From Uber Driver to “Tax Queen”: Ani Miller with Dr. Acosta Then

On Dr. Acosta Then’s podcast, Ani shares how she went from driving for Uber to building Ani Miller Services, a firm that today supports families and entrepreneurs across the country.

What we talk about

• The challenges of adapting to a new country, learning the language and finding financial stability.
• Why understanding taxes is key before starting a business in the United States.
• Financial advice for entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals and the Latino community.

The full conversation

In a special edition of her podcast dedicated to physician entrepreneurs, Dr. Acosta Then, creator of the “peso feliz” (“happy weight”) program, spoke with Ani Miller, founder of Ani Miller Services, about what a healthcare professional needs to know to open their own practice or company in the United States. The conversation covered which types of company make sense to create, the myth that in this country “everything goes to taxes,” Ani’s story from the days when she drove for Uber to building her firm, how she puts together and takes care of her team, several concrete tax strategies and a final piece of advice for those starting a business from the Dominican Republic. Here is the full conversation, in order.

A great opportunity for doctors who want to start a business

The doctor introduced Ani as an expert in taxes and in the financial and accounting guidance a physician needs to start a practice, and asked her the first question directly: what advice does she give doctors who want to launch a private practice?

Doctors who want to start a business definitely have great opportunities to do so right now, since at the business level, not the personal level, they have big advantages, both in taxes and in capital gains.

Dr. Acosta Then explained that, especially in the Dominican Republic, there is a lack of knowledge about taxes in medicine, and asked whether in the United States a doctor pays taxes differently from an ordinary citizen. Ani answered that it depends on how the doctor sets up or wants to start their operations. If they form a company, for example a corporation, they will have big tax advantages when it comes time to file their return.

Both agreed on debunking a common myth: the idea that starting a company in the United States lets you work at what you know how to do, but at the cost of paying “a ton of taxes.” The doctor summed it up this way, and Ani agreed: in the United States you pay taxes on profit, meaning income minus expenses, not on all of your income.

LLC or corporation: it depends on the vision

The doctor wanted to know the first step if a physician wants to create their company with Ani’s firm: which office should they knock on first? Ani explained that the first thing she does is sit down with the client and ask what their proposal is, what they want to do, because the right structure depends on that answer.

• If the doctor wants to establish something in the United States, open an office, have a company to work through or hire other doctors, the ideal option, according to Ani, is to create an LLC, because this type of company protects personal assets.
• Ani added that an LLC can be set up even if the doctor does not live in the United States, and that you can apply to the IRS for a taxpayer identification number designed for people who do not live in the country.
• If, on the other hand, the doctor wants the company to grow, to need investors someday, to become a giant company or to eventually go public, then they should go with a corporation.

We make the choice depending on the doctor’s vision.

Tax season and weight

True to her specialty, the doctor shared that in her practice, patients who work in accounting tend to gain weight during tax season, and she asked Ani whether the same thing happens to her and her team. Ani admitted it does: they spend many hours sitting, during that season they leave at midnight every day until April 15, they eat in ten minutes and go back to work.

We don’t respect our mealtimes, and of course that makes us gain weight.

The doctor remarked, laughing, that when a patient tells her they work in taxes, she understands everything, and that these people usually decide to lose weight in June or July, when the workload calms down.

From Uber driver to entrepreneur

Returning to entrepreneurship, the doctor was struck by the fact that Ani started out in the United States driving for Uber, and asked her where she found the determination to start a business as an immigrant. Ani shared that she arrived in the country with her two older children and her sister, that soon afterward she brought her mother, and that she did not speak English, so she had to start with whatever was available at the time.

I think all of us immigrants arrive in the United States and have to do whatever we have to do.

Driving for Uber allowed her to enroll in English classes, because she could work in her free time after school. She said she did “every app there is,” Uber, Lyft, Amazon, absolutely everything, and that this is what she reminds clients of today when they think things are not possible. But at the same time she set herself a clear goal: learn the language.

I’m the one arriving in the country. The country can’t adapt to me; I have to adapt to the system I’m arriving in.

That flexible work was, in her words, a bridge: she worked whenever she could and devoted the rest of her time to school.

“I learned English, now I have to take care of my weight”

The doctor asked whether all that pressure, the language, the apps and the kids, had an impact on her weight. Ani was candid: she gained a lot of weight. But she described herself as a very determined person, and when she felt she had reached her English goal, she decided to take care of her health. She started organizing her time, exercising and improving her diet, because living between work and school she was eating whatever she found on the street. Eating healthier, she said, worked for her.

The doctor joked that Ani had gone through two of the professions that have the “highest impact” on weight in her practice: Uber drivers and tax preparers.

Taxes can help you grow

Getting fully into taxes, Dr. Acosta Then asked whether it is true that taxes can help you grow. Ani answered that it is absolutely true, and that it is something she repeats to her clients every day.

I wish people would realize that taxes can allow you to grow, build wealth and move ahead in this country by leaps and bounds, if you understood what taxes are in the United States.

She explained that anyone who wants to buy property, invest or grow, both themselves and their family, needs to have their taxes done correctly. She noted that filing a return is an obligation for people who live in the country and also for those who, without living here, receive income from the United States.

How to choose your tax preparer

The doctor asked for practical advice, and Ani gave it very clearly: beyond filing, each person has the responsibility to research who they are trusting with their taxes.

• Look for a professional who not only has their registration with the IRS, but also proven experience.
• Do your research: as she explained, through the IRS’s public information you can learn about a preparer’s track record, for example how many returns they have filed.
• Choose someone who can show you with facts that what they are proposing will give you the results you expect.
• Be wary of anyone who teaches something they have never practiced.

You need someone to support you on the financial side, someone who can show you with facts that what they are showing you will really give you the results you’re hoping for.

The doctor compared it to her own profession: before a procedure or a consultation with a doctor, it is always wise to look into their experience and track record, because that gives you the confidence to take the step.

Next, the doctor mentioned that Ani’s office is a multiservice office and asked her some personal questions about immigration procedures for professionals. Because these are legal matters that depend on each case, that part of the conversation is not included in this summary.

Three kids, a company and a to-do list

The doctor wanted to get to know Ani the mother: a highly organized professional with three children. When does she manage to do it all? Ani shared that she goes to bed very late every day, gets up very early and plans her day with a list of the tasks she cannot skip that day. Her older children, who were about to turn 17 and 15, go to school, and she takes the baby, who was about to turn 2, with her.

I started over again. I’ve been taking the baby to the office since he was born. He’s been working since he was two months old.

She said she has a nanny who is “a blessing” and comes with her to the office, and that when the boy is ready for school, the plan is for him to go at least half a day to spend time with other kids. Outside of tax season, the team regularly works until 6 p.m. During tax season there is no schedule: she might leave at 12, 1 or 3 in the morning, whenever she actually finishes.

I don’t like filing tax extensions. I don’t like exposing my clients to penalties and interest.

And she made it clear that she does not do it alone: people see her face, but behind it there is a “wonderful,” deeply committed team, who, when she says they need to work on Saturday, answer “okay, I’ll be here at 9.”

The secret to a committed team: keeping your word

The doctor asked what the key ingredient has been for having a team that believes in her vision and shares values like responsibility. Ani credited something very simple.

I think it has been the fact that I keep my word. We’re used to people lying, to people not doing what they say.

She explained that she always presents a plan and follows it. She has team members who have been with the firm for four or five years, and when the office moved, some preferred to drive 50 minutes rather than stop working with her. Her motto is that if the company grows, the people who build their lives within it should also grow financially.

Delegating and training: the banking school

The doctor asked when she decided she needed more people and needed to delegate, knowing that many very conscientious people think “nobody does it better than me.” Ani answered that the key was training her team herself, drawing on her experience: she comes from a very long banking career that began when she was 16, an “old school” training ground where quality of service is essential.

She shared that when she started the company, all her clients wrote to her on WhatsApp at her personal number, which she later had to turn into the company number. Today they receive about 400 messages a day, something no single person could handle, so she has eight people dedicated to answering them.

I don’t want someone to send a message to an office and get an operator: press five, press four. I always put myself in the client’s shoes, with empathy.

Her reasoning is that in the United States everyone moves very fast, and whoever calls the company is looking for a solution. The office motto is “the client can’t wait.” So much so that some clients are surprised if five minutes go by without a response. That has been the secret: a fully trained team, able to answer absolutely everything, because she took the time to train them.

Mental health and rest after April 15

With so much urgency, the doctor asked how they take care of the team’s mental health. Ani admitted that the four months of tax season “are crazy,” but explained how they make up for it the rest of the year:

• After April 15, they work only Monday through Friday.
• They do not work weekends, so everyone can be with their family.
• They organize activities to clear their minds, like the December party.
• She makes sure the income the team earns Monday through Friday allows them to live well.

When the doctor asked her for a trick to keep the weight off during those months, Ani answered with complete honesty that she has not managed it: she stays working, and it is her coworkers who make her eat. “I think we all gain weight that season,” she confessed, laughing.

Taxes in one word: profit

The doctor asked her to define “taxes” in a single word. Ani chose “profit.” The doctor liked it because she sees it from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, and both remarked that in countries like Venezuela people pay taxes without seeing where they go, while in the United States things are handled differently. Ani added that she is happy when she has to pay taxes, because it means she earned well, but that there are legal tax strategies to keep more of that money.

Two concrete tax strategies

The doctor asked for examples, and Ani shared two:

• Heavy vehicles for the business. She shared that she herself, before the end of the year, bought a vehicle weighing more than 6,500 pounds for her company, a type of vehicle that tax rules allow to be depreciated on an accelerated basis. The exact percentage depends on the rules in effect each year, so it is a good idea to review it with a professional.
• Real estate investments. With rental properties, you can use the depreciation of the property and the property’s own expenses to lower what you owe in taxes.

You keep the property, you paid less in taxes, your income stayed at the same level, and tomorrow you can go to the bank and ask for another loan, because they’ll lend it to you.

The doctor invited the physicians listening to take notes so they can make smart use of their taxes.

When do you need an accountant?

The doctor pointed out that many people think accounting is only for taxes, and asked at what point a doctor needs an accountant or financial advisor to review financial statements and budgets. Ani’s answer was that everyone needs one, even if they are just starting out.

The most important thing for success with your finances is planning. If you plan, you know what you have to do and when you have to do it.

She shared that every year clients come rushing in on December 24 or 25, worried because the year is ending and they are going to owe too much. At that point it is hard to make such a rushed decision, especially when they do not even know how much they will have to pay. That is why, whether the company is small or large, it is important to set a budget, because what matters is not what you earn but how much you can legally keep in your pocket.

Digital businesses and Form 1099-K

The doctor asked what Ani thinks about digital entrepreneurs and the wave of news about taxes on payment platforms. Ani explained that the IRS has been announcing that people who receive payments through platforms like PayPal and other payment apps, above a certain amount, will receive a Form 1099-K, which summarizes all the money that went through those platforms. The conclusion for both of them was clear: what used to seem “just electronic” is now reported, and it is important to be in compliance.

The fear of starting a business and the scam that changed everything

The doctor asked whether she was afraid when she decided to open her own firm. Ani acknowledged that every entrepreneur has an inner fear and that, despite her experience, this was a different country. But it gave her enormous strength to know that every service she offers responds to something she herself lived through as an immigrant.

She shared that she once had her taxes done by someone who scammed her: all the numbers were wrong, and she ended up being summoned by the IRS. She called that person and got no answer. She did not speak English, did not understand anything and felt completely unprotected.

I felt so unprotected that I said: but why me? And just like me, there must be so many people this happens to. And I decided to get trained.

Since then she has devoted herself to obtaining all the licenses her firm needs, and she recently brought a CPA into the office, because several companies that started with them have grown and she wants to make sure every client receives the quality attention they are paying for. The doctor confessed she was taking notes, because she wants to work with someone who actually answers her calls.

Quick questions: the happy weight, being an owner and balance

In the round of production questions, the doctor asked her how she connects “the happy weight” with her company. Ani answered, laughing, that the weight topic is better started in May, and clarified that although the season is very stressful, there are also happy moments: many grateful clients, who “make their day” when everything works out and tell them “thank you for being in my life.”

Being a business owner or working at a firm without the responsibility? “Definitely a business owner,” she answered, with a warning.

You have to be willing, because people think that when you start a company you’ll be freer and have more time for yourself, and that’s not how it is. There’s a time you have to invest in that company so it can grow.

On balancing family and business, she was just as candid: during tax season “there isn’t much balance.” But she has a habit she does not compromise on: every night, even if it is 11 o’clock, she gets together with her older children and they tell each other how their day went, they in high school and she at the office.

When does a new business start turning a profit?

The doctor asked what a reasonable amount of time is to see profits in a business. Ani said it depends, because most entrepreneurs already have experience in what they are starting to do. She has clients who started making money immediately, and she attributes it to organization, with an important warning: more money coming in does not mean you can spend it all.

The doctor connected this to the doctors who rent offices at her Salutte clinic: a medical office is a company, with management, customer service through the secretary, an administrative and financial side with insurance, billing and payments, and an operational side. She lamented that medical school does not train doctors to see it that way.

The hardest part: negativity

What has been the hardest part of the journey? For Ani, running into negative people who try to “turn off your light” and “clip your wings” when you are starting a business.

If I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it, and if I fall, I’ll get back up and keep going until I achieve what I said I would achieve.

Her advice, which she repeats to clients and to her team, is to know whom to listen to: most people who do not want to try attempt to keep those who are trying from staying on the path, so before taking advice you have to look at whether it comes from a winner. The doctor agreed: when you start a business, you have to be very careful about what you listen to.

To close the round, the doctor asked what comes to mind with “Súper Salutte Feliz.” Ani said she feels happy, without having to worry about what she eats because she is going to be fine. “Fulfilled,” the doctor summed up.

The final piece of advice: the ITIN

As a last piece of advice for doctors who want to create a company in the United States, and for those starting businesses from the Dominican Republic, Ani suggested taking advantage of tax season for something many people do not know about: people who do not live in the United States and do not have a Social Security number can apply to the IRS for an ITIN, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

As she explained, that number opens the door to financial benefits without needing to live in the country. With an ITIN, she said, a person can:

• Have a credit card in the United States.
• Create a company.
• Apply for a loan to buy a property.

Dr. Acosta Then signed off, writing down the advice and promising to go to Ani’s office “as soon as I leave here.” The conversation leaves a clear idea for any professional who wants to start a business: choose the right structure according to your vision, plan with an accountant from the beginning and understand that, when handled well, taxes in the United States are not a punishment but a tool for growth.

Video: Dr. Acosta Then’s channel.

This article is an English translation of the original Spanish version. Quotes have been translated from Spanish. Leer en español.