Today we’d like to introduce you to Mignon Williams.
Mignon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my career as a banker with Bank of America. I graduated from Alabama A&M University with a degree in Marketing and to be honest, I really wasn’t thrilled to be in finance or banking from the start. I always saw bankers as boring people but I grew fond of my clients and really loved helping and educating people on their finances. After a few years in retail banking, I was promoted to small business and commercial banking, with my latest position being a Vice President of Commercial Card for a West Coast bank. One day at work, I had a conversation with a client about how she made $50K with her tax business in four months. That was around the same time I recall scrolling Instagram when I came across a post from this guy named Donnell Morris (@princedonnell) about opening a tax business and I was intrigued. He posted that he was looking for people interested in opening a tax business as a partner with his company Jumping Jack Tax (@jumpingjacktax).
I immediately went on the website, filled out the application and waited for a callback. A few days later and still no call. I’m a pretty persistent person so I messaged him like “Yo! What’s up?! I filled out the application to start my tax business. Who do I talk to for the next steps?” He immediately messaged me back with his office number and after a 45 minutes conversation, I made the bold move to invest in my own Jumping Jack Tax office. I was one of the first to join Jumping Jack Tax back in February 2019 so I’ve literally been there to see the company grow from grassroots and it’s been a beautiful journey. In March 2019, I was asked to come on as an Executive Partner to help recruit and grow more partner offices around the country in addition to building my tax business. So I not only run Tyler Tax Service, but I also bring new interested people in as partner offices.
As a Jumping Jack Tax Partner, my company Tyler Tax Service prides itself on customer service, financial education and a commitment to excellence. I really believe my roots in banking helped lay the groundwork for those principles. Whether you are a walk-in client or a virtual appointment, my staff and I take our time to educate you about taxes and how they specifically relate to you. We break down each part of your 1040 so you understand your taxes and can plan for each upcoming tax season. I will also attribute my extreme attention to detail and accuracy to my banking background. Man, I remember those days in the bank where my manager would not let us leave if a teller’s drawer didn’t balance! So I’m a stickler when it comes to the numbers on my clients’ returns.
With the recent change in our world in response to COVID-19, the tax industry has seen unprecedented changes. Unlike a lot of businesses at this time, we’re actually experiencing an increase in sales and revenues because people are frantically looking for a tax company to trust AND that is virtual. We were ahead of the “Stay Home” curve way before the pandemic became what it is today and because we are a needs-based business that caters to the convenience of what our clients are looking for, we were able to capitalize off of providing Virtual Tax Services. Top that off with the huge community of professional, supportive and collaborative Jumping Jack Tax partners across the country, it’s a win-win for everyone. Joining Jumping Jack Tax and starting my own tax office is absolutely the best business decision I’ve made.
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?
Just with any business or new venture there will be ups and downs. One of the biggest challenges for me in the beginning was getting through Income Tax School. We jokingly call it Harvard School of Taxation and Accounting because we felt like we were sitting for the CPA Exam or the Bar. That thing was BRUTAL, okay?! But we made it. To be honest, that was just the beginning of the challenges because once we really get into tax season, I have to wear A LOT of hats. As I mentioned before, I’m a marketing major and with this business, how you market and differentiate yourself is critical to your success. So outside of doing returns, I was the graphic designer, web developer, direct mail campaign manager, email campaign manager, social media manager, event and promotion manager. Add that to doing customer service and follow up calls, collections (yes, we have customers that don’t pay like any business and that’s never fun being the collection agent on the phone! LOL). It can be a lot at times. And exhausting. And now that we are in the trenches navigating a COVID-19 plan, our attention has pivoted a quite a bit. Everyday there is something new that affects the tax industry and I have to be ON IT to deliver the information to my clients in a way that doesn’t cause panic. The key is staying grounded, having a solid support system and team to back me up. For that, I am extremely grateful.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tyler Tax Service, A Jumping Jack Tax Partner story. Tell us more about the business.
Tyler Tax Service specializes in Individual and Small Business Tax Preparation. Our mission is to educate, equip and empower our community on taxes and finances and to give them the tools and knowledge to make sound financial decisions. Because we are affiliated with Jumping Jack Tax, we are known as the “Uber of Tax Preparation” because we base a majority of our business on Virtual Tax Preparation. Many clients can find us on the Jumping Jack Tax app on either the AppStore or Google Play Store. Once they find us, we reach out, set an appointment and offer a secure platform for them to upload their tax documents. Many of our clients don’t even have to leave their home or office to get their taxes done. What notably sets us apart is that we were pretty much way ahead of the “Stay Home” curve way before the pandemic forced companies and individuals to work from home. We make it safe, easy and convenient for you to get your taxes done. We actually make the process fun because a lot of clients come back and say “Wow I never knew I would be so interested in learning about my taxes like that”.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. Good or bad. I believe in God, having faith, hard work and dedication. I believe in setting measurable and attainable goals and having accountability partners who will make sure you stay on task.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3350 Riverwood Parkway, Suite 1900, Atlanta, GA 30339
- Website: www.TylerTaxService.com
- Phone: 470-898-7885
- Email: info@tylertaxservice.com
- Instagram: @TheTaxDivaATL
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