For many entrepreneurs, taxes feel like something that happens to them rather than something they can actively control. The conversation often starts and ends during tax season, bringing stress, uncertainty, and the assumption that a large bill is simply the cost of doing business. But Barbara Schreihans, CEO of Your Tax Coach, has built her career around changing that perspective.
After spending years working inside a Big 4 tax firm, Schreihans began to notice a pattern that would ultimately shape her career. Entrepreneurs were working hard, growing successful businesses, and celebrating big revenue milestones, yet many were unknowingly overpaying the IRS by significant amounts. The issue wasn’t a lack of effort or intelligence; it was a lack of proactive guidance. As she often explains, “The tax code is a rulebook. And once you understand the rules, you can play to win.” That realization became the foundation for Your Tax Coach, a company designed to move beyond compliance and into strategy.
Early in her career, Schreihans experienced a defining moment that changed the way she approached her work. She watched a high-earning entrepreneur face a massive tax bill, not because they had done anything wrong, but because no one had guided them throughout the year. The experience made it clear that the biggest problem in the industry wasn’t effort; it was education. “The problem wasn’t intelligence, and it wasn’t effort. It was education and proactive planning,” she says. From that point on, she committed to helping clients make decisions ahead of time rather than reacting after opportunities had already passed.
The name Your Tax Coach reflects that philosophy. Schreihans believes there is a clear difference between a tax preparer and a tax coach. A preparer looks backward and reports what already happened. A coach looks forward and helps clients make decisions that shape better outcomes. The mission is simple but powerful: help entrepreneurs keep more of what they make so they can build wealth, create options, and feel confident about their financial future.
That mission is also deeply personal. Schreihans did not grow up surrounded by conversations about generational wealth or financial strategy. Money often felt scarce, and those early experiences shaped how she works with clients today. Education plays a central role in her approach because she believes understanding creates empowerment. As she explains, “Wealth creates options. Options create freedom. Freedom creates impact.” When clients save money through a smart strategy, it’s not just about lowering a bill; it’s about what those savings make possible in their lives and businesses.
Her approach integrates tax strategy directly into the rhythm of a business. Instead of focusing only on what happened last year, her team helps design what happens next. Strategies may include entity structure planning, S-Corp analysis, retirement optimization, family payroll strategies, real estate layering, and medical reimbursement plans, all designed to work together intentionally. These plans are reviewed regularly and adjusted as income and goals evolve. As Schreihans puts it, “We don’t just prepare numbers. We engineer outcomes.”
A big part of her work also involves correcting common misconceptions about taxes. One of the biggest myths she sees is the belief that taxes can wait until filing season. By then, most meaningful changes are no longer available.
Some of the most impactful strategies, she notes, are often the least flashy. Electing S-Corp status at the right income level can reduce self-employment taxes. Paying children through the business, when structured correctly, can create tax-free income for them while generating deductions for the owner.
Schreihans encourages entrepreneurs to start thinking about tax planning as early as possible, ideally before they even make money. At a minimum, planning should begin in January and continue throughout the year. Waiting until tax season eliminates most options. For entrepreneurs who feel overwhelmed, her advice is simple: separate business and personal finances, track numbers monthly, and ask questions. Taxes feel less intimidating when clarity replaces guesswork.
A business owner came to Your Tax Coach expecting to write a six-figure check to the IRS. Instead of accepting that outcome, Schreihans and her team layered an entity restructure, optimized retirement contributions, strategically timed equipment purchases, and adjusted income recognition. The result was a significant legal reduction in what they owed, but the biggest transformation was the confidence that came from finally operating with a clear strategy instead of uncertainty.
Looking back on her own journey, Schreihans says she would tell her younger self not to play small. The tax code may be complex, but it is not mysterious. Wealth is not built by accident; it is built by design. Her advice remains consistent: learn the rules, ask better questions, and remember that you are building more than income, you are building a legacy.
Today, Barbara Schreihans continues to help entrepreneurs rethink the way they approach taxes through Your Tax Coach. Business owners can follow along on Instagram at @yourtaxcoach, visit their website for more tips and educational resources, and tune into their podcast for ongoing conversations that make tax strategy approachable, empowering, and actionable.
“My mission is helping business owners keep more, grow more, and stress less.”
"The tax code isn’t something to fear; it’s a strategy tool. When you understand it, you create freedom, options, and lasting wealth."