From Borrowing Money to Six Figures: Shalimar’s Success Story | SBA Podcast EP 25

Ross (00:00)
Throw the hat on and you don’t have to worry about it. So it’s all good. Cool. Yeah. So guys, Shalimar, thanks for jumping in and having a quick call with us. Like I said before, we’re just going to have a conversation. So don’t worry too much about your answers or anything. But if you want to kick off and just start with sharing a little bit about your journey so far. I know you kind of started doing the tax thing part time.

Shalimar  (00:29)
Mmm.

Ross (00:30)
And then you heard about being a service bureau, heard about selling software, thought that sounded way better. Then you jumped into that and have just been absolutely crushing it. So if you want to share a little bit about how you got started, how you found out about a service bureau, and where that led you to where you are today.

Shalimar  (00:46)
Yes. Even though I always knew taxes, I’d already been doing taxes since I was 18, but I was doing it for free. I was the tax lady in my family, doing returns for sisters, brothers, you know. But I didn’t do it professionally because I worked in corporate America. Eventually, I just got tired, and that’s when I decided to get into the tax industry professionally. That was in 2021.

But I would say I was getting paid part-time wages even though it was like a full-time thing. It just wasn’t kicking off for me. I was under two other mentors before I decided to start teaching. That was in 2023, and I made the decision that I wanted to start teaching because I had knowledge.

I started seeing information about service bureaus. I really didn’t know the full aspect of a service bureau, but I started deep diving in groups. I actually believe I came across you guys before I joined. I may have already been in your pipeline, but at that time I couldn’t afford it. I thought, let me just keep looking, this can’t be real.

In 2023, June 9th, I actually joined you guys. That was the best decision ever.

Baldeep (02:20)
Was it you that, when you joined, shortly after came to the convention? Was that you? No? You skipped the convention?

Shalimar  (02:24)
No. The first year I didn’t come to the convention because I actually had to borrow money from my mom. I know y’all say if they don’t have the funds, hang up the phone. Well, I’m glad you didn’t hang up the phone on me. She had a credit card with a high limit. I told her I could do it in 30 days, and that’s what I did. I jumped in and told her, “I’m going to make this work. This has to work.”

Ross (02:35)
You—

Shalimar  (02:55)
Something’s got to work, and I told her I’d pay her back. And it has worked for me.

Ross (03:01)
And it has so far, definitely.

Baldeep (03:04)
I think I remember last year’s convention, you shared your story. I think you were just shy of getting an award, right?

Shalimar  (03:10)
No, I didn’t. I was just shy, but that gave me motivation.

Baldeep (03:18)
But you weren’t far off. And it was your first year—you were just under 500 products funded. You shared how you didn’t have a successful tax office, but you figured out the service bureau thing. If you want to elaborate on that.

Shalimar  (03:37)
Yes. Even though I had tax knowledge, it takes more than knowledge to get a bunch of clients in the tax industry. With my personality, I didn’t have the urge to go out and recruit clients. But I saw how it was easier for me to train people who were eager and wanted to go out. That’s what I did.

My tax business never went anywhere. I’ve made more in my service bureau than I’ve ever made doing taxes—ever.

Baldeep (04:10)
Yeah. And you’ve more than doubled last year’s numbers. Huge jump. You skipped a whole tier.

Shalimar  (04:14)
Yes, I did. The convention last year gave me motivation. I was close. Even though I spoke on my journey and how I got EROs to purchase my software the first year—my goal was 10, but I got way more—that motivated me. If I got this far this fast, then if I keep going, next year I’ll get my award.

Ross (04:22)
Yeah, yeah.

Shalimar  (04:59)
I was like, I’m coming for it. And this year I know I’ve made the most money I’ve ever made in a business. This wasn’t even my first business—I had others that never went anywhere. But this one took off fast. My second year with you guys, full tax season—it was life-changing.

Baldeep (05:20)
Full time.

Ross (05:26)
Yep. Love it.

Baldeep (05:27)
Oh, you don’t have to cry. Let me ask you a question so you don’t cry.

Ross (05:31)
You’re gonna make me cry. I get very emotional when I hear that from people. You can’t cry, Shalimar.

Shalimar  (05:36)
Okay.

Ross (05:38)
That’s awesome.

Shalimar  (05:43)
I haven’t had time to take it all in. I’ve just been working.

Baldeep (05:43)
It’s okay.

Ross (05:44)
Notes.

Baldeep (05:47)
The process is working. Did you pay your mom back though?

Shalimar  (05:56)
Yes. I just haven’t had time to even take it all in this year. I still feel hungry. I haven’t processed much, I just keep working.

Baldeep (05:57)
That was your mom? Okay, good. With interest? No, just kidding.

Ross (05:59)
With interest?

Baldeep (06:09)
It’s a fast-moving season.

Baldeep (06:21)
Yeah, for sure. You know what you did to get to where you are. I know your goal and what you want to make—you’re on that path. So keep doing what you’re doing. While you’re doing that, can you share a bit about your strategy to grow? What have you done, whether in our training or your own spin, to go find clients? What’s been your marketing strategy?

Shalimar  (07:00)
It was technically everything you had in the training. When I first got in the service bureau, I didn’t know anything about it. Everything I learned was from your training and videos. That first year I stayed up watching all the videos.

I did cold calls, cold emails—those didn’t work. I didn’t have an ad spend budget. I think I spent $1,000 that whole year on ads. So I went organic, just being consistent. Once you get that motion going, it continues.

I taught classes. I knew my goal was to build my service bureau with EROs. I wasn’t focused on PTIN holders. So I launched my ERO training. It clearly stated “ERO” so you had to have one to join.

Baldeep (08:11)
That was your ERO University, right? Yeah, I remember.

Shalimar  (08:13)
Yes, my ERO University. This is my second year running it. I’m about to start recruiting for the August class. That’s where I want to grow.

I don’t take PTIN holders anymore. I did that the first year and saw the stress on both sides. It’s easier on this side. So I decided to stick with EROs and grow using that. PTIN holders will find another service bureau.

Baldeep (08:51)
Yeah. It’s funny you say “the one thing.” A lot of people lose focus chasing shiny objects. They see others post about doing different things and think, “Maybe I should try that.” But it’s good you said, “This is my lane, and I’ll scale it.”

Shalimar  (09:15)
Yes.

Ross (09:16)
Can you elaborate more on that, Shalimar? What was the biggest thing you noticed between working with preparers versus just working with EROs? What made you decide to stick with EROs?

Shalimar  (09:32)
When I worked with preparers, I realized you have to review returns, deal with liability, run payroll, remind them constantly—it was too much.

On the service bureau side, it’s more peaceful. I just deal with EROs. It’s less hands-on—make sure the bank app is done, make sure they have logins. During tax season it mostly runs on its own, except for tech problems. If I can’t fix something, I refer them to tech support. It’s much less stress.

I thought, why keep trying to grow something stressful when this side is growing naturally and aligned with me? So I picked this side.

Ross (10:41)
Yeah. And that aligns with how you want to grow your business. It’s peaceful in tax season as a service bureau. Everyone else does the work, and you just support when needed. That’s why people are attracted to the service bureau model. They want to step away from the chaos of returns and liability.

Shalimar  (10:44)
I hear you. Yes.

Ross (11:10)
Thanks for sharing that. Obviously we know why it’s a great business model, but I like hearing it in your words.

Is there anything else you want to share about key takeaways from our program that helped you? Was it the community, seeing others succeed, or specific things in the training? What really helped you double and almost triple your business over last year?

Shalimar  (11:56)
Yes. I still go through the trainings for certain things I need. The first year, discipline was key. The way you structured the training worked for me because I literally went through it step by step and implemented it that way. That worked well.

Now, once you’re past the first year, you can click around and go where you need. If I need marketing, or motivation, I’ll listen to Ross. But the first year, I was disciplined—I watched every video, took notes, went through calls with successful service bureaus, listened to what worked for them, and got ideas from everywhere.

You have to stand out in this industry. That’s why I created ERO University. I saw how your brand stands out with colors and logos. Everyone knows it’s you. I wanted something that defined me and my company, something unique. Not just, “Hey, I’ve got software for sale.” I wanted my own identity.

Ross (13:27)
Yeah, for sure. You need that unique selling proposition, that voice in the crowd. There’s no shortage of people selling software. Even in service bureaus, more and more are popping up. It’s doable, but you need value, a unique message, and a brand that makes you stand out.

Glad you took that to heart. It’s funny—we had a call yesterday, and people were struggling just to get clear on their offer. Most were just saying, “Here’s my software.” That’s the same as 99% of service bureaus. The question is, how do you become the 1%? That’s what you figured out.

Now you just double again next year, and double again after that. The momentum builds.

Shalimar  (14:35)
Yes. And I think that’s why I haven’t really taken it all in. I’m still hungry, still working. I don’t feel like I’ve done a lot in two years. I feel like there’s so much more to do.

So every day I remind myself to keep at it, because if you slow down, everything else slows down. The money stops coming in, the service bureau slows down.

Now I’m running ads consistently since May 2nd. One of my ads has brought in over 82 leads so far. I’m doing callbacks, sending demos, following up, staying consistent. I didn’t do that the first year because I couldn’t afford ads. Now I see how peaceful it is letting them come to me—calls, follow-ups—it’s easier when you reinvest into your business.

Ross (15:53)
Yeah. And now you’ve got the systems to support you. Marketing is running, you don’t have to constantly post or chase. I’d keep doing organic since it works, but now you’ve got the framework. You know how to talk to people, what you’re selling, what problems you’re solving. With ads, it’s like pouring gasoline on the fire to compound the effect.

Do you feel you’re at the point where you’ll start hiring team members to help scale?

Shalimar  (16:48)
I do. I already have a VA, but she’s strictly design and funnels. I want someone to help during open enrollment, with admin work, or responding to emails. Right now, I run the business by myself—answering calls, texting, Zoom meetings.

I want a virtual assistant who can handle admin tasks—emails, adding a location, adding an office—things I know how to do, so it doesn’t all stop with me.

Ross (17:43)
For sure. That’ll help growth scale even more.

By the way, were you on the call yesterday? If not, that’s fine. But since you’re running ads and getting a lot of leads, I’d recommend hiring an appointment setter. Look at where your time’s going. An appointment setter would allow you more time to follow up and take sales calls, while they fill your calendar with new calls. That could really help scale your ads.

Shalimar  (18:27)
Yes, I was already planning that. I have so many leads from my ads that it’s hard to call them all back. I need an appointment setter.

Baldeep (18:51)
That’s the area everyone messes up—lead follow-up. At the convention, we showed slides about why ads don’t work for people. They get 100 leads and only make 50 calls. It doesn’t work like that.

Shalimar  (18:54)
Yes, you have to call the leads.

Baldeep (19:20)
And with 82 leads, one person could call all of them in two hours. You don’t need full-time help. A competent VA could do those calls and also handle admin and emails. That could be one person.

Shalimar  (19:38)
Yes. I’m not letting my ads stop this time. You told me last year to set a budget, and I’m sticking to it. I’ll let the ads run until November consistently. My cost per lead is about $8, sometimes $6–7, so I’m keeping it running.

Baldeep (19:59)
Yeah, keep that running. Realistically, you only need one or two sales to cover your ad costs. You may not get them month one, but that’s fine. Have you made any sales yet?

Shalimar  (20:24)
I started in May. No sales yet, but I’ve had calls. A lot of people are saying, “I’m getting ready for next year.” So I’ll keep calling and following up until they get on board.

Baldeep (20:42)
Yep, you’ll run into that. The pipeline you’re building now will pay off in the fall. If you break even on ad spend, that makes it a no-brainer.

Shalimar  (21:07)
Yes, that’s the goal—to get them to buy instead of just saying, “I’ll get to it.” I wondered if I ran ads too early, but no, the leads came in. I’ll keep calling, and I’ll need an appointment setter soon to help with callbacks.

Baldeep (21:39)
Another thing to consider is re-engaging leads so they don’t forget who you are. What content or value can you provide them? Not just “book a call,” but something that keeps you top of mind.

Part of your VA’s job could be helping create email campaigns and content for that.

Shalimar  (22:04)
Yes. I have an email campaign. Tamer helped me set it up last year and I reactivated it. It’s automated—when someone comes in through ads, they get an intro email about me, why I started this business, and my tax office. Over the next few days they learn more about me. But then it kind of stops after a week.

Baldeep (22:41)
Right, so now you’ll need to add more to that. Here’s an idea: take your ERO University content and break it into emails. For example, “Here’s what we cover in Day One.” Repurpose what you already have into ongoing content.

Shalimar  (23:03)
Yes.

Ross (23:05)
Yeah. Help them learn about your product, give them value, share strategies they can use. That builds trust long term.

By the way, do you record your sales calls? Are you doing them in Tax Nitro or just on your phone?

Shalimar  (23:36)
I use my business cell phone. No, they aren’t recorded.

Ross (23:43)
Okay. Try to do your next calls on a recorded line—use Tax Nitro or another system. That way you can submit a recording to us. I’d love to listen to one or two and give you feedback.

There may be things in your conversations causing prospects not to buy. If I hear them, I can show you how to close better or set up a second call with a mini presentation. Send me a recording, and I’ll give feedback to help lock in those deals.

Shalimar  (24:16)
Okay.

Ross (24:31)
That way, instead of just sending demos and chasing, you’re closing deals on the phone. One or two sales covers your ad budget, making marketing free—or even profitable. Then you can scale, hire an appointment setter, and grow even faster.

Baldeep (24:58)
Yeah. You mentioned sending demos and following up—that’s a losing proposition. You want to firm up the process. From the first call, what’s the next step? What are the expectations? How are you wrapping up the call?

Instead of “Here’s the demo, I’ll follow up later,” say, “Let’s book a follow-up call where I walk you through the demo and show you the other stuff in my university.” That way you control the process.

Shalimar  (25:32)
Okay. Yeah.

Baldeep (25:50)
A lot of people think changing ads or budget fixes sales problems. But often the ads are fine—it’s the sales process that’s broken.

One of our other members had the same issue. I told him, “Your ads are working, but your sales process is leaking money.” So keep ads running, but improve how you handle leads after they come in.

Instead of closing 1 out of 20, get that percentage higher—say, 12 or 15 out of 20.

Shalimar  (26:38)
Yes. For example, I just had a call with someone who booked through my ad. I sent her the demo, but now I realize I should’ve said, “Let’s do a demo call where I show you the software.” That way, if she’s ready to buy, I could send her the link right away.

Baldeep (27:02)
Exactly. Sometimes when they ask for a demo, it’s just them trying to get off the phone. Then you’re stuck chasing, not knowing if they even looked at it.

Shalimar  (27:19)
Well, we do have another call booked on Wednesday as a follow-up. I made sure to book it before she got off the call. If she shows up, it’ll be a win.

Ross (27:25)
That’s good. Yep.

Baldeep (27:32)
Maybe do outreach before Wednesday. Ask her to be at a computer so you can share your screen and show more about the university package.

Shalimar  (27:43)
Okay.

Ross (27:45)
Yep. I’ll send you some info, Shalimar. There’s a coaching call where we broke down the sales process—whether to do a one-step or two-step call, and what that looks like. I’ll open a ticket for you with the link.

But really, try to get a call recorded. That way I can listen and give you direct feedback. I can show you how to transition from discovery to demo to close. That way you’re not just chasing but actually signing people up.

Shalimar  (28:40)
Okay.

Ross (28:59)
We always end up going into strategy mid-call [laughter]. Let me jump back to some other questions.

When people join our program, one common issue is struggling to get support—not tech support, but real business support. With SVA, we really focus on helping you operate and grow your business. Can you share a little about your experience with our support team?

Shalimar  (29:42)
The support team is really good, very responsive. I just put in a ticket today—one of my EROs became a service bureau, and her EFIN was locked under me. Support quickly moved her over.

That responsiveness is key. Before, when I was under other setups, they took forever to respond. With you guys, it’s quick.

I mimic that in my own business. If I see you guys respond fast, I do the same for my offices. They’ll never be able to say, “I reached out days ago and she hasn’t responded.” That support rolls down from you to me, then from me to them.

Ross (31:05)
Yeah, that’s the way to do it. Even on yesterday’s call, someone said, “Honestly, I just want to copy what you guys are doing. I want to make my own ticketing platform.” And I told them, yeah, we’re not gatekeeping. We openly show you how we run the business. Just follow the blueprint, rinse and repeat.

Curious—do you want to share a little about your revenue numbers? Where were you last year and where are you this year? Totally up to you.

Shalimar  (32:02)
For my service bureau fees, add-on fees, and sales, last year I made maybe close to $50,000, or $40-something thousand.

This year, I’ll be hitting $100,000 just with service bureau fees, add-on fees, and software sales.

Ross (32:36)
There you go—two years, six-figure service bureau. Love it. Congrats.

Baldeep (32:37)
And then you jumped the line into a higher tier, so that’s another five figures with the volume incentives.

Ross (32:48)
Yeah, yeah.

Shalimar  (32:49)
Yes. Last year I didn’t get the volume incentives. I told myself, “I’m going to make them pay me double.”

Ross (32:57)
It’s closer to triple, actually, with the volume bump. That rebate bonus could cover your ad spend alone.

So last question for you, Shalimar: If someone is looking at becoming a service bureau, there are a lot of options and programs out there now. What would you say to someone comparing those with the Service Bureau Accelerator?

Shalimar  (33:52)
I would definitely recommend joining SVA. Look at me—two years later, this is literally my life, my business.

Two years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this being reality. I wanted it badly, but I didn’t see it as possible. Now it’s life-changing.

But you have to do the work. It’s not just joining and expecting you guys to do it all. If they’re willing to work, this is the best place to start. I don’t know about others, but this is the only place you need to be.

Ross (34:47)
You’re lucky—you didn’t have to go through other bad programs before finding the light. That’s awesome. Appreciate the feedback.

Baldeep (35:04)
All right, let’s go ahead and wrap it up. Thanks for being here, Shalimar. Ross, we’ll catch you on the next one.

Shalimar  (35:10)
Okay, thank you. Bye.

Ross (35:12)
Thank you, Shalimar.