Today we’d like to introduce you to Javier Ordonez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I graduated from Hamline University in 2016 and began my career in accounting in a corporate setting. While in college, I volunteered with Prepare + Prosper in Saint Paul, helping individuals file their tax returns, which sparked my passion for serving people directly. Even while working full time, I continued helping friends, families, and small businesses with taxes, accounting, payroll, and compliance — always at no cost. Most of the people I helped were within the Latino community, where access to knowledgeable accounting and tax support is often limited.
A few years ago, my partner encouraged me to turn this work into a business. I decided to take the leap and formally offer my services to the people I had been helping, and many of them transitioned to working with me from their previous accountants. I initially met clients from my home, coffee shops, and their homes or businesses. As demand grew, I opened a small office in Golden Valley, where the firm grew from a team of one to two. Today, we are a team of four and have recently moved into a new office in Northeast Minneapolis on Central Avenue, continuing to expand our impact while staying rooted in our mission to provide high-quality accounting, tax, and advisory services — especially for the Latino community.
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?
The road has not always been smooth. In the early stages, one of the biggest challenges was building the firm while still working full time, with limited time and resources. Starting without outside funding meant doing everything myself — client work, operations, systems, and compliance — while learning how to scale sustainably.
Although I had experience managing accounting departments and teams, running an entire business was a new challenge. Knowing how to do the technical work efficiently is very different from managing growth, pricing, client expectations, hiring, and long-term strategy all at the same time. Learning to balance service delivery with business leadership required a major shift in mindset.
Another challenge has been educating clients on the difference between basic tax preparation and true accounting and advisory services, particularly within the Latino community where many have previously worked with underqualified preparers. As the firm grew, hiring and training the right people while maintaining service quality also required building stronger systems and processes. Each challenge pushed me to become a better leader and build a firm designed for long-term impact.
As you know, we’re big fans of Contabilidad BO – CBO Accounting & Advisory Services. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Contabilidad BO – CBO Accounting & Advisory is a Minneapolis-based accounting and advisory firm providing comprehensive accounting, tax, and fractional CFO services to individuals and small to mid-sized businesses. We focus on delivering more than basic tax preparation by helping clients understand their financial position, stay compliant, and make informed decisions that support sustainable growth.
Our firm primarily serves entrepreneurs, service-based businesses, and closely held companies, many of them first-generation business owners. We are especially known for our work within the Latino community, where there is a significant need for knowledgeable, ethical, and experienced accounting and advisory support. Many of our clients come to us after working with preparers who lacked the education or experience to properly advise them, and we take pride in providing clarity, accuracy, and long-term guidance.
What sets us apart is both our approach and our identity. When choosing our name, I noticed that many Latino-owned accounting firms used English-only names, which often created a disconnect for Spanish-speaking clients. I chose the name Contabilidad to be immediately recognizable and welcoming to non-English speakers, while adding CBO Accounting & Advisory Services to clearly reflect our professional scope and serve English-speaking clients as well. The name represents our commitment to accessibility without compromising quality.
We bring corporate-level accounting experience, strong systems, and established processes to small businesses that typically do not have access to this level of support. We offer proactive tax planning, clean and reliable bookkeeping, payroll and compliance, and fractional CFO services tailored to each client. When a need falls outside our scope, we do not simply turn clients away. Instead, we leverage a trusted network of professionals, many of whom I have worked with or studied alongside, to ensure clients are guided to the right solution.
Brand-wise, we are most proud of building a firm that is bilingual, community-rooted, and uncompromising on quality. As we continue to grow in Northeast Minneapolis, our goal is to remain a trusted financial partner for businesses across the city while expanding access to professional accounting and advisory services for underserved communities.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
A mix of practical tools and educational resources helps me do my best work. From an operational standpoint, apps like QuickBooks, Gusto, and Google Workspace are essential to keeping our firm organized, compliant, and efficient as we grow.
For learning and professional development, I closely follow Jasmine DiLucci through her podcasts and videos and often look to the story of how she built her tax firm as inspiration. Her approach to firm growth, systems, and leadership strongly resonates with where I want to take my own practice. I also regularly follow the books, podcasts, and educational content of Mark J. Kohler and Edward Collins, whose work has influenced how I think about tax planning, entity structure, and proactive advisory services for business owners.
These resources help me continuously improve both the technical side of my work and the way I build and lead the firm.
Pricing:
- Individual tax return preparation starts at $100, with pricing varying based on complexity.
- Small business tax returns typically start within the $400 to $700 range, depending on entity type and activity.
- Ongoing accounting and advisory services are offered on a monthly retainer basis
- Fractional CFO services are customized and priced separately based on level of involvement.
- Complimentary discovery consultations are offered to ensure alignment before engagement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.contabilidadbo.com/en
