Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Lores de la Pena, JD, LLM.
Hi Adrian, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Well, I come from humble beginnings. I was born in Cuba, where I lived until I was the age of 12. I then came to Miami. I lived here ever since-although I’ve lived in Jacksonville, Florida and Gainesville as well. I would like to think of myself as a resilient person given all the obstacles I’ve faced since I was eight years old all the way to becoming a professional in the field of law and accounting. I think that if I was to summarize my story with a sentence it will be “the ongoing struggle to reach my goal”.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely, it has not been smooth sail for me at all. I’m sure others have had similar or less traumatic experiences and although I had to fight for my dreams, I will just say part of it was life’s doing. When I look around me and I see the things we sometimes take for granted and things we can be petty about. I know that although with obstacles, I’m blessed to have arrived at this point.
I came to the United States in 2002, I left my home at 17 with my brother, together my brother and I forged a future and traced the path that we were to follow regardless of the obstacles that will come our way. From being undocumented to having no mode of transportation to almost getting expelled from college because back then, it was more important for me to “party” than to study. But through all of it, I always had the grace of God, the advice of great people and the love of my family although in Cuba, far away from here.
But I don’t take all the credit for my success. They were always people along the way that took a chance on me. They were people who will see things in me I was not able to see myself. Those people helped me build my character and helped me evolve as an individual, spiritually, professionally and emotionally. Those people took me by the hand and guided my steps.
It is funny and ironic when you are successful (depending on how you interpret and see success in life) that people start to notice you but not when you are getting there, the truth is that obstacles helped me develop a tremendous level of self-confidence that sometimes I been told it comes across as arrogance but its not. When you been through a lot (financial hardship, starvation, hunger, desperation, loneliness) and through you conquer all of those and yet you reach your goal, two things happen. One, you get to enjoy success even more and two, you are certain that no obstacle, no matter how hard will bring you down.
We’ve been impressed with Lores Tax, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Lores Tax is my doing business as for Lores & Associates Corp. This is just a dream come true. Although I do work as a professional at another organization, Lores Tax is my baby. This is something that started as hobby sort of. I learned to prepare taxes at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program from the IRS, VITA. I then went on to completing law school and a year later, my Masters of Law in Taxation (L.L.M). I needed to earn money until I could get back on my feet and start working in my chosen field of study (Tax Law). I started doing small tax consulting for friends and family and next thing I knew, I had people calling me because they were referred to me by a friend of a friend. That’s when I decided to create Lores & Associates Corp in 2019.
Lores Tax has the mission “To provide reliable solutions with high added value tailored to the client’s requirements and with our client’s success as our ultimate ambition. ” I know thats a mouthful but that fancy to say that we will go the extra mile to make sure our clients are attended to and serviced in reliable, efficient and professional manner even if that implies we need to send me to another professional to get their problem solved.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Look, the world is a never-ending cycle of constant change. But the tax industry has been proven to be proof against any and all economic turndown, world pandemic and recessions, in and all the tax industry in my opinion will remain solid. International taxation being the main sticking point, the GILTI tax, the constant form being updated. The IRS will remain underfunded and the politicians will come and go and each will try to leave their footprint in the tax industry. But I see a steady continuum in the field of tax and tax law specifically. As I am being interviewed by you, the House Wage and Means Committee has put out potential changes that its effects remain to be seen years from now.
Contact Info:
- Email: alores@lorestax.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorestax
