Optima Tax Relief - Leadership or Management Training Practice of the Year

Company: Optima Tax Relief, LLC, Santa Ana, CA
Company Description: Optima Tax Relief is the leading nationwide tax resolution firm helping people solve their IRS tax problems and is the largest of its kind in America. We work to build relationships with our thousands of clients and the IRS alike so that we can offer representation to taxpayers with a variety of tax issues. We are committed to delivering an industry-leading experience to our employees and clients,
Nomination Category: Solution Provider Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Leadership or Management Training Practice of the Year

Nomination Title: Optima Tax Relief's Leadership and Management Training Services

Over the last 10 years, Optima Tax Relief has grown to be the leading tax resolution company in the nation. Currently staffed with over 700 employees, Optima has a dedicated Training and Development Team that is responsible for ensuring employees are prepared for challenges, opportunities, and growth. Our team of trainers provides one-on-one coaching to help entry-level employees explore their talents and learn about the many different career choices that are available to them. Management and leadership are provided with monthly workshops to help them sharpen their leadership skills. OTR also works with a third-party organization that provides monthly executive coaching and classes for various leadership levels ranging from Team Leads, Managers, Directors, VPs to our C-Level Executives.

We currently have a total of 7 formal leadership programs with a total of over 200 participants that meet monthly. In addition to the formal leadership programs, we also have programs that allow employees to hone leadership and soft skills through volunteering to help plan charity events and activities for our culture circles. Optima’s support groups called “Culture Circles” tackle tough workplace topics such as inclusion, celebrating diversity, and mental health.

Optima Tax Relief places a lot of emphasis on promoting from within. We created Optima University, a resource for all employees looking to sharpen their skills and develop as a leader. These programs help build employees’ talents as professionals and prepare them for the next steps in their careers.

Professional Development Workshop Series

Professional Development Workshops are focused on developing essential leadership and soft skills for all Optima employees. Workshops are offered every month and focus on critical thinking, technique evaluation, and information processing. The workshops are an hour in length and held in a classroom setting with a typical class size of about 35-40 people.

Opti-LEAP Training Program

The Opti-LEAP training program is designed to invest in the growth and development of current and newly promoted team leaders. This is a 3-month program that includes a hybrid of classroom training and online courses that cover key topics such as transitioning into management, identifying leadership styles, professional communication, performance management, and coaching. So far, Optima has graduated a total of 18 employees from this program.

Executive Coaching

Optima’s Senior Leadership Team works with an executive coach to refine the skills developed over the course of their careers and to become better equipped to solve the toughest challenges facing Optima Tax Relief. This program has resulted in a more cohesive and collaborative senior leadership team where communication and transparency are key. The success is seen through the dozens of successfully executed strategic initiatives in 2020 and 2021.

Since 2019, we have had a total of 78 employees promoted into leadership positions. This total includes 52 employees promoted to team lead, 25 employees promoted to manager and director-level positions, and one employee who started off as a manager ten years ago recently promoted into a C-level position.

The dedication to developing employees at all levels sets Optimaapart as the nation’s leading tax resolution firm. Even with the challenges faced during the pandemic, the Orange County Business Journal named Optima as one of the top places to work in Orange County for 7 years in a row including 2019, 2020, and 2021. Additionally, Optima was listed by Glassdoor for best work-life balance in 2021. This is a testament to Optima’s strong culture of promoting from within and the dedication of Optima employees commitment to learning and doing their best.

Additionally, Optima has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies 5 years in a row, with a 3-year growth rate of 57% and a record number of client accounts in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Ultimately, our clients tell the true story, and we are proud that our customer experience improved during this dramatic growth. Optima has maintained an A+ status with the BBB with a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, with over 2,800 reviews, 4.5 stars out of 5 on Trustpilot.com, 4.7 stars out of 5 on Supermoney.com, and an A rating with Business Consumer Alliance.

Attached you will find a video that provides an overview of some of our management and leadership training programs offered through our Optima University. Some ofthe items shown on the video include:

Optima University
Professional Development Workshops
Opti-LEAP Training Program
Opti-Connect Support Groups
Executive Coaching
Company Awards
Client Review Star Ratings

The following links and attachments provide evidence of claims made in our Leadership and Management submission:

Optima Tax Relief Supporting Materials – .pdfs

Optima Tax Relief – 2019 Employee Growth Stories
Optima Tax Relief – 2020 Employee Growth Stories
Optima Tax Relief – 2021 Employee Growth Stories

Optima Tax Relief Supporting Materials – Links

Optima Tax Relief website
Optima Tax Relief – Top Places to Work in Orange County
Optima Tax Relief – Better Business Bureau
Optima Tax Relief – Business Consumer Alliance
Optima Tax Relief – Trustpilot.com
Optima Tax Relief – Supermoney.com
Optima Tax Relief – BBB Torch Awards for Ethics
Optima Tax Relief – Inc 5000 and 3-year Growth Rate
Optima Tax Relief – Glassdoor, Working at Optima
Optima Tax Relief – Glassdoor, Work Life Balance at Optima