Born and raised here, Mark is proud of St. Pete. And as a true fan of the Sunshine City, he wants its people, and its businesses, to thrive. Having learned what makes a business tick from multiple industries, he decided to apply what he mastered to help take companies to the Next Level. Mark recognized that companies who can’t afford a full-time CFO (chief financial officer or simply someone with a strong accounting background) couldn’t afford not to have one. So in order to help them expand at higher rates, he launched Next Level Accounting in 2010.
Using his 30 years of finance, administration, and private industry operations experience, as well as his time in public accounting for KPMG Peat Marwick, Mark helps his clients better run their businesses. His time as a CFO for private companies gives him and his clients invaluable insight.
Strength in Differences
With experience as a senior financial executive in such fields as manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution, retail, banking, healthcare, service, boat and auto sales, nonprofit and military contracting, Mark is equipped to tackle whatever your business needs. His partner, Matt Holovach, has a similar background and handles clients remotely thanks to a cloud-based solution.
“Some people might be intimidated by going into a different industry. When there’s a new client, you immerse yourself in the subject matter and become an expert,” Mark says.
He enjoys the variety the job brings as no two industries are alike.
The Business of Running a Successful Business
While industries have their own respective nuances, Mark says that running a successful business boils down to certain fundamental values.
“There is a universal truth associated with business and it is the importance of sales. Beyond that, you can melt it down to fundamental things for all businesses and that’s having a good understanding that allows you to deal with any situation – and that can be within any function of a business – IT, HR, payroll, etc,” he says.
The other key factor in running a successful business is how we treat others.
“We try to treat everyone well: to create a family atmosphere for both employees and clients alike,” Mark adds.
Practicing What He Preaches
For the last decade, Mark has successfully operated two other businesses, allowing him the opportunity to gain perspective and appreciation for the life of a business owner. This grants him important insight for both his and his clients’ business decisions.
“I know what it’s like to make payroll and deal with difficult banking situations.”
With this foundation, Mark approaches clients all the same no matter what industry they hail from. He is very hands-on and prioritizes getting a full understanding of a client’s business operations as it significantly impacts accounting. He says he likes to roll up his sleeves and learn.
“If you’re trying to improve accounting processes, you have to understand how it relates to the rest of your business,” he says.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Next Level clients can expect proactive work in forecasting, budgeting, and producing timely business statements.
“I like helping people, including my clients and helping them find ways to do things better,” he says.
Mark hopes his clients see Next Level as a partner in helping to run their business more successfully and profitably.
And when Mark isn’t helping clients reach the Next Level, you can find him at Ferg’s, at the Rays’ games, or running along the water downtown.
For those interested in getting their business to the Next Level, reach out to Mark at 727-543-1874. The Next Level Accounting office is located at 6420 Central Ave.
