Alexandrina Mic-Podar
Entrepreneur, business owner, high achiever.
"Never forget where you came from."
I was born in Romania back in 1982 and grew up in this tiny village called Sant. Those early years in Sant had a huge impact on my life. They say whatever happens to you between ages 1 and 7 sticks with you forever. My grandparents taught me about love, faith, and hard work, and those lessons have stayed with me. I learned to never give up and to always dream big, no matter the circumstances.
In 1990, after the revolution, my amazing mom moved us to Hungary, and that's where I spent most of my life. I never finished high school because I had to start working full-time by the time I was 14. That's where I got my real education, the kind that comes from working hard. I learned that if you put in the effort, you can't lose. I've never had a job that I didn't like, no matter how tough it was. I loved the work because it changed me, made me physically tired, and most importantly, put food on the table.
Then, in 2005, thanks to some incredibly generous friends, I got the chance to move to the USA, where I saw the American dream come alive. I brought with me a strong work ethic and the belief that anything is possible if you work for it. That's when the entrepreneur in me was born.
I'm absolutely passionate about building businesses and bringing people together in ways that benefit them. I love helping startups and supporting new entrepreneurs in getting their dreams off the ground. I've been dabbling in small business since I was a kid, doing odd jobs and trading stuff with my classmates just to be able to buy lunch and school supplies. As a teenager, I owned a thriving massage therapy business.
Eventually, I made my way to the US and became the first one in my family to earn a college degree. I've started multiple businesses, including some in the accounting field. The biggest one, Backyard Bookkeeper, took off in 2008 and now has nearly 50 employees. We help hundreds of clients all across the country.
So, that's a bit about me and my journey. I'm all about working hard, dreaming big, and making things happen. Let's keep pushing forward together!
Professional Achievements
2008 - Present
CEO, Backyard Bookkeeper
"Starting a business in the middle of a recession while you still have college debt is the worst decision you could ever make," they said. My business partner Julie DeLong and I had other opinions. We needed to survive by doing what we love. She did the accounting, I created jobs. Fifteen years later, we are still standing strong as one of the most recognized brands in Utah and nationwide.
2018 - Present
Co-Founder, Backyard Payroll
"I can't get hold of anyone." "They are not listening to our needs." "They have filed things wrong." These are the things we often hear about their payroll providers, so we decided to change that. We started Backyard Payroll as a separate venture so small business owners can always be heard.
2019 - Present
Co-Founder, SPC Strategies
What is the point of learning something if you don't share your knowledge with others? We started SPC to teach and help others with Systems, People, and Controls. We recruit, educate, and set up suitable systems for any business of any size. But most of all, it is my goal in life to show anyone that hard work can be enjoyed if you have the right frame of mind.
January 2022 - Present
Board Chair, It takes a Village
It Takes a Village is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to helping end the cycle of poverty for children around the world. We believe everyone should have access to quality education. Since 2015, we have tirelessly promoted this mission with each library we build and programs we provide. We create global communities of learners who gain access to a wide variety of learning methods including a monthly speaker series, online mentoring, and digital resources.
June 2022 - June 2023
Board Member, Tacos Together
Tacos Together is a community-building organization focused on making connecting with others simple and fun. We revel in organizing pain-free, no-pressure networking parties. Notice that we don’t call them “events”; that’s old school and certainly not fun, so that’s not us. Our goal is to bring people together and build real, genuine, relationships, expecting nothing in return. Nothing accomplishes this better than sitting down to get to know people over tacos.
2011 - 2015
Executive Director, Podul Dragostei
Working in the nonprofit world is not an easy task. Most nonprofits struggle because they lose themselves in the mission and they forget to run the organization as a business. Podul Dragostei is a Romanian charity helping abandoned kids in foster care. I came in as executive director when it struggled to find its vision and structure, and I stayed until they were back on their feet, while helping them gain national recognition for the foundation in Romania.
