Mowbray and Cherina Rowand are the definition of an influence couple. In 2008, they moved to California throughout the recession, resulting in their creation of One Cease Taxes, now one of many largest Black-owned tax corporations within the U.S. Their enterprise empire consists of actual property, a Fats Tuesday’s restaurant, a restaurant within the Dominican Republic and the one Esco in Memphis, which has turn out to be the official after-party venue of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Why did you each begin One Cease Taxes?
Cherina: Actually, we’ve all the time been entrepreneurs. Mowbray and I met recent out of faculty, and we knew instantly we didn’t need to be married to the company America dream of 40 hours every week for the subsequent 40 years. A pal referred to as at some point and mentioned, hey, have you ever guys ever considered taxes? We had been like, hell no. Who desires to do taxes? Proper. However rapidly we modified our minds after we noticed how a lot cash might be made within the tax trade. Now it’s a digital platform that has reached 1000’s of individuals all throughout the U.S.
What’s the largest false impression about taxes?
Mowbray: So I believe the most important factor about taxes, particularly inside our neighborhood, is you’re speculated to get a refund. And I do know many people want our refunds. However I all the time speak to my purchasers about, let’s attempt to get you away from a tax refund and get you to the place to the place you must pay taxes. However we need to make it to the place it’s truly minimal. However so long as you’re getting an revenue tax refund, you’re actually restricted on what you are able to do previous that time.
What are methods you give again to the neighborhood you serve?
Cherina: For us, we do this within the type of completely different initiatives, like our Black Tax Fest competition. We put that on yearly, most lately on the Fountain Blue in Miami, subsequent yr, arising right here in Atlanta. That’s our initiative within the tax trade to guarantee that we’re all the time pouring out assets, creating areas for us to hook up with, community, and to enhance and scale our companies. We additionally do a Mardi Gras in Memphis that’s arising Feb. 21-23.
Why did you select to franchise 2 Chainz‘s Esco and open one in Memphis?
Mowbray: The rationale why we selected a franchise with Esco is as a result of we celebrated there a number of instances. We’ve been going there for the final eight years since we’ve been dwelling in Atlanta. We thought that if we took that kind of vibe to Memphis and we might add our personal twist and get a terrific location, we knew the enterprise would actually go up. We had been lucky to search out top-of-the-line areas in all probability in the entire state of Tennessee, related on to the Western Lodge, steps throughout from the FedEx type.