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Franklin CPA Firm

Brady Kelly, CPABook a Meeting

Brady Kelly

TITLE

Associate Principal

HOMETOWN

Nashville, TN

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

10

EDUCATION

UTC

“To reach a port, we must sail—sail, not tie at anchor—sail, not drift." — Franklin D. Roosevelt

A Music City native, born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee Brady’s passion was cultivated at an early age, as he grew up working in his family's small manufacturing business. He witnessed firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with operating a family business - from managing cash flow and inventory, to navigating tax and regulatory requirements, to making difficult decisions that impact both the business and the family. This early exposure to the intricacies of running a business sparked his interest in business operations, accounting, and finance, ultimately shaping his career path.

Brady earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. After college, he decided to pivot from the family business and obtain his CPA license. He went on to work for a regional accounting firm, where he honed his technical expertise in areas such as financial reporting, tax planning, and attest services over a wide range of industries. With a decade of experience under his belt, his passion for helping small businesses thrive has remained constant with a grounded belief that public accounting is ultimately a people business.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Brady enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife (Manning), young daughter (Cameron) and senior farm dog (Maggie), tending a grill on a hot summer night while entertaining family and friends, traveling, and last but not least attempting to break one hundred in golf.

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First Class Service from Your Franklin Tennessee CPA

At Dark Horse CPAs, we focus on advisory first. Having a 1-to-1 relationship with our clients is the most important element of every engagement. Whether you need tax, accounting or wealth planning, our team of CPAs and Wealth Advisors are focused on ensuring we are maximizing your Tax Strategy, minimizing your tax burden, ensuring your accounting function is operating the way it should, so that you don't get "surprised" throughout the year.

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89%

Net Promoter Score

The average NPS for accounting firms is 38%. At Dark Horse, 89% of our clients would recommend us to a friend.

Net Promoter Score

Companies use this metric to gauge how happy their customers are with their services. It's calculated by taking the percentage of "promoters" minus the % of "detractors. "The average NPS score for the accounting industry is 39%, less than the DMV! We believe it's important to share that we have successfully fulfilled our promise to WOW clients and consistently monitor this metric to ensure we continue to deliver on the highest level.

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350+

5-Star Reviews

Our Google and Yelp reviews speak for themselves. Our goal is to provide 5-star service to every client, every time.

5-Star Reviews

When someone shares their experience with us online, we find it extremely valuable to know where we've exceeded expectations and where we can improve. Many of our clients decide to engage with us as a result of reading about other Dark Horse clients’ experiences. Even when things do not go as planned, we do everything we can to make it right.

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90%

Retention Rate

We're all about creating long-lasting, value-added relationships.

Retention Rate

This is the frequency of repeat business from our clients that work with us. This means that 9 out of 10 clients use us for subsequent years. That shows us that people enjoy working with our CPAs, are pleased with the work, and want to continue with Dark Horse over the long term.

Brady Kelly

BRADY KELLY, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

I joined Dark Horse CPAs for a very specific reason, to apply a client-centric approach to every one of my engagements. I want to cultivate meaningful relationships and guide clients through complex situations and challenges. Taxes and Accounting can be complicated, but with the right partner by your side you can have peace of mind that it is being done right, on time, every time.

Accounting Solutions for Businesses.

The Problem: Small businesses are making uninformed decisions because they aren’t receiving timely, accurate and actionable financial data from their accountant. They’re also not receiving the strategic guidance they need in order to plan for and reduce their taxes. We hate this. This is why we combine bookkeeping and tax services for our business clients to ensure they’re making informed, tax-savvy decisions to move their business forward. We take an Advisory-First approach and need good data to bring the most value to every engagement.

Solutions for Businesses
Brady Kelly

BRADY KELLY, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

“Many business owners look at their Tax and Accounting function as two separate things. The reality is everything you do day-to-day in your accounting and bookkeeping has a direct impact on your tax liability. That is why I combine Bookkeeping and Tax Advisory into all my business engagements, to better educate and show how much we can do from a Tax Reduction or Tax Deferral strategies by bringing both sides into 1 seamless engagement.”

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Tax Services for People.

The Problem: It’s not until you file your personal tax return that you feel the sting of your tax situation. Whether it’s an unwanted surprise in the amount owed or refunded, or the realization that you left significant tax savings on the table, the sting hurts. We believe in No Surprises, especially the bad kind. This is why we work collaboratively with our clients to ensure they plan for and reduce taxes wherever possible. We make sure every engagement requires a level of Tax Planning with your CPA, period.

Tax Solutions for People
Brady Kelly

BRADY KELLY, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL

“I have never understood why every CPA doesn't require a bi-annual check in with their clients. So much can be discovered and implemented with a proactive approach to Tax Planning. That is why I require at a minimum, two touch points a year with every one of my engagements. It is the only way to get the most out of your relationship with your CPA and leads to incredible savings in your tax liability as well as education on what is possible in the years to come.”

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Nancy R.

I have used James Larsen as my CPA for many years and am confident in his work ethic and tax knowledge.

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Understanding the New DOL Overtime Rules: What Your Company Needs to Know

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Transforming the CPA Landscape: Darkhorse CPA’s Innovative Model for Growth and Success

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