About us

Our firm provides federal and California tax advisory and compliance services to business owners, executives, and high‑net‑worth individuals throughout the United States and internationally. 

 

 

High-net-worth individuals and business owners routinely waste critical hours playing telephone between separate bookkeepers, payroll processors, tax CPAs, and legal counsel. We eliminated that friction. We have brought the elite Business Management Model directly to our clients, acting as your centralized financial quarterback. Through a single point of contact, we seamlessly integrate your bookkeeping, payroll, tax compliance, and forward-looking advisory. Where your internal footprint ends, our network begins—providing trusted business referrals to top-tier financial advisors and attorneys to ensure your entire wealth ecosystem is completely aligned.

 

 

 

Meet Our Staff:

 

Persida Matei, CPA, MST

 

Persida founded Matei & Co. on the principle that elite financial strategy should create the freedom for a life well-lived. A fixture in the financial landscape since 2008, Persida built her professional foundation on a standard of relentless precision: she earned her Master of Science in Taxation with a 4.0 GPA while simultaneously managing a full-time career in public accounting and passing all four sections of the CPA exam on her first attempt.

 

Before dedicating her practice to accounting and taxation, Persida held Series 7 and Series 66 licenses for financial advising. She currently focuses on providing 360‑degree business services to her clients through in‑house resources and professional colleague referrals, enabling them to rely on one source for all their financial needs. Persida’s passion is helping businesses start, grow, and thrive.

 

As a pianist and singer, Persida operates at the intersection of structure and soul. Her right-brain/left-brain approach allows her to move fluidly between the rigid architecture of the tax code and the intuitive flow of the arts. This duality allows her to translate complex financial concepts for entrepreneurs and entertainers alike, bridging the gap between "number-crunching" and visionary growth.

 

Persida’s perspective is shaped by her journey from Romania during the communist regime to the vast opportunities of the United States. This history fuels her belief that hard work, education, and self-investment are the ultimate drivers of freedom. Today, she balances her life between two distinct sanctuaries: living and working "above the clouds" in the San Bernardino Mountains, and navigating the coastal waters of Southern California on the weekends. By deeply embedding herself in the maritime community, she brings genuine, first-hand operational insight to clients navigating the complex world of luxury asset management and marine taxation.

 

 

Olga Ishtykova, Supervisory Accountant

 

Olga Ishtykova is a Supervisory Accountant at Matei & Co., bringing more than 20 years of accounting experience to the firm. She joined Matei & Co. in 2015, bringing a deep wealth of experience from her previous roles as an internal accountant at AlterWest, and a bookkeeper at Eppendorf Public Accountancy in Beverly Hills, CA.

 

Olga earned a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with Distinction from Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics in 2002. In 2014, she received a Master of Arts degree in Financial Economics from California State University, Los Angeles, where she was awarded Special Recognition in Graduate Studies.

 

At Matei & Co., Olga oversees key firm functions, including sales and use tax compliance, business license applications and renewals, business property tax filings, 1099 preparation and supervision, bookkeeping review and supervision, QuickBooks advisory services, and payroll oversight.

 

Outside of work, Olga enjoys nature documentaries and has a particular fascination with the lives of prehistoric cave dwellers.

Cheri Heimerl, Bookkeeper

 

Cheri Heimerl joined Matei & Co in 2019, and brings over 20 years of experience in accounting and administrative services. As a former business owner, she understands the operational and financial challenges businesses face and has provided bookkeeping support to organizations ranging from small businesses to larger enterprises. Cheri combines technical expertise with a personable approach to help streamline financial processes and improve efficiency.

 

Cheri is experienced with QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Online, and Xero. She supports clients with monthly bookkeeping, expense classification, bank and credit card reconciliations, payroll reconciliations, and assistance with accountable plans. In addition, she manages client communications related to financial data, prepares monthly financial statements, and assists clients with navigating their secure client portals.

 

Cheri is dedicated to delivering high‑quality work and continuously developing her professional skills so she can provide the best possible support to the clients she serves.