Cindy Combs builds decade-old accounting practice on referrals and advisory work

Cindy Combs has turned 25 years in accounting into a referral-driven consulting business in Temple, Texas, with CK Business Consulting & Tax reaching its 10-year mark. Her story highlights how technical expertise, client relationships and adaptability are reshaping small-business financial support.

Why it matters: - Cindy Combs shows how a long accounting career can translate into a sustainable small-business advisory practice. - CK Business Consulting & Tax has grown with little traditional advertising, underscoring the value of referrals, trust and client retention. - Combs is expanding into more strategic services as businesses face faster changes in tax rules, reporting standards and technology.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Cindy Combs, Owner and Accounting Consultant of CK Business Consulting & Tax, in Temple, Texas. - Combs has more than 25 years of experience in accounting, tax strategy, financial reporting and business advisory services. - Combs has operated CK Business Consulting & Tax for about 10 years. - Combs built her practice primarily through referrals and long-standing client relationships. - Combs says the business has spent less than $2,000 per year on marketing. - Combs began her accounting career in 1997 in general accounting and tax roles.

The details: - CK Business Consulting & Tax provides full-cycle accounting, month-end close support, tax preparation, financial reporting, complex accounting analysis, technical accounting issue resolution and CFO-level advisory services. - Combs also works with clients on the technology and data systems behind financial operations. - Her early work included accounts payable and accounts receivable. - Combs later handled more complex work in oil and gas and real estate. - Those roles helped prepare her for Assistant Controller and Controller positions. - Combs earned an accounting degree with a computer science minor from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. - She later earned a Master’s in Business Management from Sam Houston State University. - Her computer science background supports back-end systems and database reporting design work. - Combs helps clients understand how financial data is collected, organized, processed and turned into business information. - Combs is expanding into cost segregation analysis and strengthening CFO-level advisory services. - The advisory work supports financial planning, tax optimization, reporting and decision-making. - Combs has been a single mother for the past 16 years while building and running the business. - Combs is a Number One Bestseller Co-Author of Unsung Heroines of Business. - She is involved with Bethel Church in Temple, Texas, and enjoys riding horses. - Combs said: “I started at the bottom and worked my way up.” - Combs also said: “You have what it takes if you have the drive. You don’t have to be anything special. You just have to be determined.” - The article includes a profile link for more information: Influential Women profile.

Between the lines: - Combs’ mix of accounting and computer science skills fits a market where finance is increasingly tied to software, data and automation. - Her low marketing spend suggests reputation and repeat business can still outperform paid promotion for niche professional services. - The entrepreneurship story is also framed as a broader message about resilience, especially for women and solo business owners.

What's next: - Combs sees growth in automation, advanced accounting systems, data analytics and more sophisticated financial reporting. - CK Business Consulting & Tax is likely to keep leaning on advisory work rather than only transactional accounting services. - Combs plans to keep helping clients adapt financial processes to changing regulations and technology.

The bottom line: - After more than 25 years in the field, Cindy Combs has built a durable practice by pairing technical accounting skills with relationships, persistence and a strategy built mostly on referrals.