Kristy Pack never imagined herself as an entrepreneur. She didn’t take business classes or plan to start a firm. For years, she was content being what she calls “the best employee”: someone who’s dependable, productive, and deeply committed to her work. But when her personal and professional lives began to collide, Kristy found herself facing a question many working parents know all too well: What happens when the system you’re thriving in no longer fits your life?
That question ultimately led Kristy to create Pack Tax, a company built on accessibility, transparency, and care for everyone. Today, Pack Tax serves more than 10,000 clients each year across eight locations. Kristy’s story is one of resilience, risk, and purpose, and it shows us how business growth can happen without sacrificing your humanity.
A Career That Started Somewhere Else
Kristy’s early ambitions pointed her in a very different direction. While in graduate school, she worked in tax preparation simply as a way to pay her tuition. It was practical, steady work, but she discovered she was good at it. Even more, she was surprised at how much she enjoyed it. Working at a CPA firm exposed her to financial realities she had never seen before, offering an unfiltered education in how money actually moves through people’s lives.
At the same time, Kristy was on track for a career in government intelligence. She had even received a job offer from the CIA. But personal circumstances changed everything. Marriage and family responsibilities brought her back to Utah, and Kristy made the difficult decision to step away from that path. She stayed in tax work, unaware that this detour would eventually become her calling.
When Everything Began to Change
For several years, Kristy thrived at her firm. She became its highest producer, never missing a day and rarely asking for anything in return. But when she became pregnant with her first child, the cracks in the traditional model became painfully clear. Nervous even to disclose her pregnancy, she eventually asked her employer for flexibility, proposing to bring her newborn and a nanny to work at her own expense.
The answer was no. No compromise. No alternatives.
Kristy stayed anyway, hoping things would improve. She worked through another pregnancy and went so far as to return to the office just days after giving birth during tax season. But as her family grew, the rigidity of the system became impossible to ignore. She realized there was no future where she could be both present for her children and fully valued as a professional.
Taking a Leap of Faith
When Kristy finally decided to leave, the timing was brutal. Her husband’s app development business had collapsed almost overnight due to changes in Apple’s platform. Their household income disappeared. They sold their home, took on debt, and moved back to Kristy’s hometown of North Ogden — all while caring for multiple young children and preparing to open a business with zero clients.
It was a leap taken under pressure, but Kristy moved forward with clarity. She knew she wanted to build something different. She wanted a business designed around real people, real families, and real life. Pack Tax opened its doors with no inherited clients and no safety net, relying entirely on Kristy’s belief that if people were treated well, they would return.
From day one, Kristy rejected the idea that success required high barriers for entry. She didn’t want to build a traditional CPA firm. In the early years, Pack Tax charged extremely low rates, sometimes matching or undercutting national chains, simply to get people through the door.
Profitability wasn’t the goal. Trust was.
And her approach worked. In its first year, Pack Tax grew from zero to 750 clients. By year five, the firm served more than 6,000 clients annually. Kristy’s dream business kept growing, and today her client number exceeds 10,000. Growth came organically, driven by referrals from people who felt respected, understood, and supported.
Serving the People
Kristy often describes Pack Tax’s clients as “regular people”. These are individuals and small business owners who don’t fit neatly into traditional tax categories: families, single parents, freelancers, and entrepreneurs earning under $500,000 a year. Many are priced out of high-end CPA firms but underserved by national chains that often rely on heavy pricing.
Pack Tax fills that gap. The firm works extensively with LLCs, S-Corps, partnerships, and small businesses, helping their clients save meaningful amounts through proper structure and education. For Kristy, those savings aren’t abstract numbers. They represent groceries, tuition, stability, and peace of mind.
A Culture Built on Accuracy, Accountability, and Transparency
A cornerstone of Pack Tax’s philosophy is education. Kristy believes the tax system is overly complex and fundamentally unfair; not because opportunities don’t exist, but because information is restricted to those who can afford access to it. Rather than acting as a gatekeeper, Pack Tax explains strategies, risks, and options so clients can make informed decisions themselves.
This transparency builds trust. Clients are taught what’s possible, what’s legal, and what level of risk they’re comfortable with. For Kristy, sharing information isn’t just good service, it’s the right thing to do.
Internally, Pack Tax operates with the same values it extends to clients. Accuracy, data security, and integrity are non-negotiable. If a mistake is made, Pack Tax fixes it at no cost and covers penalties or interest caused by their error.
Kristy knows mistakes are inevitable in a high-volume business. What matters is how they’re handled. Errors are acknowledged openly, systems are improved, and clients are never left bearing the burden. That accountability has strengthened loyalty and reinforced trust over time.
Defining Purpose Beyond Profit
Pack Tax also challenges expectations around tax culture. The firm embraces fun, warmth, and community: hosting client parties, creating welcoming office environments, and encouraging staff to bring their full selves to work. Their offices include playrooms for children, and clients are greeted with hospitality rather than intimidation.
This culture extends to hiring. Pack Tax attracts people who enjoy intensity, teamwork, and purpose — professionals who are comfortable working hard during tax season in exchange for flexibility and meaningful income. The result is a team that’s energized, engaged, and aligned with the company’s mission.
As Pack Tax has grown, Kristy has been intentional about giving back. Philanthropy was built into the business from the beginning, even before the company was profitable. For Kristy, success isn’t about accumulation; it’s about impact.
She’s particularly passionate about creating opportunities for underemployed women who are highly educated professionals and want flexibility without sacrificing income or contribution. Her long-term vision includes national expansion powered by scalable systems that allow people to do meaningful work on their own terms.
Looking Ahead
Kristy sees Pack Tax at the beginning of its next phase. With systems refined and multiple locations established, the company is preparing for broader expansion. The mission remains unchanged: make tax help accessible and ethical while proving that growth doesn’t require leaving people behind.
Kristy Pack didn’t set out to build a company. She set out to solve a problem she had lived firsthand. In doing so, she’s created something rare: a business that grows because it cares — and succeeds because it refuses to forget who it’s for.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
- Build a business that fits your real life: Pack Tax was designed around family, flexibility, and sustainability, not an idealized version of hustle culture.
- Early growth is about trust: Kristy focused first on getting people through the door and serving them well, knowing profitability would follow.
- Transparency strengthens client relationships: Educating clients about their options builds confidence, loyalty, and long-term trust.
- Own mistakes and fix them quickly: Accountability is what keeps clients coming back.
- Culture and systems scale together: Clear values, low ego, and strong systems allowed Pack Tax to grow without losing its mission.
Want the full story behind Kristy Pack’s journey?
Listen to the complete MountainWest Capital Network Podcast episode, where she shares how she built a business that better accommodates her family and gives her freedom to grow.
[Listen to Kristy’s full story here →]
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/41mLSkRcJELIs3UYnPOxqV?si=761ac5cfb9694ad5