How to Be in the Right Place at the Right Time: Lessons from a Lawn-Mowing College Kid Turned CPA Powerhouse
By Dan Cantiana, Host of The Invested Life Podcast
We’ve all heard the phrase: “He was in the right place at the right time.” But what if I told you that being in the right place isn’t luck—it’s a deliberate choice built on character, effort, and faith? On a recent episode of The Invested Life Podcast, I sat down with my good friend Kyle Jordan, a Spokane-based CPA who’s living proof of this principle. From mowing lawns to pay for college to owning a thriving accounting firm and now niching into tax services for college and pro athletes, Kyle’s story is a masterclass in providing, protecting, and promoting with purpose.
If you’re a leader, husband, father, business owner, or anyone breathing and striving to build a life you love, keep reading. Kyle’s journey will inspire you to invest in yourself, others, and what you’re called to do.
The Genesis: From Tuition Panic to 350 Lawns a Week
Kyle grew up in Spokane, Washington, knowing he’d stick around for family. He attended Whitworth University, a small Christian school, pursuing an accounting degree. But life hit hard freshman year when the first tuition bill arrived—and he didn’t have the cash for the next one.
“Like every young college kid short on funds and high on aspirations, I had to start learning the hard way about business and financial acumen.”
Desperation bred innovation. Kyle linked up with a Mormon family mowing lawns in their neighborhood. While part-time jobs paid $70 for two weeks of grinding, they mowed a couple lawns, pocketed $70, and were done by 11 a.m. Kyle jumped in.
Starting with his dad’s trailer and mower, he built a lawn care empire. By graduation, he was handling 85 lawns a week. Post-college? It ballooned to 350 before he sold it. Along the way, he learned invoicing, operations, client interaction, taxes—and real-world business smarts that no classroom could match.
(Side note: His classmates avoided sitting next to him in accounting lectures. Why? He rolled in smelling like gasoline and fresh-cut grass, straight from the mower to the desk. One professor even bumped his grade with a note: “You’re working really hard.”)
Character Counts: The $55 Mower That Bought a Multi-Million-Dollar Firm
Kyle’s uncle, a local accountant, mentored him and nudged him toward using his degree instead of mowing forever. In 2017, opportunity knocked—from a client whose lawn Kyle had mowed in college.
This retiring CPA wanted to sell his successful firm. He’d never seen Kyle prepare a tax return. At lunch, Kyle asked: “Why me? I could be the worst accountant ever.”
The response?
“I remembered how you showed up in my driveway at 7 a.m. on the dot, rain or shine, for four straight years. That kid’s going to be really successful.”
Boom. Character over credentials. Kyle took over the firm, now employing 18 people and serving small businesses and individuals with tax, accounting, and financial services.
Principle #1: Show up. Consistently. Excellently. You never know who’s watching—or what doors it will open.
The NIL Niche: From One WSU Quarterback to NFL Drafts and Nationwide Travel
Fast-forward: NCAA rules changed, allowing college athletes to earn via Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). A father reached out—his son, a promising Washington State University quarterback, needed tax help.
Kyle dove in, giving 110% despite it being uncharted territory. That athlete? He rocketed to NFL prominence. The relationship built on trust opened doors to athletes nationwide.
Kyle and his wife just wrapped a fall tour: 8 college and NFL games in 7 weeks. From Spokane to stadiums across the country, helping pros with tax structuring and filings.
“Had I not showed up to mow that lawn, I wouldn’t be here. God opens doors, but we walk through them.”
Principle #2: Give 110% effort, always. Future rewards often stem from today’s unseen hustle.
Top 3 Habits of Successful People Kyle Sees in His Office
As a CPA surrounded by high-earners, business owners, and investors, Kyle shared gold:
- Be Willing to Take Risk (Bet on Yourself) No one’s carrying you through open doors. God provides opportunities; faith means leaping. Failure? It’s often a setup for growth.
- Diversify Your Investments All eggs in one basket (e.g., only real estate)? Risky. Build a strong foundation like your spiritual life—spread resources wisely.
- Be Authentic People smell inauthenticity. Be the same person at work, church, or with clients. Intangibles like effort and enthusiasm trump raw smarts.
The 72-Hour Challenge: Identify Unhappiness, Make a Plan, Act
Kyle on stagnation: People chase dollars thinking it’ll buy happiness. It doesn’t. Analyze your life:
- Where are you unhappy (job, finances, stress)?
- Don’t brood—act.
Within 72 hours of reading this:
- Identify one area of discontent.
- Brainstorm a fix (new habits, career shift, diversification).
- Take one step. Pray, consult a mentor, bet on yourself.
My Own “Bet on Myself” Musing: From Student Teacher to Dream Job
Kyle inspired this memory from 2000. I was student teaching fourth grade in a top district, eyeing an open position. But they “already had someone.” Insecure 22-year-old me almost folded.
Alone in the classroom, I pep-talked myself: “There are movers and shakers in this world, and I am one.” I marched to the principal’s office: “Get me the interview. I’ll handle the rest.”
I poured 110% into it—ideas on community integration, accountability, love. Walking out, the principal slung an arm around me: “Don’t sign that other offer.” I got the job. It changed my life.
Your Turn: Pray. Find a mentor. Bet on yourself.
Final Tie-It-Together: Serve Until They Ask
How to be in the right place at the right time?
Serve, serve, serve, serve, serve—until they ask.
Kyle served lawns. It led to a firm. Serve your current role like someone’s recruiting you.
- Character counts.
- Give 110%.
- Take risks, diversify, stay authentic.
If this fired you up, share it with three friends. Leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Forward to someone needing hope.
Go out there: Love well. Do good. Build an invested life.
Listen to the full episode on The Invested Life Podcast. Connect with Kyle Jordan CPA in Spokane for tax and financial guidance—especially if you’re in sports or business.
P.S.
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