I’m considering studying for the EA exams and then immediately starting my own small tax business returns + basic tax strategy work.
I currently have a separate full time job, but my schedule would realistically allow me to dedicate around 30–40 hours per week to this as a second career.
For those who’ve done it (or are in the field):
How realistic is it to go from zero experience → EA → running your own practice?
What does the early ramp-up usually look like in terms of clients and workload?
What kind of ROI or income potential is realistic in the first few years?
I have no prior tax experience, but I’m willing to put in the work to learn. I’m also not dependent on the income right away, so I’m fine with it taking a few years to build.
Would appreciate any honest insight or advice.