How to Be in the Right Place at the Right Time: Lessons from CPA Kyle Jordan
Character, hustle, and 110% effort can turn a college lawn-mowing side gig into owning a thriving CPA firm and working with NFL athletes.
What if the secret to massive opportunity isn’t luck… but simply showing up and giving your absolute best when no one (you think) is watching?
That’s exactly what happened to my good friend Kyle Jordan, CPA. I had the privilege of interviewing him on The Invested Life Podcast, and his story is pure fire for anyone who wants to build a life of purpose, provision, and impact.
Here are the biggest takeaways from our conversation (plus a personal story of my own about betting on myself).
From College Lawn Boy to Owning a Multi-Million Dollar CPA Firm
Kyle grew up in Spokane, Washington. When his first college tuition bill arrived and his bank account was basically empty, he didn’t panic — he solved the problem.
He started mowing lawns.
What began with his dad’s trailer and mower turned into 85 lawns per week while taking a full load at Whitworth University… and eventually 350 lawns per week after graduation.
One of those lawns belonged to a retiring CPA.
That CPA remembered the kid who showed up at 7:00 a.m. sharp — rain or shine — for four straight years. When it came time to sell his successful accounting practice, he called Kyle.
Not because he had ever seen Kyle prepare a tax return.
But because character and reliability are impossible to hide.
In 2017, Kyle bought the firm. Today it has 18 team members and serves hundreds of individuals and businesses in the Spokane area.
The New Niche: Helping College & Pro Athletes with Taxes and NIL Deals
Fast-forward a few years.
A dad reached out: “My son is about to become the quarterback at Washington State and needs tax help with NIL money.”
Kyle poured 110% into that relationship — even when the future was uncertain.
Three years later, that quarterback became a high NFL draft pick. The goodwill and trust Kyle built opened doors across college and professional sports.
Now Kyle and his wife travel the country attending games, advising top athletes on taxes, NIL contracts, and financial structuring. (They hit eight college and NFL games in seven weeks this fall!)
From gasoline-smelling college kid to sitting courtside with pro athletes — all because he kept showing up and serving at the highest level.
Kyle’s Top 3 Traits of Truly Successful People
- Be willing to take calculated risks and bet on yourself
“If you’re not willing to bet on yourself, who is?” - Diversify — don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Real estate, stocks, business ownership — build multiple streams so one crash doesn’t wipe you out. - Be authentic
People can smell fake a mile away. Be the same person at church, in the office, and on the field.
My Own “Bet on Myself” Moment
After the interview, I shared a story from 2000 when I was student teaching. There was a dream fourth-grade teaching job open… but the principal basically told me they already had someone picked.
I could have folded. Instead I looked the principal in the eye and said:
“Just get me the interview. I’ll take care of the rest.”
I got the interview. I gave it 110%. And I got the job that changed the trajectory of my life.
Sometimes all God needs is your “yes” and your full effort.
The One Principle That Ties It All Together
Serve, serve, serve, serve, serve… until they ask.
Kyle served that lawn until a CPA asked him to buy the firm.
I served in that classroom until the principal asked me to interview.
You never know who’s watching. You never know what door your excellence today will open tomorrow.
Give 110%. Show up on time. Do the job better than anyone else — even when it feels small.
Because one day you’ll look back and realize you were being prepared for something far bigger than you could have imagined.
Ready to Start Investing in What Matters Most?
If this episode fired you up, do three quick things:
- Subscribe to The Invested Life Podcast wherever you listen.
- Share this post (or the episode) with three friends who need to hear it.
- Within the next 72 hours, take ONE step: apply for that thing, make that call, bet on yourself.
You’ve got what it takes.
Now go prove it.
Love well and do good,
Dan Cantiana
P.S. Want professional tax and accounting help (especially if you’re a business owner or high-income earner)? Reach out to Kyle Jordan CPA in Spokane — tell him Dan Can sent you! 😊
This post is based on Episode “Being in the Right Place at the Right Time” with special guest Kyle Jordan, CPA — Original air date: October 4, 2025
