Dimeta Smith CPA, a leading woman and minority-owned accounting firm, celebrated its 10th anniversary in business this week. Dimeta Smith CPA is a nationally certified Women’s Business Enterprise through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and a Woman-Owned Small Business through the Small Business Administration. The firm specializes in providing business growth strategies, financial accounting and tax preparation services for organizations in the for profit and non-profit sectors.
Nashville native CEO and President Dimeta Smith Knight, a 2001 Master of Accountancy alumna from Belmont’s Massey Graduate School of Business, always wanted to be an entrepreneur and to have a positive impact on lives as a business owner. After her first accounting class in high school, Knight knew she was destined for an accounting career because it was a field that would always be needed.
Dimeta Smith CPA has grown to seven employees, including seasonal workers with clients in every industry sector, such as health care, professional services, real estate investors, transportation and faith-based organizations. “I always wanted to create an organization for people of color and all genders to grow and develop to achieve their dreams,” said Knight.
Knight loves to tell her client’s business story through their numbers and see the growth they have experienced due to her strategic counsel. The company’s clients span the globe, including a boy’s home in Africa and a technology firm in Bangladesh, with whom she works with remotely. She also represents businesses in the immigrant community, and her largest client base include Ethiopian, Nigerian and Somali owned firms. Knight explained, “I worry about my client’s businesses as much as they do. It’s a great feeling to positively impact someone’s future when they follow the plans and systems I put in place for their financial security.”
A longtime client, Dr. Kehinde Carew, an MD who specializes in internal medicine, has relied on Knight to reach his financial goals over the past nine years. Dr. Carew said, “I have found Dimeta’s insights on personal finance, fiscal responsibility and investing to be invaluable.” He has learned valuable strategies to make better decisions regarding taxes, investments and wealth-building. “These tenets have helped broaden my horizon and steer me towards attaining my short and long term financial goals.”
Influencing the Next Generation of Leaders
Knight also serves as a role model to young girls, particularly in STEM fields. She said, “Girls have innate skills to rise to the top but are not always given the right opportunities and may be misunderstood. I want them to think, ‘if Dimeta can do it so can she.’”
Knight frequently offers high school and college students an opportunity to intern at the firm to gain much needed experience. “I understood when I started that I did not want to do this alone. I knew I wanted a team. I learned early on it’s not about capability—it’s about capacity. You never grow without risk,” she said.
Knight is actively involved in the community, serving on the board of directors for the Tennessee Respite Coalition and the West End Homes Foundation. She frequently shares her passion for financial literacy and economic development with the community. Knight has been a speaker at conferences including Girls to the Moon and the National Association of Women MBAs’ Annual Thrive Conference.
Knight is an advocate for women-owned businesses and has facilitated seminars and workshops for various organizations including the Small Business Administration, Pathway Women’s Business Center and the National Association of Women Business Owners. She is also a frequent guest on Common Cents: The Money Show on WFSK 88.1 FM radio.
Knight has earned numerous awards including 2018 Women of Influence by the Nashville Business Journal; Power Moves Award in Finance presented by PK Williams Enterprises; Rising Star Award presented by the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce and an All Star Award presented by the Dare to Dream Foundation. She serves the community by volunteering with her sorority Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated, Nashville Alumnae Chapter and the Tennessee State University Alumni Association, Nashville Chapter.
In the next 10 years, Knight wants to continue building a stronger organization to employ more women and minorities who are not necessarily given the same opportunities and want to grow and develop within their careers.
Learn more at dimetasmithcpa.com/.
