Meet Samantha Mittman Besnoff

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Samantha Mittman Besnoff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Samantha below.

Samantha, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

From my earliest years of watching my father run and manage his own life insurance business, I knew that I wanted to be in business and help others. This was ignited during my senior year of high school when I enrolled in an accounting class that was taught by Mr. Carl Janetka. His mentorship and guidance left a lasting mark. We reconnected in the last decade or so over Facebook, and I was able to thank him for being the one that introduced me to the world of accounting. He passed away in the fall of 2022 and it led me to some reflecting of learning and working in the accounting field over the last thirty years. It dawned on me that accounting was not merely about the numbers; it was more about working with and helping others. Throughout my career, I’ve cherished the opportunity to illuminate the world of finance for clients, fostering understanding without condescension. This passion of me loving numbers led me to new avenues. About five years ago I began to host tax workshops at a local college campus. Witnessing the clarity, it brought to students ignited a desire to broaden my impact. Thus began my foray into podcasting. Two years ago, I entered and won a podcasting contest with Seneca Women and iHeartRadio. I had done some podcasting, vlogging and blogging prior to this, but I was now propelled into the world of podcasting learning from people who were already in the industry for years. My podcast, Your Financial Maven, launched in the Spring of 2023, after a year of learning, interviewing, and producing, alongside Seneca Women and iHeart Radio. In addition, working with my editor Kris Zarnoch, my podcast became a platform to impart financial wisdom to a wider audience, refining my interviewing skills and message along the way. In essence, my purpose to financially empower others through financial education has led to nurturing confidence in others when they make their monetary decisions.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a Certified Public Accounting (CPA), Independent Life Insurance Agent and Podcast Host. I have been passionate about being an Accountant for over 25 years and I could talk all day about financial empowerment. It is so important to have a basic understanding of personal and business finances. It is something that I love to do not only for my clients, but really to anyone that will listen. When I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Business/Accounting I did not take the typical accounting path into a Big Six accounting firm (I believe there are four now). I actually began my accounting career, in 1995, working as an auditor for the PA Department of Revenue. Since then, I have held a variety of accounting jobs in the public, corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors. In 2013, I decided to go out on my own and created Mittman Besnoff Agency where I worked with individuals, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations in preparing tax returns, accounting services, life insurance needs, and financial education empowerment. In 2022, I decided to evolve my business and created Your Financial Maven LLC. I am so proud to be a Solopreneur and Woman-Owned Business. In the Spring of 2022, I decided to add to my business and get into the world of Podcasting. I am part of the inaugural class of the Seneca Women Podcast Academy along with iHeart Media. My podcast- Your Financial Maven launched on April 26, 2023 on the Seneca Women Podcast Network. In September 2023, I moved to Spreaker Prime Network, which is a platform for independent podcasters. I was so excited to be able to grow and evolve my podcast beyond what I had already learned from iHeart Media. Just after tax season ended in April of 2024, I launched a change to my business and am focusing more on Small Business Consulting were I help Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Nonprofit Organizations understand the financial side of their businesses. While I love working with individuals, I am finding that those in business need and want more support for understanding their finances. I pride myself on engaging, strategizing, educating, and empowering my clients. In addition to being in business, I continue to educate and expand my business knowledge. Over the years, I have received various Master Level College Certificates in the areas of Nonprofit Management, Women in Entrepreneurship, and Leadership & Ethics. And as a CPA and Life Insurance Agent, I continue with my professional education. In 2023, I was named by the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs as one of the Women to Watch. And I spend time on several Nonprofit boards and giving back to my Lancaster community. I am a Mom, Wife, and Community Leader who is compassionate, caring and enjoys life. My husband and my boys keep me balanced between work and personal life. When I am not working, you can find me playing with our fur baby, at the beach, and spending time with cherished family and friends.

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

Three Qualities that I possess: 1. Listening and meeting others where they are at, 2. work-life balance especially self-care as a solopreneur, and 3. my passion and love for helping others.

If you are just starting out in your own small business, it’s important to understand all aspects of that business, including the financial side, and not just the product or service you are offering. Hire professionals, like a CPA, to help guide you. Network, network, network. I wish I had done more networking earlier on in my career. I like to think of myself as an introvert, extrovert. Networking is not easy, but you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do it. And the last thing I will say is understand that you need to have patience with yourself and your business. It takes time to grow and for you to achieve your goals. You will get there, I promise.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

I think the most impactful thing my parents have done for me is to allow us to fail forward with guidance and love. I didn’t always get it right, but my parents never made me feel embarrassed or ashamed if I messed up. I also had my grandmother living with us since I was a baby, she was in my life for 43 years. I was so blessed to have the perspective of two generations living under one roof. Sure, my grandmother did more of the spoiling, but she still showed us that life is about living and to not get bogged down with the small things.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Headshot (main photo) and Podcast Logo Headshot and Podcast at the Table photo by Richard Waine Photography

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