Michael Scicluna
CFO
Brady Slack
Owner & Senior Tax Advisor
Michael Scicluna & Brady Slack
Small businesses are the engine that drives the American economy, making up 99.7% of all businesses in the U.S. and generating over two-thirds of all new jobs. And High Country Finance is there to help them succeed. Established in Lehi, Utah, by Brady Slack, the firm was founded by entrepreneurs and investors for entrepreneurs and investors. A tax advisor for over six years, Brady has spent his entire career focused on serving and helping small businesses, not only an IRS-licensed tax advisor and the leader of a flourishing enterprise, but as an expert featured in USA Today and Chad Willardson's Smart, Not Spoiled, and an accounting and tax speaker at D2DCon, SolarCon, and RoofCon.
Alongside High Country’s CFO Michael Scicluna, Brady leads a team of industry experts in the areas of business, real estate, crypto, and investing, all driven to help clients across the country navigate their accounting and tax strategies to increase profits and pay fewer taxes—saving them millions of dollars a year. From real estate, e-commerce, and marketing firms to professional services, and major franchise clients, High Country Finance provides financial strategies designed for longevity, providing insight into taxes, markets, and opportunities that small business owners may not otherwise discover—all while delivering expertise and innovative service packages that clients can build to suit their specific needs and budgets. “We’ve worked with many companies for years, and grown with them, from serving as a single bookkeeper in the beginning to now providing a full-service outsourced accounting and finance team,” Brady explains.
For small businesses, this flexibility can mean all the difference. “Finance and accounting are very different for these companies, who take a lot more risk and need much better insights into cash flow than large corporations,” says Michael, who oversees their team of accountants, bookkeepers, and FP&A analysts, and acts as the outsourced CFO for many of their clients. Like Brady, he’s a champion of startups and entrepreneurs, with a six-year career that included helping to take a global trade company from under a million in revenue their first year to over $12 million by their third, and being featured in Bloomberg Business Weekly. Now, he’s bringing his rare simultaneous experience in both accounting and finance together with Brady’s uncommon skill in tax strategies to help small businesses thrive—from day one and into the future.
We sat down with Brady and Michael to learn more about how they’re eliminating the barriers faced by small businesses and entrepreneurs and helping them prosper.
Brady, what compelled you to start a company focused on helping entrepreneurs and investors?
I’ve spent my entire career focused on serving small businesses, and I’m passionate about using my skill as a senior tax advisor to help them. I learned a lot about what not to do at previous firms I’d worked for, and I knew that I could do better and be a true advocate for my clients to ensure they’re legally saving the most money possible on taxes. But I also believe that knowledge is power, so if I can provide my clients with this knowledge and show them how to apply it, they’ll be able to grow their businesses, increase their profits, and pay fewer taxes.
At the same time, I knew that many of these companies needed assistance with finance and accounting, but their size often prevented them from accessing experienced professionals who understood the complexities and challenges of startups and small businesses. The SBA defines “small business” as $1 million to $50 million, but I thought, “Why do we need to close ourselves to those making less than that?” We removed that barrier and serve enterprises of all sizes and budgets, offering access to a full, flexible, affordable suite of services.
These unique services packages are designed to grow with your clients. Tell us about this.
Oftentimes, it doesn’t make sense for small businesses or startups to spend half a million for an entire finance and accounting team. Our packages allow them to select the services that they need at any given time, at a fraction of the cost. They may only need a bookkeeper or an accountant right now; others might need a CFO and a full-blown accounting and finance team. We give them what they need, when they need it as it fits their budget and their changing demands as they continue to grow.
Michael, you have simultaneous experience in both accounting and finance and serve as the outsourced CFO for many of High Country’s clients. From this perspective, what are some of the unique needs of small businesses and startups?
They require more flexibility than most accountants can provide and need someone who can accurately forecast cash and income with very little prior data, which most other finance professionals would struggle to do. This is one of the biggest challenges for them. What I hear often is, “I’m running my business and I have no idea what’s going on with my accounting or if I’ll run out of cash to survive or grow.” We eliminate their stress. We spend time cleaning up their accounting so that their financial reports reflect their business. Then we discuss their goals to build a forecast and budget, and work with them throughout the year, not just an annual check-in. If I understand their business, goals, struggles, where they’re going, I’m able to forecast a year out for our clients. At the same time, I can help them determine what accounting or financial services they need and design a package that supports their current needs and future goals.
Let’s end with a somewhat personal question. What do you enjoy most about your work?
Brady: Being able to give people power through knowledge is fulfilling. If I can help reduce stress and make people see that taxes can be a way to increase wealth, that’s what makes me happy.
Michael: I love the opportunity to be an integral part of my clients’ growth. It’s almost like I get to be a part of every company I work with because I’m so involved, and then I get to see the outcome of their growth and potential.