Lind opens CPA firm in Wyanet

WYANET — “I really like numbers, analyzing them, crunching them, having them make sense,“ said Ellen Lind, who is the most recent new business owner in Wyanet. She opened her CPA office in November.

It wasn’t like that in the beginning though. When Lind began her college studies at Western Illinois University in Macomb, little did she realize she would be graduating not only with a degree in psychology, the first major she considered, but also she would receive a second one in accounting. After graduation, Lind continued her education, and received her master’s degree in marketing through Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

Lind has lived most of her career in the Chicago area, working for various companies, handling everything from audits and filing taxes for small business, to being a financial analyst for eight years with Teradyne in Deerfield.

Lind moved back to Wyanet in 1997. At first, she traveled back and forth to Chicago. Later, she began working for Caterpillar in Peoria. Eventually, the idea of opening her own business was starting to grow on her.

“I have been a CPA for 23 years and decided that it was time for me to open my own business. I thought that having it in the town where I grew up would be a good investment for me, as well as the town,” she said. “Wyanet is also a good location for my business. There is not another CPA office between here and Geneseo, so my prospects are good.”

Lind will be offering more than just the service of preparing taxes for individuals and businesses. Her office will be considered full-service, offering full bookkeeping services, monthly analysis and cash flow analysis, and budgeting financials for small businesses as well as payroll and payroll tax filings. Financial services from small to large will also be a service Lind will be offering.

“I will be offering consultant work, helping people start up their own business. It can be a scary feeling, the unknown of opening a business. It can also be very expensive. However, if you are not certain of what you are doing, you really can’t afford not to hire me,” she said. “There are so many details involved in opening up a business that people get overwhelmed. I would be able to help them through the licensing process, filing the proper taxes, payroll, even financing. Essentially, I would walk them through the process, make it a positive experience, not negative.”