EP# 247: Breaking Stereotypes: How Genene Curry Makes Accounting Approachable for Small Businesses

What makes Genene Curry with Genene Curry Accounting  a good neighbor?

What does an approachable accountant look like? Genene Curry is redefining the profession one small business at a time. As the owner of Genene Curry Accounting in Asheville, NC, she's on a mission to help those who might otherwise shy away from professional financial guidance.

Genene's journey into accounting began unexpectedly when a mentor noticed her natural aptitude for numbers. "Oh my god, this is so easy," she recalls thinking about accounting tasks that many find challenging. This discovery led her to build a practice specifically designed to serve small business owners, self-employed individuals, artists, makers, landscapers, mechanics, and construction workers throughout Western North Carolina.

Breaking from the stereotype of the stuffy, intimidating accountant, Genene has created a welcoming space where clients feel comfortable discussing their financial concerns. "What we like to specialize in is being approachable, providing services to people who are scared of it and wouldn't typically go to an accountant," she explains. This philosophy was put to the ultimate test when Hurricane Helene devastated her community. Rather than focusing on potential business losses, Genene and her staff provided free services to help clients navigate FEMA applications, loans, and grants during this critical period.

Beyond her professional life, Genene finds balance by attending live music shows, recently enjoying performances by The Black Keys and Slay Bells. This work-life harmony reflects her overall approach to business – bringing humanity and understanding to a field often perceived as cold and impersonal.

If you're struggling with tax issues or financial concerns, Genene Curry Accounting offers a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your situation without obligation. As a woman-owned, minority-owned business, they bring unique perspective and empathy to every client relationship. Visit Genenecurryaccounting.com today to schedule your consultation and experience a different kind of accounting service.

To learn more about Genene Curry Accounting go to:

https://genene_curry_accounting_llc.ptinpro.com/

Genene Curry Accounting

828-575-9045

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Skip Monty.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
So I am super excited today tohave a very special guest in our
studio, and I'm sure you'll bejust as excited because today I
have the pleasure of introducingyour good neighbor, Ms Janine
Curry, who is the owner operatorof Janine Curry Accounting.
Janine, welcome to the show.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Well, we're glad to have you, like I said, really
excited to learn all about whatyou do.
So if you don't mind, why don'tyou kick us off by telling us
about your business?

Speaker 3 (00:42):
My business is accounting for small businesses
in the Asheville area.
We do tax prep, bookkeeping,payroll etc.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Very good.
So a little bit of everything.

Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yes, yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Awesome.
Well, how did you get into theaccounting business, Janine?

Speaker 3 (01:05):
I had um a first job out of college where I was an
administrative assistant and Iwas bored and the accountant at
the business saw that andstarted to take pity on me and
was like here, why don't youenter bills and pay bills and do
that kind of thing?
And she saw that I had anaptitude for it and she was like

(01:27):
I think you have a career inaccounting If this is easy for
you.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
And I go.

Speaker 3 (01:31):
it is easy for me and she goes well, I think this is
what you should do.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Amen, cause it's not easy for everybody, I can tell.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
No, I know she was like.
She's like is this easy?
Do you find this?
Yeah, I go.
Oh my god, this is so easy.
Like I was so bored, you knowit's like a 21 year old in the
office and she was just like, oh, you have a mind for accounting
.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
You should think about it it's a very special
skill set that not everybody has, so for sure you're blessed.
Well, what are some myths ormisconceptions in the accounting
business, janine?

Speaker 3 (02:02):
um, some myths in the accounting business.
Um, you don't have to look acertain way to do accounting.
You don't have to have a stuffyoffice.
What we like to specialize inin my office is being
approachable, providing servicesto people who are scared of it

(02:22):
and wouldn't typically go to anaccountant.
That's what.
I think my business feels thatlittle niche spot.
So that's a myth to be stuffyand boring and you know, like
your dad's accountant you don'thave to have an accountant like
that out there.
You know there are lots ofdifferent types out there.

(02:43):
There are lots of differenttypes.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Unfortunately, I think the term accountant gets
used a lot to describe someonewho's kind of I don't mean
anything about this but it's amyth or misconception that most
accountants are boring and dull.
Yeah, oh boy, a room full ofaccountants.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
It's not the most exciting thing, no, but I love
it so you must love numbers too.
Right.
So I was like numbers areuniversal and numbers are
numbers.
They're facts, I don't know,they're easy.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
Percent.
Not fair For me, for you.
So who are your targetcustomers, janine, and how do
you reach them?

Speaker 3 (03:30):
My target customers are small business owners,
people who are more than justworking a W-2 job but might have
, you know, self-employed people, artists, makers in the area,
landscapers, mechanics,construction workers, who people

(03:53):
have their own constructionbusiness, that kind of people
who don't follow necessarily awhite collar career.
That's where we come in.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Gotcha.
Well, there's a lot of them,and that's what, uh, what we
focus on on this show is small,locally owned businesses, so
you're in the right place.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Um, have you ever thought about having a your own
podcast?

Speaker 3 (04:17):
No, I get stage.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
uh, fright oh my goodness, oh my goodness.
Well, you're doing fine here.
Is this your first podcast?

Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yes, it is.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Oh, wow.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
My goodness.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
I'm honored, I'm honored to be your first Well
outside of work.
Janine, what do you like to dofor fun?

Speaker 3 (04:35):
I love to go see music shows and I'm very
grateful to live in a communitywhere we have a lot of artists
come through, so that's my mainpassion is going to see music.
I love it.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
I was afraid you were going to say I like to do math.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
No, no, I leave that at the door.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
I'm like very good, very good, Any like music
performances, uh like uh playsor or bands, oh nice, nice.
What was your favorite?

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Oh my goodness.
Um, well, your favorite, oh mygoodness.
Well, I just saw the Black Keysrecently, nice yeah.
And I went to a show the othernight and I saw another band,
slay Bells, which is an oldiebut a goodie, yeah.
So getting to see music helpsrelease the stress of accounting
.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
Absolutely Of everything.
Trust me, I love music.
Well, let's switch gears for asecond, janine, can you describe
a hardship or a life challengethat you've overcome and how it
made you stronger on the otherside?

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Sure, I mean, we could just go to the hurricane,
the most recent horrible thingthat happened to our community.
It was devastating and we werestruggling and hopefully were
able to bounce back.
And that was a very scarymoment in time where I was
thinking that the business maybe shut down because a lot of my

(05:59):
clients were affected.
So if they don't have abusiness, do I have a business?
You know Right?

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Right.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
So if they, don't have a business?
Do I have a business, Right,right?

Speaker 2 (06:34):
So what we decided to do, me and my assistants I mean
my staff was to just stay openas much as possible and not
charge anybody anything anddonate our time and resources to
help people apply for FEMA andloans and grants and just to
help, you know, and make surethat we could survive together
as a community.
It has.
It has done my heart good tosee the Asheville area, you know
Hot Springs, marshall, allaround Western North Carolina
and East.

Speaker 3 (06:46):
Tennessee actually.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Yeah, yeah, come together in a big, big way.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
Like mountain people being kind of closeted or
whatever like cloisteredtogether.
But part of that is that you dotake care of each other and you
try to look out for yourneighbor as much as possible and
we know that, since we are soremote, we do depend on each
other to survive and that is awonderful thing to really see
and be a part of.

(07:11):
After the hurricane.
It was yeah, it was amazing andhumbling and made me very
grateful and wanted to help.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Awesome.
Well, you know recovery isstill happening.
I know I live right across thestate line, about 45 minutes
from Asheville, and we had amajor bridge, the Irwin Bridge,
still happening.
I know I live right across thestate line, about 45 minutes
from Asheville, and we had amajor bridge, the Irwin Bridge.
Yes, it was destroyed and itjust reopened last week actually
.
So yeah, it took nine months.

Speaker 3 (07:36):
Yeah.
I mean, yeah, we're stillstruggling.
There are a lot of businessesthat are pivoting and trying to
find their way and we're, excuseme, trying to help with that
and as best we can.
So, yeah, we're still doing it.
I mean, you know, we're stilltogether and we're still trying
to make it.
Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Very resilient community.

Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
So, janine, if you could think of one thing that
you'd like our listeners toremember about Janine Curry
accounting, what would that be?

Speaker 3 (08:08):
um, don't be afraid to contact us if you, you know,
if you have, uh, especially ifyou have old taxes that need to
be filed or you have issues, irs, please feel free.
Um, we like to specialize inalso making our clients feel
comfortable, so you don't haveany anxiety anymore.
You just give it to us.

(08:28):
You know woman-owned,minority-owned, so we understand
.

Speaker 2 (08:38):
You know the heart, you know very good, very good
thing to remember.
So for those of us who are introuble with the IRS or have
issues that we is just beyondour scope of capability, how can
our listeners learn more aboutyou and what you can do?

Speaker 3 (08:59):
Yes, you can go to my website, janinecurrycom, and
there is a little button thatsays contact us, and so that
comes directly to my office, andso we get a lot of people just
writing in there saying can youknow?
I have this issue.
Can we schedule a consultation?
Because we do offer a free 30minute consultation, so I can

(09:22):
just give you a consultation forfree for 30 minutes.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
All right, writing that down.
Free 30-minute consultation.
Everybody remember that.
Give Janine Curry of JanineCurry Accounting a call and you
can get a 30-minute.
I've been desperately into that, so I'll probably be in touch.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
I love that.
Please do.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
Awesome, awesome.
Well, janine, I reallyappreciate you taking time out
of your busy schedule to be withus and to talk to our listeners
about your accounting business,and we wish you and your family
and, uh, jenny and curryaccounting all the best moving
forward thank you and back toyou.
Thank you so much thank you somuch, and maybe we can have you
back sometime we'll love thatall right, all right.

(10:04):
Thanks so much.
You have a great day you too.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnptry-citiescom.
That's gnptry-citiescom, orcall 423-719-5873.
Thank you.