By Kyle Bryant, co-founding partner at Market Street Partners, Managing Partner of Smith + Howard Chattanooga
Eight years ago, my business partner, Kevin Rose, and I founded Market Street Partners (MSP), an accounting firm headquartered in downtown Chattanooga. In some ways, it was a giant leap of faith, but we always believed in its ultimate success because we knew we were planting a seed in an incredibly rich business ecosystem.
Since the launch of the business, we enjoyed steady growth and seemingly countless wins of both the measurable and intangible kinds. Sometimes the growth trajectory of MSP seemed unreal, almost a figment of my imagination. If I could have foreseen where we are today eight years ago — including earning accolades such as the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year award, landing on the Inc. 5000, and being recognized as a Best Place to Work — even I might not believe it. But Chattanooga, its business community, and the incredible people consistently pushing it forward created a bedrock for success that I truly believe exists in only a few other places.
Recently, all of this positive momentum led to the most consequential, and exciting, moment in MSP history. This past August, we joined forces with another prominent accounting firm in the region, Smith + Howard (S+H), headquartered just down the road in Atlanta.
Why Smith + Howard?
Electing to partner with S+H ended up being a remarkably straightforward decision. Not only do they have vast resources that we’ll be able to tap into for the benefit of our clients (that will also enable us to spend more time with our clients), but they have a thriving, high-quality culture that has melded seamlessly with the one we’ve built at MSP.
Over the past year, I’ve spent hours upon hours with S+H CEO, Sean Taylor, and he summed the spirit of the merger up well when he said, “Both teams naturally loved what the other brought to the table in a strict business sense, but our mutually safeguarded cultures ended up being the clear non-negotiables as we eyed the partnership. Once each team felt confident in the other on the culture front, all the other chips fell easily into place.”
Now that we’ve officially teamed with S+H, I am excited for the continued successes of our staff here in Chattanooga, as well as for our clients. As I cast an eye forward, I’m certain our future development will be anchored in three primary variables: opportunities rooted in Chattanooga’s ever-growing and overall healthy business community; a bevy of new resources provided by S+H; and a shared ethos that puts priority on client needs and employee fulfillment.
A Bright Future Ahead
Our colleagues at S+H have ambitious plans for the future. Joining forces with MSP is their first such venture in their growth strategy, and we are confident it will provide a roadmap for continued expansion across our business-friendly state. It makes sense, though, that it starts here in Chattanooga, a city that embraces new opportunities and offers a foundation that even a guy like me can build something I never thought possible.
So, thank you, Chattanooga. I look forward to this new chapter you’ve afforded myself and my team.