About James Harnsberger

My Story

My story began in 1982, (September 19^th to be exact)

I came from the real estate industry and insurance industry into the tax industry really in reaction to financial events unfolding at that time.

Prime lending rates soared to over twenty percent, and the economy was still feeling the effects of change with a new Reagan Administration, I felt that real estate and insurance were not the business I had long term interest in, and in many ways saw it as a competition for new customers constantly versus in the tax business, I could have repeat customers and I liked the idea of doing taxes more than selling insurance or real estate.

I scrapped together the necessary funds and purchased a small solo practice in National City, California that had about 300 clients. Approximately 100 of these were small business clients, which is what I really enjoyed the most.

The firm had two employees and one part-time clerk during tax filing season and from all appearances it was a great opportunity and if I played my cards right I would make back my original investment of $75,000 in five years! By the way, I knew nothing about how to fill out tax forms when I made this purchase.

I quickly enrolled in an H&R Block course and purchased every book I could find about how to do taxes. I also ordered every form, instruction and publication I could from the IRS (back in the day there wasa Package X) which contained virtually smaples of every form the IRS used.

I also did something that forever change my course of direction which later in life I would come to appreciate as being priceless! I hired a Mentor! A local tax expert who had a great reputation in the community, everybody knew him or about him and I made a deal! (Later I determined I got the best of the deal in the long run)

We negotiated back and forth for several weeks, I with my need and his with his requirements. Eventually after enough Denny’s breakfast meetings and lunches we struck a deal. I would meet with him once per week for two hours and do this for 24 months and bring no more than five files and he would teach me everything (and I mean everything he knew) about taxes using these files each week as examples!

In exchange, each week I would bring my bank deposit records, and a check for 50% of what I made that week as his fee. No at first you might think why would I do this! Well to begin he taught me something right off the bat that I never forgot; If I raised my fee and lost halff my customers and spent an extra hour with each client I would make 50% to 100% more money over a 12 month period. (Actually I doubled in the first 9 months what the business madee in the previous 12 months).

From that day forward, I never looked back. After my 24 months as a dutiful mentee, and after doing every assignment, filling out every form, reading every instruction and publication, doing all what was assigned me, I made my entire investment back in profits in less than 24 months, and had a great business positioned for growth.

Later in my life and career I would come to cherish the value of all that I learned for two reasons; first I had a mentor who truly cared about my success and second, I learned to hold myself accountable to do the hard work and keep my comittments and do whatever it takes to get the job done. I learned that doing my best would never be enough as it happens with us all. Monday’s may be my worse days in the week and doing my best not so much on Monday.

I had leanred to adopt an “attitude” instilled by example from my Mentor.

Do whatever it takes to get the job done, period!

Fast forward to the late 1990’s I had reached a plateau of sorts. In other words, there seemed to be a lack of challenge in what I was doing and it seemed more of function than inspiration. In other words early signs of burn out were starting to show.

I decided out of the blue to enroll in a college program for a Paralegal Credential and felt like this would give me a fondation to take my professional work to a whole new level. I did GREAT in the program and loved every minute of every class and every professor. I was very fortuante to have practicing attorneys and judges who taught me and it was the greatest thing in my career I had ever done to that point.

Again, I turned to my success formula and as part of my credential it was required that I complete some number of hours doing intern work. I selected a local tax attorney, Richard and approached him to do some work for him at no cost so I could complete my internship requirements and obtain my credential for graduating this course.

That turned out to be the second best decision in my business life as today I have developed a very strong friendship and deep respect for Richard and his knowledge and skill as an attorney. In fact he is a wonderful human being and I have gained so much over these many years that I could not pay enough in money for what it has instilled in me and given to my life and career.

In closing, now some decades later as my career in taxation come near to retirement and I turn over the business to Allan my partner, and move to the next adventure I can tell you that I have had five major shifts in my life that all of led me to where I am today. In each of these shifts I had a Mentor who was the one person that gave me the spark that ignited my desire to set for myself a high standard not because of the money it may cost; but because I developed a respect for myself and those I entrusted as a Mentor to gain “experience” in doing things.

My point is this

I cannot teach someone about anything! Hard Stop. I can however enter an arrangement whereby “we” can share an experience that will be mutually beneificial, will be respectful, and will leave us both in a far better position than when we began.

I truly believe that “coaching” is appropriate in those things where a coach is what a person needs. For the big steps in life, for the things that change or shift our direction, a Mentor is where I will always go. It is in that relationship you have the greatest opportunity to have a real experience in anything. It is the EXPERIENCE quotiant as I call it that matters the most. A Mentor creates a situation not to teach or coach you how to; they create a situation and environment whereby you will experience “doing” what you seek to know.

Nothing can replace an experience. Nothing can substitute having an experience. This is the difference in a coach v mentor. Both are great! However one is unique in creating what you truly desire.

Contact me today

I will commit to 3 hours of my time at no cost or obligation

After that 3 hours if you feel a Mentoring assignment is something you are prepared to undertake then let’s get started and Make it Happen. If you do not feel you are prepared at this time to undertake a Mentoring assignment with a Mentor, then great! At least you have that information and know you have more work to do before you invest in Mentoring. I gain as well! I have total satisfaction knowing I helped another valued human being take a step forward in pursuit of their desires in life to have all they desire regardless of the fact they move forward with a Mentoring assignment. In this way, we both WIN!

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