm and started their own company with a focus on client satisfaction. Our goal is to be your accountants for life. We want to help our clients with all aspects of business accounting, taxes and financial life planning. We provide review, compilation and audit service for all types of corporations, trusts, partnerships, sole proprietorships and individuals. We file almost every type of tax return, for individuals (resident and non-resident), corporations, partnerships, not-for-profits, etc… I would say that our specialty is middle class to high-net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and domestic corporations and partnerships. We also do a lot of work in the international community with Foreign Individuals filing taxes and applying for U.S. individual taxpayer identification numbers. I have completed a course in certifying identification documents of non-resident aliens and have a designation as an IRS “Certified Acceptance Agent”. More and more of our services and revenues are being realized in the International Community. We are most proud that we do not do any advertising. Our business and client base is 100% referral. Our clients so appreciate everything that we do for them that they willingly give us their recommendations when talking to colleagues or competitors. This has kept a steady stream of new clients coming into the firm. Over 30% of our current clients have been with us for over 20 years. These long-term relationships are extremely important to us and we strive to establish long-term relationships with all our clients.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The obvious answer here is my Father, who showed me that being a CPA was more than crunching numbers and knowing the tax rules. Watching how he cared for people and took care of people from a professional and personal perspective gave me the will to follow in his footsteps. I appreciate everything that he has done for me and taught me over my life and the last four years we have worked together. Another individual that comes to mind is my first client and good friend Blake Garrett, the founder of Aceable Inc,. a Driver’s Ed app company in Austin Texas. He founded his company just as I was joining Stevens & Ciccone. He trusted me and believed in me and wanted to be my first client. He showed me how much confidence he had in me which has driven me forward in my career. Obviously, friends and other family members have been supportive of me in my career endeavors. My contacts and professors at Boston College High School and Boston College have certainly nurtured me and provided a good personal and business referral source for my business endeavors. One college professor and confidant that taught me a significant amount about managing people, their expectations, and nurturing relationships is Father James Fleming, S.J. During Father Fleming’s time as the faculty adviser to the Boston College Rugby Club he taught me a lot of the soft people skills which have allowed me to continue to grow as a manager and a person.
Pricing:
- We bill based solely on hours worked. Partner’s charge $295 an hour. Professional Staff CPA’s charge from $160 to $215 an hour depending on experience. Administrative Staff charge from $50 to $90 an hour depending on the service provided.
- A basic Individual Tax Return usually costs around $600.
Contact Info:
- Address: Stevens & Ciccone Associates, P.C.
1320 Centre Street
Suite 100, Newton Centre, MA 02459 - Website: http://www.stevensandciccone.com/client_services.html
- Phone: 6179698700
- Email: markciccone@stevensandciccone.com
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