US-Outsourced accounting & tax: I joined a team of 5 & now 180+…How I built my career

• Hi, I’m Nikhil Mehta, VP of Operations at Konnect Books & Taxes.
• Back in 2016, Konnect was a 5-person team. Fast forward to today, we’re a team of 180+ and growing every day.
• How did I get here? What growth opportunities can the outsourcing industry offer to employees?

Backstory 

Hailing from a small town in India, I decided to pursue CA primarily because it was cost-effective.

Honestly, after qualifying as a CA, I didn’t have a concrete career plan. However, in my mind, I dreamed of setting up my practice.

But…due to financial constraints, I took the practical route and joined the corporate world!

Needless to say, the thought of starting my own never left my mind!

I started my career at my articles firm, seeking stability, growth, and broad experience. It taught me technical skills, sincerity, and punctuality.

After six months, I joined Maersk, a Fortune 500 company, in the reporting and controlling team, managing communications with Denmark-based stakeholders. While it was an incredible opportunity, I felt I could achieve more.

What now?

Entering the World of Outsourcing

That’s when the opportunity with Konnect came along.

In 2016, Konnect was a 5 member team focused on International Bookkeeping & Tax, founded by CA Kavita Chakraborty.

Now I had offers from other MNCs, but a friend who had interviewed at Konnect mentioned it. He wasn’t interested, but I got curious and spoke to Kavita.

Kavita, who was involved in everything at the time, wanted someone to take over operations so she could focus on strategy.

My primary role was to head operations with responsibilities including,

• Client interactions,
• Onboarding new clients,
• Ensuring flawless deliveries,
• Understanding client requirements,
• Drafting SLAs,
• Assigning tasks

The responsibilities she outlined were akin to what a firm owner would handle. That excited me.

I thought, “If I can’t start my firm yet, this is the next best opportunity—to grow with a dynamic firm.”

And that’s how my journey with Konnect began in 2016.

Fast forward, we are now a team of over 180+ and just getting started!

I grew with the firm

Over the years I grew in my role and now I am the VP of Operations. My responsibilities have evolved to:

• Focus on strategy, lead generation, and client onboarding.
• Ensure the alignment of the right talent with the right tasks.
• Manage HR operations and foster a strong organizational culture.
• Gather and act on client feedback to enhance service delivery.
• Drive cross-selling initiatives to maximize client engagement.
• Streamline processes to ensure seamless and efficient operations.
• Build long-term partnerships and business associations to support sustainable growth.

When I started, Pune had only two firms, but today, competition is growing, though still far behind Ahmedabad, which boasts around 300 firms.

It has pushed firms like Konnect to prioritize specialized services, robust processes, and long-term client relationships to stay ahead.

Here is how we added new service lines:

Finance and Accounts Outsourcing (FAO):

• This involves bookkeeping, payroll setup, indirect compliances, AP/AR management, and month-end closures. Recently, we’ve added a CA advisory under this division.
• In FAO, we have CAs and CPAs managing client deliveries under my supervision. A decentralized organizational structure allows us to work independently while delivering results collaboratively.

Audit:

• Although a relatively new service for us, we’ve already built a four-person audit team, including CPAs who sign off on reports.

B2B Tax Services:

• This caters to CPA firms managing tax needs, offering white-label projects from communication to delivery.
• Additionally, we work with various B2B accounting and tax firms in the USA, offering both white-label services and end-to-end client management.

Konnect Tax:

• Here, we manage end-to-end tax preparation, filing, and e-filing for clients.
• In Konnect Tax, we have a dedicated manager overseeing the department

Across these divisions, we have a strong team of about 15-16 leads, including CAs, Enrolled Agents, and CPAs. B2B Tax and Konnect Tax together have a team of over 110 members.

Also read: UK, US Outsourcing success: How two CAs scaled an Accounting & Tax firm to 500+ team and 400+ clients

What makes me stay with Konnect?

There are a few factors that make someone stick with a company, longer than usual.

Let me elaborate.

• Firstly I am compensated very well but most of all I am valued as a team member.
• The company’s growth mirrored my own.
• As I mentioned, before, I’ve always wanted to start my practice, and as the founder Kavita gave me the freedom and responsibilities I always wanted, which I doubt I would have found elsewhere.
• Over the years, I’ve been entrusted with responsibilities and ownership that have deepened my sense of belonging. I was assigned a role I never imagined handling.
• The open communication we established from the beginning has been the driving force.

Konnect’s leadership goes beyond financial considerations. The founder genuinely cares about people, listens to our challenges, and values our suggestions, incorporating them when possible. This creates a culture of mutual respect and understanding.

Once you’ve been here for a year, the company does everything possible to ensure you stay. Sure, people leave, but when they do, we do everything to learn, adapt, and improve.

Year after year, we focus on the company’s growth and how we can shape its future. This forward-thinking approach helps us set clear goals, not just for the business, but also for our team members.

In short, I never thought about leaving because the company has always supported my growth.

Also read: This Indian CA took 13-years to build a multi million-dollar US Bookkeeping and Tax Firm. Now has a team of 150+

Building a career as an employee in outsourcing firms

With US CPA firms outsourcing to India, the GCC opportunity has become a hot target.

Rising competition makes employee retention tougher as professionals have more choices. But is job hopping the only path to growth? Absolutely not!

Here are my two cents:

• Priority check: I always wanted to set up my practice. Even without owning my firm, I still get the same responsibilities and ownership.
• Start from the ground up: To reach leadership roles you have to understand process management, automation, and workflows. Start small and build up.
• Work closely with founders to see how decisions are made and how businesses operate.
• Work with good founders who value you.
• Find what excites you, and keep evolving. Don’t enter this space only because GCC is the talk of the town.
• Ask yourself, “Would I enjoy this space?” Instead of chasing roles, focus on upskilling and growing your skill sets.

Do agree? Do you get the opportunity to grow in your firm?