Meet the SmartBean® Family
We Are The Beans You Can Count On
Say hello to the SmartBean® Family! We are a team of people with diverse entrepreneurial backgrounds who share one common goal: to revolutionize the relationship between small business entrepreneurs and their numbers through innovative and affordable products and services. You probably know that big corporations use their financial data for making decisions in almost all aspects of their operations. For small businesses, however, bookkeeping is almost always an afterthought that is done monthly, quarterly, or long after the fact. Generally, small business entrepreneurs maintain their books to file and pay taxes, and stay in compliance with government agencies. As a result, they frequently miss out on tax credits and deductions due to misclassification and untimely recording of transactions. In recent years, cloud computing and artificial intelligence have allowed a few companies to automate bookkeeping tasks and make accounting services more affordable. The lower cost allows more businesses to outsource bookkeeping, but up until now, no one has successfully translated these financial numbers into business insights that are useful to non-financial folk. With the SmartBeanTM mobile app, you will gain instant access to your financial data and business insights, empowering you to make the best decisions for your business. Being a SmartBeanTM customer is like having your accounting department in the palm of your hand.
Our goal is to revolutionize the relationship between entrepreneurs and their “numbers”.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Boss Bean | CEO & Founder
Smile. Love. Achieve.
– Lisa Nguyen
I am certain that every life has a purpose. The magic is in learning what it is and embracing it. I am not yet entirely positive of my life purpose, but I know this: I am happiest with my children (when they are not tired or whiny), as well as when I am able to make a positive impact in the life of my fellow small business entrepreneurs. Over the last 20 years, I have worked for small businesses, invested in small businesses, and have owned my own small business. As a result, I understandably have tremendous respect and empathy for small business entrepreneurs. It takes intelligence, resilience, tremendous self-awareness and guts to start and build a viable business. My dream is to create products and services that will make intrepid entrepreneurs smile more, love more, and achieve more from life.
Lisa is a Certified Public Bookkeeper, a Certified QBO ProAdvisor, and a Certified Payroll Professional. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton and is currently enrolled in the MIT Sloan Executive Education program.
Tech Bean | IT Manager
If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.
– Dale Carnegie
My fascination with small businesses began at a young age, when I thought it’d be fun to repair damaged smartphones in high school and before I knew it, I had built a small reselling operation on eBay. Throughout my college years, I found myself gravitating towards events and people focused on entrepreneurialism and business ownership. After participating in my first startup competition I realized the beauty and freedom there is in owning something. People began calling me crazy because I was no longer on the “normal” path towards a career but focused on building something that I can truly call mine. After a few more adventures in business ownership, I realized it is imperative to seek help from other like-minded people. And that’s why I’m so excited to be a part of Smart Bean, because our focus is to help aspiring business owners reach their dreams and I can’t wait to see it happen.
Jacob’s endeavors in the technology industry began when he became an Acoustics Software Summer Analyst at Boeing. Next, he learned object-oriented programming at the University of California Irvine, and co-founded Swizzy, an augmented reality software solution that streamlined restaurants’ ordering processes. He then moved into IT servicing and founded MorCo, an industrial equipment servicing company. Now his entrepreneurial adventure continues at Smart Bean as our Tech Bean.
Creative Bean | Digital Media Producer
We rise by lifting others.
– Robert G. Ingersoll
I know the struggles that come with owning your own small business, I was my business for many years! Being an actor is a tough game to play, not only did I have to learn basic business knowledge, but I had to become savvy in marketing and advertising myself to potential clients, aka casting directors and managers. Don’t even get me started on stressing about having the funds to take fresh headshots every six months, keep a website and domain yearly, and take continuing education acting classes. Eventually I got burnt out and I found my love of people leading me elsewhere. So, after having a good crying session and freaking out over changing my career, I jumped with both feet into teaching. I pursued that career for about three years, learning a LOT about people and how to communicate effectively along the way until my path led me back around to marketing and advertising. I have a passion for capturing people and life within both mediums of film and photography, although I hold a special place in my heart for film. I can never say enough how much I love people and how they interest me; I also feel a special connection with those who are diving in the deep end without floaties to go after their dreams. It’s scary and daunting yet that passion within outgrows all the fear. I want to help capture that passion and that drive within each person and tell their own personal narrative through film and photography. I also love chocolate and have three puppies and a fiance. 🙂
Meghan received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Screen Acting with a minor in Advertising from Chapman University where she achieved a holistic knowledge of the filmmaking process from inception – Screenwriting – to completion – Editing and Sound Design. Meghan has also been a freelance photographer since high school, taking and editing photos in genres such as lifestyle, landscape, and sports. Her love of people took her into the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential Program at California State University, Fullerton where she has excelled at lesson planning, classroom management, and teaching English as a Second Language. She will complete the program by Spring of 2019.
Live to learn, with care and passion.
– Ngoc Ong
My journeys in academics and journalism have expanded my imagination and enriched my experiences beyond borders. As a business owner, I love to share my resources and help others succeed in achieving their dreams because I’ve always been grateful for the opportunities granted to me throughout my life. When not too busy engaging and empowering others, I would enjoy time on the beach, at concerts, or with friends over good food and wine.
Dr. Ong has a PhD in Political Science (UC Irvine) with double Master Degrees in Social Sciences (UCI) and Psychology (CSU Fullerton). She has done research in many fields and published academic articles/book chapters in the US, England, Japan and Germany. Dr. Ong is a positive force in her community and around the world. She is always ready to connect people and businesses while providing useful insights. Dr. Ong is currently the Publisher-Editor for Viet Tide Weekly Magazine and is a regular consultant for Smart Bean Inc.
BUSINESS ADVISORS
Advisor | Partnership
Never give up.
– Scott Doody
I was raised in Maine, attended both Military school and University, and then joined the Marines. After leaving the service, I worked in various industries including pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and I also taught at CSU Northridge. In 2004 it was time to try my hand at my own business – providing payroll and human resource services to small businesses. That field coincides nicely with the Marines’ training in procedure, repetition and process control. I enjoy helping people and believe that kindness works best alongside my “never give up” approach to life.
Mr. Scott Doody founded and served as President of Quartermaster Payroll Services for nearly 15 years. His experiences in System Implementation, Supply Chain Management, and Employer Services have been invaluable to the small business entrepreneurs that he helped.
Advisor | Technology
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
– Martin Luther King
With more than 18 years of experience in IT, I have been involved with several successful small businesses where I have played an integral role as a technology leader and have helped them achieve their goals. I learned at an early age that I naturally seek out answers and this led to defining the details for projects and solving problems. I found I was good at directing rather than following. As one associate said, “When Mike says he will take care of something, it is done.” I love helping businesses and individuals attain their goals and dreams. I am grateful for being healthy and live with purpose. My intent is to be beneficial to the universe and its living creatures.
Well-known for starting from scratch to becoming one of the table-turning forces in IT, Mike Parker has achieved major milestones in the IT industry, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and a Master’s degree in Information Systems. His impressive work portfolio includes facilitating growth by transforming outdated IT infrastructures, implementing cloud technology and leading security tools, as well as streamlining operations to maximize resources and reduce costs. He has developed and led high-performing teams through all technical aspects of business management. With more than 18 years of experience in IT, he is a well-rounded IT executive, a progressive expert with comprehensive expertise complemented by strong analytical, planning, communication, and organizational talents. He has overseen individual specialties of cross-functional professionals to coordinate data operations for both enterprise-level, and small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Advisor | Sales & Marketing
Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.
– Oprah Winfrey
I have been a passionate leader of diverse experiences ranging from small business to enterprise sales for 25 years. I am known for attracting top talent and for my insightful strategy and execution to deliver consistent growth in turnaround situations. Now that I have retired from corporate America, I am delighted to share my expertise to benefit small businesses in achieving growth and success. I think SmartBean™ is the perfect platform for me to accomplish this.
In the past 25 years, Mrs. Sue Pelletier has held various leadership positions for America’s largest employer services company, Automatic Data Processing (ADP). She has received many awards and recognition. She is highly regarded as an insightful mentor to her peers and employees.
Advisor | Finance
It’s all about integrity and doing what is right, not what is easy.
– Morgan Stevens
As a newly minted college grad with little more than a degree in business under my belt and a passion for the stock market, I set off to Tokyo at the peak of the dot-com bubble to build a career in the fast-paced and cut-throat hedge fund world. By the time I returned to the US nearly fifteen years later, I not only carried the hard-earned wisdom and battle scars of several market cycles, but also a broader appreciation for the most enduring, impactful, and rewarding parts of life. To me, those are the relationships we build with our children, our spouses, our friends, our clients, and our colleagues. As a small business owner, I value tools and services like SmartBean™ that make my life easier, and allow me to focus more of my time on building those relationships, exploring a wide array of market opportunities, and maybe even sneak in a round or three of golf!
Mr. Stevens is a well-respected and highly skilled financial advisor and fund manager with extensive knowledge of both the public and private equity markets. Originally from Orange County, Mr. Stevens spent 15 years in Japan’s hedge fund and institutional banking industry before returning to the US to start Morgan Stevens Asset Management, LLC in 2015.