Today we’d like to introduce you to Silvia Montez.
Hi Silvia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started about 21 years ago, when I move from San Diego to Los Angeles county around April 2004, few months later a neighbor ask me to translate a letter she got since she did not understood English, I did, that letter was from their bank advising that they paid approximately $600 to a tax business that filed their , in their family where 4 that file taxes with the same company and all together they paid over $2,400. I was very sad, they were charge for a service they did not requested and where not told of the price, and from that point on I became an advocate not just for them but for the community, the following year I started filing their taxes, offered support with fill out documents, attending community meetings, being part of neighborhood watch in Bell, Domestic Violence Advocate for Los Angeles, little by little started getting more customers for income tax and then for translation, interpretation, and knowing the need of this services in many underserved communities, I started to acquire different licenses and permits, I become Income Tax Prepared, Certified Medical Interpreter, Public Notary, Certifix Live Scan Provider, Immigration Consultant, etc.
To best support the community I continued my education, attendant ELAC, then CSUDH, where I graduated in 2024 with an Honors B.A in Sociology. Many of the services I offer are Donation base and try to give each customer a personalized service. I was undocumented for many years, arrived at San Diego CA. when I was 15 years old and I know and understand what is like not know the language, and had to work hard and save money to pay for services, I understand the fear of ICE, the language but mostly the society that many times do not know our pain as immigrants.
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 do not believe in smooth roads, and for me it hasn’t been an easy road. I’ve encountered many bumps in the road, but I’ve challenged myself to educate myself, strive, and be patient in order to grow and improve, offering a better life to my family and community.
We’ve been impressed with Silvia I Montez, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is small but powerful, and everything I do is mobile, whether it be notary, fingerprinting, filling out and filing documents, interpretation and translation, immigration, providing resources from medical benefits, insurance, domestic violence, employment, to name a few.
For me, a personal connection is very important, as is being able to understand the client’s needs and find options to provide the best solution. Although I’ve thought about expanding my business, I prefer to continue providing personalized service and helping one person at a time. Today, I have more than 300 clients for tax services and have helped more than 100 people obtain residency, citizenship, and more. Money is good, and we all like it, but it doesn’t compare to the satisfaction of seeing my client receive everything from a refund to their citizenship.
I know that many will not agree with my method, but this method works for me and provides food and shelter for my family.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
One of the risks I took was hiring two part-time employees, since my income fluctuates greatly, and having people working under me is a responsibility. I continue to prepare and invest capital in different benefits and services available to create more income and improve the lives of everyone. after COVID we all had to take risk and reinvent ourselves, and our business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://silviamontez.com
Image Credits
Hi, could I send pictures another day? I have to find some.
