In this conversation, Boris Musheyev, founder of BORISMTAX, ranked No. 2,051 on the 2025 Inc. 5000, shares his approach to employee experience, leadership, and building a strong company culture. Boris describes the firm as a tax planning and advisory business focused primarily on helping business owners better understand and manage their taxes through clear communication and education. He explains how leading by example and taking a family-first approach have helped him attract and retain talented employees by creating a workplace where people feel supported, personal needs can be discussed openly, and work-life balance is valued. Boris also discusses the importance of celebrating his team, offering flexibility, and avoiding unnecessary overtime outside of tax season. Above all, he emphasizes that people are the company’s greatest asset, that hiring should be intentional, and that he will always prioritize his team when a client treats them disrespectfully. The conversation offers an insightful look at how thoughtful leadership and a people-first culture can contribute to both employee satisfaction and long-term business success.
Episode Highlights & Time Stamps
0:06 Family First, Lead by Example
0:49 Employee Experience Matters
2:35 Meet Boris M. Tax
7:10 Core Leadership Principles
8:26 Building a Family-First Culture
11:46 Signs of True Family Values
15:22 Experience Over Output
17:50 People Are the Biggest Asset
20:58 Team Before Clients
23:17 Lead by Example and Growth
Family First, Lead by Example: How Great Leaders Build Companies People Want to Work For
What does it really take to create a company where people want to stay, grow, and do their best work?
In this episode of Growth Think Tank, Gene Hammett sits down with Boris Musheyev, founder of Boris M. Tax, to explore a leadership philosophy that goes far beyond perks, compensation, and traditional workplace culture.
Boris shares how two principles lead by example and family first have shaped the culture of his company and helped him build a team that is loyal, engaged, and committed to the organization’s success.
The conversation reveals an important lesson for founders: employee experience isn’t about ping-pong tables, free food, or superficial perks. It starts with leadership, respect, values, and the way people are treated every day.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why leaders must model the culture they want
Boris believes culture starts at the top. If leaders want their teams to be positive, hardworking, respectful, and committed, they have to demonstrate those behaviors themselves.
Leadership isn’t something you simply communicate—it’s something your team watches you practice.
How putting family first can strengthen a company
One of Boris’s most distinctive leadership principles is family first.
Rather than viewing family responsibilities as a distraction from work, Boris believes supporting employees and their families creates deeper loyalty and trust. He shares how his team has supported employees through pregnancies, parental responsibilities, illness, and extended family needs.
The result? People feel safe bringing their real lives to work—and that can make it easier to build and retain great talent.
Why employee experience matters more than workplace perks
A great employee experience isn’t created by superficial benefits. It comes from how employees feel when they walk through the door.
Boris explains how his company intentionally creates an environment filled with energy, recognition, celebration, flexibility, and genuine care for employees. From celebrating birthdays to respecting time away from work, the goal is to make work an experience people actually look forward to.
Why your people may be your company’s greatest asset
Growth requires people—and replacing good people can cost far more than simply recruiting expenses.
Boris explains why founders should invest in developing, coaching, and cultivating their teams instead of treating employees as interchangeable resources. His philosophy is simple: take care of your people, and your people can help take care of the business.
How leaders can support employees beyond their job description
One of the most powerful practices Boris shares is meeting individually with employees to discuss both personal and professional goals.
These conversations go beyond raises and promotions. Employees talk about goals such as buying a home, paying down student loans, improving their health, or reaching other personal milestones—and Boris helps them think through how to achieve them.
It’s a powerful reminder that employees aren’t just job titles. They’re people with ambitions, challenges, families, and lives outside the workplace.
Why sometimes you have to choose your team over a client
Gene and Boris tackle a difficult leadership question: Who comes first—the customer or the employee?
Boris explains that while clients are critical to the business, he has been willing to fire clients who treat his team disrespectfully. Protecting employees sends a clear message that leadership will stand behind them.
The bigger lesson is that a healthy culture requires leaders to establish boundaries around how their people are treated.
The connection between culture, client satisfaction, and growth
A strong culture isn’t simply about making employees feel good.
When people are engaged, supported, and committed to the company, they are better positioned to serve customers and contribute to sustainable growth. As Gene points out, an amazing employee experience can ultimately lead to a better-run company, happier clients, and greater profitability.
The Bigger Leadership Lesson
- The most important takeaway from this conversation is that culture isn’t built through slogans. It’s built through repeated actions.
- If you say family comes first, your employees need to see you live it.
- If you say people matter, you need to invest in them.
- If you say respect matters, you need to protect your team when difficult situations arise.
- And if you want people to bring energy and commitment to the business, leaders have to create an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and supported.
- Boris’s approach demonstrates that you don’t have to choose between a high-performing company and a people-first culture. The right culture can become one of the reasons your company performs better.
Key Takeaways for Founders
- Lead by example. Your team will follow what you do more than what you say.
- Make your values visible. Values only matter when they influence real decisions.
- Put people before processes. Your employees are a major driver of growth and scalability.
- Create an experience, not just a job. Give people reasons to enjoy being part of your company.
- Support employees as whole people. Their families, goals, and lives matter.
- Protect your culture. Not every client or employee is the right fit.
- Invest in your people. Coaching, development, and personal support can build long-term loyalty.
- Remember that culture affects the bottom line. A strong employee experience can translate into stronger teams, happier customers, and a healthier business.
Listen to the Full Episode
If you’re a founder who is working hard to grow your company but still finds yourself too deeply involved in the day-to-day, this episode offers a different perspective: your company’s growth isn’t just about working harder. It’s about building the people, culture, and leadership systems that allow the business to grow beyond you.
Listen to the full conversation to hear Boris’s firsthand experiences and practical approach to building a company where people genuinely want to show up, contribute, and grow.
Connect With Today’s Guest
Boris Musheyev is the founder of BorisMTax, a tax planning and advisory firm based in New York City serving business owners across the United States. The firm focuses on proactive tax planning and advisory rather than simply preparing tax returns, helping business owners understand their options and identify strategies that can reduce their tax burden.
Boris has built his company around a people-first philosophy that emphasizes leadership, family, personal development, and creating an exceptional employee experience.
How to Connect with Boris Musheyev
LinkedIn: Boris Musheyev (LinkedIn)
Company Website: borismtax.com – to learn more about his work and platform
Get In Touch with Boris: Contact
Resources & Next Steps
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