Attorney at Law mini preview Sandy Abalos : Page 17“One thing that was very cool about David is the fact that he was way ahead of his years when it came to women in the workplace,” Abalos said. “He was a great man to grow up in business with. He provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime.” Growing Organically Abalos was a 50/50 partner when Schwarz retired in 1988. She would keep moving forward as the sole owner of the firm for more than 10 years before bringing on another partner. “I was hesitant to bring on a partner at first because I had such a great relationship from the very beginning,” Abalos said. “It has to be the right person with the right values.” About eight years ago, Abalos found the partner she was looking for in Barry Friefield. Soon after, Cheryl Folkerth became the third partner at Abalos & Associates. Abalos describes the firm’s growth as organic. While she never sought out growth, the firm has always put an emphasis on adapting to changes in the market. That philosophy has helped Abalos & Associates develop a diverse and dedicated clientele. Before the recession, Abalos & Associates provided a lot of real estate strategies and transactional work. When that started slowing down, the firm started doing cancellation of debt strategies and foreclosure work. Other clients include professionals from the biotech, medical and even solar companies, to name a few. Abalos says she has always felt particularly close to entrepreneurs and small businesses. “When you work with entrepreneurs, you are working with some of the best people in the world,” Abalos said. “They work so hard and put everything into it, create jobs and get paid whatever is left over. If their business goes down they are coming along with it and I don’t want to see that happen. Working with entrepreneurs is what keeps me going.” A Civic Minded Leader Abalos says her venture into the civic realm came at a turning point in her life in 1995. To her, the federal tax policies being put into place in Washington, DC were out of touch with the needs of small businesses across the country. “I remember sitting at my desk working on taxes and just feeling like a dentist who was filling cavities rather than preventing them,” Abalos said. “It was frustrating to me, the tax laws being passed in Congress and their attitude toward entrepreneurs and small business. They didn’t understand.” Around that time, Abalos became a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and sharpened her public speaking and advocacy skills. “Before that I was very shy and nervous and fearful of public speaking,” Abalos remembers. “I would rather set my hair on fire than speak in public.” When she had the opportunity to testify before Congress on behalf of small business owners, Abalos says she realized that one person really could make a difference. In 1996 she met President Clinton and was honored as the National Accountant Advocate of the Year. Soon after, Abalos was tapped to become one of the ten tax April 2012 Greater Phoenix Public Accountant Magazine® | 17 Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
