Today we’d like to introduce you to Roderick Robeson, CPA, CTP.
Hi Roderick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After leaving the military, I earned my Finance degree from Baylor University, fully intending to become a stockbroker or day trader. You could say I became an accountant by accident. While preparing for my Series 7 exam, I took on some part-time work helping a friend whose partnership was thriving financially but was an absolute mess on paper. Their tax attorney told them, “You need to hire this guy — he knows what he’s doing.”
That moment changed everything. I built out their accounting and financial systems from scratch, helped them negotiate leases, and realized I had a knack for bringing order to financial chaos. I helped them navigate negotiations and get paid faster by large corporate clients, interpreted tax law, and even assisted them in dealing with the state government on state tax matters. That experience opened my eyes to the power of understanding how money really works — not just trading it, but managing it, structuring it, and making it grow strategically.
I later earned my master’s in accounting from Texas State University so that I could sit for the CPA exam. Texas State actually created a custom path that allowed me to graduate quickly and successfully sit for the CPA exam — a decision that changed the trajectory of my career forever.
I spent several years in corporate America, first with PricewaterhouseCoopers as an auditor and later in internal audit roles at ConocoPhillips and other oil and gas companies. But one day, I found myself in a board meeting where, after countless hours of work, it became clear that what we were doing didn’t matter to the people at the top. My father’s words echoed in my head: “If you’re my son, you’ll never be happy working for someone else.”
That same day, I quit my job — and let me be clear, I don’t recommend anyone do that! It was an emotional, gut-level decision, but it turned out to be the spark that started everything. I had no plan, no safety net, and I had never prepared a tax return for anyone other than myself. But I knew I truly wanted to help people — not just be another pawn in someone else’s game. So, I dove in headfirst. I taught myself tax law, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on training, and studied court cases late into the night. Over time, I built a firm that doesn’t just file returns — we were changing lives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Not even close. Starting out, it was all cold calls, long nights, and sheer grit. I worked my ass off to make sure every client got my absolute best — every single time. And what happened was the best kind of marketing there is: one client told a friend, that friend told a colleague, and then it just kept going — one person after another.
There were times when I focused so much on mastering the technical side that I neglected the business side — and paid the price for it. And sometimes, I gave so much of myself to others that there wasn’t anything left for me. That’s one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned: that serving people doesn’t mean sacrificing yourself in the process.
But every mistake became a lesson. What’s kept me going is the belief that if you serve your clients with integrity and genuine care, things will come full circle.
Now? After years of persistence and relentless effort, we’re finally seeing the rewards of all that hard work. I truly believe we’re changing how people see accountants — not as necessary evils, but as partners in building wealth and financial freedom.
Running a business isn’t the highlight reel you see on social media or Shark Tank. It’s hard, it’s messy, and sometimes you’re the last one to get paid. But I wouldn’t trade the journey for anything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My firm, Roderick Robeson CPA LLC, is not your typical accounting firm. Yes, we prepare tax returns — but that’s just the final step of the process. Our real work happens all year long through tax strategy, planning, and being a trusted business advisor and advocate for our clients.
Before I left for bootcamp, my dad gave me one of the most important lessons of my life. He told me, “If you’re going into the Army, you’d better learn the rules better than anyone else.” He pushed me to study military law — the UCMJ, Army Regulations, and field manuals — and he said, “If you know the regs better than the people enforcing them, no one can touch you.” And he was right. That mindset of mastering the rulebook to protect myself and excel in any environment stuck with me. It’s the same approach I use today with my firm — I study the tax code, the regulations, the court cases — everything. Because once you know the rules inside and out, you can use them to your advantage.
We help business owners, real estate investors, and high-income professionals minimize or defer taxes legally and strategically. What sets us apart is our focus on customer service, technical excellence, and ROI.
If a client pays me $1, my goal is to help them get $3, $5, even $10 back — whether through tax savings, better time management, or reduced stress. I take a defensive and offensive approach to tax planning, ensuring clients are not only compliant but positioned for long-term success.
And here’s the truth — there are no tricks, no secrets, and no gimmicks. Everything we do is completely legal and found right there in the tax code. The tax code is a massive opportunity manual written in plain sight, and we exploit it everywhere we can to the advantage of our clients. That’s our philosophy: know the code, understand the law, and use it to create financial freedom.
We also believe in education. I never want a client to walk away without understanding what’s on their tax return or how a particular strategy works. Too many people sign off on their taxes without knowing what’s inside — we change that.
At the heart of it all is a lesson I learned from my dad. He was an entrepreneur who once got audited after retirement. I remember the stress, the boxes of receipts, the confusion. I think of that moment every time I meet a client. In my mind, every client is my dad — and it’s my job to protect them.
How do you think about happiness?
Water. Any kind of water — oceans, lakes, rivers, even rain. It’s my sanctuary.
Maybe it’s because my dad and I spent so much time together near the water when I was young. There’s something about the sound of waves or the rhythm of a kayak that brings me peace. It’s where I feel most at home, most centered, and most connected to who I am and why I do what I do.
I’m also a true Austinite — born and raised in Austin, Texas, and a proud graduate of LBJ High School. Being from Austin is a big part of who I am. I love this city — its people, its energy, its creativity. But I also love to travel, especially to any destination that has a beach or water. Whether I’m kayaking, swimming, or just sitting by the shore, that’s my happy place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rorcpa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rorcpallc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rorcpa
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/24793970/admin/dashboard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rorcpa
Image Credits
Heather Wills Photography
www.heatherwillsphotography.com
