• Why Accounting?  /
• Real-Life CPAs

Mitchell Freedman

President
M Freedman & Co., Inc. An Accountancy Corporation
Westlake Village, CA

 

As a teenager living in Queens in the 60s, Mitchell Freedman already stood out – as a potential pop star. “I wanted to be a rock and roll singer, composer and lyricist,” he says. “I had a lot of talent in performing and writing music, and by 16 I was already offered recording and publishing contracts.” But because he was a minor, his father had to sign the contracts – and refused. “My dad said a nice kid like me born in the Bronx doesn’t go on to become a rock singer,” he remembers. “He said ‘you’ll be an accountant.’ I listened to him and I’ve never regretted it.”

Maybe it helps that today, Mitch is still very close to the entertainment business. As president of his own successful entertainment-focused accounting firm in Westlake Village, CA, M Freedman & Co., Inc. An Accountancy Corporation, along with its sister wealth management firm, MFAC Financial Advisors, Inc., many of his clients are Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award-winning television and film directors, actors, variety performers, writers, producers and executives. He’s appeared on CNN, Entertainment Tonight, the BBC, and a host of other TV and radio shows.

For Mitch, there is no such thing as a typical day. “One day I could be helping with the negotiation of the terms of a director’s contract for work, and another I could be flying to Utah to help another client evaluate a piece of real estate he’s considering purchasing,” he says. “Nothing is typical.”

Mitch says he loves every part of his job, and he’s been rewarded with enormous success. But he still frequently practices at Karaoke Night at the Westlake Yacht Club – you know, just in case the whole accounting thing doesn’t work out.

Got questions of your own? Ask a CPA.