Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Michel.
Hi Danielle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Danielle Michel, and I’m a serial entrepreneur and go-getter. I’ve always felt like I had an entrepreneurial spirit ever since I was little and this has led me through various business paths. I always knew I was destined to own my own business, with my curiosity and interests leading me down new paths.
I worked my way through college as a business and accounting major while with my cosmetology license as a hairdresser. Within a few months of my first accounting position, I started a business plan to open up a new-age fitness studio. I quit accounting and went full-time to the fitness studio with my college best friend. I ended up going back to accounting and climbed the corporate ladder in a privately owned manufacturing company where I worked my way into becoming a key employee in the accounting and finance world. At the same time, I did this I created 2 companies on my own in 2016. One was a startup called Eye-Temp, built for an invention I created and holding a patent that is still active today. Being the founder of Eye-Temp, a fire-safety IOT (Internet of Things) product, was one of the most thrilling and exciting experiences of my life.
I also founded Manufacturing Tax Recovery Services (MTRS) in 2016 which is the business I still run today. I created this company initially once I realized there was a need for a niche area to help manufacturers understand how to save money through state and federal tax credit and refund programs that are available but very overlooked and very much misunderstood. We’ve branched out to focus on helping all types of businesses across virtually all industries -not just manufacturers- save money through tax credits and refund programs. This helps businesses immediately enhance their cash flow so they can sustain their operations at a more cost-effective method or provides refunds that infuse cash back into their business that can be used at their discretion.
What started as a love for numbers as a kid has turned into a thriving and multi-faceted career that I’m incredibly passionate about and never bored in. The feeling of being the “good guy” when it comes to helping business is the most rewarding. We have saved businesses from closing their doors and helped them prosper and reach new highs.
I now have a podcast: The Upside Downside: a Millennial-Boomer Podcast, with one of my closest friends and co-founder of EyeTemp where we go over real-life business and personal advice that is relatable for all. With an age gap of 33 years between us we provide a broad, intergenerational, and multifaceted perspective on topics that people deal with daily.
My latest passion is real estate and I am currently working on building my portfolio. Currently, I invest in both short-term (BNB) and long-term rentals, house flips, and commercial real estate.
I am also a wife and a mom to 3 beautiful boys that are my greatest accomplishment yet!
I believe that with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn, anyone can achieve their dreams. My story is a testament to that. I’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing people and businesses that I have learned a lot from, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
If there’s one piece of advice I could give to anyone starting, it’s this: never give up on your dreams. Pursue your passions with everything you have, and success will follow.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has been windy and bumpy but looking back, I would do it all over again. Everything that was a challenge along the way has been cultivated in the formula I use now and made me the person I am; never be afraid to say how you truly feel, kindly and pay attention to your gut and those feelings when you feel like you’re settling on something or suppressed in your decision making.
In your personal life and business, you need to make decisions every day and take a stand even if it makes you the odd woman out. But more than anything, it’s been balancing being a business owner, mom, and my own person.
The beauty of running a fully online business is that everyone’s schedule – not just mine – is flexible. You can shape your schedule around your personal life, for me this allows me to schedule around my 3 sons. This is why it’s been so important for me to surround myself with an excellent team.
As you know, we’re big fans of Manufacturing Tax Recovery Services (MTRS). For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
My current company is called Manufacturing Tax Recovery Services, or MTRS, a kick-butt woman-owned and (majority) women-operated specialized tax firm. We’re all about maximizing bottom lines for businesses and keeping costs low through tax credits, refunds, and other incentives.
What makes us different from everyone else? We’re laser-focused on helping businesses succeed through the 3 tax credits we specialize in; the Employee Retention Tax Credit, the Research and Development Tax Credit, and Sales and Use Tax Recovery and we equip our clients and partners with our expert insights and resources to make the most out of these business incentives.
We’re here to make sure businesses get the most bang for their buck and thrive in the US market. We’re so proud of what we do, and the businesses we help while doing it!
What’s next?
I’m a native New Yorker, so moving to South Carolina has been a sunny culture shock in the most rewarding way possible. It’s taught me a lot of lessons that I am taking with me as I expand and grow MTRS in South Carolina. I’m also looking to expand my portfolio in real estate and the hospitality industry, which I’ve already dipped my toes in, but I’m going all in later this year.
I’ve always believed that I was born to be an entrepreneur or a business owner and I felt very much like a “suppressed entrepreneur” when I first started my career, which is why I threw myself into countless ventures, industries, and roles.
Now, I know the word “suppressed” may sound a bit weighty to some folks. After all, different people face various challenges that can oppress them, whether it’s due to their identity, socioeconomic status, or background. But for me, it’s about that universal sense of being confined, like an untapped well of potential waiting to be unleashed.
I’ve become more mindful of my role as a mentor and leader for aspiring female entrepreneurs. This is why I want to put pen to paper and create a literal book—or at least a few pages—to document my journey from an ambitious, suppressed dreamer to a multi-business owner.
I want to provide others who share that entrepreneurial spirit with a starter kit of sorts, a guide on how to spread their wings and embark on their very own journey to entrepreneurship- so stay tuned for a Suppressed Entrepreneur Starter Kit from me! *wink*
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MTRSNow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mtrsnow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075937508971
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/mtrsnow/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MtrsNow
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@theupsidedownsidepodcast3977
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mtrsnow/
Image Credits
Danielle Michels and Eye-Temp
