AICPA

How many people can say they are living their dream? Alan Friedman is a real-life example of how a working professional can marry his personal passions with his work.

Alan is the self-titled "Music Industry Partner" of Friedman, Kannenberg & Company, P.C., a Hartford, CT, firm delivering accounting, tax and consulting services. At first glance, this firm with four professionals and two administrative staff seems very similar to every other firm working in basic accounting with one, very large exception. Most of Alan's clients are in the music industry, and include music store retailers, musicians, independent record labels and recording studios.

And in the "too good to make this stuff up" category, Alan also plays guitar in a band called "The Accounting Crows." We're not kidding.

Strumming Along to Success

Alan's love of music has only helped him become more successful in his career as a CPA. "My clients appreciate the fact that we are intimately familiar with the product they sell, the suppliers they deal with and the ever-changing condition of the music retailing marketplace."

Alan's advice to other CPAs is to seek work in areas that interest them and where clients aren't likely to find similar services. He explains that there are about 9,000 music retailers across the nation, and although most of them already have an accountant, that accountant usually isn't an expert in the music business.

"Unless you're willing to spend the time to get the education and the experience to understand all the accounting quirks and unique tax issues, it's very difficult to have an expertise in the music retailing industry if you only have one client," says Alan. "In the accounting profession, it's become nearly impossible to be an expert on everything, so when clients come to you expecting best practices in a certain industry, you can bring value to them by delivering services designed just for their market."