I have had a passion for small business finances for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories were running lemonade stands and buying/selling Pokémon cards. In high school I did taxes for friends and family. That is also when I took a Business Finance class and fell in love. In college I focused my studies on Accounting, Finance, and Business Management.
When I graduated, I worked for a fortune 500 financial consulting company as a Staff Accountant and hated it. I drove into an office with no windows, wore a blazer, and stared at a computer screen full of spreadsheets for 8 hours a day. I envied the sales staff who spent their days analyzing their client’s finances, meeting with clients and providing solutions to help their clients feel confident in their financial decision making.
Over time, my tax practice grew. More of my friends and colleagues were freelancing and building their own businesses. In the process, they came to me for advise or help. I would help one friend set up their LLC. Another plan their budget for the year and set up their payroll. Organically, my scope and client base grew to the point that it just made sense for me to start my own business.
That is how GLPG was born. Over the last 15 years, I have helped hundreds of small business owners navigate taxes, covid relief, capital acquisition, expansions, and more. Nothing brings me more joy than helping a baby business get on their feet and build their wealth. I am doing what I was put on this earth to do and I couldn’t be happier.
~Ali Thornsberry
Founder of Green Lotus Planning Group