Minaya’s path to entrepreneurship began with challenge and determination. “I’ve been in the United States since 2001—I came here when I was 16 years old,” she says. Arriving as a teenager, she faced both cultural and financial barriers. “It is hard, especially when you are a teenager… I was ready to go to my dream college. I even got a scholarship.”
That dream school was the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, often known as “La Católica.” After immigrating, however, her plans changed. “When I came here, my parents put me again in high school,” she recalls. She later continued her studies in the U.S., saying, “Yes, I went to Orange County Community College.”
Determined to move forward, she supported herself through school. “I started working three jobs… and started paying my college by myself,” she says. As an immigrant, the financial burden was even heavier. “You don’t qualify… you pay three times the price.”
Her studies were eventually interrupted by a family crisis. “My dad was a taxi driver… he was robbed and almost lost his eye,” she says. “So I had to stop studying to help my family.” That difficult moment became a turning point in her life.
From door-to-door tax service to growing business
Minaya began preparing taxes in 2007 with just a handful of clients. “I started going house by house,” she says. “I would pick up W-2s, scan documents, and come back another day with their taxes.” This hands-on approach inspired the name of her business. “That’s why I called it ‘Mi Casa’—because I was going to people’s houses.”
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
What started small quickly expanded. “After a few years, I noticed I was getting more clients,” she says. Eventually, she was serving hundreds. Today, her company handles personal and business taxes, bookkeeping, and IRS representation.
Her decision to fully commit to the business came during a pivotal moment. “In 2021, I quit my job… I was going through a divorce, the pandemic, everything,” she says. “It wasn’t easy, but it was the best decision in my life.”
More than accounting: a financial ally
Minaya is clear that her business goes beyond numbers. “When I say more than an accounting firm… it’s because we don’t only do bookkeeping,” she says. “We support the client to feel peace of mind and focus on growing their business.”
A key part of that support is education. “I try to teach my clients how to be organized… how to manage their expenses and inventory,” she explains. “I give them tools… I even give classes.”
She believes many business owners struggle not because they lack potential, but because they lack structure. “A lot of business owners don’t do monthly bookkeeping… so they don’t know how their business is growing,” she says. “If we track everything, we help the client grow.”
Her approach is hands-on and transparent. “After I finish taxes, I sit down with the client… we go line by line,” she says. “Because once the client signs, the client is responsible.”
Fighting for clients, one case at a time
Minaya’s work often goes beyond preparation into advocacy. “We represent clients with IRS problems,” she says, describing cases that require persistence and documentation.
In one case, she helped a client recover money taken due to her spouse’s prior debt. “It wasn’t her debt… so we fought for her,” Minaya explains. The client qualified as an “injured spouse,” allowing her to reclaim her portion of the refund.
In another case, she uncovered a serious issue involving a previous accountant. “The client owed $30,000… but it wasn’t his signature,” she says. After requesting official records and filing a police report, they were able to challenge the liability.
Her advice is practical and firm: “Receipts are proof,” she says. “Bank statements are only transactions… you have to keep your receipts.”
Advice for entrepreneurs: plan, learn, grow
For new entrepreneurs—especially immigrants—Minaya emphasizes starting with the basics. “The first step is to register the business properly… and learn how your entity pays taxes,” she says.
Different business structures, such as LLCs or corporations, come with different tax responsibilities. “That’s the key to start,” she explains. “You have options to save money in a legal way.”
She also stresses the importance of planning ahead. “If you wait until the end of the year… you won’t be able to plan,” she says. “Be proactive.”
Beyond compliance, she encourages long-term thinking. “We have to think from here to 10 years… 20 years,” she says. “Save for your retirement.”
Language accessibility is another cornerstone of her work. “When clients don’t understand, they feel shy to ask questions,” she says. “But in their own language, they understand better.”
