Today, we’d like to introduce you to Octavio “Tab” Verdeja.
Hi, Octavio; please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is Octavio “Tab” Verdeja. I’m the 5th. My grandfather Octavio Sr. came here from Cuba in the 1960s and studied at the University of Miami, worked for Ernst and Young, and started the accounting firm we know today over 50 years later. Since then, my father, Octavio Verdeja Jr, took over the helm as managing partner of the firm in 1995.
He previously also worked for Ernst and Young. Today, more than 50 years later, I am the managing partner of the firm. I previously worked at KPMG. That is three generations of CPAs who all worked previously for Big 4 CPA firms and have been managing partners of the firm. Today, our accounting firm, Verdeja & Alvarez, has over 45 employees and is ranked as one of the top 20 accounting firms in South Florida. The firm specializes in for-profit family businesses, large non-profits, and schools.
Over the years, the Verdeja name has provided stability for the firm, client name recognition, referrals, and trust within the South Florida community. Along with years of working in accounting, all partners have given back to the community in many ways. We have been on boards like the United Way, The Children’s Trust, The Early Learning Coalition, and many others.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being in business for over 50 years is never a one-lane, smooth highway to success. During these years, the firm has navigated through partners retiring, leaving, adding new partners, and reinventing itself. My grandfather started the firm working on the accounting and tax work of small doctor practices, adult day care centers, and the healthcare industry. Today, our firm doesn’t do any of that work anymore. We are hyper-focused on being on the cutting edge of technology, AI, and new and up-and-coming industries.
We have diversified our business to provide consulting, IT, valuations, benchmarking, and other areas besides traditional tax and accounting services. During all these years, we have had some difficult times navigating the 90s dot com bust, the Great Recession, COVID-19, and others. In these difficult years for the economy, we have never had a significant contraction in our revenues. We have tried to be forward thinkers and anticipate the future. We always tell our clients to be prepared for uncertainties and we have done that as a firm.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a CPA firm with a traditional audit, accounting, and tax practice. However, we are much more than that. Our motto is “Know your client”. We want to understand client’s operations and provide value-added advice and great service. We are excellent communicators of information. Our firm specializes in for-profit businesses. We audit many distributors in South Florida. We also are the leaders in non-profit audits as we audit the most non-profits in South Florida. Some of our clients are the Zoo Miami Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club, the Frost Museum of Science, the Miami Children’s Museum, the Early Learning Coalition, and many others.
We also audit the most private schools in Miami. Those include Gullver, Belen, Ransom Everglades, Palmer Trinity, and all of the schools of the Archdiocese of Miami. We are proud of the many years we have served this community. Not only from an accounting perspective but from serving the community through being on non-profit boards, community service, and mentoring future accountants that we feel will reshape the industry. Our brand is our name. A name that has been around for over 50 years and passed down from son to son since 1971. It is a name in the community synonymous with trust, stability, and experience.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think leadership is an important quality in my success. Our employees are always looking for a leader in bad times and in good times.
The firm has been led by a Verdeja for 50+ years, and that provides a lot of assurance to employees and clients that the firm will continue to grow and have a steady hand. My father and grandfather were instrumental in mentoring me all these years to be the person I am today.
Contact Info:
- Email: tverdeja@vdtacpa.com
