Mon–Fri · 9 AM–7 PM ET · Virtual · Serving All 50 States Client Portal
Founder & CEO

Hi, I'm Safietou, or Safie for short, and your numbers are safe with me.

I'm Safietou D. Russell, CPA, EA, MST. I've spent more than two decades in tax and accounting, and I built SDR Consulting Inc. so that practice owners could finally have a CPA who understands both the spreadsheet and the person reading it.

Full-length portrait of Safietou D. Russell, CPA, EA, MST, founder and CEO of SDR Consulting Inc.
23+years in tax & accounting
2016year SDR Consulting was founded
25+industries served over her career
50states served, fully virtual
My story

It started with a high-school bookkeeping class

I fell for accounting before I knew it was a career. It was a bookkeeping class in high school, the moment the columns balanced, something clicked. That interest carried me to SUNY Albany, where I graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Accounting, and then to Florida Atlantic University for a Master's in Taxation.

Then came more than fifteen years in public accounting. I learned the technical craft there, complex returns, IRS notices, the kind of planning that quietly saves people real money. I also learned what I didn't want: rushed relationships, billable-hour anxiety, and clients who only heard from their accountant once a year.

I launched SDR Consulting Inc. in 2016 to deliver a more personal, more flexible client experience, and to build a business that let me prioritize my family too.

Along the way I've worked with clients across more than 25 industries. But the work that kept pulling me back was with professionals in the mental health field. Partly because I saw how life-changing your work is for the people you serve. And partly because I watched that impact up close, in my own family.

SDR Consulting Inc. specializes in tax, accounting and advisory services for private and group Mental Health & Wellness Practices, alongside a select group of early-stage startups.

That focus is the whole point. When I look at your books, I understand expenses such as clinical supervision, the revenue patterns that can affect a practice throughout the year and the tax considerations commonly relevant to Mental Health & Wellness Practices.

The path here

A career built one deliberate step at a time

  1. 2002

    Into public accounting

    Began serving clients in tax and accounting, the start of a career that would span more than two decades and 25+ industries.

  2. 2016

    SDR Consulting Inc. is founded

    After 15+ years in public accounting, Safietou opened her own virtual firm, built for personal service, flexibility and family.

  3. 2019

    Credentials that back the advice

    BBB accreditation alongside Enrolled Agent standing and QuickBooks certification, the licenses that let Safietou represent clients directly before the IRS.

  4. 2022

    SDR's Business Basics launches

    The podcast begins, more than 50 episodes teaching small business owners the financial fundamentals nobody taught them.

  5. Today

    A firm built for practice owners

    Specialized services, free tools and a 5.0 overall client rating.

How I work

Four commitments I make to every client

These aren't posters on a wall. They're the reasons clients stay for years.

Clarity over jargon

You will never leave a conversation with me nodding politely and no idea what was decided. If I can't explain it plainly, I haven't finished thinking about it.

Proactive, not reactive

Tax planning happens before December 31, not in April when the options have run out. That means quarterly conversations, not annual surprises.

Privacy taken seriously

Your practice handles protected information; so do we. Secure portal exchange, HIPAA-aware workflows, and no financial detail discussed where it shouldn't be.

Fit before fees

I don't take every client who calls. If your goals and our approach don't match, I'll say so and point you somewhere better. Everyone wins.

Off the clock

Wife, mom of two, and lifelong dancer

Outside of work, I'm a wife and mom of two. Dance and movement have always been a big part of my life and give me an outlet to do something I truly enjoy.

Through SDR Fitness & Dance, I teach Zumba and group fitness and help busy women make movement, nutrition and wellness a priority. It allows me to support women in a different way while sharing my love of fitness and dance.

Visit SDR Fitness & Dance In the press · Empress Lanice Media House · August 2026 SDR Fitness & Dance: The Powerful Story of 2 Legacies A founder spotlight on the two businesses Safietou built around one idea, looking after the people who spend their days looking after everyone else.
Safietou D. Russell in workout gear with both arms flexed, in SDR Fitness & Dance branding
Recognition & memberships

Credentials you can verify

Licensing, certifications and partnerships that back up the advice.

Enrolled Agent, admitted to practice before the IRS
HIPAA compliance seal
Better Business Bureau accredited business Intuit QuickBooks Online Certification Level 1 Gusto payroll partner Gusto People Advisor Certified
Relay banking partner
Let's meet

Your success matters to me, let's talk about your practice

A paid consultation, no pitch deck. Tell me what's working and what isn't, and I'll tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit.