CPA appreciates challenges and opportunities of accounting

By Jessica Salerno-Shumaker, OSCPA senior content manager 

The ever-changing nature of accounting is one of the many reasons why Tenesha Hartgrove, CPA, fell in love with the profession.  

“I like to be challenged, and once I've conquered something, I move on to something else,” said Hartgrove, owner of Ncrease Financial Services. “But with what I do now, it's so fast, it's always changing, and there’s always another challenge.”  

Hartgrove was named a Power of Change honoree at the OSCPA Women, Wealth and Wellness Conference in July 2023. The award salutes individuals who are advocates for women’s initiatives in the workplace and business community, serve as mentors or role models, make a significant impact on their communities and break barriers for other women.  

Her interest in accounting developed after taking a bookkeeping class in high school. But she decided to study financial planning in college with the goal of becoming a financial planner. After college she decided that path wasn’t for her and began to pursue other opportunities.  

“I took the long road to becoming a CPA,” she said. “I've worked in banking, real estate, and now in accounting, and a year ago, I purchased a firm from a retiring CPA.” 

Hartgrove said her passion is working with small business owners and said the client relationship is about much more than filing taxes. She offers a comprehensive service at her firm in both accounting and tax because she understands the importance of holistic business planning.   

The Power of Change recognition is meaningful to Hartgrove, as she said it can be easy to focus on the work that needs done daily without realizing that others are watching you. The honor means her peers see her hard work and the difference she is trying to make for her clients and the profession.   

Her diverse professional background has only helped her in her accounting career, Hartgrove said, as it’s given her the chance to better relate to her clients and understand the value of adapting to a different environment.  

“That’s been the biggest lesson I’ve learned,” Hartgrove said. “The value of being willing to change, adapt and learn.”