Meet Farrell Parker

We were lucky to catch up with Farrell Parker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Farrell , we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

My parents are really extraordinarily generous people. With both their time and money. So I had generosity instilled in me as a value from the jump.
I also know from watching them – as well as from personal experience (and from devouring some research that other smart folks have done) – that being generous is perhaps the best way to combat scarcity mentality. And I work hard to combat a scarcity/fear-based mentality, as I think it gets in the way of creativity and community. I have a rate card for my tax clients, but we always offer sliding scale services at Artist Tax Prep. Our only requirement is that clients name their ability to pay up front. People are afraid to be generous because they are worried about being taken advantage of, worried that they won’t have enough. But my experience tells me that MOST people are not out to get as much as they can, for as little as possible. MOST people are just as generous as you are, if they can move past some of the fear of not-having.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I run a tax preparation business called Artist Tax Prep. I am also a working actor and creative. All the preparers who work for Artist Tax Prep are artists as well! The majority of artists come to taxes holding a lot of fear (about how much they’ll need to pay the IRS) and shame (about how they should know more than they do). What I’m most proud of, is the anti-shame lens we bring to taxes. What you don’t know about -our very complex – tax law is not your fault. What I’m most excited about, is to continue to grow and offer our services to more clients, all while providing income sources for other artists in my community. I’m super grateful to be connected to so many creatives through Artist Tax Prep and to help them feel supported in this area.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

– learning
– seeing the big picture
– clarity in communication

A lot of working as a tax preparer is being able to look stuff up (ie research). And tax law is always changing so there’s always more to learn. I am constantly learning new things in my creative practice as well. A facility for learning and engaged curiosity is essential for business owners.

It’s easy for me to zoom out on a project and see how to get from A-Z and where pain points might be ocurring. As an actor, this can get in my way a little bit, because really I just want to be focused on doing my role and not solving leadership and institutional problems. But working as a business owner allows me to channel this lightly controlling energy in a way that’s more productive to my work and life!

I feel an almost physical pain when I’m a witness to miscommunication. The inefficiency of it all! Communicating clearly comes in handy in any creative collaboration, and it’s completely essential for working with clients.

Finally, I am a natural caretaker. I love taking care of people and providing safe and enjoyable spaces for them. I used to think this was at odds with leadership and worried that it was “too feminine” of a quality. I was afraid to give too much of myself and not get anything in return. I have since learned, that being a leader IS taking care of people in an empowered way. I’m so grateful now for this inclination – I think it makes me a much better collaborator and co worker.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I am currently scaling my business. Because Artist Tax Prep started as a solo-journey, I didn’t have systems in place to support so much growth. Right now, I have sooo many ideas for how to grow and no overarching organizational system to help me decide what to prioritize. So I’m figuring out how to outsource and work with other women-owned businesses who specialize in this.

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