Karen Reese(V)
- Director
- Producer
Karen Criswell Reese is a film maker, entrepreneur, community cheerleader, wife, mother, and sports enthusiast.
She was born and raised in Morrilton, Arkansas, to a single mother and is the oldest of 5 kids. She started college at the University of Central Arkansas but later moved to California in1989 to start a new future. In 2004, she relocated to DeSoto, Texas from Carson, California with her husband of almost 28 years, Pete Reese, along with our three daughters and one son. She created a rainbow of businesses, ranging from tax services to film production to event coordination.
Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves In 1986 I worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves.
She began volunteering for the DeSoto Football Booster Club in 2011, and continued to do so four years after her son graduated. She grew to love all kids from DeSoto and the community. She is the #1 fan of DeSoto Football and have the championship ring to prove it. This love for serving football players & parents grew into the importance of giving back information & sharing their stories to the parents who are coming behind them. This gave birth to the name Can I Play brand which seeks to encourage our adults to 1) educate, 2) equip, 3) empower, 4) inspire, and 5) lead, by introducing a modernized perspective and created a promo video and training video to teach athlete. She also started a documentary series about sports and the community called "PATH the Draft:7 DeSoto Players. Before retiring from Donnelley Financial in 2020, She launched "Can We Talk Sports," a sports talk show hosted by moms of athletes. She also help organized the first Adult Prom of Dallas in 2017 which attracted more than 1,000 paid attendees. She help others in the community with organizing events, and helped with the Pure Elegance fashion show hosted by Isy Fashion. With four children of her own to support, along with a grandchild that she keep close to my heart, and community efforts, it is important for her to give back to our youth. She strive to make a difference in the community that will impact generations for years to come. With the heart of the community and family, Terry Baccus reached out to her and wanted her to help tell the story of Greenwood, this gave birth to Greenwood Ave Project "From the People, For the People" documentary. This also gave her the love to bring stories to life, this birthed her doing a documentary about her uncle "I've Got One More In Me" .
She was born and raised in Morrilton, Arkansas, to a single mother and is the oldest of 5 kids. She started college at the University of Central Arkansas but later moved to California in1989 to start a new future. In 2004, she relocated to DeSoto, Texas from Carson, California with her husband of almost 28 years, Pete Reese, along with our three daughters and one son. She created a rainbow of businesses, ranging from tax services to film production to event coordination.
Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves Karen worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves In 1986 I worked as a waitress at Shoney Restaurant from ages 18 to 21, and had a favorite customer that loved her. This gracious patron, Donna, was a CPA and gave Karen a job to work during tax seasons, planting the first seed for Karen's interest in doing taxes. Donna taught Karen how to manually prepare taxes 16 years ago. Karen never imagined that she'd one day own her own tax business, as for years she'd been seeking out services from H&R Block just like everyone else, because she was under the impression that it would cost millions of dollars to own a company. In 2004, Dee Smith Grigsby said, "You can do taxes as a business", and so Karen stepped out and never looked back, establishing KOAR Fast Tax in 2005. Karen has been able to serve more than 100 versatile clients nationwide through her independent tax preparation services. Karen is finally running a business just like Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Liberty Tax and many others, and is proud to inspire other working mothers to aspire for similar independence for themselves.
She began volunteering for the DeSoto Football Booster Club in 2011, and continued to do so four years after her son graduated. She grew to love all kids from DeSoto and the community. She is the #1 fan of DeSoto Football and have the championship ring to prove it. This love for serving football players & parents grew into the importance of giving back information & sharing their stories to the parents who are coming behind them. This gave birth to the name Can I Play brand which seeks to encourage our adults to 1) educate, 2) equip, 3) empower, 4) inspire, and 5) lead, by introducing a modernized perspective and created a promo video and training video to teach athlete. She also started a documentary series about sports and the community called "PATH the Draft:7 DeSoto Players. Before retiring from Donnelley Financial in 2020, She launched "Can We Talk Sports," a sports talk show hosted by moms of athletes. She also help organized the first Adult Prom of Dallas in 2017 which attracted more than 1,000 paid attendees. She help others in the community with organizing events, and helped with the Pure Elegance fashion show hosted by Isy Fashion. With four children of her own to support, along with a grandchild that she keep close to my heart, and community efforts, it is important for her to give back to our youth. She strive to make a difference in the community that will impact generations for years to come. With the heart of the community and family, Terry Baccus reached out to her and wanted her to help tell the story of Greenwood, this gave birth to Greenwood Ave Project "From the People, For the People" documentary. This also gave her the love to bring stories to life, this birthed her doing a documentary about her uncle "I've Got One More In Me" .