The Sales Tax People Podcast

The Sales Tax People
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Sales tax has been breaking businesses since before the internet existed. The Sales Tax People have been fixing that since 1992. With 35,000+ projects completed, $100.5 million in sales tax saved, and experience across 13,000+ states and jurisdictions, we've seen it all — and we talk about it every week. The Sales Tax People Podcast is your front-row seat to real conversations with the people who live and breathe sales tax. Danny Wright, Jason Parr, and Paul Johnson go roundtable on new legislation, industry know-how, and the kind of stories that only come from three decades in the trenches. Plus, we sit down with business owners and entrepreneurs to hear their journeys — and the moments where getting sales tax right changed everything. No textbooks. No panic. Just the people who've done this 35,000 times, breaking it down for you.

  1. Sep 17

    How To Destroy Your Margins as a Business Owner

    Sales tax exposure grows quietly in the background, and by the time most business owners notice it, it's already cost them tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars. In this episode, Danny, Parr, and Paul recap Amplio's Amplify Growth Summit and break down why the businesses that get hurt worst are the ones stuck at either extreme: trusting the wrong advisor, or leaning too hard on "set it and forget it" automation. We cover: The three questions every business needs to answer: where you sell, what you sell, and how you sellWhy sales tax liability is one of the biggest (and most overlooked) profit killers in M&A due diligence and escrow holdbacksA real example of a Denver-based fractional CFO who didn't realize SaaS is taxable at the city level, even though it's exempt at the state levelWhy the cost to fix non-compliance is often the same as the cost of staying compliant all along — the real killer is the penalties and interest stacked on topHow AI and automation should support your compliance strategy, not replace human judgmentIf sales tax has been sitting on your "figure it out later" list, this episode explains why later gets expensive fast. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on sales tax compliance, growth strategy, and the financial blind spots that quietly cost businesses money. 📩 Need help understanding your sales tax exposure? Reach out to The Sales Tax People at [sales.tax] #SalesTax #BusinessCompliance #SmallBusiness #Ecommerce #TaxCompliance #MergersAndAcquisitions

  2. Sep 4

    3 Generations, 1 Sign Company: Clark Smith on YESCO & Sales Tax

    YESCO has been lighting up the Las Vegas Strip for over a century — about 70% of the Strip's iconic casino signage was built by them, including the newest screens on the Sphere. But behind the neon is a sales tax story most people never hear. In this episode, Clark Smith, YESCO's Treasurer and Director of Finance and third-generation family employee, joins Danny to talk about how a routine recovery audit turned into a decade-plus partnership, and how a multi-entity mix-up nearly put a multi million dollar acquisition at risk. We cover: • How YESCO got its start in 1920 with $300 and a paintbrush • The audit that first brought The Sales Tax People and YESCO together • How a multi million dollar acquisition almost fell apart over a sales tax filing mistake • What it's like managing sales tax across 37+ states, every single month If you're running a business that's grown (or growing), you probably have some of the same issues. It’s best to find them before a buyer or auditor does. 🔗 Check out YESCO here 🔗 Learn more about The Sales Tax People here

  3. Aug 26

    What's Next? Sales Tax Software & Compliance, Explained

    Nexus. Taxability. Who's responsible to collect. If you've been following this series, you now know the three questions every business needs to answer about sales tax compliance! This last one ties it all together and covers one thing a lot of businesses get wrong next: sales tax software. Sales tax software and sales tax knowledge have to work together. Simply buying a tool doesn't make you compliant! It has to be set up correctly around your specific nexus footprint, taxability, and collection responsibility. In this episode: - Why sales tax software alone isn't enough and what "married" to your compliance strategy actually means - What to do next if this raised questions for you If sales tax is keeping you up at night, let's talk! Schedule a free, quick, no-pressure conversation with a real sales tax expert to get clarity and peace of mind here.

    What's Next? Sales Tax Software & Compliance, Explained

  4. Aug 26

    Question 3: How Do You Sell? Sales Tax Collection Explained

    You've got nexus. You know what you sell is taxable. So why might you still not owe the tax? This is the third and final video in our 3-part series on the questions every business needs to answer about sales tax. This time, it comes down to how you sell and who's actually responsible for collecting. We cover: - B2B vs. B2C, and why the type of customer you sell to changes your responsibility - Marketplace facilitator laws: how selling on Amazon, Etsy, Walmart, Home Depot, Wayfair, or eBay shifts tax collection to the platform — and why you still need to confirm they're actually collecting on your sales - Wholesale and resale: when your customer is the one responsible for collecting tax from their customers, not you - Why you may still need to report exempt sales on your return, even when you're not the one collecting - What happens when you don't file: penalties, interest, and penalties on the penalty Put all three questions together (nexus, taxability, and who's responsible to collect) and you've got the foundation for managing sales tax compliance the right way! Talk to a real sales tax expert about your compliance responsibility. Schedule a free "What's Next" call here.

    Question 3: How Do You Sell? Sales Tax Collection Explained

  5. Aug 26

    Question 2: What Do You Sell? Taxability Explained

    Nexus tells you where you owe sales tax. Taxability tells you what you actually owe it on. Most businesses get the second part wrong, and it's an expensive mistake! We break down how each state decides what's taxable, why tangible goods are taxed by default (unless specifically exempted), and why more services are becoming taxable every year. We'll give you real examples: a protein bar that's taxable in some states and exempt in others, a security company taxed differently for "monitoring" vs. "management" services, and a company selling AI that was actually overcollecting tax on professional services. Get taxability wrong and you could end up paying the tax yourself out of pocket (plus penalties and interest😧) during an audit. Watch to learn how to determine taxability correctly and protect your margins. 📌 Topics covered: Nexus vs. taxability — what's the difference Why tangible property is taxable by default How taxable services vary by state Real-world taxability mistakes and their cost What to do if you've been over- or under-collecting If you're unsure whether what you sell is taxable, get an expert's opinion here.

    Question 2: What Do You Sell? Taxability Explained

  6. Aug 26

    Question 1: Where do you sell? Sales Tax Nexus Explained

    Where you sell is the first question in sales tax, and the answer comes down to nexus. This is part 1 of our 3-part series breaking down the questions every business needs to answer about sales tax! Here's what we cover: - What nexus actually means: the connection between your business and a state that triggers a tax obligation - Physical nexus vs. economic nexus, and why economic nexus changed the game - The common thresholds ($100,000 in sales or 200 transactions) and why they're calculated differently from state to state - What happens when a business crosses a threshold without realizing it We always start with nexus. It's the foundation everything else gets built on. Get it wrong, and the rest of your compliance is built on sand 😳 Next up: Question 2 covers taxability, because having nexus doesn't automatically mean everything you sell gets taxed. Talk to a real sales tax expert about your nexus footprint. Schedule a free "What's Next" call here. #SalesTaxNexus #SalesTaxCompliance #TheSalesTaxPeople

    Question 1: Where do you sell? Sales Tax Nexus Explained

  7. Aug 26

    3 Questions Every Business Owner Should Answer

    Sales tax can feel complicated. Here's where to start. We're kicking off a new miniseries on the three questions every business owner needs to be able to answer about their sales tax responsibility: Where do you sell? What do you sell? How do you sell it? If you can't answer these with confidence, you may have a blind spot that's exposing you to risk. That's exactly what we're here to help with. Follow along as Jason, Paul, and Danny break down each question. If you want to talk through your specific situation sooner, we offer a free 30 minute consultation. No pressure, just clarity. Head to our site: sales.tax

    3 Questions Every Business Owner Should Answer

  8. Aug 19

    When To Start Worrying About Sales Tax?

    Is Your "Set It and Forget It" Sales Tax Strategy Quietly Costing You Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars? In this episode of Tax Talk, Danny, Parr, and Paul break down exactly when a business needs to start worrying about sales tax compliance — and why waiting until there's a visible problem is almost always the most expensive path. You'll hear a real-world example of a $50M SaaS acquisition that faced nearly $1M in escrow holdbacks because sales tax was never addressed, and learn why a free second opinion could be the smartest move your business makes this year. Questions we answer in this episode: When does a new business need to start thinking about sales tax? What are economic nexus thresholds and how do they vary by state? Does physical presence (employees, inventory) trigger sales tax obligations? How often should I review my sales tax compliance setup? What happens if I ignore sales tax notices or never address compliance? Can sales tax issues affect an M&A deal or company acquisition? How much does it cost to fix sales tax problems reactively vs. proactively? 🔍 Learn about our Sales Tax Nexus and Taxability services → https://sales.tax/services/nexus-and-taxability/ 📌 See how Acima saved hundreds of thousands and supported a $1.65B acquisition → https://sales.tax/client-stories/acima/ 📌 See how Sports Research saved over $4,000,000 in fees and penalties → https://sales.tax/client-stories/sports-research/ 🎙️ Hear Jason Parr on The Go-to-Market Podcast explain how nexus has changed: "Nexus used to be about where you conducted business. Now it's all based on where your customers are located." → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEdaGo4pVfU&list=PL7A8ewX5HdTLMsdEmFrIotm3IqPQn8yKO&index=6 Don't let sales tax smolder beneath your business. Whether you're a startup entering the US market or an established company that hasn't reviewed your setup in years, a quick conversation could save you from a six- or seven-figure surprise. 📅 Book a Demo for more customized help 💼 Find us on LinkedIn

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About

Sales tax has been breaking businesses since before the internet existed. The Sales Tax People have been fixing that since 1992. With 35,000+ projects completed, $100.5 million in sales tax saved, and experience across 13,000+ states and jurisdictions, we've seen it all — and we talk about it every week. The Sales Tax People Podcast is your front-row seat to real conversations with the people who live and breathe sales tax. Danny Wright, Jason Parr, and Paul Johnson go roundtable on new legislation, industry know-how, and the kind of stories that only come from three decades in the trenches. Plus, we sit down with business owners and entrepreneurs to hear their journeys — and the moments where getting sales tax right changed everything. No textbooks. No panic. Just the people who've done this 35,000 times, breaking it down for you.

Information

  • Creator
    The Sales Tax People
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Sales Tax People Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Sales Tax People Podcast