From "rags to riches"; a Humboldt County entrepreneur shares his success story

John Fullerton was was raised by a single mom who was a school teacher. “We were so poor that my younger brother and I literally put cardboard in our shoes to make them last longer,” said Fullerton.

This did not deter him from rising above his humble circumstances to being a successful local business owner today. Surviving 32 years in Humboldt County speaks to Fullerton’s determination and success.

By the time he was a Junior in College, he had five other students working for him part time and they did yard maintenance service as well as trash hauling.  At the start of his Senior year in college, he sold the business and lived off that sale and his savings.  He continued to work four hours per month doinga bookkeeping job for a teacher’s union.  This was to to concentrate on school as he had 18 units for the last two semesters.

Fullerton paid all his own expenses during college.   His first accounting job after graduation was “a pay cut from my trash hauling days!”

Fullerton opened his current business in May 1983.  “The first month in business I grossed $25 before expenses. My first client paid me $15 to balance his check register.”

“I wanted to frame that first check and put it on my wall like some local retail stores do with their first dollar,  but I needed the money.  So I cashed it and a month later I called the client. He got the cancelled check from the bank and gave it to me.   It is now framed & hung on my office wall.”

Today Fullerton’s business consists of almost 100 business clients and over 1,300 individual clients. He currently employs seven full-time and two part-time people.

Fullerton has lived in Eureka since 1976 and  has volunteered in the local community for 37 years. This includes the Eureka Planning Commission, Eureka School Board, Eureka Chamber of Commerce, CASA, Rotary Club of Eureka, South Bay School Board Member, Redwood Acres Fair Board, Humboldt County Budget Oversight Committee, Humboldt County Community Budget Task Force, Humboldt CPA/LAW Review Advisory Board Member , Citizen's Advisory Committee (Eureka area), Inmate Welfare Fund Committee, Eureka Heritage Society,  Redwood Community Action Agency,  Humboldt Historical Society and others listed on his website.

To contact him, call (707) 444-3874 or visit www.fullerton-cpa.com for more information.