Most executives don’t think about grants or tax credits until someone points them out. By then, the opportunity is usually gone. Julio Gonzalez noticed that pattern early—and built his career on staying ahead of it.
As Founder and CEO of Engineered Tax Services (ETS), Gonzalez has spent over two decades helping businesses navigate the tangled world of federal incentives, energy credits, and cost-segregation strategies. His approach is simple: incentives aren’t luck. They’re signals. Companies that learn to read them early gain a competitive edge, while the rest scramble.
Moving Beyond Compliance
For years, incentives were treated as paperwork. Companies saw them as optional extras, compliance items at the bottom of a to-do list. Gonzalez rejects that mindset. He treats incentives as a blueprint for decision-making.
“Most businesses react after the fact,” Gonzalez says. “The ones that win position themselves long before anyone opens an application window.” That philosophy has shaped ETS into the nation’s largest specialty tax engineering firm. It doesn’t just recover value—it teaches companies how to operate in a way that qualifies them for incentives before the application is even released.
Timing Is Everything
Borrowing is expensive. Investors are cautious. Growth capital is scrutinized more than celebrated. In that climate, non-dilutive funding—like grants or credits—doesn’t just supplement growth; it becomes a strategy. Gonzalez points out that companies often miss incentives not because they don’t qualify, but because they wait for headlines before taking action. His upcoming book, Business Grants and Strategic Access, emphasizes preparation over reaction.
“People assume incentives are for someone else—big corporations, energy giants, tech firms. That assumption alone costs millions,” he says.
What Sets Grant-Ready Companies Apart
In his previous books, Why Billionaires Love the Tax Code and Grant Equality, Gonzalez focused on who had access to incentives. Now, he zeroes in on structure and readiness. Companies that succeed consistently demonstrate:
- Disciplined, clear financial records
- Documented innovation or expansion efforts
- Long-term operational planning
- Alignment with public policy outcomes, not just internal urgency
“Grants aren’t about luck—they’re about readiness,” Gonzalez explains. “You can be a small business with big preparation, and you’ll beat a giant that’s unorganized.”
Changing the Conversation
Ultimately, Gonzalez isn’t calling for more funding. He’s calling for literacy. Incentives aren’t advantages—they’re instructions. Governments design them to reward specific behaviors. Businesses that internalize that stop reacting and start aligning their operations strategically.
Those who dismiss grants won’t fail because the system excludes them—they’ll fail because they never learned how to engage it. For Gonzalez, the opportunity gap is widening, and the companies that close it first will define the next wave of growth.
For More Information
Company: Engineered Tax Services
Founder & CEO: Julio Gonzalez
Author: Why Billionaires Love the Tax Code, Grant Equality
Upcoming Book: Business Grants and Strategic Access
Website: engineeredtaxservices.com
Location: West Palm Beach, USA
Credits: KR Media Group
