Home / About Lori
About Lori

A thoughtful partner.
A clearer way forward.

I’m Lori Mercaldi, EA—a Profit & Tax Planning Strategist and Certified Profit First Professional helping business owners bring more order and confidence to their finances.

Let’s talk about your business ↗
Lori Mercaldi, founder of Financial Tally
Experience with a personal approach

Your business should support the life you want.

I’ve worked in accounting and tax since 1988, later expanding into financial planning. Over the years, I’ve seen how much easier it is for owners to make decisions when they understand both their financial reports and the cash available to them.

My work brings accounting experience, tax and financial planning, and Profit First cash flow guidance together—with explanations that make the numbers easier to understand.

I’m an Enrolled Agent and a Certified Profit First Professional.

Why Profit First

I started with my own business.

After reading Profit First by Mike Michalowicz, I saw an opportunity to give business owners a more practical way to manage cash.

I implemented the method in Financial Tally. Seeing the rhythm of money coming in and going out helped me gain greater clarity in my own business—and shaped the work I now do with clients.

Practical, approachable guidance.

You don’t need to become an accountant to feel more confident about your finances. You need a system you understand, useful information, and someone to help you connect it all.

I work virtually with coaches, consultants, creatives, agency owners, practice owners, and other professionals nationwide from Durham, North Carolina.

How we work together

Clarity without the overwhelm.

01

Start where you are.

We look at your goals, financial information, and current systems without expecting everything to be perfect.

02

Build useful structure.

We create practical routines and agree on responsibilities so you know what happens next.

03

Keep the bigger picture.

We connect everyday financial decisions to owner’s pay, profit, taxes, and long-term stability.

Hear the conversation

Get to know my approach.

Grow My Accounting Practice

Transitioning from Compliance to Profit First Consulting

Learn more about Lori’s transition toward profit consulting and the thinking behind her advisory approach.

Listen to the episode ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Your next step

Let’s bring more clarity to your business.

Tell me about your goals, your cash flow, and the support you’re looking for.

Let’s get started