Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Torres-Perez.
Monica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started MT Business Solutions after I was laid off from my job. I had been in business for 12 years prior to my divorce and when we closed the businesses, I helped 2 of my technicians start their own service company and did their bookkeeping so I wanted to bring my hard-learned lessons and successes to others who were thinking about starting a business or struggling thru the growing years of their business.
I learned through trial and error how to run a business. From using my savings and profit sharing to help with start-up costs, too cold calling for customers, getting fined not having permits or licenses to being stolen from. It was 3 years of being excited, scared and at times feeling defeated and questioning what was I doing?
By year 4, I was starting a golf cart company on top of running my forklift company. I took all the lessons I learned and immediately reaped the rewards! The struggles I had with the first company paid off for my 2nd company. Unfortunately, I never planned or prepared for divorce or losing my key person.
Closing my businesses was just as hard for me as getting a divorce after 18 years and 3 boys. I became depressed and withdrawn but always kept that passion for business in my heart. The hardest part was bringing myself out of that dark pit.
At some point, the thought of being in business for myself was the push and therapy I needed. I was still helping the 2 original technicians with their books so after I was laid off, I decided to do bookkeeping full time. Business took off quickly! Soon, I was helping small business owners incorporate, helping them apply for licenses and permits and helping them with their business and marketing plans. Within the year I was hosting accounting software as well as training employees on it, started a virtual assistance division and the bookkeeping progressed to doing “damage control” accounting. I started doing small business consulting and now offer HR Management, Safety Training and have business attorneys and CPA’s that I work closely with.
Now, my passion is helping women who struggle with their finances. I want to help women who have dreams of owning their own business or are struggling with divorce and all the financial nightmares that come with it. I know what they are going through! I want to educate them, support them emotionally and show them they can and WILL get through it. I want to show them they CAN own their own business and help them get there.
I have been so blessed to be able to fulfill my dream of being in business for myself once again and for it to be successful and I want to pay it forward. Mentoring women and young girls who may not have the role models or the know how to achieve their heart’s dream is the next step for MT Business Solutions.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been a few road bumps. Fortunately for me, I was able to lean on my prior experiences with business struggles and living very lean to get me through it.
As with any business, even one with minimal needs, overhead and start-up costs are the main problem. I work from home and having been laid off with no savings, I still had to figure out how to pay my mortgage and car note. I had to figure out how to buy the licenses or software I needed to get started. I had to buy a printer/scanner as well as other office supplies. I needed business cards. I had to pay to go to networking events to meet people. It may not seem like a lot but when you have no money ….it IS a lot. At that time, I only had unemployment and my 2 clients to help somewhat get by. I got behind on bills. When the unemployment ran out after 6 months it was stressful! But I kept plugging away, posting on Facebook, going to free networking events and it paid off!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go to the MT Business Solutions story. Tell us more about the business.
MT Business is an online and mobile bookkeeping, tax preparation, payroll and small business consulting company. Your office is our office! We also offer virtual administrative assistance. Where there is a question or problem in business, we have a solution!
Our specialty is “damage control” bookkeeping. Business owners don’t always have the time to do their own books and before you know it, half the year if not the whole year, has gone by with no true accounting done. We have carved our niche by taking that burden off the owner. For those who have been audited or owe payroll taxes, we get the books cleaned up, create the tax forms and file the taxes for them. While we do that we educate them by training their employee or employees on the bookkeeping aspect of it as well as put processes in place to avoid trouble in the future.
I have an immense sense of pride when I see my clients happy and now making positive business decisions because of the work I have done for them! Opening a new shop, expanding, hiring an employee all because now they see where and what is going on with their money instead of paying late fees, penalties or just not knowing what it really going on in their business. I can think of no better compliment than when my clients are happy with my work and refer me to others!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
The bad luck of being laid off for the second time since in 3 years actually was a good thing for me. It was the push I needed to jump into going into business again even though at that time I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 832.574.8298
- Email: accounting_taxprep@mtbusinesssolutions.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookkeepinginpearland/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-torres-perez-62b3266/
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
