Shay Joins Dark Horse to Deliver Strategic Accounting and Proactive Tax Advisory for Business Owners
CARDIFF BY THE SEA, Calif., Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Dark Horse CPAs, a top accounting and tax firm serving small businesses across the nation, announces the hiring of Shay James as a Principal. Shay brings a client-first advisory mindset and a passion for helping business owners gain clarity, confidence, and control over their financial decisions.
Shay was drawn to Dark Horse by a shared belief that accounting should go far beyond compliance. “I joined Dark Horse because they believe business owners deserve accountants who act as true advisors,” said Shay. “This team values candor, clarity, and helping clients build profitable, sustainable companies. Just as important, Dark Horse is working to change the accounting profession for CPAs in a meaningful way. That combination made this an easy decision.”
In her role as Principal, Shay will focus on helping business owners use their financials as a decision-making tool, not just a reporting requirement. “Strong accounting is about understanding what the numbers are telling you,” Shay said. “When business owners have timely, accurate financials, they can make smarter decisions about growth, profitability, and long-term sustainability. Especially in today’s environment, financial visibility can be the difference between thriving and just getting by. I see myself as a financial translator and sometimes a therapist for my clients. I want them to win.”
Shay also brings a proactive approach to tax strategy, an area she believes is often misunderstood and underutilized by business owners. “Taxes are usually the largest expense a business owner faces, yet most don’t treat them that way,” she said. “Effective tax planning happens year-round, not just at filing time. When done right, it protects hard-earned profits and gives owners the confidence to reinvest in their future. My goal is to make taxes the least exciting part of running a business and remove the stress and surprises that so many owners associate with them.”
“Shay is plain-speaking and straight to the point,” said Chase Birky, CEO and co-founder of Dark Horse CPAs. “I mean that in a flattering way, as a strong indicator of experience and intelligence is the ability to make complicated concepts accessible to the layperson. It’s really a form of mastery to be able to speak to people at their level, helping them cut through the noise without confusing jargon that may make you look smart but shuts down collaborative conversations because the client can’t distinguish up from down. Shay is a shining example of one of our core values, Relate, as she is able to achieve outsized outcomes for clients because of how she’s able to bring them into the conversation and tax planning journey.”
About Dark Horse CPAs
Dark Horse CPAs provides integrated tax, accounting, and CFO services to small businesses and individuals across the U.S. The firm was founded to save small businesses (and their owners) from subpar accounting and tax services and subpar client experiences. These small businesses are Dark Horses among their larger and more well-known competition. Being a Dark Horse CPA means advocating for small businesses by bringing to them the tax strategies and accounting insights previously reserved for big business. To learn more, visit darkhorse.cpa.
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SOURCE Dark Horse CPAs
