⚾ & Tax Credit Training?
Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with a handbook.
Most of the time, it’s a series of moments where you decide whether to step back or step fully into your role.
For me, that moment recently looked like walking into a room full of professionals I didn’t necessarily know, to learn about a tax credit I hadn’t quite mastered, in the middle of a baseball stadium of all places.
A Tax Training in a Baseball Stadium
A few weeks ago, I was invited by our lovely ADP partners to an event that felt equal parts exciting & intimidating to me: an R&D tax credit training hosted at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners vs San Diego Padres baseball game 08/27/2025 after a Research & Development Tax Credit training with ADP.
The setup was incredible - a private suite overlooking the field, lunch with a group of professionals I’d never met before, & the promise of great seats for the Mariners vs. Padres game afterward. ⚾
It actually reminded me a lot of the events I used to attend when I lived in Orlando & worked as a concierge for Expedia. Back then, I’d get invited to hospitality & sports industry events on a monthly basis.
Those experiences gave me an early taste of how business, networking, & sports intersect. Stepping into T-Mobile Park that day brought me right back to that same energy - only now from the perspective of a CEO that works with motorsport professionals instead of a concierge working with guests on vacation.
But the real draw for me wasn’t the baseball…
It was the chance to deepen my knowledge in an area that’s been growing in importance for our firm. Tax hasn’t always been at the forefront of what we offer, but strategy is our strong suit. & well, strategy inevitably leads to tax & finance. That’s why I walked in, nerves & all, determined to stretch, learn, + connect.
By the end of the training, I’d not only gained valuable insights but also walked away with a sense of momentum. The kind that comes from leaning into the uncomfortable & realizing you’re more capable than you thought.
What made the day even more impactful was the networking after the training.
I was able to connect with the ADP team & other professionals, ask questions, + talk through real-world scenarios. We covered how the R&D credit applies across various industries & touched on other parts of the One Big Beautiful Bill shaping tax strategy/compliance.
Those conversations were a reminder that the real value of events like this isn’t just in the presentation - it’s in the exchange of ideas & the new opportunities that come from them.
Baseball, Business, & My “Why”
Baseball wasn’t just a pastime in my house growing up - it was a pillar.
My brother spent much of his life playing the game, & my late father was an entrepreneur before eventually becoming a teacher + a baseball coach in Central Florida for high schoolers.
So being at T-Mobile Park that day wasn’t just about training or networking….
It carried the weight of my own story - entrepreneurship, education, grief, support, & the baseball field all woven together. It reminded me why I do what I do & lit a fire under me to keep pushing forward.
There were a few moments that day where my heart just felt so full.
I was proud of what I’ve achieved & the work we’re doing through Clean Bee Consulting + Full Throttle Finance™. At the same time, I felt the presence of grief - how it still threads through my story in unexpected ways. But instead of dimming the moment, it reminded me that every high & every low is part of my journey.
That complexity - pride, loss, growth, & resilience all woven together - is what makes this story mine, & it’s what keeps me grounded as I continue building.
It’s been nearly 16 years since my dad passed away, but I’ve felt closer to him this year than ever.
Pictured above are 4 excerpts from the 2008 Colonial High School baseball media guide (click on the right/left sides of the images to scroll through). CEO Felicia’s father, Ed Tanzi, was a baseball coach & educator at the school. CEO Felicia helped design the layout & content of the print media before it was printed for distribution. In her words, it took a while for her father to find his footing in life, but she believes he had finally found his calling rooted in education & coaching. He really had a way of getting through to young adult men in particular at this specific point in his life. Ed courageously battled terminal brain cancer from 2006 through 2009 before it ultimately took his life. Education & support for youth in sports is a huge part of the Full Throttle Finance™ core mission which stems from the positive traits CEO Felicia admired about her father.
The Takeaway for Entrepreneurs
Here’s the truth: the early stages of building a business are rarely about having all the answers.
They’re about showing up - nervous, imperfect, & still willing to learn.
That’s where confidence is built.
Not from waiting until you’re “ready,” but from stepping into the room anyway, shaking hands with strangers, & leaning into opportunities that feel just a little bit bigger than you.
I left that stadium with more than just tax insights.
I left with a reminder that every entrepreneur has to walk into their own version of that room - whether it’s a training, a pitch meeting, or your next race event.
The question is: will you shrink back, or will you step fully into your role?
Because confidence isn’t something you wait to find. It’s something that you build - one arena, one handshake, one uncomfortable moment at a time. Trust me, you belong there ❤️
