As a CPA with 20+ years of experience in the field, John Sanchez has helped countless companies understand the numbers behind their business. In the process, he has had the privilege of working with clients from a wide variety of industries – from dental practices to construction firms, every successful company brings something unique and interesting to the table.
One glaring exception, John noticed, was often the accounting industry itself. There is significant demand for tax preparation assistance, tax filing, and general accounting. For most CPAs, that is the extent of the services offered. John felt that businesses deserved more.
In 2010, he left behind the corporate accounting world and branched out on his own to form John A. Sanchez and Company, a people-first accounting firm where navigating the complexities of tax season is just scratching the surface.
Five years later, he took things a step further and repositioned the company as an advisory firm that takes a big picture look at each client’s business. Rather than run-of-the-mill services focused on rearview mirror tax compliance, John and his team offer in-depth, forward-thinking goal-oriented consulting that covers more than just business structure and tax efficiency.
Through advisory coaching, consultations, and cutting-edge financial tech tools, John wants to help businesses understand whether these solutions are being properly utilized in the first place.
“My relationship with business owners is like a partnership. I combine 25+ years of tax knowledge with expert-level business development advice. Naturally, this involves much more than simply checking off boxes and ensuring compliance.”
To that point, John measures his success based on five key metrics: increased revenue, increased profit, increased cash flow, maximized wealth, and minimized tax.
When he isn’t busy helping business owners grow, John enjoys spending time with his family or fishing – he might be a born and raised New Yorker from the Bronx, but he has formed a deep connection with the lakes, rivers, and streams of Michigan in the 20+ years he’s called the state home.
Born in Detroit and raised in nearby Highland Township, Mike Petersen has been helping clients since 2003. He got his start in the industry working on tax preparation, became a CPA in 2013, and is now responsible for a wide variety of tax-related services including financial compliance, audits, review, and compilation.
Mike is easy to talk to and takes pride in his ability to help clients fully understand their tax obligations. His simple, down-to-earth approach to the job prioritizes organization, personal responsibility, and efficiency – in Mike’s eyes, the role of a CPA is to help people alleviate tax stress, not add to it. His straightforward, no-nonsense approach makes him a welcome addition to the team at JAS&Co.
“As a CPA, I get to help individual business owners and their companies gain clarity on their current, present-day situation in order to prepare for the future. Tax compliance might not be exciting in and of itself, but tax efficiency & strategy is a major contributing factor to the success of small businesses in Michigan and across the country.”
When he isn’t helping others with taxes and accounting, Mike has a wide variety of interests that include kayaking along the Shiawassee River, spending time with his family, and keeping up with the latest developments in technology – he’s a lifelong tech buff who enjoys building computers in his spare time.
Mike currently resides in Holly, MI with his wife and children.
Responsible for accounting, bookkeeping, and more, Client Accounting Services Manager Lauren Call wears a lot of hats with JAS&Co. That’s nothing new for Lauren, who got her start in accounting working for the family business in Clarkson back in 2008.
“Everything was done old school, on paper. It was bad – but it was also a crash course in accounting…and cash flow management…and business…and HR. I loved it!”
Thanks to this early experience crunching numbers, Lauren decided not to pursue a career in education and switched her major, ultimately obtaining an associate’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting.
She hasn’t looked back since. With 12+ years in accounting and lifelong involvement with small business entrepreneurship, the unique, people-first approach of John Sanchez & Company has been a perfect fit for Lauren. Rather than being heavily involved in the cash flow management and day-to-day operations of just one business, she can now apply her talents to multiple clients at once.
Born and raised in Michigan, Lauren spent her early years in the thumb before moving to Metro Detroit at 21 and has a passion for helping independent businesses from her home state thrive. Good accounting is about more than just numbers – it’s about forming relationships.
In addition to her Business Administration degree and ongoing part-time studies in accounting, Lauren has an associate's degree in liberal arts – a throwback to her earlier decision to become a teacher.
“Spending a full day cooped up in a classroom wasn’t my style but I still have a passion for teaching. I love explaining new concepts, ideas, and strategies to business owners.”
When she isn’t helping local businesses, Lauren enjoys reading, traveling, wakeboarding, and spending time with her husband and the rest of her family, including her adorable little Boston Terrier Bensin.
From San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines, CPA Janina Apigo shares her home country’s cultural emphasis on education and family. From a young age, she was focused on absorbing as much information as possible and making her family proud. Her current role within JAS&Co allows her to do both.
Janina’s accounting career started in 2014, in the local private sector. A year later, she switched to outsourced offshore support and has stayed with that since. With JAS&Co, her end-to-end accounting responsibilities include recording bank transactions, billing, invoicing, reconciliations of bank and credit card accounts, AP and AR aging report analysis, inventory management, processing of payroll, recording of depreciation and amortization reports, and preparing and reviewing Financial Statements. As a Certified Public Accountant and QuickBooks Certified Pro-Advisor, she loves helping businesses achieve their accounting goals and takes immense pride in her work.
The secret to Janina’s success is the love she has for her family – this is what inspires her to overcome challenges and obstacles through hard work, resilience, and tenacity, and is directly responsible for her positive interactions with clients.
“My personal philosophy is all about giving. Whether it is time, effort, or money, I try not to focus on what I can’t give, and just focus on giving everything I can. Life is more enjoyable and rewarding when you give back.”
When she isn’t busy contributing to the John Sanchez team or spending time watching movies with her family, Janina can often be found near the water – she loves traveling to destinations near the water and considers herself a mermaid at heart.
Leah Docena is an accountant by trade, but she refers to what she does as “problem-solving in real-time”. This is backed up with over 10 years of exemplary results, including two years spent with JAS&Co.
Born in the Philippines and raised in San Francisco, Leah took an unconventional path to the world of accounting. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics with a concentration in computer science, she was hired as a software engineer following graduation and worked in tech for 15 years. She found the work unfulfilling, and ultimately decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and open a business.
She purchased a UPS store and worked with an amazing accountant. Five years later, after selling the store, that same accountant encouraged Leah to put her math skills to good use and take the Enrolled Agent test to find extra work around tax season. Instead, she found a new passion and a new career.
Leah enjoys the challenges presented by accounting, but what she really loves is helping business owners educate themselves and make informed decisions – it’s easy for entrepreneurs to lose focus of the importance of 401ks and savings when daily operations take up so much time and energy.
“As a former business owner myself, I know exactly what it’s like and enjoy lending a hand. Working with the JAS&Co team lets me interact with clients on a more direct and personal level than I would with other accounting firms.”
In addition to helping businesses with their taxes, Leah enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family – kayaking, hiking, and walking the dog are some favorites. If she hadn’t have found her calling as an accountant, she would most likely be working in health and fitness in some capacity.
Since becoming a CPA in 1990, Marie Reddy has helped countless Michigan businesses navigate their tax obligations. As a born-and-raised Michigander herself, nothing makes her prouder. Whether it’s helping a business owner understand their specific options or walking one through a difficult stretch with expert guidance, Marie will never get tired of her chosen career.
Being a CPA is a continual learning process – the end goal is always about helping businesses reach their goals as they prosper and grow, but the journey in the middle is different with every client.
“I graduated from UofM intending to help local businesses, and that’s exactly what this work empowers me to do.”
Where ever she is working, Marie remains committed to doing a thorough job and giving her clients reliable access to the best possible advice and guidance.
“I genuinely care about my clients and want to go above and beyond to do what's best for them. At the end of the day, as a CPA, my job is to make your life easier via expert tax advice and professional guidance.”
When she needs to unwind, Marie enjoys trading the calculator for a set of golf clubs and hitting the course for a quick round. Some of her less seasonal hobbies include reading, walking her dogs, and spending time with family.
From a young age, Ariane May Manate knew she wanted to be an accountant. Born and raised in the Philippines, she got her start in the industry back in 2014, shortly after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and obtaining her CPA license. She spent a year and a half working as an accountant with a logistics company, then served as the Finance Manager with a hotel and an accountant with a UK-based firm before coming to JAS&Co in 2021. She successfully obtained her MBA in 2019.
As an accountant with John Sanchez & Co, Ariane is responsible for preparing and organizing financial records and handling payroll preparation. One of her favorite aspects of the job is the constant opportunity to learn new things while helping business owners. Ariane loves taking on new challenges and is known around the office for always giving 110%. Ariane attributes her strong work ethic to her parents, who provided her with support and guidance. When she isn’t hard at work as an accountant, Ariane loves spending time with her family (that includes her 5 dogs - Pit, Lilac, Nuna, Milo, and Chiggu). She is also heavily involved with her local church – Ariane has been a Sunday School teacher since high school. Of the many lessons provided by the bible, one of Ariane’s favorites is a verse from Matthew 6:34:
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Ariane embraces the opportunity to provide for her family as a CPA and can’t picture herself in any other role.