Ken Coelho

Partner, Armanino Advisory LLC

If it can be done, we can do it.

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Bio

Meet Ken

Ken has over 20 years of experience in public accounting,18 of them associated with business management services. He specializes in the entertainment industry, Business Improvement Districts, high-net-worth individuals, and small businesses and their owners. Ken’s expertise is in identifying his clients’ accounting and finance needs and tailoring unique solutions. He acts as personal CFO for many of his clients by structuring business entities, managing day-to-day finances, providing investment and cash flow analysis, implementing retirement plans, overseeing insurance needs, and tax planning. Ken is a licensed CPA and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire and attended postgraduate studies at UCLA.

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Experience

Professional History

Associations

  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • California Society of Certified Public Accountants


Community

  • Board of Directors of The Art of Elysium

Education

  • University of New Hampshire

Experience

  • Singer Lewak

Honors/Awards

  • Variety’s Business Managers Elite 2020, 2021

Q&A

Q. What is it that first drew you to serve the entertainment industry?
In college I was a theatre major with a minor in accounting. So right from the start you can see how these two very different worlds, the arts and accounting, were converging for me. After graduating I started a theatre company with some friends and found myself handling most of the business matters. Eventually I moved to Los Angeles, joined a talent agency, went back to school and took my CPA exam. I had some friends whose television careers were taking off and I started to assist them with their planning. Next thing you know I made a career out of business management in the entertainment industry and I haven’t looked back.
Q. Without naming names, tell us about your favorite client and why you enjoyed working with them.
A client who became a great friend. As is the nature of the industry, their career had its peaks and valleys. Sometimes when times were tough, we’d have to arrange to borrow money. Once things turned around for them, we’d meet every six months to plan out a path for success by paying back the debt, buying a house, setting up college savings plans for their kids, saving for retirement, buying their parents a home, etc. Over the past decade they’ve reached the point where they’ve achieved what they set out to do. The satisfaction of helping this person and their family and getting to know them on a personal level has been great.
Q. What is your role at Armanino?
I am the leader of the business management practice and serve on the firm’s executive committee. I ensure that we have the right technology and resources to serve our clients in order to be responsive and available to our clients any time they need us.
Q. Describe your work style.
My work style reflects my commitment to teamwork and a “can do” attitude. I truly believe we succeed when we look out for each other and collaborate in a fair and honest environment. There’s no job too big or too small for my team. If it can be done, we can do it.
Q. What’s your proudest moment?
The process of remaining true to myself.
Q. If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to aspiring accountants or consultants, what would that be?
Care about and respect your clients and your colleagues. It takes a lot of different people with different skills coming together to create success, so it’s important to work well with others. Have confidence in yourself and speak up when you need to.
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Industries Served
Ken's Thought Leadership
5 Entertainment Industry Trends That Can Impact Your Income and Image in 2024
Article
Trends like AI, new influencer payout models and noncompete laws can have big financial implications for entertainers.

November 27, 2023
Blog articles
Article
This article focuses on non-resident entertainers coming to the U.S. to work on short-term projects and not on non-resi...