Meet Michael Wander, The Founder at Wander CPA

Kimberly Green | 2024-11-11

Hey Kimi here, your accountant matchmaker! I'm excited to share the story of one of the Accountants on Sam's List. This Summer, an accounting firm called Wander CPA joined Sam's List. They joined just like everybody else: filled out our submission form and scheduled an introductory call with me. On our call they mentioned that were based in Los Angeles, CA, and I told them in a week or so I'd be flying out to San Diego to spend the Summer there. I thought it would end there, but by chance, I ended up getting the opportunity to meet the 3 person team behind Wander CPA in person! These guys are great, and I want to share the Founder's story with you. (If you want a warm intro, just reply back to this email and I'll introduce you!) As a father of five, volunteer EMT and martial arts aficionado, Michael Wander is a well-rounded accountant and business owner who has dedicated his career to helping businesses thrive. By Kelly Hinchcliffe At his CPA firm in Los Angeles, Michael Wander’s lunch breaks look a little different than most. Instead of scrolling his phone and absentmindedly eating at his desk, he heads to a local gym, where he kickboxes, grapples and scuffles with his sweat-soaked sparring partners. In his life and work, Wander thrives on doing hard things. That push to keep improving is why he left a steady accounting job in 2019 to start his own full-time business, Wander CPA . No longer a suit-and-tie bean counter, he was determined to be a friendly face behind the numbers and help people chase their dreams, not just crunch their numbers, as he explains on his website . Even his company’s tagline is memorable: “We Depreciate Your Business.” Wander leans into that approachable, yet professional persona on social media, too, where he promotes his business with humor and honesty. “As a CPA, I’ve been everything from a financial rockstar to a glorified paperweight,” he told his 5,000-plus followers on LinkedIn. "Having the right chemistry with your CPA is like finding the well-suited sparring partner.” Wander has found his footing in martial arts and in his business, where he provides tax, audit and consulting services to a wide range of clients, including those in the entertainment, tutoring and construction industries. Real estate is his specialty, though. He has watched his father and other family members work in the real estate industry for decades. No matter the industry, Wander’s firm is able to serve a variety of clients, including businesses nationwide. Whether a client is a tax wiz or woefully...