Latrice has been in the tax industry for five years, joined SBA three years ago, and hasn’t looked back. Now she’s focused on growing her Service Bureau to 3,000 bank products and helping her resellers do the same.
Before SBA, Latrice didn’t have full control over her fees or her business. With SBA, she gets her money in real time and transfers that same control down to everyone on her team.
In this episode, she breaks down:
“Joining the SBA was the best decision I’ve made. It gave me stability in my own business. I was able to take back my business because I was able to make more money. I like the fact that I can show them how they can make money, how they can save money. And what you guys have done for me, I transfer that down to everybody else.” — Latrice
👤 CONNECT WITH LATRICE
📞 Call or Text: 877-814-5888
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Introduction
01:30 – Taking Back Control of the Business
03:37 – Growing with Resellers and EROs 05:09 – Seven Day Launch & Training Structure
08:24 – Group Coaching Calls Experience
09:33 – Support System (100% Best Ever)
11:34 – Next Year’s Goal: 3,000 Bank Products
14:47 – Advice for Anyone Considering SBA
Baldeep (00:00) All right, welcome to another episode of the Service Bureau Accelerator Interview Series. I am here with Latrice and Ross. Ross, if you want to go ahead and kick it off.
Ross (00:10) For sure. So Latrice, welcome. Thanks for joining us today. How you doing?
Latrice (00:13) I’m doing okay and you?
Ross (00:15) Very good, thanks, very good. So, Latrice, do you want to maybe start off with just kind of introducing yourself to everyone, you know, share a little bit about your experience in the tax industry, how you got started and how you ended up joining the Service Bureau Accelerator and becoming a Service Bureau with us.
Latrice (00:30) Hey, wonderful. I want to say thanks for having me as well. And I’ve been doing taxes. Name of my company is Legacy Tax Financial Services. That’s the tax side. And then for my software is Legacy Software Solution. That’s the baby. And I got into the industry about five years ago. And when I got into the industry, I learned…
Ross (00:51) Yeah.
Latrice (01:00) The goods, the bads, know, people who, yes, yes, and then I ran into Lisa and then I learned about the SBA and joined the SBA about three years ago, three or four years ago. I think it was three years ago and absolutely was the best decision that I’ve made joining the SBA because it gave me…
Ross (01:03) Everything in between.
Latrice (01:30) Stability in my own business. I felt like I was able to take back my business because I was able to make more money. So that was definitely a plus and every year has been, you guys have been helping me to be able to grow, the videos, the trainings, the conferences. So I have enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to continue to grow my service bureau and get out of taxes. Sell the damn software.
Ross (02:04) Awesome. Hashtag, hashtag sell the damn software.
Baldeep (02:05) You forgot… Latrice, you forgot about the after-parties.
Latrice (02:10) Oh yeah, yeah, that’s the best.
Ross (02:11) And the after parties, yeah. Awesome. So, I’m just curious, like you heard about us through Lisa, kind of jumped in. Was there anything in particular, like was it just kind of having, like taking control of your fees and things like that? Like, what was the, if you can think back to like, what was the major like tipping point that made you want to join SBA in the first place? Do you kind of recall what that was a little bit?
Latrice (02:33) Yes, being able, like you just said, to take back my fees, to be able to have total control of my business for me where I was able to see my money in real time.
Baldeep (02:48) You…
Ross (02:49) Right, right, right. How were you set up beforehand? Were you just at a software license with someone where the fees, were the fees kind of crazy with like your previous setup or was it okay? How did that look?
Latrice (03:01) It wasn’t too bad, but I wasn’t making all of the money. So at this point, once I joined SBA, I was able to, like I say, have control over everything. And also for me, with people like joining the business and stuff like that and teaching people, I like the fact that I can show them how they can make money, how they can save money.
Baldeep (03:29) Right.
Latrice (03:31) And what you guys have done for me, I transfer that down to everybody else.
Ross (03:37) Right, right. That was going to be my next question. You mentioned like new people coming in. What’s kind of been your approach to growing the service bureau? I know there’s a thousand different ways to do it. You’ve kind of, and you’ve seen the iterations as well of like the paths and then the seven day launch and just like the core thing. So what has been your thing? Have you been kind of working a little bit more with new people joining the industry, more of an academy? Has it been business in a box, just working with EROs? What’s that kind of looked like for you?
Latrice (04:03) So for me, it’s been a little bit of both, as far as having new EROs, also having resellers. That’s one of my biggest sellers is having the resellers that sell the software too. And growing that, that’s like my next thing to like focus on is to totally get my resellers to build up and show them how to just sell the software so they can do the same thing and get out of taxes and sell the software.
Ross (04:40) Yeah, awesome, awesome, love it. So let’s dive into a little bit of some of the training components to the program. Like I said, you’ve kind of seen a handful of iterations of it. What’s kind of just, if you wanted to share a little bit of like your experience going through our training, some feedback for people who don’t really know what’s behind the curtains. Like we obviously we talk a lot about what we do, but maybe you just want to share kind of your experience going through our training platform and leveraging some of the stuff we have in there.
Latrice (05:09) So when I first started, I absolutely loved the fact that you have the seven day launch where it kind of like shows you and guides you to kind of get your mind going on where you see yourself. Like if you see yourself doing it, selling an academy, business in a box, resellers, and then after that, as opposed to like just giving us all of everything at one time, of course, that’s what we want, but we’re kind of saying, you know what, narrow it down. That was one of the good things that I did like, the structure, because I will be one of those people that will be all over the place. But when you all say it, okay, narrow it down to one thing and then let’s open it up that way. So I like the fact that you all, you know, kept that structure to give me structure.
Ross (05:40) You…
Latrice (06:01) And as opposed to, so I won’t be all over the place. So even after I wound up doing the business in the box, I came to you all and said, you know what, let’s try the resellers. And then you said, okay, yes, now, you know, we can open that up for you, but not until you kind of master one thing.
Ross (06:20) Yeah. And like having that, having that framework is right. Like that’s what’s well said. It’s like having that structure in the business where it’s like, okay, now I understand like, you know, having an offer, doing marketing, having a sales process and kind of getting those systems in place. Because realistically, you’re, you know, whether you’re selling software, selling a business in a box or you’re, I don’t know, selling an insurance product or whatever, like that whole process in business, especially if you have like a product or service that you’re selling, that process applies. Even if you’re a tax office trying to get customers, right?
Latrice (06:28) Mm-hmm.
Latrice (06:56) Yes.
Ross (06:33) You’re going to do some advertising. You’re going to have some sort of an offer and incentive. You’re going to advertise to customers. You’re going to bring them through a sales process to book them in for an appointment to come in office and then do the actual service. Right. So that whole customer acquisition, whether really, no matter what you’re selling for the most part is going to stay similar. And that’s why it’s like, let’s just focus on one thing. Let’s dial in one process and then we can add another one down the road, right? If we really want to. So that’s cool. What would you say? Like, do you, would you feel like that was kind of the most…
Latrice (07:16) Yes.
Latrice (07:21) Yes.
Ross (07:26) Valuable thing in the training, like just kind of getting that focus or is there something else maybe like a marketing side or sales side that you really kind of tapped into or like what would be your thoughts on that on what you really got the most out of for the training?
Latrice (07:39) So I would say the group trainings, I did enjoy the group trainings, even though I don’t talk much, I kind of just like sit back in the background and just kind of listen. I did enjoy that because some people will say things that I want to say and I would be, and then you all would come up with a strategy like right there on the spot, like this is what you should do. This is how you should handle that.
Ross (07:48) There’s a lot. A lot. You’re not alone.
Baldeep (07:49) Yeah.
Ross (07:58) Mm.
Latrice (08:07) So I like the fact that you all give us a lot of feedback. Like if we come to you and ask for your feedback, you all are more than willing and able and openly willing to help us. So that’s a plus.
Ross (08:24) Awesome. Yeah. Yeah. Those coaching calls are, yeah, there’s always, there’s always very familiar names on there, not faces, but names. Cause well, I mean, I know your face obviously, but a lot of familiar names because people have their webcams off and they’re just kind of sitting back listening. They’re just like, okay, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Just listening and get that a lot. We’re like, yeah, someone will say something. And I was, I was thinking about it or, you know, maybe it was like, I had a similar question and then boom, they got all the answers they need. So they’re always great. They’re always great to attend. Even if you’re not…
Latrice (08:30) Mm-hmm.
Baldeep (08:37) You…
Latrice (08:42) Yes.
Ross (08:51) Actively participating, just listening in, you’ll get a lot of good ideas. We were actually just talking with Terrence earlier and he kind of mentioned that where he’s always listening to our training, but it’s like, you know, he’s maybe he’s driving or he’s in the kitchen or whatever, but he’s always kind of just listening to stuff and you’ll hear a little nugget. It’s like, let me go take that and go and go and use it. So that’s good. So now when it comes to support, it’s the other thing. I know that’s a big issue.
Latrice (09:10) Yes.
Baldeep (09:16) She does not, Latrice does not use support. Ever.
Ross (09:19) Is Baldeep the go-to support?
Latrice (09:24) Yes.
Ross (09:25) Well, that’s going to be my question. How do you feel about getting support when you need it? Whether it is the ticketing platform or it’s Baldeep?
Latrice (09:33) 100%, the support system is awesome. Best ever. I come with a lot of problems that I create.
Baldeep (09:43) That’s an understatement. Every year, it’s like clockwork. Probably in the next two or three weeks, there’s gonna be some bullshit I gotta deal with. For Latrice.
Ross (09:45) Ha ha ha ha.
Latrice (09:52) Yep, it’s coming.
Ross (09:52) You…
Ross (09:58) Awesome. But yeah, good experience. Get help when you need it. Awesome. Have you leveraged, I know you’ve been in our program for a little while, but I mean, have you, what’s been your experience with like say other than Baldeep where there’s those weird things, but just working with our team in general, like have you had a lot of good interactions with our team and things like that, getting EFINs unlocked, all that process?
Baldeep (09:58) Yeah.
Latrice (10:18) Yes, everything is 100% and everything is like over the years have gotten better and better and better. Like, like I’ll say like a build out used to take seven days. Now here lately I’ll get a build out in three days. It never takes no longer than an hour, even sometimes less than an hour to get a response back. Immediately you get a response back. Using the support tickets is absolutely great because the response time is fast.
Ross (10:59) Awesome. Yeah, that’s why we built it. Make sure nothing slips through the cracks. Awesome. So looking into next year, the truth is like we’re recording right now, it’s end of September. We’ve got a few months left before the tax season. Bank enrollment is going to start firing off really quickly here and getting everyone ready for the season. So what are you most excited for next year? Like we’ll get out of the upcoming tax season coming into April, May of 2026.
Latrice (11:02) Yes.
Ross (11:29) What are you most excited for next year for your service bureau?
Latrice (11:34) What I’m excited about is seeing myself grow every year. This year my goal is to grow my service bureau to at least have 3,000 bank products. I’ve hired a few new EROs that are go-getters, so seeing their growth is gonna help my growth as well. And then also being able to like, I want to see everybody win. And once they kind of do good, help their business grow and help them to hire more PTINs in the PTIN preparer group. I push that a lot. Once I know that they want to hire a team, I say, look, we have this PTIN preparers program that we can send out to you and it’s amazing. And it has been amazing. A lot of people have said a lot of good things about how it has taught them as far as…
Ross (12:18) Mm-hmm.
Ross (12:23) Yep.
Latrice (12:43) Marketing and all of that just for me giving it to them for free, so…
Baldeep (12:50) Nice.
Ross (12:50) Awesome. Yeah, that’s that. Yeah, that’s massive leverage. I always, I always love hearing that like that.
Baldeep (12:55) You’re at the convention that year where we kind of brought up that whole strategy and recommended everyone sell it. And then the year after, we’re like, hey, most people didn’t sell it. You should really sell it.
Latrice (13:02) Yeah.
Ross (13:02) Mm-hmm.
Latrice (13:07) Hehehehehe.
Ross (13:08) Yeah, really, by the way, we talked about this before. So definitely get on it. Yeah, that’s awesome. Well, it’s just, it’s like, it just, I was talking to, I was talking to someone earlier today. Actually, we had, I had a call I was doing some training with one of the sales reps. And I was talking to an ERO on the phone and he was asking about like, you know, preparers, like how does that work? And I kind of explained it to him and the approach that I always kind of take to simplify it is like you can put, you can do a lot of work just to try to get one tax…
Latrice (13:11) Yeah.
Ross (13:36) Payer, right? Like as an ERO to get one new tax customer, like, yeah, there’s, there’s, you have to do a lot of marketing and stuff like that. Like there’s work involved for the same amount of effort. You can get one preparer that’s maybe bringing like 20 possible returns with them. Right? So it’s like, like, what’s going to help you grow your business? Where are you going to make more money on one taxpayer? That’s worth three, four, 500 bucks for you, or a preparer on a split that can generate thousands of dollars for you. Right? So it’s kind of like…
Latrice (13:50) Yes. Yep.
Ross (14:04) It’s just kind of a little shift in mindset where it’s like, I don’t necessarily have to be the actual preparer for a bunch of these customers. Maybe I can just kind of be the mentor and the trainer for all these preparers and help them kind of grow as independents. Right. So it’s a really, it’s a really good kind of mindset shift there. And for the EROs who get it and apply it, it’s like, they can just take off. Yeah. Awesome. So, so my last question for you here, Latrice, and then Baldeep’s got one for you, but…
Latrice (14:25) Yes.
Ross (14:33) Any, you know, there’s a lot of people looking at joining SBA. There’s, you know, more and more options out there today on becoming a service bureau. But ultimately, if someone’s looking at joining Service Bureau Accelerator, what kind of words of advice or feedback would you give someone looking at joining the program?
Latrice (14:47) I would tell them to definitely join the program. It’s an awesome program and that you guys are awesome. Your support team that’s behind you all are awesome. And that they wouldn’t have no choice but to succeed because you give us all the tools and everything that we need to be able to succeed and that you give us structure so we won’t be out there feeling like you threw us a service bureau and we don’t know what to do with it. So…
Ross (15:20) Awesome. Love it. Thank you.
Baldeep (15:20) Awesome. All right, one final thing. Latrice, for the millions watching at home, somebody’s watching this like, hey, I kind of want to work with Latrice. I like Latrice. How do they get in touch with you?
Latrice (15:27) You…
Latrice (15:36) So if they want to get in touch with me, my 800 number is 877-814-5888. That’s my direct business line. That would be the best way to get in touch with me.
Baldeep (15:54) Okay, awesome. Well, can they text that number too?
Ross (15:55) Just give you a call. That works.
Latrice (15:57) Yes.
Yes. All the texts. Yep.
Baldeep (16:02) Cool, call or text. Alrighty, all right, we’ll go ahead and wrap it up. Thanks for being here, Latrice, and have a great rest of your day.
Ross (16:02) Call or text, perfect.
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