Her Story
About CORLISS
I've been in finance and tax pretty much all my life. I graduated from Howard University with an accounting degree, and I started doing income taxes in 2013 while I worked for a major corporation. In 2016, I went into business for myself, and I haven't looked back. I provide income tax services for personal, business, LLC, corporation, trusts, sub-S companies, mom and pop - any kind of taxes whatsoever. I also do notary services, which is just a side thing I do, and I offer consultations regarding the best way to gain the investment over their tax structure, not anything outside of taxes. What inspired me to go into this field was that I knew everybody would need accounting, no matter who they are, and all businesses will need accounting and taxes done. I wanted a piece of that market. Getting a degree in accounting just kind of pushed me further that way, and of course, working for yourself is always the goal, in my opinion. I was a math fanatic - I excelled in trigonometry, geometry, anything with numbers, and I didn't have to study, it just kind of popped out of my head. I've actually been in business for more than 16 years, but at some point it was time to get my paperwork together and become the LLC or corporation. I started 10 years before that when businesses were mom and pop and you just did them without all the formal paperwork.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with CORLISS
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to family. I just think if you keep your family balanced, everything else will just come to you. It's kind of like, if you do the right thing growing up, the rest will fall in place wherever it needs to fall. As for why finance in particular, it's because I was a math fanatic. I excelled in trigonometry, geometry, anything with numbers, and I didn't have to study - it just kind of popped out of my head. That's really what started my thinking that math may be something I need to research. My thing was, how do I bring people to me? I don't have to go seek the people out. When you align that passion with what people need, success follows naturally.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think one should work in the field, especially if they're graduating. Work in the field so they can learn all that you can learn, because if you start out fresh on your own, you're gonna have to do a lot of research on your own, and that takes a lot of time. It takes away from what your goals are. So work in the field for somebody, whether it be an accounting firm, or a corporation, or whatever, to gain that knowledge. But always have your mindset to venture out, to own your own business. Always keep that goal in mind while you're learning from others.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Love, forgiveness, and truth are the most important values to me. If you keep your family balanced and do the right thing, everything else will fall into place. I dedicate my life spiritually every day, and that helps keep me balanced and guided along the way, because without that, I wouldn't be able to do any of this. I have children and grandchildren, and I keep them in mind and spend time with them often. Family and spiritual balance - that's about it for me. You just have to have forgiveness, or you won't make it.
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