Episode Summary: In this revealing interview, Due Diligence Project founder Alex Sonkin speaks with elite CPA Eric Aragon about his journey from Deloitte to running his own successful tax planning practice. Eric shares insights on how he transitioned from compliance work to high-value tax planning, saving clients tens of millions of dollars while maintaining a focus on risk management and due diligence.

Key Topics Covered:

• Career Evolution: Eric's path from aspiring doctor to Deloitte professional to independent tax planning specialist
• Planning vs. Compliance: How shifting focus from tax preparation to proactive planning transformed Eric's practice and client relationships
• Client Value Creation: The exceptional ROI (10-20x) that strategic tax planning delivers compared to other financial services
• Risk Management: The importance of thorough due diligence in delivering tax savings without exposing clients to audit risk
• Community Approach: How the collective expertise of hundreds of tax professionals creates confidence in implementing sophisticated strategies
• Practice Growth: Using tax planning as a differentiator to attract and retain high-value clients
• Business Philosophy: Why focusing on client value first naturally leads to practice success

Featured Quotes: "We're in the tens of millions, maybe at least tens of millions of dollars. I can say that conservatively, without doing my audit, that we're in the tens of millions of dollars." - Eric Aragon

"Create value first. The money will come later. It just comes up automatically." - Alex Sonkin

Resources:

• https://duediligenceproject.com/

This episode provides insights into how tax professionals can transition from compliance-focused work to high-value planning services that deliver exceptional ROI to clients while managing risk through collective expertise.