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I’ll help you FinD Your Freedom and build a business that scales.
Hi! My name is Michael Ly and thank you for coming to learn more about me. I have spent my career as an entrepreneur and leader in the accounting services and fintech space. Today, I help entrepreneurs break free from the daily grind of working inside their business so they can scale their team, multiply the bottom line, and find the balance they’ve been searching for.
WHO I HELP
If you own a service business that is struggling to scale, or you generally feel overworked and overwhelmed in your profession, you can engage me as a mentor or coach. I actively mentor or coach accounting firm owners, app leaders and small business owners throughout the country in one on one virtual sessions.
I also helps accounting focused apps or vendors trying to break into the accounting space but do not know where to start or have stalled in their growth.
WHAT WE ACHIEVE Together
My clients increase their confidence, clarify their strategic path, develop the skills needed to recruit, train and motivate top talent, and implement the processes required to grow their business without sacrificing their personal life. My clients have also gained market share both in and outside the accounting space as well as exited well for their next venture.
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About Me
I help people discover what’s possible in their professional lives, remove the obstacles that allow you to get more done, motivate you to take fresh action that produces positive results, and inspire you to live a life filled with greater meaning.
Why do I do this…
Well, my story is not unlike many people in our country who came to the US to build a better life for themselves, their families, and their community.
Born to refugee parents from Cambodia, I grew up in the Arizona desert in an entrepreneurial home. My mother was a seamstress and my father a chef, so I saw the value of hard work and “showing up” day in and day out.
They modeled for me the work ethic that has shaped my entire life, inspiring me to give my best effort each day, no matter what the endeavor might be.
My uncle was a pastor in a Christian church and my father a nominal Buddhist, so this dual perspective on humanity, faith, and “the way to live” guides my mentality and daily practice. I draw vast strength and clarity from the teachings of Jesus.. Because of my diverse background, I love engaging people from all walks of life.
After moving to Burlington, VT in 2011, I've quickly become a trusted adviser to CEOs and business owners, developing a niche as a part-time CFO. During this time I completed my MBA from Babson College.
Today, I am an entrepreneur and cloud accounting professional, most recently as CEO of Reconciled and Co-Founder of Humnly. You can learn more about each at the links provided.
This personal and professional experience has taught me countless lessons and produced ever increasing wisdom which I now pass on to my coaching clients and in speaking appearances across the country.
My clients are inspired to take massive action, get off the hamster wheel of working “inside” their business, eliminate the fear of the unknown, set impactful and clearly achievable goals, and generally create the life they desire.
I do this with a laid-back, approachable, transparent and practical process that has worked for me and 100’s of clients. I can help and inspire you too, and would love to learn about your goals.
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Services
How We Can WORK TOGETHER
SPEAKING
I speak about building and scaling businesses, the future of accounting, M&A, and finding your faith - no matter how you define religion or spiritual practice. From Keynotes to custom workshops, we can shape a session customized for your audience.
Expert Panels
Need a confident and knowledgeable speaker to round out or headline a panel? I offer a collaborative and complementary approach to panel work that offer unique value and supports the other participants to ensure a session that is remarkable and empowering,
1 on 1 Coaching
Perfect for 1-2 person teams that want to create a true business that operates without personal attention to every detail, activity and action. If you’ve ever said, “but I’m the only one who can do it the right way”, this is the program for you.
Go To Market for apps and vendors
I can help you with a go to market strategy in the accounting space. I have also actively invested and helped apps raise money from strategic investors in the accounting space.
“Not long ago I sat down with Michael to chat about some hiring struggles I was experiencing. He didn’t just share textbook strategies with me, but real-life tips, that he himself used, that changed the way I was thinking about how to grow my team. Two years later, I am sitting here again listening to him blow my mind with growth strategies that I was unable to see myself. His strategies got me to think bigger about how I can reach my goals. His brain is priceless!”
Other services provided by my companies
Fractional CFO
For businesses who are already on the right path but simply need someone to tackle the big picture financial decisions. My team of skilled CFOs help align the business around the best practices, strategic decisions, and operational controls that are critical to ensuring the trajectory and health of the business is expertly accounted for.
BOOKKEEPING with Reconciled
Reconciled is my full service virtual bookkeeping firm that provides consistent, accurate online bookkeeping and accounting services while removing the burden of having to manage a part-time bookkeeper.
We hire only US-based accredited accounting professionals that accurately and independently handle your books, tailoring their work to your industry and unique situation.
Our clients are relaxed, recharged, and free to focus on serving what they do best.
HR with HUMNLY
Humnly provides HR as a Service to entrepreneurs and startups who need access to HR expertise on-demand. I co-founded Humnly with Laura Pillsbury, an HR expert who has helped organizations grow their talent management as a strategic part of their businesses.
“Hiring Michael was one of the first investments we made in our business and we are happy to still work with him today. I trust him inherently and I would recommend him to anyone.”
TESTIMONIALs
JOsh Sturgeon - President: EMBERTRIBE
What stands out to me about Michael is his integrity. He is really invested in his clients success and is willing to be 100% honest and upfront with you about what you have to overcome while being respectful and focused on positive outcomes. He doesn’t cut corners and works with you as closely as you need to ensure you realize your potential. I highly recommend working with him.
LAurie Pulido - CEO: EASE Learning
Michael helped us create the infrastructure we needed to have clear visibility to where we really are with our finances. The technology stack, processes, and on-going guidance has completed transformed and expedited how we work. He has helped put context and reveal how well we are actually doing, which has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. His outside the box ideas for our business have been immensely valuable and I feel extremely fortunate to be working with him.
Brian Clare -MBA, CPA, CMA: blueprint accounting
"We engaged Michael after seeing what he has accomplished with Reconciled and desiring the same kind of business and impact. Since then, our business has doubled and we have been able to stay on the same page as business partners. Michael helps us stay accountable to our goals and brings a fresh perspective every time we meet. We highly recommend him to any firm owner wanting to grow their practice and leadership.”
Media
Blog
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CONTACT MICHAEL
Whether you’re a startup looking to outsource your CFO duties, a small service business ready to breakout, or you need a dynamic expert speaker to deliver valuable content to your audience, I’d love to meet you and learn more about your goals.
Let’s connect and make a brighter future together.