Meet Alyssa Russell

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alyssa Russell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
It has always been my nature to be more risk adverse, which has led me down a peaceful and successful path. I would guess most accountants fall into that bucket! My husband, on the other hand, I view as more of a risk taker. Ever since we met in 2017, I would say I slowly began to develop more of a risk takers mindset and have learned to embrace some risk (as long as it is calculated and planned!) On a personal level, we took great risk in packing up and leaving our home state of Oregon in 2021, which led us to the desert, and has rewarded us with great joy and adventure. Another big risk was going into business for myself, which I know other entrepreneurs can deeply relate to. I think this new “open to risk” mindset of mine is what makes me a talented accountant; in its essence, accounting is typically a more risk adverse profession, but I think a sprinkle of risk makes me all the more powerful for my clients.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Modern Accountants is a full-service accounting firm that was designed to be a one stop shop for any financial need imaginable. We are even partnered with a financial advisor to help “cover it all”. We understand that small businesses have a lot on their plate as it is, so our dream was to make it that much easier! Our mission is to empower businesses with dependable, accurate, and forward-thinking financial services. Specializing in bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll management, and other day to day accounting functions, we provide the clarity and confidence entrepreneurs need to focus on growth. Through our strategic partnership with a trusted financial advisor, we also offer wealth management guidance, business consulting, and retirement plan services —ensuring our clients build lasting financial success. With personalized support, professional integrity, and streamlined solutions, we help businesses thrive in every stage of their journey.

I started my own journey so many years ago, beginning in high school. I had an interest in accounting fairly early on and when I dreamed of what my adult life would look like, it involved my own business. Before knowing exactly what options of accounting there were, I thought I wanted to strictly do taxes and specialize in farms and ranches (this is still a big interest of mine). Once I learned more about the profession and gained some experience, I quickly realized there was so much more to the accounting world and the options were vast. My dream morphed slightly, and here I am!

Of course the journey has been challenging, but honestly the hardest part is just being patient and playing the long game. You have to gain experience before you can be most effective. So that’s what I did! I worked in tax and audit out of school and then worked the private sector for many years, which is where I got most of my “seasoning”! Staying patient has paid off.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Cave Creek is what brought my family to Arizona. We love the cowboy charm it brings, and it is always the first place we take visitors. Our favorite restaurants that we would definitely include in a week-long trip are Tonto Bar & Grill (as part of the Rancho Manana resort), the Spotted Donkey (as part of the Boulders resort), and Brugos Pizza & Italian Bistro (the best pizza in town). We would also spend time shopping around downtown Cave Creek. The Cave Creek Olive Oil Company is where I purchase the oil for my kitchen and is also a nonnegotiable stop that I take my guests to for souvenirs and gifts. We also would spend time at Retablo looking at their beautiful furniture and is also a great place for souvenirs. If we want to explore Cave Creek night life, we will stop by the Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse, Harold’s Cave Creek Corral, The Roadhouse, and Hideaway.

For an afternoon of shopping, we would poke around Old Town Scottsdale and have a higher end meal at Bourbon & Bones Chophouse.

For a day in the sun, we would purchase a resort pass to the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa. They have a great lazy river, poolside service, and water slides. We love to spend time relaxing by the pool there and it feels like a vacation even for us locals!

You can’t spend a week in Arizona without golfing, either! We would definitely be going to Dove Valley Ranch Golf Club, Rancho Manana Golf Club for the views, TPC Scottsdale (for the Waste Management fans) or Quintero Golf Club. Shoutout to Bucking Burro Apparel, a local golf apparel company, and is what I would be wearing to the golf course!

I could go on and on… We live in such a great city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my daughter and husband who both inspired me to go into business for myself. My husband encouraged me for years to do it, and had so much confidence in me, and the birth of my daughter was the drop that overfilled the cup!

Website: https://www.modernaccountantsaz.com/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/modern-accountants-cave-creek