Thought leaders of the industry: interview with Kesha Dawson-Harris, NAEA Director and TaxDome customer

At TaxDome, we’re always thrilled about the success our valued customers achieve. That’s why we’re proud to introduce you to Kesha Dawson-Harris, Director at the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), distinguished enrolled agent (EA), and firm owner of The Resilient Tax Group.

TaxDome has enjoyed a close partnership with the NAEA for more than 3 years. Like Kesha, hundreds of NAEA members are also valued members of the TaxDome community, thriving on shared values that include mutual support, innovation, and growth.

Kesha kindly sat down with us to talk about everything she’s advocating for the NAEA and EA community as NAEA Director, and how using TaxDome has made her life easier — and it was an absolute pleasure to receive her insights first-hand.

Having a product like TaxDome frees up time for me to do self-care, for me to study… So, helping enrolled agents find the time for themselves, that’s the biggest thing… The industry is definitely changing and we need to be able to use technology so that we can free up that time. At the end of the day, it’s about work-life balance. The goal is to help people not die at their desk. — Kesha Dawson-Harris, Director at the NAEA

Hear everything Kesha had to say — watch the full interview below.

About the NAEA and its partnership with TaxDome

The NAEA is a renowned US organization that has supported the needs of more than 8,000 EAs and their clients since 1947, advocating better standards, leading educational resources, and mutual growth and support through the organization of countless networking events.

Sharing values on community, improving the client experience, and empowerment through technology, the NAEA and TaxDome established a partnership more than 3 years ago, working together to help transform the industry for the better.

Celebrating Kesha Dawson-Harris’ success

Kesha has the full support and confidence of the TaxDome team as Director at the NAEA.

As a distinguished EA and thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in the tax industry — plus a strong, innate passion for her profession as well as supporting fellow EAs — Kesha is bringing strategic, forward-looking insights to the board that are enriching NAEA’s mission and positively impacting the lives of EAs and their clients nationwide.

TaxDome team members — including Nicholas Tyson, Head of Customer Success, and Petar Iliev, Chief Revenue Officer — met up with Kesha at the 2024 Scaling New Heights conference in Orlando, FL on June 16–19, where they discussed the importance of the NAEA and EA community, the advantages of technology in the EA profession, and more.

Nicholas Tyson, Head of Customer Success at TaxDome, with Kesha Dawson-Harris, NAEA Director, at Scaling New Heights 2024.

Interview with Kesha Dawson-Harris, Director at the NAEA

Following TaxDome’s meet-up with Kesha at Scaling New Heights, Kesha happily joined us on a call to talk about what she’s championing as NAEA Director — including the welfare of EAs and their clients, member engagement, and awareness around the NAEA and enrolled agent designation as a whole for taxpayers and younger generations alike.  

Hear it from Kesha right here. You can also find a condensed transcript of our interview at the end of this blog, highlighting the key insights Kesha shared.

Here’s to a long-lasting partnership between NAEA and TaxDome

TaxDome’s partnership with the NAEA is a testament to shared values in enhancing the professional lives of enrolled agents and their clients, now and in the future.

Adding to the goals and insights Kesha shared as Director at the NAEA, here’s what the NAEA’s partnership with TaxDome means for Kelli Comegys, the NAEA’s Strategic Partnerships Director, who we met with at the 2024 IRS Nationwide Tax Forum in Chicago on 17–19 June.

The customer experience is something that really sets [TaxDome] apart… TaxDome is someone that you really want to take a look at if you are looking for a one-stop solution to grow your business, to make your life easier, your clients’ lives easier. — Kelli Comegys, Strategic Partnerships Director for the NAEA

Join the upward momentum alongside 10,000+ firms and 3 million+ of their clients

TaxDome couldn’t be prouder to support its partnership with the NAEA as we continue to deliver industry-leading solutions to help financial practitioners simplify their day-to-day, enrich their client experience, and achieve new heights of success.

Uncover what TaxDome is all about in our new 2024 Annual Report. This document is more than just a summary of our achievements; it’s a window into our values, our team, and our unwavering commitment to you. While writing annual reports isn’t common for private companies, at TaxDome, we believe in going beyond the ordinary.

Join the upward momentum alongside more than 10,000 firms and thought leaders, including Kesha Dawson-Harris — book a free personalized demo today.

Interview transcript

Kesha Dawson-Harris on her role as Director at the NAEA

What inspired you to take on the role of Director at the NAEA?

“It’s the next progression in my role as an enrolled agent. I’ve been in the tax industry over 25 years, but I’ve been an enrolled agent for eight years and I’ve served on the local level, the state level. And then I felt being on the board of directors, I had a different type of voice. That’s one thing about enrolled agents, we have such a diverse background. And I felt like it was important to know that everybody doesn’t take the same pathway to become an enrolled agent. So, it was important that my voice was heard as well.”

As a leader in the tax community, what are the key challenges you see facing enrolled agents today, and how do you plan to address them?

“One is time. That’s where technology comes in. The biggest thing is having a product like TaxDome because now that frees up that time for me to do self-care, for me to study, for me to use other resources. 

“So helping enrolled agents find the time for themselves, that’s the biggest thing. And then the other thing is learning how to be that voice in the community. Sometimes as enrolled agents, we kind of shy back and we take the background because people don’t know who we are. So, helping people find that time to have their voice, and then find that time to just spend time with themselves. 

“The industry is definitely changing and we need to be able to use technology and these different things so that we can free up that time. At the end of the day, it’s about work-life balance. The goal is to help people not die at their desk.”

How do you envision the future of the NAEA under your leadership?

“The NAEA is becoming this big, diverse, inclusive community, so just helping members embrace that and involve. Our three missions are our focus on member engagement, advocacy, which I’m really huge on, and then awareness. 

“There are people who do not know about the enrolled agent designation. So just bringing more awareness to the profession that, ‘Hey, the barriers to entry are, you know, you can pass a three-part exam, you have a high school diploma, this could be a career that is very satisfying and fulfilling. But then also just being able to help our members become more engaged.

“The other piece is the advocacy. Being able to stand up for taxpayers and fight for taxpayer rights, and helping taxpayers understand their obligations to the IRS. Sometimes as enrolled agents, we forget that. 

“So at NAEA, we really want members to understand the authority that they walk in, to make other people aware of what we do, and then to have our members engage with each other.”

What specific initiatives or programs do you plan to implement to further support the professional growth of enrolled agents?

“NTPI, the National Tax Practice Institute, we have totally revamped that program. It has three levels. And it helps our enrolled agents just get that additional education to learn about how to better represent clients before the Internal Revenue Service. 

“The other thing is introducing different vendors and software, and just allowing our members to know there’s an easier way to do this or there’s a faster way. That’s what the technology is there for, to help us do better.”

How do you plan to enhance the visibility and importance of enrolled agents within the broader financial and tax industry?

“We have to just get out there. I think it’s up to us to make just the community aware. You know, I meet with tax attorneys a lot because they don’t do tax returns. And I have CPAs in the building with me right now, they don’t do tax law. So I like to say, enrolled agents, we’re that hybrid — the powers of a tax attorney, the powers of a CPA — we combine and you get this hybrid baby that is an enrolled agent, and we’re able to help people see things from all areas.

“We have to step up and say, ‘Hey, I am a subject matter expert on this and I am the thought leader on this, and I can help you understand what the IRS notice is or what the intent of that law was as it applies to this specific tax return.’ That’s where the expertise of an enrolled agent comes in because we can sit and see both sides of the coin. And being able to advocate not only for taxpayers but for just the profession as a whole. I think EAs, we just need to be louder about it.”

What role do you see technology playing in the future of tax preparation and how will the NAEA adapt to these changes?

“We’re adapting now. You’re going to make the change or you’re not going to be in this profession long. There was a time when my clients would come to my office and we would sit and have an hour-long conversation. Now I’m texting them through TaxDome. That is where technology is going, and if you don’t have those resources, and you’re not trying to get the resources, you will get left behind.

“So, NAEA is introducing those types of vendors and sponsors. The world is just moving faster. We are trying to embrace technology in all aspects of how we’re moving, how we’re sending out information, but also how we’re educating our members. 

“Those are the different things — how are we able to move, not just the industry, but how are we able to empower our enrolled agents to be better and to service the client more.

“The biggest thing is education, not just for enrolled agents, for people that want to get into the industry, other tax professionals. The technology is moving so fast. So we have to be a part of that or we’ll miss out on the conversation.”

How do you balance maintaining the tradition of the NAEA while also pushing for innovation and modernization?

“The biggest thing again is education. But the balance between all of that is just remembering, at our core, that we’re human. 

“So, fostering the local environment with the affiliates and fostering the local chapters to get together. At the end of the day, everything, not just taxes, but everything we do now, we miss so much of this human aspect of our life. So, getting back to that basic human element of just who we are as people, part of this inclusive environment where we’re helping our members grow, evolve, and move in that direction.”

How do you plan to engage with younger professionals entering the field and encourage them to become enrolled agents?

“The younger generation, they just do things a little bit different. I’m always amazed at how they work, because they’ll sit down and study, take all three exams. They’re trying to get it done now. They’re ready to take action. 

“So, as a more seasoned enrolled agent, I believe that what we need to start doing is embracing that and kind of understanding that hustle, and fostering it more, but then introducing that work-life balance. Also, just encouraging them, being there for them.

“And for a lot of young people, they don’t want the traditional work in an office. Let’s set you up remotely, let’s get this going. And that is what’s changing this industry. And I love that. I love the changes coming with that.”

What are your top priorities for the NAEA in the coming year?

“We just want to be a more inclusive community for enrolled agents. So to do that, we’re listening to members more. We cannot be this elite organization; we need to embrace tax preparers that are not enrolled agents. Yes, we are this level that we are, but we need to be able to bring other people up and to reach back, and not just in our own practices, but in the community, the tax community as well. So doing things like this, being able to speak, being able to reach out to others, like the community colleges, and just embrace.

“Right now, our focus is on member engagement, member awareness, and advocacy. And the only way we’re going to do that is evolve and change and embrace all members as they come in. That’s the picture of NAEA. That’s a beautiful picture.”

What has been your most rewarding experience in your career so far, and how do you plan to bring that experience into your role at the NAEA?

“Becoming an enrolled agent was a big deal for me. What I bring to this is I like to tell people I’m a product of this organization. 

“To now be able to bring this to the board and say, ‘Look, at one point, I was at that place where I was just taking my classes at the IRS tax forum, and now, I’m here now serving as your board director, being a voice for you. So just to be in this spot, I’m excited about it. It is such an honor.”

Kesha Dawson-Harris on how TaxDome has made her life easier

What is the role TaxDome has played for you in terms of the solutions it provided? 

“I purchased TaxDome maybe two or three years ago. To be able to do a tax return, print it from that into the software, have the client pay — I’m able to get my work done faster. There are a lot of things that I don’t have to do anymore.

“And we received so many positive feedback. Our clients were the ones who raved the most because now they’re able to download an app. And now I’m not getting pictures of people’s feet in their W-2s! I’m getting documents that I can actually use. The clients love that they can communicate with the staff directly. 

“We’re turning tax preparations around in like two to three days, where before it was chasing this client down to get a payment, chasing this client down for documents or signatures. To be able to just set an engagement letter, a checklist, and get the information, it just makes our process so much faster. It makes me actually like taxes again. So that is the beauty of TaxDome. 

“And what I’ve been told, I’m not even using it to its full capacity. It’s not even in its final form. So, as different things come out, I’m looking forward to embracing it.”

How was your first tax season with TaxDome?

“The thing with TaxDome is you have to use it. But once you use it and you’re going through the process, it makes it so much easier. Three of my staff members, I didn’t even see. They work completely through TaxDome and online, and that was perfect, but there was not a lack in communications.

“My favorite part of TaxDome is the billing, the timer. Because when I do resolution, I would charge a flat fee. And so, just for fun, I was like, ‘You know what, this one particular case, I’m just going to use the timer in TaxDome just to see if I’m billing the correct amount.’ And I realized that I was missing out on so much money because I was doing so much more work than what I was billing for. Other tax software that I’ve used or other client management tools, they don’t have the timing, the billing portion. And to me, that’s huge.”

Did you see any difference between tax season with TaxDome and without TaxDome?

“One of the biggest benefits is that the client is able to follow along. So at every step, they would get an email or a text. And that way, that cut out clients calling, so the phones hardly rang. 

“And then, at the end of our workflow, we implemented, ‘Hey, if you love this experience, leave us a Google review,’ and we were able to get positive client feedback. They’re like, ‘Love the new portal, love the new app.’ They love it.

“The other thing is that we did not work up until April 15th, because again, we’re talking about work-life balance. All documents in by April 1st — we were able to put that blanket message up to let clients know as soon as they logged in. I didn’t have to send out a million emails.”

Do you think TaxDome has helped improve the way your clients think about interacting with you and your firm?

“Absolutely. The one feature I forgot to mention is being able to add the Loom video. Because again, you’re doing things virtually, you don’t get to see that person’s personality. So I’ll record a quick Loom video, and now it’s like they’re having a conversation with me. So it’s taken away that, ‘Oh, I got to meet with my accountant. I got to spend all day sitting in her office.’

“Now, it’s a fun conversation. They’re still getting that personal one-on-one experience, but they’re saving time by not having to sit here in my office and watch me go over their numbers. It just makes the experience so much easier and nicer and more pleasant. I can be a little bit more personable — as opposed to just, ‘Hey, welcome to the firm’ in an email. Now you have this personalized video from me and my team welcoming you to our office. It adds that human element back to it.”