Small business consulting

Published October 30, 2013 by Virginia Business

Sirena Johnson
Thompson, Greenspon & Co. PC, Fairfax

Title: Principal
Birthplace: Warrenton
Education: George Mason University, bachelor’s degree in accounting
Hobbies: Traveling and reading
Favorite vacation spot: “Anywhere with a beach is my favorite place to travel, but I also like to travel to unique destinations. My favorite trip so far was to Kenya for a safari.”
Fan of: Washington Redskins
Recently read book: “I read a lot to help me decompress, but my favorite book read in the last year is ‘Gone Girl’ [by Gillian Flynn].”
First accounting job: “I worked as an accountant in college for a local law firm.”
Career mentor: Jan Thompson, a partner at Thompson Greenspon

What problems are small businesses facing in this economy?
“The small businesses I work with are government contractors. The downturn in the economy and sequestration has really tightened up the competition. Some of the competitor bids accepted by the government are so low that small businesses struggle to match them. At times, it is also difficult to attract and retain top talent for small businesses. They have to differentiate themselves to compete with the robust compensation and benefits packages offered by larger companies.”