Episode 5

full
Published on:

21st Sep 2020

The Importance Of Your Network, A Discussion With Janette Lohman

In this episode of the SALTovation podcast, we speak with Janette Lohman, who is an industry leader with state and local tax, and our very own Judy Vorndran.

Janette shares her story of practicing law in various areas in the industry for over 30 years. She also shares why it’s important to continue to nurture her connections in this collaborative industry and why people want to be on her famous cookie list.


Listen to how to be resourceful and quick to adapt when tackling an issue for your client.


Questions asked and answered in this Episode:


  • How did Janette initially get in state and local tax and what opportunities opened up for her as a result of progressing through her career?


  • Is it a conflict of interest to work at an accounting firm rather than a law firm?


  • Why do we think it’s a clerical, unimportant thing to have someone help with sales tax revenue?


  • What can a community of state and local tax professionals do to carry the momentum to make us better?

What You Will Discover:


  • [01:33] Janette shares how she started her 30-year long career with state and local tax


  • [09:27] What were the hardest two years of her life


  • [10:04] What is the origin of her famous cookie list


  • [15:31] How the relationships in SALT matter in the industry


  • [21:32] What is the most important thing Janette learned from being Director of Revenue


  • [22:59] Why it’s better to work out the issues at the audit level


  • [28:54] Why it’s important to adapt in the business


  • [36:46] How Janette helps people that were affected by COVID-19

Quotables:


  • “I think that state and local tax is probably the best kept secret in all of the world, let alone the tax, because it’s different. It’s varied. It’s wild.” - Janette Lohman [03:48]


  • “If you’re in a situation where you have no business of your own, your best source of business is your other partners.” - Janette Lohman [09:49]


  • “The only trick to selling business is that it’s what can you do for them and who are your clients and what are their needs, not your needs. Your needs are totally irrelevant.” - Janette Lohman [12:24]


  • “If it’s in your own best interest because I guarantee you, you need to go up the system level by level without offending anyone along the way because if you want to get something resolved successfully, you have to work through the system.” - Janette Lohman [22:29]


  • “We have no competitors in this industry. We have only colleagues.” - Janette Lohman [28:20]

Relevant Links:


Website: https://www.thompsoncoburn.com/people/janette-lohman


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janette-lohman-359548


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Talk To A Tax Advocate Today

TaxOps Website: https://taxops.com/contact/


Production Support

This episode was produced with support from Truth Work Media. www.truthworkmedia.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Advanced Sales and Use Tax Workshop

Take your sales tax to the next level at Advanced Sales and Use Tax Workshop, February 19-21 in Nashville. Diane Yetter and the Sales Tax Institute’s industry-leading faculty provide individualized training, valuable resources, and practical solutions. Expand your network and earn 23 CPE credits. Visit the link in the show notes and use the code SALTOV10 for 10% off. Save your spot now!" https://keap.page/xp141/saltovation-podcast.htm

Use Tax Workshop

SALT Contact

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About the Podcast

SALTovation: Making Sense of State and Local Tax
Welcome to SALTovation. The SALTovation show is a podcast series featuring the leading voices in state and local tax (SALT). Here we talk about issues, strategies, and planning tools to help you make sense of SALT. Because, in SALT, there is no “one and done.” SALT is a puzzle of ever-changing pieces. Solving that puzzle is our business at SALTovation. Tens of thousands of listeners know they won't get tax talk as usual with the SALTovation team. Our team is known for straight-talk with a flair for fun, providing clarity and opinions that move businesses forward with confidence.

Attorney, CPA, speaker, and writer Judy Vorndran leads the SALTovation team as they go inside business to help deal with the daily operations and long-term strategies of making SALT less “taxing.” Judy has spent more than 25 years advocating for businesses with innovative strategies, renowned knowledge and experience. She has helped guide thousands of taxpayers across the nation and globally through the morass of SALT, freeing them to concentrate on growth. Joining Judy are the wickedly smart members of the SALTovation team, who have seen, worked with and tamed some of the most prickly issues in SALT. They enjoy sharing their stories and knowledge with listeners.

Solving the SALT puzzle doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it takes a community. So, we invite leaders in business and state and local tax to share their stories, challenges and successes on this show. Drop us a line at SALTovation.com if you'd like to join the conversation and tune into our regular series at TaxOps.com.