Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Divina Conaway.
Tina Divina, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a creative being, but also, I am an accountant and just because you wear one hat, does not mean that you can’t wear another, therefore I embrace both. As an accountant, I’m Tina Conaway. I’ve always been great with numbers and always kept a job as a bookkeeper working in various industries. Previously, I worked as an accountant for a property management company in Los Angeles for about 13 years, I was also the head of HR and helped to grow that company into a successful seven-figure firm. While I loved what I did, I still needed a creative outlet. So, as a creative person, I’m Tina Divina (my middle name is Divina and what I’ve used to separate my careers) a writer and poet. I started journaling anything that I was feeling at a very young age and by high school it had morphed into poetry. It was a much-needed outlet to express my emotions. In my writing, I’ve ghostwritten music videos for a few great directors and published three books, two adult poetry (Coffee Table Conversations Volume I and II) and one children’s book (Closet Monsters), all still available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, & Walmart. During this time, a good friend of mine, Claudia Jordan, asked me to co-host on a radio show called “The Claudia Jordan and Friends Show”. That was definitely a lot of fun and lasted two years on The Foxxhole (Jamie Foxx’s radio channel on Sirius/XM). When that show ended, I still continued to write but focused more on my accounting career. In 2018, I met an amazing entrepreneurial woman named Melissa Moore, who similarly had an industry background as an accountant on a popular tv show. She hired me as the Senior Accountant for Moore Money, servicing clients in many different industries and entities from sole prop to C-Corp. After 35+ years in the business, Melissa has decided to plan her retirement. She was searching for buyers of her company and in January of 2022, I became the Owner and CEO of Moore Money LLC. Today we are a successful accounting and business management company servicing all 50 states with a smart and innovative team of all-women bookkeepers. All the while, I have still been writing and I am working on my 4th book due to release winter of ‘23.
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?
I would say my biggest hurdle, was me. Getting out of my own way, trusting in my skillset to leave a company of 13 years for something even better for my life and my family, but not exactly knowing what that “better” was. I am a single mom and the sole provider, having stability is absolutely necessary. So, to act on faith, to know that I was worthy of more, was entirely the motivation. I never knew how I would get to here, owning my business, having employees, having benefits for my employees, I just knew it was the vision. It is amazing the doors that the universe will open for you when you speak it into existence. The companies that I worked for in the past were not kind, you’d bust your ass for someone else’s dream, and you could feel that. I knew, having that experience, that I did not want to be that kind of employer. I wanted people to have input, to be proud of where they worked, to even be happy to come to work (though we all work from home now, and we love that!). Being a mom to an amazing daughter and still finding the time for myself to express myself can be challenging, so I am very proud of the work that I have done and the times that I get to spoil me!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Moore Money is a full-service bookkeeping and business management company. We provide everything from daily cash management to long-term financial planning. Founded in 1986, our team has served a diverse client list that ranges from Sole Proprietors to Limited Liability Companies, from C-Corps to S-Corps – always with a personal touch. We are familiar with the unique needs of law firms and their IOLTA accounts as well as the specialized reporting requirements for Non-Profit 501(c)(3) companies. We work in both cash or accrual accounting and our clients range from law firms to sports agents and film productions. We love and support small businesses like advertising agencies, auto repair shops, chiropractors, electricians, coaches, and many more. Our clients rely on our expertise in bookkeeping & reporting, payroll taxes, health & disability insurance, vacation & sick pay, profit-sharing participation, workers compensation coverage and the whole gamut of professional business management.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Despite always being busy, I absolutely love to cook and do so about 4-5 times per week! I’ve contemplated writing a cook book, but I just hate to measure. Also, several years ago, I was twice featured in a tattoo magazine for my tattoos. Many people do not associate a tatted woman as an accountant, but I’m here to change the narrative.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mooremoney.co/
- Instagram: TinaDivina
- Facebook: TinaDivina
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-d-c-73b5a6176/
- Twitter: TinaDivina
- Youtube: TinaDivina
Image Credits
Lisa Marie Photography
