Our members represent a diverse group of businesses in the Des Moines area. Our membership is limited to one member from any one industry or business category. Check our “Membership Directory” to see the list of our current participants.
If your business in not represented, we would welcome your application for membership. Contact Barb Gordon at bgordon@myarbonne.com for more information.
About Me
Hi. My name is Brent McClure. I have been a resident of the Beaverdale neighborhood for over nine years now, and live in an 85-year old remodeled home with my wife Jen and our Weimerainer dog, Hector (the house protector).
Professional
With thirteen years of experience in tax and consulting, I have developed close relationships with my clients, while providing them with relevant tax solutions to help them navigate the often-times complex tax regulations. I have been involved in business and personal income tax preparation, and specialize in individual, small business, and entrepreneurial ventures.
I joined Kiesling Associates LLP in 2006. Prior to joining Kiesling, I served roles as a regional director of cost segregation services and tax manager at a national firm for the previous eleven years.
I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance with an Economics minor from the University of Northern Iowa in 1993, and received my Masters in Business Administration in Accounting with a concentration in taxation from the University of Houston in 1995. I obtained my CPA certificate in 1996 and ama a memeber of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Public Accountancy and the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants. I am currently pursuing my accreditation as an ASA Machinery and Equipment Appraiser, as well as my Masters of Healthcare Administration from Des Moines University.
In my spare time
I'm a juge Cubs fan and Packers fan. I've got tailgating down to a science. I started a fun little business call Tailgate Gamers building custom cornhole toss games. You can find this business online at www.tailgategamers.com . I also own and manage 28 apartment units in northern Iowa. So, when my small business and entrepreneur clients come to me with issues, I can feel their pain, and work with them to resolve issues and plan for the future.
KIESLING
ASSOCIATES LLP
West Des Moines, IA 50266-2337
Phone: (515) 223-0159
Fax: (515) 223-5429
Email: bmcclure@kiesling.com
I heard on a TV news report that some doctors and scientists believe children (under age 20) increase the chance of getting brain cancer if they use cell phones. Since the skull is still thickening, the energy from the phone can penetrate the skull futher than in an adult. Still, other scientists don’t agree.
As I was watching the report, I thought about cigarettes. Warnings of the cancer risk from cigarette use was once promoted as false. The season premiere of Boston Legal was on TV last night. The main story line was about “big tobacco” and the debate about cigarettes and whether or not smoking causes cancer. In that story, big tobacco was found guilty. So how come kids still start smoking and get hooked? There is certainly enough credible information available that proves smoking is harmful. Are they really falling for the cigarette ads?
I wonder if this cell phone debate will be similar. Most people won’t be willing to give up their phones. But do children really need cell phones?
Individual good judgment can’t be replaced by science.
As a real estate professional, almost everyday I get asked “about this market,” which houses are selling and how they are being sold. It’s not the easiest question to answer but…in a marketplace where days on market are elevated and inventory levels are high, I recommend the following when considering selling a home:
When I read the article in the newspaper this morning about the "atom smashing scientists," the thing that caught my attention was the cost. I searched for blogs that might give me some insight into why ten billion dollars should be spent on an experiment that might give insight into black holes.
I found a 
that suggested collaborative experiments can be valuable. It mentions that the world wide web was the result of a similar collaborative effort.
Personally, I have been collaborating more and more. I like to discuss ideas with others. It is a lot of fun. When I remember to keep my goal in the mix, fun and productivity are a great combination. When the fun and productivity collide, the explosion is valuable. Maybe not worth ten billion dollars, but hey, everything is relative.
As we went into the home armed with masks, goggles, gloves, and crowbars I still wasn't quite sure how this project was going to start or end. We recieved the go ahead to start removing the plaster and walls down to the framing of the home. After ripping up the first portion of the floor, we found the second layer damaged and needing removal so we removed that flooring. By the time our team was done with the house we had stripped back the interior of the home and it was ready for the contractor to come and start doing more of the skilled labor.
At the end of the day, I had participated in two different projects doing similar work. Both homeowners were very thankful as we worked and when we left for the hard work we'd brought to pass. I had talked to some of the volunteers from Cedar Rapids and learned that some of them had been voluteering in a similar fashion for the last few months spending evenings dur
ing the week and long days on Saturdays helping the families of those effected by the floods.
I am proud of myself for suppressing the natural tendancy that I would normally follow to take the easier road. But I feel that as a result of my decision the next time I am faced with a similar decision I will recall the "grateful that I helped" feelings and provide meaningful service to those around. You love and appreciate those that you serve.
I remember when I first found out about LinkedIn. It was a couple years ago. I thought "WOW! I can upload all of my contacts, see if they're on here, invite the ones that aren't, and I'll be on easy street for the rest of my career doing business based 100% on referrals. I quickly got to 20 connections, got no business after a week, so I quit working it. Over a year later, I got a request to connect from someone. I searched through old emails and finally found my login. I connected to them and then spent an afternoon searching for other people I knew. I built my network to about 50 people and then left it alone again. I just couldn't figure out how to make this work for me. I was connected to 50+ people, the majority of whom had 3-5 connections with one being me.
Then I stumbled across this book called "I'm on LinkedIn--Now What???" I finally read it a couple weeks ago. Now, I've not buried my head in the sand when it comes to social media. I have a blog. I'm on Twitter, MyBlogLog, MySpace and a few others since I've signed up on just about every networking site that I've been invited to join figuring I'd be able to pick my favorite and then get everyone I was connected to on the other sites to join me. Wrong! That's like going to a networking function, meeting someone you like, and then telling them you'll exchange business cards only if they attend this other function you really like that's happening later in the week. Doesn't make much sense, does it?
So, back to LinkedIn. Social media is all about conversations that are happening all around us. Just like an in-person conversation, you either have something to add or you don't. On LinkedIn, the conversation is taking place in the 'answers' section. You can read through questions on a particular topic and, if you can provide a relevant answer or contribute something, then you spend a few minutes taking part in that conversation. If you have a question, post it and you will get plenty of answers. The person who asked the question (you or someone else) chooses the best answer. The more best answers that are credited to you, the greater your online credibility. The greater your credibility, the more likely it is that people will want to do business with you. That's it. No requesting to connect or begging for introductions. The winner's in social media are those that know how to be a resource to others without worrying about what's in it for them.
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I was on vacation for a good part of a week. I like to read a book on vacation. I like to read on the airplane or in the airport. There is a lot of time spent waiting in airports these days. A good book is the perfect way to pass the time.
The book for this trip was In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson. Bryson comments often in the book about the uniqueness of Australians.
Here is a link to an ad that is running down under. Since my son lives near Melbourne, he shared this with me. You gotta see it. https://secure.promoplace.com.au/SaladPlate/
The year was 1992. I was a gangly 11 year old girl determined to become a marine mammal biologist and about to embark on quite an adventure. See, at that age I wanted nothing more than to see a real, live whale or dolphin. For a girl who grew up in the heart of the
Details. These are what separated this and every other experience from “ho-hum” to unforgettable. Make this year’s Holiday Party unforgettable by holding it at the Holiday Inn Downtown Des Moines at Mercy Campus. Every detail will be in place to ensure that your experience is absolutely magical.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.com
I was talking with some friends the day after the commentators were talking about Michael Phelps being "built to swim". He's 6'4" with a 6'7" wingspan. His legs are suitable for a man who's 6'0" making them extremely powerful for pushing off while his torso is that of a 6'8" man which reduces his drag. His feet are a size 14 and function as flippers. He's double jointed in his knees and elbows. For all of his genetic gifts, his coach credits more than anything his determination and ability to focus.
Someone then asked what all of that has to do with anything. Considering the source, I took my shot. "He would make a lousy gymnast." Then, I got to thinking about it after reading Erin's post on choosing the right professionals . At 6'4", he'd probably make a pretty good basketball player. The challenge would be his short legs giving him the up and down court speed of a 6' man. He's only an inch shorter than Usain Bolt, the sprinter from Jamaica, but again, he'd still have to take 46 strides to cover the 100m vs. Usain's 41. On the track he's only "6' tall". Back to the gymnast thing, Shawn Johnson would mop the floor with him.
So what makes Michael, Shawn, or Usain special. It is determining what they do better than anything else and then focusing only on that. That is what networking is all about. You decide what you do better than anything else and then build a team around you to make up for the skills you lack. The value you bring to client relationships is in being able to say "I can't do that but, I know someone who does."
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Am I making the right decision? Is it too small? Did I pay too much? Am I in the right neighborhood? I asked myself these questions over and over again, as I recently purchased 
my very first home. Many of you may know that the entire home buying experience puts some stress on even the sanest individuals. A great deal of thought, time, and effort goes into finding and securing the perfect place. Someone told me at the beginning of my house hunt that purchasing a home would be one of the most emotional decisions I would ever make. I thought they were crazy until I got knee-deep into the process. Let’s just say, I’m not a very emotional person, but I have cried on more than one occasion throughout this ordeal. In order to keep me as sane as possible, I hired two separate so-called professionals to ensure home buying success. I also came out of this experience with two separate satisfaction levels. On one hand, my realtor was a first time home buyer’s dream. She constantly communicated with me so I was always aware of where we were in the process. I never had to be concerned with what-to-do-when because my realtor already had it done. She made the process smooth and easy. However, on the other end was my mortgage broker. He was unorganized, unknowledgeable, and continued to make promises that he did not keep. His lack of professionalism was truly nightmarish. It made me realize how important hiring a true professional is worth. The same concept applies to your meetings, events and parties. Trying to plan one of these events can also quickly turn into a nightmare if you are working with the wrong people. That is why I do what I do. When you hold your event with me and my associates at the Holiday Inn Downtown Des Moines at Mercy Campus, you can be assured you will be working with true professionals.
Photo compliments of Flickr.com.
