2011 was a record-breaking revenue year for Acuity Group, with gross billings up more than 78 percent over 2010. Couch credits much of that growth to a smarter billing policy, as well as a growing diversified client referral base that continues to bear fruit.
“We’ve built a professional reputation, so I’m getting a lot of referral work from attorneys and CPAs that I’ve worked with previously,” said Couch, adding that the down economy has also contributed to the growth of Acuity as business owners and governments look to restore their financial health.
An aspect not to be overlooked, Couch said 100 percent of her business comes back to forming healthy, quality relationships, and she stressed the importance of maintaining trust while cultivating new contacts.
“When people hire Acuity Group, they want to hire someone that they can trust,” Couch said. “I think what has worked for me in building my business is never being afraid to meet anybody. I am always willing to do coffee, lunch, happy hour, speak to any group that wants to have a lunch-and-learn… I never know who is going to be sitting across the table from me or sitting in the audience. And they may at that very moment have a problem and/or have a client with a problem, and I am the exact right service provider to help with that problem. At the same time, I’m planting a seed. And you never know when that seed is going to sprout.”
When asked what motivates her as a small business owner, Couch said she enjoys seeing others making financial progress, even if the path to that progress is a bit of a challenge.
“Each case that comes in our door is truly a new story, a new challenge,” she explained. “I never have a boring day.”
