We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yolanda Meade. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yolanda below.
Yolanda, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose through real-life experience, not a textbook. I started in this industry because I saw how many people especially business owners and nonprofit leaders were being misled, overcharged, or left completely confused when it came to their finances and taxes. I became the person I wish my community had when I was first trying to figure things out.
My purpose grew as I helped more people get answers, get compliant, and get peace of mind. Every time a nonprofit avoided losing its status, a business owner finally understood their numbers, or a tax professional gained confidence through my training that confirmed it for me.
This isn’t just what I do, it’s who I am.
Helping people build, protect, and understand their finances is my calling. And every season of my life good and bad prepared me to walk in it with confidence and compassion.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am the owner of Yolanda Financial Services LLC, Higher-Level Tax Software, and The Founder of Always Overcoming Obstacles Inc., where I provide tax preparation, bookkeeping, business setup, payroll, and specialized nonprofit compliance services. What makes my work especially meaningful is that I don’t just offer a service; I also provide education, mentorship, and long-term support. I’m passionate about helping people not only file correctly, but actually understand their numbers, protect their businesses, and grow with confidence.
One of the most exciting parts of my work is my focus on nonprofit organizations. Many nonprofits struggle because they don’t have the right financial guidance, and that can put their entire mission at risk. Supporting founders, board members, and community leaders as they build compliant, sustainable organizations is incredibly rewarding. I’m also deeply invested in training and mentoring new and seasoned tax professionals so they can expand their skill sets, increase their income, and serve their communities better.
My brand is built on integrity, compliance, education, and empowerment. I believe in doing business the right way, sharing knowledge, and creating real impact not just chasing transactions. Everything I create is designed to help people move from confusion to clarity and from stress to stability.
Right now, I’m expanding both my service offerings and my educational platforms. We are also getting ready to launch our Nonprofit book, which is designed to help nonprofit founders understand setup, compliance, and financial management in a clear, practical way. I’m continuing to grow my nonprofit education initiatives, scaling my mentorship community, and preparing for another major tax season with enhanced client services and expanded operational support.
At the heart of everything I do is legacy building something that will outlast me, serve my family, and uplift my community. This work is bigger than business for me; it’s purpose in action.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three things that made the biggest difference in my journey are resilience, knowledge, and integrity.
Resilience kept me moving when things were hard, when doors closed, and when I had to rebuild or start over.
Entrepreneurship will test you in ways nothing else does, and your ability to stay consistent through challenges is what separates those who last from those who quit. My advice: don’t take every setback personally. Learn from it, adjust, and keep going.
Knowledge has been a game changer for me. The more I learned about taxes, nonprofit compliance, business operations, and financial systems the more confident and valuable I became.
Education creates options. My advice is to never stop learning. Invest in your skills, certifications, and training early. What you learn today will pay you back for years.
Integrity is the foundation of everything I’ve built. In an industry where mistakes can be costly, your name and your word matter. I’ve never chased money at the expense of doing things the right way. My advice is simple: protect your reputation at all costs. Do good work, be honest, and stand on your principles even when it’s hard.
For anyone early in their journey, I would say this: stay consistent, stay teachable, and stay grounded. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but when you commit to growth, discipline, and doing things with purpose, the results will come.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
One book that played a major role in my personal and professional development is Fear Is My Homeboy. This book completely shifted how I view fear not as something to run from, but something to recognize, understand, and move through anyway.
One of the biggest lessons I took from it is that fear will always show up when you’re growing. Instead of waiting to feel “ready,” I learned that readiness comes after you take the leap. That helped me stop second-guessing myself and start moving with confidence, even when the outcome wasn’t guaranteed.
Another powerful takeaway was learning how fear disguises itself as logic. Sometimes we tell ourselves we’re being “realistic,” when in truth, fear is just trying to keep us comfortable. That realization pushed me to bet on myself in bigger ways whether in business decisions, leadership, or expanding my impact.
Most importantly, the book taught me that fear doesn’t mean stop it means you’re standing at the edge of something transformative. Once I embraced that, I stopped letting fear control my decisions and started using it as a signal that growth was happening.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yolandafinancialservices.net/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17aMGN49b4/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/yolanda-meade-9a373a22a
Image Credits
Photographer: Nathan Pearcy
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
