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In our latest Accountant Spotlight Series, we're thrilled to introduce Tevia Hoalst, owner and founder at TeKoda Accounting. Her story is one defined by empathy, connection, and curiosity.

Finding meaning in the numbers

Tevia Hoalst didn’t choose accounting; accounting, it appears, chose her. Spending the majority of her early career working in high-level corporate finance, Tevia has always been comfortable being around numbers. What she didn’t embrace, however, was the feeling of being treated like one. Witnessing egregious inefficiencies in internal processes and mistreatment of staff, Tevia decided to flip the industry on its head.

Starting her own business to address these issues, Tevia chose the client accounting services industry, channeling a passion for customer service and healthy work culture into her company's success. Six years later, Tevia has built her firm, TeKoda Accounting, into a team of accountants who carry these philosophies forward to their colleagues and clients alike.

In the years since TeKoda was founded, Tevia has made her dream a reality. “My favorite thing about TeKoda Accounting is our staff,” she shares. “Everyone on our team exhibits a growth mindset daily, which allows us to be extremely adaptable and focus on improvement.” Balancing work and play, Tevia recalls dressing up in a blow-up unicorn suit at a recent annual staff meeting. “It was the perfect comedic relief for a long business day of training and working together in person.”

Delivering personable, customized services

TeKoda, an online bookkeeping and accounting services firm, helps businesses gain clarity of their finances and improve cash flow. Working with a diverse clientele across multiple industries, the team at TeKoda possessed both breadth and depth of knowledge, working collaboratively with clients to build their businesses.

Despite the variety of client industries, certain problems seem to persist regardless of sector. “Common challenges among our clients include resource allocation and lack of commitment to financial data,” Tevia explains. “It’s easy to get caught up working in the business and neglect the important part of working on the business.” Without sufficient time dedicated to analyzing the data, the opportunity to truly understand the nuts and bolts of the business is lost.

To help clients tackle such gaps, TeKoda brings a personalized, communicative approach to everything they do. “We find the most fulfillment in educating our clients on healthy business and financial practices that will help them grow and scale,” says Tevia. The ability to see a client eagerly learn and improve their habits based on TeKoda’s services is incredibly rewarding for the team. For one client in particular, a professional services firm, TeKoda was instrumental in preventing a rapid loss of funds. “Using an empathetic and personable approach while maintaining a professional commitment to high-quality work, we were able to get the client to make data-driven decisions and align on a budget,” Tevia reflects. In less than two years, TeKoda has led the charge in turning the client’s business around, bringing an annual loss of 20% to an annual profit of 7%.

Balancing technology and humanity

Central to TeKoda’s company values, communication is also the central belief that drives their technology strategy. “We leverage technology to enhance workflows like any other company, but strongly believe personal communication is irreplaceable,” says Tevia. “At TeKoda, you will always speak with a real person and can expect a personalized touch in every interaction.” By using AI as a resource to enhance daily productivity, the firm can direct time spent on high-level, client-facing deliverables.

Ramp supports these efforts, noticeably elevating how the team handles internal tasks. With this flexibility, TeKoda’s operations have not only been streamlined but also more organized. “With Ramp, tasks that once felt time-consuming and cumbersome now move smoothly through the workflow, saving both time and effort,” Tevia asserts.

On top of enhancing productivity, Tevia also notes security and employee benefits. “My favorite Ramp feature is the ability to generate a secure card for specific spending quickly,” she shares. “The spending controls and ease of issuing and deactivating with Ramp makes this a seamless experience for both employer and employee.” Extending these efficiencies to clients, Ramp has given TeKoda a platform to provide clientele with a free accounts payable option. “Ramp has significantly reduced security concerns. Our clients love Ramp, and the user experience is clean and easy for them, making it a winning transition for everyone.”

Combining hard work and joy for lasting success

At TeKoda, there is a belief that stagnation is detrimental to successful business development. Living true to this, the team prioritizes continuous training and active participation in the industry network. “As members of EO, the Aprio Firm Alliance, AICPB, and the AICPA, we try to stay involved in everything these organizations have going on,” explains Tevia. Reflecting on the insights and news gained from such activity, Tevia is most excited about the shift to digital currency. “This will continue to move our industry into new ground in a time where many accountants historically have been unable to see changes of this magnitude.”

Priding itself on delivering exceptional, white-glove service that goes beyond traditional accounting practices, a balance of hard work and joy is evident in TeKoda’s ethos. This combination allows the team to make a meaningful difference, building lasting relationships and helping clients achieve long-term success. Outside of running her firm, Tevia similarly embodies these values in her personal life. “I am happily married with three wonderful kids and an avid animal lover,” she exclaims. “My husband and I love the outdoors, and you can usually find us in the mountains running, hiking, biking, and training for adventure racing or taking care of the animals on our farm in rural Virginia.” Described by friends and family as intense and fun-loving, Tevia gives 100% to everything she does, ready to find humor along the way.

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