# Built to Work

### Intro

**Colin:** Welcome to *Built to Work*, the podcast that gets its hands dirty, dives into the grit, and uncovers the heart of what makes the blue-collar world tick. I’m Colin, your host, and I’m sitting down with the people who keep our world running—from those tackling the tough jobs no one else dares to do to the HR professionals working overtime to find the labor force we desperately need. Whether you’re in the trenches or behind the scenes, this podcast is for anyone who values hard work, determination, and stories that build the backbone of our workforce. So, grab your gloves, your coffee, or your clipboard. It’s time to get to work.

### Interview with Nicole Eshnau of Marks Nelson

**Colin:** Good morning. Today, I am here with Nicole Eshnau of Marks Nelson. Nicole, thank you so much for sitting down with me to chat.

**Nicole:** Thank you for having me.

**Colin:** So, Nicole is with Marks Nelson. They’re an accounting firm. They’re actually who we utilize for all of our accounting services and our back office stuff. So, I thought it’d be really great to have a conversation with you to talk about your product, your offerings, successes that you’ve seen, and all that. So, you’re a partner here at Marks Nelson. Could I just get a quick rundown of what you do here in your role?

**Nicole:** Sure. So, I lead our client accounting and advisory services department. What that means is that we help our clients with a range of accounting areas. That may be helping with their AP, helping with their invoicing on a monthly basis, reconciling, and then the delivery of the financial statements. We also help with compliance as well, from sales and use tax, payroll tax, business licenses, and the like.

**Colin:** All that stuff that nobody really wants to deal with. It’s kind of nasty.

**Nicole:** Yes. Those notices that arrive in the mail that you were not expecting are what we help with.

**Colin:** Yeah. Marks Nelson, funny enough, my mother-in-law used to be a partner here, too. It’s funny that we’re back here working with you guys after that experience. She’s retired now. So, you guys provide this service. You obviously provide a range of other services other than what you do for us. What you do for us used to be called entrepreneurial services, and now you call it business services, kind of back-office services, right?

**Nicole:** Correct.

**Colin:** Okay, so that is essentially outsourced accounting?

**Nicole:** Correct.

**Colin:** Gotcha. So, if I come to you and I say, “Hey, I want to do some outsourced accounting,” what are you going to tell us that that’ll include? Or tell us about the benefits of why you would utilize that service.

**Nicole:** Sure. Some of our first questions are to find out who you have on-premise or in-office to do some of the day-to-day work. That helps define where we fill in the gaps. Sometimes you have a really good accounts payable clerk who is handling all of the bill pay. Then we can layer on top, maybe supervise, answer questions, provide a resource, and do what we call close out the month and deliver financial statements you can make decisions from.

### Benefits of Outsourcing

**Colin:** When you’re onboarding clients, do you ever get to the point where people are coming to you and saying, “Hey, we’re thinking about just getting rid of our whole department and going to you guys”? Have you ever had that situation arise?

**Nicole:** We have. Sometimes it’s by choice, and sometimes it’s not by choice. Sometimes it’s that resignation letter that shows up on somebody’s desk, and the owner calls and says, “I really need you now. I have a void.” We fill that void, and they find out that we can do it very seamlessly. They don’t have to worry about turnover, resignation letters, vacations, or sick time.

### Technology and Scalability

**Colin:** You guys bill based upon volume of transactions and everything like that. One thing that I love about this model is the scalability. How do you address growth internally to ensure a seamless experience for the customer?

**Nicole:** Sure. We are constantly evaluating automation. If there are technologies that can help make this better, we apply them. We’re always evaluating capacity, so if physical labor hours are needed, we’ll keep hiring and building up the resources internally.

### Success Stories

**Colin:** I would love to hear about some of your success stories where you’ve been able to come in as a specialized outsource partner and help some of your customers.

**Nicole:** I have a fun story about a client we were introduced to in 2019. Their financial statement told a very clear story of needing help. We came in, listened, and offered ways to help. We streamlined their accounting, helped them comply with taxes, secure PPP loans, and more. Over time, they reduced staff, improved processes, and we continued to support them, including engaging in succession planning.

### Challenges and Advice

**Colin:** What are some of the most complex challenges that you face with your service?

**Nicole:** Some of the more complex challenges involve evaluating and updating accounting systems. Convincing owners and current teams of the need and benefits for these changes can be a big lift, but ultimately, it helps streamline their processes.

**Colin:** Do you have any business advice for listeners, particularly from a tax or accounting perspective?

**Nicole:** My motto is that there’s always a better way. Continually evaluate your processes because there are usually improvements that can save money.

### Conclusion

**Colin:** Nicole, thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it. You have a lovely office here and a great service. If anyone has any questions about how awesome Marks Nelson is, reach out to me, and I’ll put you in touch.

**Nicole:** Thank you.

*[Music fades out]*