Inspired entrepreneurship

By Tori Smith 

Chemistry and finance: A funkastic combination 

What do you get when one-half of a couple has a passion for making mead, and the other loves finance? A Midlothian-based business, Funktastic Meads. 

The only elective Heather Carroll, CPA, enjoyed in school was Accounting 101. So she decided to get her master's degree in accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her husband, Matthew Carroll, has a chemist background. We “offset each other nicely,” Heather said. 

Because of their contrasting backgrounds and mismatched skills, the pair was able to open the meadery in 2021. But the mead-making did not start in the Funtasktic Meads facility.  

Matthew first began crafting mead at home. Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water; sometimes various fruits, spices, grains, or hops are added. The defining characteristic of mead is that the majority of the beverage’s fermentable sugar is derived from honey. It may be still, carbonated, or naturally sparkling; dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. 

Eventually, the sales became too big for the Carrolls to handle within their home, so they partnered with a winery to sell their mead.  

The six-month sales ended successfully at the winery as well. So, Heather and Matthew talked to a financial consultant to see if their mead-making could become an actual business. The pair found a space to share their love of mead, and the tasting room and production facility, Funktastic Meads, was officially created in Midlothian.  

Heather and Matthew endured small struggles throughout the entire process of building the meadery. “There’s a lot of surprises that come along with it,” Heather said. “You think: You pick a space, let’s move in tomorrow! But that’s not how it works.” 

Heather’s financial skills were crucial when developing the business. Before and throughout college, she worked at ITAC, a Chester-based engineering and construction firm. Heather said they gave her “things that a 19-year-old normally wouldn’t do.” They trusted her with their payroll, and she said it was a valuable experience.  

Since 2017, Heather has served as controller at Evonik, a specialty chemicals company. She’s been able to continue to her full-time job and also work at Funktastic. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.  

“I love accounting and it’s not like I’m working 80 hours a week,” she said. “It doesn’t feel like work if it’s your business.” 

Even though Heather likes the meadery because of the business aspect, she enjoys the community aspect, too.  

“It’s cool that we have regulars,” Heather said. “We have [people] regularly coming through our door who’s now a friend.” 

Check it out

Funktastic Meads 
1212 Alverser Plaza 
Midlothian, VA 23113 
Facebook: @funktasticmeads 
Instagram: @funktastic_meads 

Throwing luxury events with grace 

Who says event planning and accounting aren’t a match made in heaven? 

A “multi-passionate entrepreneur,” as she calls herself on her website, Nadia Anderson, CPA, is an accountant, event specialist, and nonprofit leader.  

Nadia has always enjoyed math. She was originally majoring in engineering during her first semester at the University of Virginia, but she wasn’t connecting with the field. She began to take a handful of different classes and discovered she enjoyed accounting.  

“It’s not really that much advanced math,” she said. “Accounting is really a different language, it’s business fundamentals. No matter what the business is, there is an accountant somewhere. That’s what made it attractive.” 

Since 2003, Nadia has offered professional accounting services in addition to her full-time jobs, but the side gig took off in 2015. The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group offers financial coaching and full-service accounting. 

Alongside her accounting services, Nadia began offering a catering business with a business partner for a “creative outlet” for them both.  

“It was a way for us to keep our full-time jobs and have a creative outlet,” Nadia said. “It started as a birthday party for someone at our church, and then the word spread.” 

Catering then led to event planning, as she wanted to be able to participate more fully in the entirety of the event. Virginia Grace is a luxury wedding and special event planning company in Richmond. 

After planning events from her home, she knew she wanted a separate space. The idea for an out-of-home office came in 2015, but she didn’t have enough capital to purchase a building yet. So, she rented out an office space from another building.  

But in June of 2021, Nadia was successfully able to purchase a building that is her office for her two businesses in Richmond. It is also advertised as a co-working space.  

“There’s more space than I need,” said Nadia. “The idea was that other people could come here, as well as folks who are entrepreneurs, to rent a full office space, or join us with a membership and have a quiet place to work.” 

Since the building was built in 1934, Nadia has made a few renovations to the building. Although she is done with the construction aspect, she has been working on the cosmetic renovations as well. She said the brightness and warm colors from the light that comes in from the windows inspire her. 

Aside from Nadia's two professional businesses, she created a nonprofit last year, By Black Richmond. The mission is to close the racial wealth gap by cultivating Black excellence.  

“I have found that as a Black woman entrepreneur that finding a path to financial security and freedom opened up a lot of pathways for me,” said Nadia. “We help Black people understand what can be accomplished through entrepreneurship and more.” 

Check it out

Virginia Grace 
1705 Commonwealth Avenue 
Richmond, VA 23230 
Instagram: @vagraceevents 

The difference is in the (delicious) details 

Colette Wilson, CPA, has found the recipe for career success — and it started with a strong foundation in accounting. 

At one of Colette’s high schools (out of the four she attended), she was told by a teacher that she was good at accounting. And when her sister said business is a good career path, she heeded her advice. Colette majored in business with a concentration in accounting at the University of Mary Washington. 

From there, Colette had an envious career. She was hired right out of college at Cotton & Company in Alexandria, where she stayed for more than 19 years. She promoted to partner within six years and managed the human resources department. Colette also served the profession as VSCPA chair of the Board of Directors in 2014–2015.  

But she had another calling beyond accounting and began to dabble in the kitchen. 

After 2012 she left the corporate world. She was able to find a commercial kitchen to create her savory dishes in, and that’s when the true process of forming a catering business began. She started ColMoni’s Catering in 2015 and brought along a friend from her accounting firm. 

“I realized that this is what I wanted to do,” said Colette. “I was able to use all my business education to form books and prepare tax forms.” 

Even though Colette doesn’t have a set schedule now, she still has her own personal coach to keep her on track, and a plan for her weekdays.  

Colette also said that one of the biggest things she took from her accounting career that is extremely important in a catering business is attention to detail. How spicy a food is, specific salt intake, allergy requests … the details are important.  

“I spend a lot of time with my clients. Asking things like: What’s your vision? Is this upscale? Do you want all my staff around? Am I bringing all the napkins and plates, or are you going to?” Colette said. “It means a lot to them if you don’t hit the mark, and that’s just someone who isn’t going to give you a referral.” 

Other than her catering business, Colette currently serves on the PenFed Credit Union Audit Committee. Colette still wants to keep her “toes in the water” by maintaining her audit knowledge. 

“I’m doing this one day and one thing another day,” Colette said. “I love it.”  

Check it out

Colmoni’s Catering 
8538 Terminal Road, Suite L 
Lorton, VA 22079 
Facebook: @ColMonisCatering
Instagram: @colmoniscatering

Tori Smith is the VSCPA summer communication intern. She is a student at Ball State University in Indiana.