About Build Your Firm, Inc.

At Build Your Firm, we work with all types of accounting firms to help them work smarter, not harder. Our programs and services are designed to help you better utilize marketing for practice development, improve your hourly fee realization, and ultimately improve your firm profitability.

Our clients range from small start-ups to multi-million dollar firms operating in several states. While most of our clients are domestic, some are international in scope. Many have interesting niches and some are hybrid firms providing financial and/or legal services. At the core, all of our clients would like to be more effective utilizing marketing for lead generation, improve their profitability and secure a more balanced lifestyle. That’s where we can be of assistance.

Our ultimate goal is to provide you with new skills to improve your effectiveness and provide you with more control over your practice and life.

Allan Ratafia, Co-Founder of Build Your Firm, Inc. CPA, MS in Taxation, BS in Accounting

Allan left Price Waterhouse & Co. in 1993 to form his own accounting firm, Ratafia & Co., CPA’s, PC. Today, Allan's practice now has over 600 accounting and tax clients and operates with a lean staff. Today, the inflow of new clients is very healthy and has forced Allan to turn away clients that do not fit a specific client profile. Recognizing this overflow of business is precisely what led him to launch Build Your Firm.

Allan routinely conducts seminars and workshops for business clients, other accounting firms and continuing education courses. Last year, he spoke on behalf of Build Your Firm at annual conferences for the National Society of Accountants (NSA), National Planning Corporation (NPC), Cambridge Investment Research and a regional meeting for the National Association of Small Business Accountants (NASBA). For his own accounting practice, Allan has conducted sessions for Pfizer, Yahoo!, Provident Bank, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, 24/7 Real Media, Exodus Communications and many more.

Allan has a Masters degree in Taxation from Baruch College and a BS in Accounting from New York University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Association of Public Accountants.

Hugh Duffy, Co-Founder of Build Your Firm, Inc. MBA in Marketing, BS in Finance

Hugh has more than twenty years of marketing experience working in the consumer packaged goods, internet media, publishing and professional services industries. Prior to joining Build Your Firm, he was the Vice President of Internet Marketing for Business & Legal Reports (BLR), a publisher of state/federal laws for employers. Prior to BLR, Hugh was a Director with a publicly traded global internet media company, 24/7 Real Media, responsible for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships.

The foundation of Hugh’s marketing background is fourteen years of consumer packaged goods marketing with Schick, Nabisco, Clorox, and Coca-Cola. During this period, he had the opportunity to manage well known brands like Schick, Nabisco Shredded Wheat, Cream of Wheat, Milk-Bone, Clorox, Fresca, Mello Yello, and many other familiar brands.

Hugh has a MBA degree in Marketing from the University of Rochester and BS in Finance from the University of Maryland. While at Maryland, Hugh was on a golf scholarship as a Terrapin and his college coach was Fred Funk, PGA Tour player.

See Hugh's Recommended Reading List for small business owners.

ACCOUNTING FIRM COACHES

Nita Sabo, Senior Account Executive

Nita Sabo has excellent communication and listening skills. She prides herself on her ability to assess her clients’ unique situation and work with them to identify solutions designed to help them achieve their practice development goals.

Her professional background includes over twenty years of sales, marketing and public relations experience, including owning and operating her own Marketing firm. Nita has worked with clients across a broad range of product categories including pharmaceuticals, energy saving products, real estate, radio, apparel, fitness clubs and travel.

Prior to joining Build Your Firm she wrote articles for a local paper and spent her spare time as a volunteer for a local non-profit organization.

Nita graduated from Boston College with a BS in Marketing, and has made significant progress towards her Masters in Public Administration.

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AND INTERNET MARKETING TEAM

Karen Gardner, Internet Marketing Manager

Karen’s attention to detail, organizational skills, and creativity are key in the development and oversight of client websites.

Moving from Maine to Connecticut Karen started her marketing career at a dental supply company and gained extensive experience in both direct marketing and internet marketing. She was an integral part in the development of the company’s first website and internet marketing program.

Prior to joining Build Your Firm she was the Internet Marketing Manager for a publishing company. Karen was part of an internet team that revamped the company’s site from design to search engine optimization.

Karen has her BA in Marketing from the University of Maine in Orono where she met her husband of 10 years. She carries her organizational and time-management skills to her home life where she is the mother of 3 children.

Dawn Hendrixson, Marketing Manager

Dawn graduated from Elon College with BA in Psychology and English Literature. She has over 14 years of diversified marketing experience across a broad range of industries including banking, publishing, internet media and professional services industries. While she enjoys in all areas of marketing, she has a particular interest and expertise in new media technologies, internet marketing and website development.

Prior to Build Your Firm Dawn was Marketing Communications Manager for a bank where she was responsible for mass media communications, direct mail marketing and Web initiatives for the bank. Prior to the bank, she was Director of Marketing for eBuild.com, a division of business-to-business publisher Hanley-Wood, LLC. While there Dawn was part of the team that was responsible for launching Hanley-Wood’s Web division and bringing the company’s award-winning magazines online, including industry leader BUILDER Magazine.

In her spare time, Dawn enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons. Her favorite way to spend free time is reading, cooking for family and friends or tending to her garden.

Robin Nerkowski, Marketing Coordinator

Robin is a part of the Website Development and Internet Marketing team. Her competency in communicating with clients and organizational skills enables her to skillfully assist clients through the process of building their new websites. She is a Certified Google Adwords Professional.

Robin gained her marketing experience through working in the medical marketing industry before joining the BYF team. There she assisted in the organization of medical marketing seminars throughout the country.

Robin enjoys cooking, antiquing and photography and is currently working on her fine arts degree at a local college.