Inspiring Conversations with Mia Johnson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Johnson.

Hi Mia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. I started working at the age of 12 at a daycare close to my home during the summers. I knew at an early age I enjoyed my independence and earning my own money. After graduating from undergrad with my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Northwood University (Midland, MI), I moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 2009. When I moved to Atlanta, I didn’t have a job but I did have a plan. I applied for jobs all day for two weeks.

By the third week, I had several job offers. I didn’t quite know what the future would look like professionally for me at that time, but I did know I wanted to be successful and in the accounting industry. My first real break came in 2012. I got a call about a data entry position at a refrigerator manufacturing plant. Initially, I was very uninterested. My mother pushed me to go interview and reminded me you have to start somewhere. After interviewing, the company offered me the job but changed the title to a Junior Accountant after learning of my educational background and experience. This is where my accounting career started. I swiftly moved up to a cost accountant. My manager at the time was pretty tough on me but she taught me a lot. Some of the same tools she taught me back then I apply in my companies today. I’m extremely grateful that I took that job offer because truly that’s when I identified with my own talent and capabilities in the workforce. While working in this position in 2012, I met my now husband and we began to date. And of course, he proposed six months later, lol. I guess he liked me a little bit, lol. In Spring 2013, I was offered a position with another company as a financial analyst. This was my first major role in my career. To be honest, I thought I had officially made it and I hadn’t even started. The job offer came with many perks such as a company credit card, travel, and a little freedom.

During this time, I found out I was expecting my first child. Although I was enjoying my career, I was extremely excited about becoming a wife and a new mom. I worked up until two weeks before I delivered and went on maternity leave right after. At that time, my job was forcing me to return back to work. I wasn’t comfortable leaving my children at such a young age. Essentially, this is where my entrepreneurial journey began. I left the company and started doing contract accounting work for larger firms. During this time, my mother suggested that I started my own accounting practice or credit repair company. I thought it was an amazing idea but I didn’t know where to get started and my husband and I had just found out we were expecting our second child. I returned to work after having my second child and realized I was unfulfilled and missing out on a very important stage of my children’s life. I realized it was time for me to take a step out on faith and to reclaim my time and build something of my own. I rented my first office space without having any clients. I was not only dedicated to getting my own accounting practice off the ground I was motivated to fulfill a dream I always had. A major force behind me leaving corporate America was that I wanted to be available to my children. I wanted to be there for their first steps, first words, and be present during this stage in their life. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do that working the hours I had been working.

From there, I decided to scale my business and start a sister company Tax Pros Are Us for individuals like myself. I offered Income Tax Training Courses, Software, Mentorship, Bank Products and more. One day I watched a podcast regarding the trucking industry in 2021. After watching the podcast, I said to myself “girl you can do this lol”! I said to myself “How cool would that be to be a woman in the trucking industry”. I was so intrigued by the industry that I called one of my truck driver clients and expressed my interest. I decided to purchase an introductory course into the trucking industry. I dedicated my spring and summer of 2021 to finding my new company MJ Freight Carriers a semi-truck. On June 22, 2021 I purchased my first semi-truck. During this summer, I also started a real estate investment company for my two boys called Johnson Brother Investment Group. I purchased my boys their first rental property in Warren, Michigan. With all that I’ve been doing over the years, it has truly been by God’s grace. He truly gave me the vision and the perseverance to push through during some really tough and uncertain times. None of this was by mistake he has had his hand on me the entire time and I’m so grateful for that.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course not, there have been many bumps in the road. A few of the biggest hurdles I’ve encountered were learning how to scale a business and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Another is time management and prioritizing. The last is Delegating. It has been extremely hard for me to learn to get help and relinquish some of my workload. Once you successfully learn how to run a business, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re in you have the tools and knowledge to run a business. Your business becomes successful when you can take your hands off of the day to day work and your business still thrives.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
MJ Financial Solutions is my baby. This is what birthed every other company I have. My mother helped me name the company. My best friend allowed me to run ideas by her every single day. My husband would wear my branded shirts and put out street signs to promote my business. This company is truly where it all started. I offer Bookkeeping, Payroll, Notary, ITIN Services and Tax Preparation.

The sister company Tax Pros Are Us offers Income Tax Software, Bank Products, Income Tax Training Courses and Mentorship. This company is also very dear to me. It allows me to partner with like-minded individuals and help them scale their new or existing company while building lasting relationships.

MJ Freight Carriers is my new endeavor. We transport freight across the US. My goal is to scale my company and own a fleet of Semi Trucks.

Johnson Brothers Investment Group is a company that brings me so much joy. This is an investment group that entails investing in rental properties and land. I started this company to build generational wealth for my two boys and to show them what hard work and dedication looks like. It’s important to me that my kids understand how to build wealth for themselves and eventually their own families. My hope is that I can set the foundation and they can build from there.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
God deserves all the credit. He has placed people in my life that have helped me along this journey. I have to start with my husband who has really showed up for me while building my companies. I started without clients. That was a huge transition and sacrifice leaving my job with no pay. It has not been easy. He would put out street signs and wear my branded TShirts everywhere he went. He would encourage me and remind me that I was built for this and to keep going. He has really had to have my back during all the stages that come with starting a new business and I couldn’t be more grateful. My mother has always reminded that whatever I wanted out of life, I could have. Whenever I would consider giving it up, she would give me a bit of tough love and remind me quitting is not what we do. My mother named my first company. My best friend has been there from the very beginning going over business cards, logos, and branding my business. We would literally sit on the phone for hours going over every detail. My girlfriend village has really showed up for me by listening to all my ideas, helping me implement them or marketing my companies to others. Lastly, my Tax Pro Partners have been amazing. I truly enjoy working with each of them. There is no way I could have built all of this by myself and I appreciate each individual that has joined this ride with me.

Contact Info:

• Email: admin@taxprosareus.com
• Website: www.taxprosareus.com
• Instagram: justcallmemimi
• Facebook: Tax Pros Are Us