Parsippany Accounting Firm Is 'Having A Blast'

Coinciding with its first anniversary, certified public accounting and consulting firm Fischer Barr & Wissinger LLC is marking another first. The practice, located at 1719 Route 10 in Parsippany, just launched its new company website.

"We're very, very excited about now being on the Web," said Eric J. Barr, a named partner in the firm along with O. David Fischer and Spencer V. Wissinger III. 

Barr said the practice's move into cyberspace caps a first year that, despite the tough economy, has been hugely successful. A lot of that success, he explained, came from taking the counsel they provide to other companies.

"We're business advisors as well as accountants," Barr said. "When we got started [in January 2011], we took our own advice. We put together a budget and a business plan. We tried to acticipate month to month what our cash flow would be. We operated as if we were our most important client. And we were."

Barr said the growth was a pleasant surprise for himself and his partners.

"We started with seven people [on staff], not knowing how the year would turn out, though we expected to do well," he reported. "We broke our first-year forecasts in September. And we ended the year with 13 people.

"We really had a great first year. We're knocking the cover off of the ball."

Barr said the firm hopes the website will add to FB&W's success.

He said new customers and established clients will find the Internet portal easy to navigate and filled with beneficial resources. He said the website offers access to all of the firm’s services including, accounting and assurance services, tax planning, compliance and representation before IRS and other tax authorities, multi-state tax consulting and compliance, business, operational, succession and retirement advisory services, forensic, litigation and valuation services.

According to Barr, the website carries forward what he calls FB&W's unique approach to providing accounting and business services and demonstrating an "unwavering commitment" to customers.

"We put a lot of emphasis and value on the relationships we have with our clients," he said. "It's really facilitated our growth."

We think that we've been able to distinguish ourselves from our competition because of the depth of experience we have in certain areas.

Barr said that between him and his partners, the company boasts more than a century's worth of experience.

"We bring a national firm's expertise to a local market," he said.

Barr said business relationships the company has made through the year made a positive difference as well. 

"We knew we wanted to be in Morris County. That was critical for us. When we looked around at office space, we thought we had the best value in Parsippany," he said. "We weren't sure what we would find. We are a new name in a mature industry that, in many respects, is in decline. And many people have accountants. It's very difficult to replace someone who's been entrenched for many years. But we joined the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, and that's been wonderful for us."

Barr said he and his partners and principals are "very enthused" about continuing the growth FB&W experienced last year in 2012 and beyond. And he shared some words of wisdom for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

"If you have good ideas, a good and successful plan and good people around you, you should go ahead and pursue that dream," he said. "That's what we did. And we're having a blast."