Community Highlights: Meet Anisha Bailey of Taxley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anisha Bailey.

Hi Anisha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
In 2008, as a 27-year-old single mom of an 8 and 5-year-old, I ended my corporate tax career with Deloitte, in Cincinnati, to launch Taxley. After earning my Enrolled Agent (EA) license in 2012, I spent the next 10 years of my career representing taxpayers who were overwhelmed with IRS and state tax problems. Over the years, Taxley became a nationally recognized tax resolution firm.

With a belief that EAs can be instrumental to financial literacy, sustainable entrepreneurship, and legacy building, I knew it was time for Taxley to shift focus. In 2022, we transitioned from a 14-year-old tax consulting firm to focus on education and workforce development.  Taxley is now an Enrolled Agent Academy focused on providing career training and access to apprenticeships in tax law and consulting

Our motto is, “The CPA isn’t the only way.” This motto is relevant to students and aspiring professionals, as well as to employers who are having a tough time finding qualified tax professionals. We are bridging the gap between talent and career opportunities in tax consulting. 

Taxley is working to simplify the recruiting and retention efforts of corporate, government, and small business employers by providing a much larger pool of diverse, talented, and aspiring professionals to choose from, nationwide. Through our recruiting efforts we are helping employers reallocate their resources to ensure a higher rate of internal productivity.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing about innovation, change, or starting something new is ever as smooth or as easy as we’d hope. From leaving my corporate career, amid the 2008 recession with two young children and no support system, to pivoting and shifting the focus of an established brand to create something the tax industry and vocation-based education hasn’t seen yet, I knew the journey would require preparation for the “inevitable bumps in the road.” As I look back through the years, I can say, without hesitation, that my spiritual foundation has always kept me grounded and reassured.

Initially, when I left my corporate career, the biggest hurdle was the loneliness of entrepreneurship. When you can see the need, the opportunity, and the potential for collective growth, it can be challenging when no one around you seems to be on the same page. I was fortunate to eventually develop a key friendship with a person who would help to lessen the burden that comes with, what I like to call, “aspirational solitude.” That person would later become my husband and the biggest supporter of my endeavors.

When we transitioned to focus on education, I knew this would be a steep hill to climb, but nothing about it was overwhelming, because I continuously remind myself – “one step at a time.” While I’ve had some obstacles, I think they’ve been what one can naturally expect when starting something new. When I catch myself becoming frustrated at aspects of the journey, I stop myself and focus on what I can learn from the obstacle – this always helps to lessen my frustration.

As is the case for many of us, since I was a young child, obstacles have always been commonplace, so I don’t see them as something that can limit or stop me – I see them as opportunities to learn, grow, and conquer.

As you know, we’re big fans of Taxley. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Thank you, we truly appreciate you all’s support! 

Serving students 18+ and employers nationwide, Taxley is a vocation-based Enrolled Agent Academy focused on bridging the gap between talent and opportunity in tax law and consulting.  We facilitate a 2-year apprenticeship program, which combines paid, on-the-job training with our unique 48-week intensive education program rooted in personal finance, entrepreneurship, accounting, and tax law. 

By combining real-world experience with an elite education, we are preparing our students to graduate from our program having earned their Enrolled Agent license – the highest designation the IRS bestows on tax professionals. With an average starting salary of $62k, we believe in preparing students for careers that are meaningful, flexible, and can set the foundation for financial independence.

Our 48-week education training is offered online, and the 2-year on-the-job training can be in-office, hybrid, or remote, depending on the needs of the employer. At $30,000, the total investment required for the Taxley program, students and apprentices enjoy an amazing opportunity that:

• costs 77% less than a CPA education.
• cost $15k less than a master’s in accounting.
• reduces overall “in school” time by at least 3-years.
• prepares students to complete our program with an “elite” federal designation that’s equivalent to a CPA or attorney in the eyes of the IRS.
• allows students to earn while they learn, as they work with top tier corporate, government, and small business employers who value their growth.

Our tuition can be subsidized with scholarships, grants, WIOA funds, and employer payments. For those who qualify, we also have a special payment program offering 50% tuition up front, with the other half being due only after securing related employment. One of the many things that bring me joy about the Taxley program, is that high school students and their families can finally plan for an affordable top-tier education without fearing a mountain of student loan debt.

We offer three terms each year – January, May, and September. Our classes officially start with our May 2023 term – registration opens February 5, 2023.

We have a thorough screening process to ensure our students are prepared to meet our standards of excellence and dedication, as we mentor and encourage them through a fun and challenging time of professional growth. This screening process extends to our employer partners as we only seek to connect our students with employers who value diversity, integrity, balance, professional growth, and social responsibility. 

We aim to serve students and apprentices who come from all walks of life, including:

• vocation-minded individuals seeking opportunities for challenging and meaningful professional careers.
• business and accounting majors who prefer a career in tax but desire a sensible alternative to the CPA designation.
• military spouses seeking lucrative and remote career opportunities that can travel with them.
• former athletes seeking amazing careers that allow them to maintain their elite status as they put their mentality of dedication and hard work to use in a new profession.

Our workforce development solution requires collaboration between Taxley, our employer partners, and our students, which we’ve simplified through our internal controls and methodologies. By relying on our expertise and the Enrolled Agent-focused education delivered through our program, we help our employer partners connect with coachable top-tier students they can mold through on-the-job training.

Unlike hiring interns or other entry-level talent, our employer partners get access to aspiring apprentices who come pre-screened, backed by Taxley’s elite education in tax law and consulting, and supported by our mentorship. We aim to support our students and employers as they pursue their respective growth goals.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t believe in luck, as it implies a lack of purpose, so I don’t feel that I’ve experienced good luck or bad luck.

Instead, I believe that, like all of us, I have a purpose, one that I am required to live out. My intuition, my courage, my connection to my creator, and my desire to meet the challenges that come with living in my purpose have led me to where I am today. My personal life and career go hand in hand – as building with my family is an innate desire of mine, so I am extremely grateful to be working with my husband, Russ Bailey, as we navigate Taxley’s new direction.

I am appreciative of the obstacles, and the guidance that has kept me encouraged and on my feet despite it all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://taxley.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/taxley
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/taxleyacademy