Export Advisors

What Export Advisors does

Export Advisors is a Houston, Texas-based professional services firm that has specialized exclusively in the IC-DISC (Interest Charge Domestic International Sales Corporation) tax incentive since its founding in 2006 by serial entrepreneur David Spray. The firm partners with privately-held U.S. exporters—typically those with annual exports exceeding $3 million—to convert what would otherwise be ordinary-rate taxable export income into qualifying-dividend-rate income routed through an IC-DISC entity, with typical clients realizing $100,000+ in net annual tax savings. The company serves a horizontal market across six industry verticals: scrap and recycling, precious metals, aircraft parts, agriculture, commodities, and manufacturers.

The firm's core technology is a proprietary Transaction-by-Transaction (TxT) analysis system, comprising specialized database software and algorithms that test 18 different commission calculation methodologies at the individual invoice line-item level and select the optimal combination to maximize IC-DISC commissions. The company claims this TxT approach produces commissions approximately 3X greater than simple blended calculations. Export Advisors delivers its services through three subscription tiers—Basic (guidance-only), Premium (outsourced management), and Concierge (fully turnkey including TxT optimization, compliance, and IRS audit defense)—all billed annually.

Commercially, Export Advisors operates a sales-led, consultative GTM targeting business owners who are typically unaware of the IC-DISC incentive. Lead generation is driven by content marketing (industry-specific guides, FAQs, savings calculators), organic search, and a strong referral network of CPAs, accountants, and attorneys who recognize they lack the IC-DISC expertise to serve exporting clients in-house. The firm works alongside (not displacing) clients' existing CPA relationships, with geographic coverage nationwide across the United States and all sales/service delivery handled directly from Houston with no third-party resellers or distribution channels.

Name

Export Advisors

Legal name

Export Advisors

Website

https://exportadvisors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Export Advisors is a Houston-based specialty tax consultancy that helps privately-held U.S. exporters save over $100,000 per year through IC-DISC formation, optimization using proprietary Transaction-by-Transaction analysis, and ongoing compliance management across six industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Export Tax Advisory Services

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfer Pricing & International Tax Services (BPAHABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade, Export Controls & Customs Compliance (BPAHAFAN)

Keywords

• IC-DISC tax advisory
• Export tax incentives
• IC-DISC administration
• Export tax planning
• IC-DISC compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. IC-DISC Advisory Services: Export Advisors generates revenue through service fees for IC-DISC formation, administration, and ongoing management. The company offers three tiers (Basic, Premium, Concierge) with corresponding fee structures. Services include IC-DISC setup, annual commission calculation and optimization using TxT analysis, compliance management, and IRS audit defense. Revenue is recurring as clients pay annual fees for ongoing IC-DISC management and optimization services. The company does not charge based on a percentage of savings but rather fixed service fees for each tier.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Export Advisors partners with privately-held U.S. exporters to increase their after-tax income by setting up, administering, and optimizing the IC-DISC (Interest Charge Domestic International Sales Corporation) tax incentive. The firm delivers its services through three tiers — Basic, Premium, and Concierge — that handle IC-DISC formation, annual commission calculation and optimization via proprietary Transaction-by-Transaction (TxT) analysis, ongoing compliance, and IRS audit defense. Services are targeted at companies exporting more than $3 million annually in U.S.-manufactured products.

Product overview

Export Advisors offers a unified IC-DISC tax savings advisory service with three service tiers (Basic, Premium, and Concierge) designed for different client needs and engagement levels. The company provides industry-specific advisory services across six sectors: Scrap Exporters, Precious Metals Exporters, Aircraft Parts Exporters, Agriculture Exporters, Commodity Exporters, and Manufacturers. Alongside service tiers, Export Advisors provides free educational resources including a 5-Step Guide, Entrepreneur's Guide, and Risk Awareness Guide, plus a self-service savings calculator. The portfolio is unified around the core IC-DISC qualification, optimization, and compliance service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves $100,000+ per year in net tax savings for typical qualifying exporter (annual exports of $3M+)
• +6 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• KBKG: KBKG is a tax specialty firm well known for credits and incentives (R&D, IC-DISC, Cost Segregation). It directly competes with Export Advisors for IC-DISC administration work among middle-market exporters, offering overlapping services with a similar transaction-level optimization approach.

Broad incumbents

• RSM US: RSM US serves the middle market with tax advisory services including IC-DISC structuring. It competes for the same privately-held U.S. exporter customers but as part of a much broader tax and consulting portfolio.
• Cherry Bekaert: Cherry Bekaert is a mid-market accounting and tax advisory firm with an international tax practice that addresses IC-DISC qualification and administration. It competes on overlapping exporter clients while serving broader tax and assurance needs.
• KPMG US: KPMG is a Big 4 firm with a global international tax practice that includes IC-DISC advisory. It addresses IC-DISC for larger exporters and multinationals but does not specialize narrowly in privately-held middle-market exporters.
• Ernst & Young (EY): EY's international tax services include IC-DISC planning and compliance for exporters. It is a broad incumbent serving larger clients and does not focus exclusively on privately-held mid-market exporters the way Export Advisors does.
• Deloitte Tax: Deloitte's international tax practice handles IC-DISC structuring as part of its broader tax services for large and middle-market companies. It is a broad incumbent rather than a focused specialist competing with Export Advisors.
• Ryan, LLC: Ryan is one of the largest U.S. tax services and tax-credits firms and operates an IC-DISC practice within its broader credits-and-incentives portfolio. It is a broader incumbent that competes for IC-DISC engagements but does not specialize exclusively in the program.
• BDO USA: BDO USA is a top-10 accounting and tax advisory firm that provides IC-DISC advisory as part of its international tax practice. It competes with Export Advisors on mid-market and larger exporters but treats IC-DISC as one offering among many.
• PwC US: PwC provides international tax advisory including IC-DISC services to exporters as part of its broader tax portfolio. It competes for IC-DISC work opportunistically rather than as a dedicated specialist practice.
• Crowe LLP: Crowe is a top-10 accounting and advisory firm with international tax capabilities including IC-DISC services. It competes for exporter clients with broader-relationship tax advisory offerings rather than IC-DISC specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/export_advisors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Export Advisors