In this six‑question, seven‑minute interview on the Winning at Business and Life podcast, host Professor Pete Alexander talks with Charles, an MBA‑qualified CPA and US Tax Court practitioner who runs a payroll‑service firm for small‑ and medium‑size businesses. Charles shares a light‑hearted view of dealing with the IRS, likening it to high‑stakes poker, and stresses the importance of “parking your ego at the door” to avoid leadership failures. He offers two guiding catchphrases: “There is no traffic jam on the extra mile,” encouraging firms to out‑serve competitors, and a Bill Gates‑inspired reminder that people overestimate one‑year goals but underestimate decade‑long potential, framing business as a marathon. Charles recommends PR specialist Paige Dawson, recounts his first post‑high‑school job as a hotel cook in the Marine Corps era, and promotes his new book, The Payroll Book, offering listeners a discount code via thepayrollbook.com. The episode closes with contact information (getpayroll.com) and a call‑to‑action for the audience.
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This is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast, where business leaders share their insights. It is 6 questions in 7 minutes because successful business leaders are busy and rarely have more time to spare. So let's get to it. Question number 1: In a few sentences, please tell me who you are and what you do.
Well, Pete, I'm a CPA, uh, MBA CPA, US Tax Court practitioner, and we provide payroll services to small and medium-sized businesses around the country.
Well, Charles, it's an absolute pleasure to have you on the show. Question number 2: What is something that makes you smile and/or laugh about working in your industry?
The Internal Revenue Service. Now that may sound funny, But I have a— I get a great kick out of dealing with them. As my lawyer put it in another situation, it's like playing high-stakes poker with somebody else's money.
What a great, great, great comment. I love that. It's one of my favorite. Question number 3: I have a fictitious book with all the answers for business. What chapter would you think most companies should read?
Well, chapter 1, park your ego at the door.
I like that. You want to expand upon it a bit?
I have seen more businesses fail because the owner, the boss, the starter, or the kids, the startup's kids think they're better, smarter than the people that work for them, and they're not.
And you know, sadly, sadly, I've worked for companies like that.
Yeah, I had one where about once a year he'd take us all outside and point out that that was his name on the wall. Actually, it was his father's name, but it was his name as well. And if we didn't like it, we didn't have to go back inside.
Oh, well, that's, that's saying something, wouldn't you say?
Motivation, absolutely. Great story.
Question number 4: Other than the generic work harder, have a great attitude, and care for customers, what advice or insight would you give to other business leaders?
There's two catchphrases that I use that I really believe in. The first one, I don't know where I got it from, but it is, "There is no traffic jam on the extra mile." You go the extra mile for your clients because your competitors won't, and that sets you apart immensely. The other one I stole from Bill Gates. And he said, people will overestimate what they can accomplish in a year and underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade. It's not a sprint, guys, it's a marathon.
It's playing the long game. Is that what I'm hearing?
Absolutely. Yeah, we won't get it done this year. But you can get it done in this lifetime if you work at it.
And really, and the impact that you can make over that decade or decades, let's say, could be immense if you just, you know, really believe in yourself. Am I right?
Absolutely. I've been in business now for 30 years. You know, I love it and it's been successful. Year 1 was tough, let me tell you.
Yeah, yeah, I can tell you. I remember going into business for myself many years ago too and Yeah, that first year you just question everything, right? And when something doesn't go right, you're thinking, what am I doing this for? Is that kind of what you had to experience as well?
Absolutely. And I think year 7 was about as bad, but it got better and it's pretty good now.
Excellent. Excellent. Well, that's— I'm glad to hear that. And that's why you're on the show, to be sharing that insight. Question number 5: What other business leader like yourself would you like to acknowledge and invite to be on my podcast?
I had lunch with her today, Paige Dawson, who runs a PR company here in Dallas and fabulous individual. She's— I've been a client of hers for 9 years now. I was her first meeting after her daughter was born. We discussed that today. She's a great individual, wonderful PR firm.
Great, I look forward to connecting with her. Thank you for that referral. And our final question, question number 6, please tell me about your first job.
When I got out of high school, before I joined the United States Marine Corps, I was second cook at the Black Hawk Hotel. It was an old-line first-class hotel in Davenport, Iowa, and I was the second cook on the evening shift and had a great time, learned a lot, got burned a few times, learned not to wash pans because I had a potwalloper, which irritated my wife for our entire marriage. But that was a great experience after high school, working for a living.
Mm-hmm. It is. And, you know, one of my first jobs was working in a kitchen as well. And I had a lot of respect for the cooks, let me tell you, because they worked hard. But, you know, having to clean up after the cooks because, you know, the cooks were the higher paid people. I was the busboy and I had to clean the floors and clean the grill and stuff. So it was really hard work. But the cooks worked their tails off as well. So, Charles, It's been great having you on the show. How can people find you?
Well, Pete, they can obviously find me at getpayroll.com. But what I'd like to do is my newest book, The Payroll Book, is available. And for your listeners, if they will go to thepayrollbook.com, enter the discount code Professor Pete, I will send them a free book for, for your listeners.
Well, thank you very much. I really appreciate that. And we'll put that in the comments as well. And this is Professor Pete Alexander with the Winning at Business and Life podcast. Get hundreds of amazing business insights from previous guest episodes on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening.
