A Louisville CPA You Can Actually Talk To

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Certified Public Accountant

All-American Bad Ass

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Teddy Mizerak, CPA

502-317-2585

teddy@darkhorse.cpa

TITLE

Principal

HOMETOWN

Louisville, KY

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

15

EDUCATION

If you do the work you get rewarded, there are not shortcuts in life.

— The GOAT, Michael Jordan

Funny ranks at the bottom of the list if asked what adjectives you might associate with an accountant. Let's be honest; it's not even on the list. Teddy Mizerak, however, likes to laugh and is great at making others laugh. He's not gonna be your jester, but he'll at least make you smile.

But seriously, he's got experience ranging from the Big 4 to a large regional accounting firm to the head of a corporate tax department across industries, including everything from manufacturing to real estate to health care to farming to transportation and hospitality. Many different clients has he served, but they all get his timely responsiveness, a partner they can trust and one of those aforementioned laughs.

Teddy made his way to the University of Louisville by way of his hometown, Fort Lauderdale. Whereas some men of that age might attempt to win over a woman with displays of bravado, he displayed his evolved sensibilities by throwing down some impressive tax code knowledge in one of his tax courses, catching the attention of his soon-to-be-bride, Britney. A decade or so later, there is now a Teddy Jr. (well, actually, he's the fourth installment of the Theodore Mizerak lineage), a dog and a happily married couple.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Teddy enjoys playing with his son, long walks and hikes with the family, sweating it out on the Peloton, golfing, dining out, and watching college football and basketball.

Specialties

Multi-State Tax

Closely Held Business

Entity Structure

Strategic Tax Planning

R&D Tax Credits

Industries

Manufacturing & Distribution

Real Estate

Financial Services

Construction

Certifications

Certified Public Accountant

QuickBooks Pro Advisor

Lacrosse Coach

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Clark Watts, CPA

502-317-2585

clark@darkhorse.cpa

TITLE

Senior Manager

HOMETOWN

Louisville, KY

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

7

EDUCATION

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.

— Martin Luther King Jr.

A quick chat with Clark Watts will reveal that he was born and raised in Louisville (pronounced, "Loo-a-vul") because, well, he'll probably tell you, and you'd likely be able to guess by the cadence and accent of his speech as he explains his love for the area and the Louisville Cardinals. You may have guessed that he went to the University of Loo-a-vul, but you'd be wrong. In fact, he went to Transylvania University, a familiar name to those in the area and an entirely unfamiliar one to those outside Kentucky's borders (i.e., the author of this bio).

It was there that he met his wife-to-be in a course on Economics. Finding that he had a high level of demand for her and that she was in rather short supply, the Law of Supply and Demand, well, demanded that he take whatever steps necessary to procure a relationship. The fact that he played lacrosse for Transylvania likely played to his advantage in his successful courtship. And their love transcended Economics into Accounting, in which they both got their degree. Their love eventually transcended Accounting as she left the profession after two years to work with nursing students at the Galen College of Nursing.

Clark moved quickly through the ranks at a mid-sized, regional CPA firm, earning his CPA license along the way. Despite this trajectory, he had a rather significant unscratched itch of being able to build his own book of business and work closely with those clients to ensure their compliance and help them with strategic planning to ensure their success. Doing this with greater control and autonomy while also benefitting from the support of an eager-to-help team of Dark Horse CPAs made the move a no-brainer.

When he's not doing accounting, Clark loves to be active, whether running, biking, hiking, swimming or his all-time favorite...wakeboarding with friends and family, which includes his three-legged beast of a dog known fondly around the Watts residence as Thor.

Specialties

Corporate Tax

Business Personal Planning

Accounting & Bookkeeping

Cryptocurrency NFTs

Real Estate Investments

Industries

Manufacturing & Distribution

Sole Proprietors

Professional Services

Content Creators/Influencers

First Class Service from Your Louisville CPA

Whether it’s preparing your taxes for maximum return to helping improve your financial performance, your dedicated CPA is there when you need them. Stay ahead of the race and win it for your business with strategic accounting, enterprise-level technology, and white-glove service.

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TEDDY MIZERAK, PRINCIPAL

Dark Horse created something unique in the Louisville market...a 1-to-1 connection creating the most value for EVERYONE we work with. When I found Dark Horse CPAs, I was taken aback by their approach to customer service, the vast range of experience on the team, and the opportunity to grow.

Accounting Solutions for Businesses.

The Problem: Business owners aren't getting timely, accurate and actionable data from their financials. Even worse, they're not receiving tax planning advice from their, "tax pro," which is costing them untold amounts of money. This is just plain wrong. We believe you deserve a better small business accounting firm.

Solutions for Businesses

TEDDY MIZERAK, PRINCIPAL

“When you are involved in a client's business on a day-to-day basis, you can bring incredible value both on the tax and accounting operations. I believe this is the best (and potentially only) way to service business clients.
”

Tax Services for People.

The Problem: The sting of your tax situation often hits only after filing your return. Whether it’s an unexpected balance due or missed tax-saving opportunities, the impact is real and painful. We believe in No Surprises, especially the bad kind.

The Solution: That’s why our team works collaboratively with clients to ensure they plan ahead and reduce taxes wherever possible. Every engagement includes proactive tax planning with your CPA as a requirement, not an afterthought. With Dark Horse CPAs, you get a Nashville CPA Firm service that emphasizes clarity, preparation, and smarter tax outcomes.

Tax & Wealth Advisory for Individuals

WENDY WESSEL, PRINCIPAL

“There are many ways to educate and strategize with clients on tax liabilities, it all starts with a conversation. Meeting with each client throughout the year is critical to provide the proactive tax guidance I believe makes the biggest impact. That is why I love working at Dark Horse where planning comes first and is a requirement of every engagement from the onset."

Nancy R.

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

Kyle T.

With our prior accountant we didn't feel we were receiving adequate tax guidance and felt we were always paying more than our fair share of taxes. We have been very pleased with the service we have received with Adam Ripperdan. He has taken the time to review in detail our current situation and upcoming plans. With that information he has helped us create tax strategies for our businesses, investments, and personal taxes that not only help us save on taxes but also helps us plan for the future. I highly recommend Dark Horse CPAs.

Patrick W.

I was referred to Max by a friend who is also a small business owner. I was definitely in need of direction when it came to my finances. After speaking with Max I was able to understand how I can be efficient in the accounting side of my business and he and his team is there to guide me every step of the way. I'm now confident I have the right team watching my books I highly recommend Max and Dark Horse CPAs.

Marisa M.

I had the pleasure of working with Stella and she was absolutely incredible. I had received what I suspected was bad advice from a previous tax preparer, and I was looking for another professional opinion on a specific tax situation. I found Dark Horse and Stella and I couldn't be happier. Stella confirmed what I had suspected about the previous tax situation being handled incorrectly by my former preparer at a different firm, and helped me fix the problem. Stella was prompt, exceedingly professional, and actually took the time to explain everything. Prices for services are fair. I am thrilled to have found a knowledgeable, trustworthy tax advisor and I look forward to continue working with Stella in the future.

Susan H.

Megan, Kim and staff were very prompt filing our business and personal taxes. The secure email site to upload our documents was very user friendly. The staff was also extremely prompt answering our questions through email and on the phone. In addition, Megan met with us personally a couple of times several months in advance to map out a plan for our business and personal taxes. Thank you all!

Quinn R.

We signed on with Adam's accounting group after bouncing around trying to find the right 'fit' with other companies. I knew immediately that we found what we needed when Adam took the time to sit down and talk to me about my business, my plans, my goals and where I wanted my company to be in the next 2, 5, 10 years. Adam and his team are responsive - and by that, I mean proactive - which is probably the single best reason to use Dark Horse. After 8 years and 3 different accounting firms we found what we need with Dark Horse.

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